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Lena huffed, anger emanating from her in waves of heat. I could feel it just standing next to her.
“I’m not aware of what you and Mama talked about,” Addie said, firmly. “But we treat all guests as well as staff with respect.”
“Yes, Miss Barnes.” Jesse picked a piece of hay from his shirt. “I guess I better know my place from now on. I meant no harm.”
“We treat you with respect and expect the same from you,” Delphia said. “It’s not hard to understand.”
“You got it.” One side of his mouth twitched, not in amusement, I didn’t think, but malice. I resisted the shiver that wanted to run up my spine.
Delphia, who should have been looking either scared or angry, had an entirely different look to her. Calculating, perhaps? As if his presence had prompted a thought.Please don’t let it be attraction, I thought. This was not the man for Delphia.
Lena squeezed my upper arm with such strength I actually winced from pain. “I should like to return to the house now, thank you very much.”
Jesse took off his cap and nodded toward us. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. West, Miss Masters.”
“You as well,” I said. “Good luck with your work here.”
“Thank you kindly,” Jesse said.
All the way back to the house, Lena was quiet. This was unusual. I could safely say that during the time I’d spent in her company, none of it had been silent.
When we reached the steps to the back porch, Lena stopped and turned toward the barn, now hidden by trees. “He’s the most arrogant, ridiculous man I’ve ever met. I shall talk to Father and have him suggest to Lord Barnes that they get rid of him at once.”
“Lena, please don’t. This isn’t your concern. Mrs. Barnes runs the house and garden as she wishes.”
“Does she know how insubordinate he is?” Her eyes caught the light shed from the porch. “How rude? Is it safe for either Addie or Delphia to be alone with him?”
“They can hold their own. Plus, they look out for each other. Always.”
“It must be nice to have someone love you that much. Sometimes I wonder if my mother had lived if she would have loved me like Mrs. Barnes loves her girls?” She sighed and turned back toward me. The sadness in her voice surprised me. Was she lonely despite all her friends?
“You have a lot of friends.” I hesitated, suddenly wishing to make her feel better, to feel loved. I should love her. If we were to have a marriage, I must learn to love her. I must look after her. Was it only my attitude keeping me from doing so? “And you have me.”
“I have a lot of acquaintances who would drop me if we were to become suddenly poor or if there was scandal of some kind. As far as you, do I, James? Do I really have you? Or is your heart here with the Barnes sisters?”
One sister, I thought. Such a traitorous fool I was, even to myself. Hadn’t I just promised myself I would give Lena a chance? “I love the entire Barnes family like they’re my own. You’ve known that.”
“Yes, which is why I’ve come all this way to meet them. I wish they liked me better.”
“Give it a little time,” I said. “They’re not used to people like you, that’s all.”
“People like me? What does that mean?”
I chose my words carefully, not wanting a quarrel. “You’re a city girl and they’re from the country—indeed, from this wild country. You can hardly expect them to care about the same things you do.”
“How diplomatic of you, darling.” Her voice returned to normal, full of self-confidence that bordered on arrogance. Underneath that was a motherless girl, I reminded myself. A girl with a father who cared only for money and power, certainly over love.
“You asked me earlier what I wanted,” I said. “What about you, Lena? Do you know?”
“I want Father to be happy and pleased with me.” She was quiet for a few seconds. “And I want someone to love me with their whole heart. I’ve hoped that would be you but here, with these people, I’m starting to think that isn’t true.”
“Is this what you want? I’ve never asked you that,” I said.
“I want to please Father. And because he wants me to marry you, I shall, and I’ll be happy. You’re a wonderful man. I know that to be true, even if I don’t know you well.”
“I’ll try to be happy, too,” I said.
She squeezed my hands. “You may kiss me, if you like.”
