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Chapter Twenty-Five
Jasper decided that he couldn’t leave it off, not even overnight. He had to act, as soon as possible, even if it was to soften the blow for Lady Leah. He couldn’t keep her in suspense. Especially after hearing from his mother how upset she’d seemed.
Jasper arrived at Kirby Hall, to speak to Lady Leah, where Mr. Wickes showed him into the withdrawing room. He was told to wait, which in itself was odd. Usually, he was received with great warmth. However, it appeared that no one was disposed to receive him at all.
He sat down, listening to how silent Kirby Hall was. It was almost ominous. However, he hadn’t sent word that he would be arriving, so perhaps Lord and Lady Kirby were out.
Lady Leah was followed in, by her lady’s maid, to chaperone in the absence of her parents. Selina treated her maid as a friend. Leah’s maid simply followed her about silently.
It was immediately clear that Lady Leah had been crying—her eyes and her nose were red-rimmed, even though her tears had been dried assiduously.
Lady Leah barely even looked at him, curtsied, then sat down. She crossed her arms as she looked at him, angrily. With a sinking feeling, Jasper realized that she knew everything.
“Lady Leah,” he said bowing to her. She stared at him, stonily.
“Your Grace,” she replied.
“How—how are you, My Lady?” he asked, taking his seat again.
“Let’s dispense with the niceties, Your Grace,” she snapped, surprising Jasper to his core. In all of the years that he had known Lady Leah Bowles, she had never spoken to him in this manner. “Tell me why it is that my fiancé sends my cousin letters, asking her to meet him in secret?”
He hadn’t expected her to find the letter. He’d thought that Selina would have hidden it. Selina was blameless in this matter. He opened his mouth to answer, but Lady Leah went on, angrily.
“Oh, please. The whole staff here knows,” Lady Leah said. “I can’t believe you would do this to me. How am I ever supposed to trust you?”
“I admit it,” he said. “I’ve been meeting your cousin.”
“All of my life, everyone has always preferred her,” she stated, shaking her head. “Am I the only one who can see through her?”
“But now we can admit it and end this engagement.”
“Absolutely not,” she said. “I’ll have my father duel you.”
Jasper stared at her. This was a side of Lady Leah that he’d never known existed.
“You will reschedule the wedding,” she snapped. “I’m never letting you out of it, Your Grace. You are to keep your word, as a gentleman is supposed to do.”
With that declaration, Lady Leah got up and stormed out of the room. Her maid followed after her silently. Jasper sat, alone in the room, staring at the blue-velvet settee across from him where Lady Leah had been. He’d known that it wouldn’t be easy.
Lord Kirby came in, a few moments later.
“Your Grace,” he said, bowing.
“My Lord,” Jasper replied.
“My apologies that Lady Kirby and I were not here to receive you. We were visiting Lord Langley.”
“It’s quite all right,” Jasper said. “I came unannounced to speak to Lady Leah.”
“Yes,” Lord Kirby replied, clearing his throat awkwardly. “My wife is attending my daughter now.”
“I’ve upset her,” Jasper murmured. “For that, I am sorry.”
“Yes, well.” Lord Kirby inhaled, deeply, letting all the air out in his lungs as he tried to figure out what to say. “These things happen,” he said sadly.
“I suppose—yes,” Jasper agreed. He wanted to make sure that Lord Kirby was not, in fact, going to duel him on Lady Leah’s behalf, but didn’t feel that he had the right to do so.
“I think you should return in a few days, Your Grace,” Lord Kirby suggested. “Once my daughter has had the time to calm down. I’m sure the two of you will be able to settle things accordingly between yourselves, then.”
