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She turned sharply and looked at him. Emotion moved to the brink and threatened to take her over, but still, she managed to calm herself. “Pauly, from what we heard, it would appear June Keenen is with child...and the father, presumably Don Rodrigo, wishes her to put an end...to...to...”
“Just so, my girl, but nothing for you to think about. Why Sir Warren had made such a scene of it all knowing you were standing there. Damn the fellow, such stuff is not of an innocent’s ears, and say what you will, Jess, you are still a green chit,” Pauly said with some feeling.
“How can he...Rodrigo, I mean...wish to kill a child he fathered?” she asked in some distress.
He saw that her complexion was drained of color. She was white with shock. He wasn’t blind. He had seen she had a great deal of feelings for Don Rodrigo, and truth was, he more than liked the fellow himself. This was, while not shocking to Pauly who had learned a great deal about these things in the last few years, very disturbing.
He sighed. “Well, he can’t marry her, Jess. It wouldn’t do. She is an actress, and, Jess, she ain’t in her first blush.”
“Meaning there have been other men in her life?” Jess asked.
“Meaning that...and you know...” He stopped himself. He shouldn’t be talking about such sordid things with Jessie.
“All the same, Rodrigo should take responsibility of the child. He doesn’t have to marry her, does he...to own the child?” Jessie asked.
The viscount considered her. “Aye, that, he should do. That would be the honorable thing to do.”
She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she said, “Pauly, I have very nearly made a dreadful mistake.”
He frowned and thought women the strangest creatures. There was never understanding any of them. What was she talking about now? “Never say so,” was his response, then he cocked his head. “Explain.”
For his efforts, Jessie dissolved into tears. He took her into his arms and tried to stroke her head, but the feather adorning her curls got in the way. He blew at it and put her head on his chest. “Jess, Jess, what is all this? Don’t worry about the Keenen. She is well able to see herself out of her muddle. I’ll go and make sure she has funds enough to help her along if you like.”
“Would you do that, Pauly? Oh, you are so good,” Jessie said, and gulped.
This entire predicament was not something Pauly wished to be involved in, but he could, after all, visit the Keenen on the morrow and make certain she had enough funds to see her through a month or two. “If it gives you peace of mind, of course I shall do so.” He had the gratification of seeing a tremulous smile flicker over her face.
She sighed quite heavily and took his lapels. “Pauly, I have been a fool, but no more. My eyes have been opened.”
“Ah, yes, good,” he returned at once and with more conviction than he felt. He thought it prudent to refrain from questioning his Jessie when she was in such a frenzied state of mind. Instead, he took up her chin and lifted her face to his. She looked like a frightened, unhappy child. She was his dear friend, and she was an innocent who had just received one of life’s awful and ugly shocks. He was aware she had feelings for Rodrigo.
He was also struck by the sudden realization that she was exceptionally beautiful. Friendship between male and female has its usual bounds, but here was a moment of crisis, and he desperately wanted her to be diverted. Barriers he had always maintained with the desire to keep their friendship just what it was, suddenly disintegrated. He became aware of her womanhood and bent his face over hers before he knew what he was doing.
His was a kiss of tender concern, a kiss that caressed and soothed. It even spoke of friendship and a certain kind of devotion. There was no passion involved.
Jessie received the kiss in that vein. When it was over, she collapsed completely into the safety of his arms and quietly said, “Pauly...you are so good and always there when I need you.”
* * * * *
Rodrigo had left White’s and was taking a stroll. The fact that his steps took him unconsciously towards the admiral’s town house...towards Jessie, was not something he had a notion to analyze.
He looked up to find a hackney entangle itself from the web of nighttime traffic and pull up to the curb. The driver had only narrowly avoided a minor accident in the road.
Idly, his eyes discovered the occupants of the hack in its dim light, and he became transfixed.
He watched the handsome lad take the exquisite young woman into his arms and tenderly kiss her. The young woman made no objection, and, in fact, sank into the lad’s arms.
A sure burning skittled through his veins and drove him unthinkingly towards the coach’s door. Rage took each rational thought that presented itself and tossed it to the gutter. His hard strokes had him at the hack and flinging the door wide open before he knew what he was about, but breeding restrained his words as his voice came, steel-glinting and cold.
“You may not have noticed, as you were otherwise occupied, but there seems to be something of a mishap in the street. May I suggest, my lord, that you remove Lady Jessica from this scene, and as her house is right here, escort her there.” Rodrigo’s teeth were gritted, and he made the attempt to set his mouth at ease and give the couple a sweeping smile.
Rodrigo was the last man on earth Jessie wished to see at that moment. Plague take his soul, she silently cursed him. After what she had just learned about him...how could she ever look at him again? She turned to Pauly, who had pulled away from her and was frowning darkly. He stared with some disappointment at Rodrigo.
Pauly, however, usually was guided by a gentleman’s point of view, which dictated the Keenen/Rodrigo affair was really none of his business. After all, his emotions were not involved, and he had been on the town long enough to know these things between gentlemen and their mistresses happened. Besides that, he knew Jessie, and saw on her face she was ready to read Don Rodrigo a lecture, which would have been most improper. He had to save both himself and her from such action. He jumped nimbly out of the hack, handed the driver a generous coin and his thanks before he reached a hand to Jessie to help her out of the carriage and said, “Come on, then, girl.”
“Thank you, no, I wish instead to ride on a distance,” she said in a haughty tone.
They were very close to the curbing and her home’s gate to her front steps. He grimaced at her. “Jess...don’t be a ninny. We are here and...please, Jess, for me.”
