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“Oh, there is Major Nelson,” said her cousin, her blue eyes alight with malice. “He looks worse for wear today, does he not? Do you know why?”
Jane stared at her with distaste. “I am sure you are about to inform us, Cousin.”
Lucy smiled prettily. “I heard it on good authority that he and Mrs Nelson had a huge row at the ball last night. Major Nelson was so in his cups that Mrs Nelson was ashamed.” She lowered her voice to a shocked whisper. “Apparently, two footmen had to assist him into their coach.”
Jane gazed at the Major and his wife. Lucy’s gossip was probably true this time. The Major famously liked to over imbibe, and he was pale and bleary-eyed this morning. His wife, the long-suffering Mrs Nelson, was tight-lipped and shooting him vicious glances from time to time.
But when they approached the warring couple, Lucy’s face changed. Her smile was wide and warm, and she inclined her head graciously as if she were the Queen. They stopped to make stilted conversation. Bored, Jane glanced idly around at the other people further down the pier.
Abruptly, she stiffened. Her heart constricted. In the near distance, she saw the tall, commanding figure of Lord Carlisle, walking alongside Miss Beatrice Prescott and her mother. Beatrice was laughing at something he said, her head thrown back in delight. Her brown eyes were shining.
Jane’s first instinct was to turn around and walk the other way. But the conversation with the Nelsons had ended, and now Marianne and Lucy were walking onwards, straight towards Lord Carlisle and the ladies. But Jane didn’t move. It was as if her feet were rooted to the spot.
Marianne turned, gazing back at her, frowning. “Jane. What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” stammered Jane.
“Come on,” said Lucy impatiently. Her warm, ingratiating smile had vanished entirely. She looked thunderous. “It is imperative we speak to the Earl. I simply cannot believe thatBeatrice Prescottgot her hooks into him before we saw him.” She spoke the lady’s name with venom.
Jane took a deep breath, joining her sister and cousin. It was easier to just comply and not make a fuss. She didn’t want either of them to know how much seeing the Earl and Beatrice walking together was rattling her. She still didn’t understand why she was having this intense reaction to seeing the gentleman and the lady together. It was unprecedented and inexplicable. She despised herself for it.
Just get it over and done with, she told herself fiercely.It shall not last very long.
Beatrice Prescott looked as unimpressed to see them as Lucy was to see her. Beatrice’s smile was so artificial that it threatened to crack her face, and the warm light that was in her eyes when she was gazing at the Earl had vanished entirely.
“Ladies,” she said, her voice tight. “How very nice to see all of you.”
“And you, dear Beatrice,” said Lucy, her voice dripping with honeyed malice. “I must say, I am surprised to see you out promenading this early, my dear. You look tired.”
Beatrice’s face tightened. “Tired? I am no such thing, dear Lucy. I am full of energy and vivacity, even though I was one of the last to leave the Lethbridge ball last evening.” She paused. “I simply lost track of the time as my dance card was so full, you see.”
Lucy laughed. “Indeed. You must feel yourself honoured by such an occurrence when you are one of the older ladies on the circuit, Beatrice.” She paused. “I can leave balls early because I have all the time in the world, being so much younger than you are, my dear.”
Jane couldn’t help rolling her eyes. The two ladies were like sparring cats circling one another. Marianne was simply watching them, an amused look upon her face. Then Jane couldn’t help it. She turned to the Earl.
To her shock, he was staring straight at her. His mouth was twitching, as if he found the two ladies amusing too. And then, to her delight, he rolled his eyes discreetly as well.
Jane couldn’t help it. She giggled.
Lucy and Beatrice didn’t notice. They were too intent on each other and their war of words. Marianne stepped back, gazing out towards the sea. The Earl approached Jane. Her heart started to beat like a drum within her chest.
Her reaction to his physical presence seemed to be getting stronger every time she saw him. Today she noticed how large his hands were and his long fingers. She couldn’t take her eyes off them for some reason. Suddenly, she was besieged by a vision of him placing them gently around her waist and pulling her towards him. Her entire body flushed at the very thought of it.
She took a deep, ragged breath, trying to dispel the disturbing image. She raised her chin, gazing at him.
“Lady Jane,” he said, his voice low. “How are you today?”
“Quite well,” she said, annoyed at how breathless her voice sounded. “And you, my lord?”
He grimaced. “If truth be told, I am rather tired. It was a late night, and I did not sleep well.” A brief pause. “Would you care to walk with me further up the pier?”
Jane hesitated. She knew how dangerous it was spending even a little time speaking with him alone. She knew it was only encouraging him, and that wasn’t fair to him. He deserved to know where he stood with her so he could simply move on to the next eligible lady. A lady like Beatrice Prescott or Lucy. Both ladies had him squarely in their sights and wouldn’t be happy that she was whisking him away when they weren’t looking.
But her hesitation was her undoing. He simply took her silence for assent, taking her arm and leading her away from the others. Marianne saw it and smiled, trailing them at a discreet distance. The other two ladies were still so intent on each other, they hadn’t even noticed yet.
Jane was supremely conscious of his proximity to her. She resisted the urge to lean into him. Once again, she was astonished that her body appeared to have a mind of its own where this gentleman was concerned. She had never experienced anything akin to it in her life.
He led her to the end of the pier, where they gazed out to the sea. Slowly, he turned to her, looking pensive.
