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Jess still looked cautiously at the building then led the way to the store next to the house.
“It usually sits here,” she told him. She pointed to the loose brick and removed it.
“What on earth?” she whispered.
Marcus lifted the key out. “Is this the one?”
“Yes, but who would use it and then put it back?” she demanded. “It wasn’t there when I checked. I know it wasn’t.”
Marcus hastened to reassure her. “Is there anybody in the house, apart from you and Ben, who know this key is here?”
“I don’t know,” Jess replied in confusion. “I don’t know if Ben has told anybody where to find it. I certainly haven’t. It is not here for the guests to use.”
“Given it is outside, Jess, anybody could use it. One thing is for definite; it can’t remain here now. If Ben has his key, and you have yours, there is no reason for a spare, is there?” He pocketed the key and heaved a sigh of relief that she didn’t object. “With your permission, I should like to keep it.”
Jess didn’t hesitate. “Of course, you can,” she replied.
“Good, then let’s get inside where it is warmer. I don’t know about you, but I am frozen,” Marcus grumbled and led her toward the house.
“Who do you think it was?” she whispered.
“I don’t know,” Marcus replied. “I wish I did. You did the right thing to leave the house like you did.”
Once inside the kitchen, he hugged her again and kissed the top of her head.
It felt wonderful to be able to slide her arms around him in return and hug him back. Unlike Ben, Marcus seemed to revel in the embrace and made no attempt to move. Instead, he tipped her chin up and began to kiss her.
“Just what the hell do you think you are doing?”
Jess winced when her brother’s voice lashed across the room. When she tried to step out of Marcus’ embrace, she found herself held firm.
Marcus lifted his head and looked at Ben. He made no attempt to explain, or excuse what he was doing. As far as he was concerned, it was evident to any fool with eyes in his head what he was doing, and he didn’t care if the lad liked it or not. Slowly, he turned to Jess and dropped a loving kiss on her lips.
“I will see you later,” he promised. “I will be back in time for dinner.”
Jessica smiled and watched Marcus go. Her joy was short lived, though, when her gaze met Ben’s.
“Just what do you think you are doing?” Ben seethed.
“What I want to do,” Jess snapped. “You do it, why shouldn’t I? You cannot expect me to stay here all day, every day, doing all of the chores by myself while you go gallivanting off here and there.”
“Jess-”
“No, Ben,” she protested. “This is my life, and I will live it as I see fit. Now, seeing as not one of us have done any chores today, we need to catch up.” She threw him a dishcloth and watched him glance hesitantly at the door. “You leave, and I swear as the Lord is my witness that I will lock the door and refuse to allow you back in again. There is dinner to prepare, and the ale to fetch from the tavern. Get to it.”
She stormed out of the kitchen before he
could protest.
By the time dinner came around later that evening, Jess was exhausted with the barrage of emotions that had assailed her throughout the day. Anger made her hands shake. To the point that she had to apologise when she tried to pour ale into Mr Ball’s mug, only for it to spill all over his breeches.
When she had returned to the kitchen to help prepare dinner earlier, Ben had again tried to order her to stay away from Marcus. She refused to listen. As far as she was concerned, Ben didn’t know Marcus as well as she did. Her brother wasn’t in a position to judge him given his behaviour of late.
Well, you don’t know much about him, but you know more than you did, she mused.
Whatever she didn’t know now, she could learn in time.
You don’t know how much time you have. She quickly closed that thought out, but it lingered in the back of her mind, leaving her struggling not to cry.
