Jane loved her uncle dearly, but he was putting her to the test with this business.
She hadn’t even said yes, and it was already arranged, right down to the timing of her nuptials. Before Eli returned to sea, he’d said. If he was cleared by the inquiry next week, she might be a married woman by the one that followed. And then what? They would say theirgoodbyes and he would sail away from her, leaving nothing but letters to remember him by. She would hold her breath each time the post came, dreading the one with black sealing wax that marked a tragedy.
She wasn’t suited for such a future. She still remembered how it felt to receive the news of Eli’s supposed death two years ago. Cecily reading each word slowly until she’d broken down into hysterics and Jane had to finish it herself. He hadn’t even been hers then, and still it had torn her apart.
She couldn’t lose him again.
Thankfully, the footman brought in a letter from Mr. Linden after breakfast to distract Bertie from his list. Jane savored the silence for an entire five seconds.
“I can’t believe you’re marrying Eli,” Edmund said once their uncle had withdrawn to attend to his correspondence. “You didn’t even tell us he was courting you. Are you moving out then?”
“I suppose so,” Jane replied. “They don’t keep their own town house, so I shall probably live at his parents’ estate in Devon.” The idea made her heart sink. She would have to leave her club behind, and she wouldn’t see her family or Della unless she came back each year for the season. It was exactly the situation she’d hoped to avoid.
Would Bertie and Edmund miss her as much as she would miss them?
“Could I have your room?” asked Edmund, spoiling her tender reflections.
Shortly past noon, Eli turned up, looking sheepish as Bertie ushered him in with a great fuss.
“I received word from the court of inquiry this morning. They’ve summoned me to appear before them next Tuesday.”
Somehow, it seemed simultaneously so far away that Jane would die of impatience and so close that they had no time to prepare. “Is there anything we can do to help? May we attend?”
“These types of proceedings are held onboard ships, and it will only be the judges and crew present. I’ll call on you afterward to tell you how it goes.” His expression softened as he took in her distress. “Don’t worry. I’ll sort this all out.”
Jane was not persuaded that a charge of desertion was the type of thing that one simply “sorted out,” but she held her tongue in front of Uncle Bertie. Seeing her sideways glance, he rose to his feet. “I imagine there might be things you two wish to discuss in private. I’ll give you a few minutes, though I trust you both understand there will beno more kissinguntil you’re married.”
Bertie attempted to muster a stern gaze, but he was so obviously overjoyed to have Jane spoken for, it failed to inspire any fear in their hearts.
Once he was gone, Eli gave up his chair and came to sit beside Jane on the divan, taking her hands into his. “I know this must be frightening for you, but these sorts of proceedings end all the time with no blame apportioned to the officer. It’s standard practice to investigate any complaint or irregularity. It doesn’t mean they’ll charge me with anything.”
“But what’s the punishment for desertion? Don’t they—” She bit back her words, struggled for a moment, then judged them worth saying. She had to know what he was facing. “Don’t they execute men for that?”
“Only in wartime, really,” said Eli. The reassurance didn’t help much. Jane bit the inside of her cheek, wishing she could shield him from danger. “The important thing is, it won’t get as far as charges of desertion, because they need to have some evidence before they can recommend a court-martial. As far as I can tell, they don’t have anything but a letter from my former captain voicing some vague suspicions.”
“But those suspicions aretrue,” Jane whispered, even though theywere quite alone. It seemed too great a secret to trust to an audible pitch. “What if they find out you were in France for three months?”
“The only person who knows that besides us is Geórgios, and whatever his faults, he would never testify against me. He’d be putting his own neck in the noose if he admitted to piracy, for one thing, and he’s also loyal.”
Jane’s head was swimming. How could he sound so confident when everything was an unknown?
“Anyway, I have a friend at the naval lords’ office I’ll call on next. With any luck, he might tell me if the judges know more than they’ve let on.” At least that was something, though it didn’t stop the pounding of Jane’s heart. Eli squeezed her hands tightly. “Trust me. This will all be over in a few days, and then we can put it behind us.”
“All right,” she murmured. What else could she do? But despite Eli’s optimism, their worries wouldn’t end once his name was cleared. It would only put him that much closer to leaving her again.
Jane’s doubt must have shown on her face, for Eli’s brow furrowed in concern. “What’s the matter?”
“It’s only…I’ll still worry for you, even if the inquiry goes well. You’ll be out across the world from me, and I’ll spend every day waiting for news. What will happen if Lord Melbourne takes us to war with China?”
Eli drew a long breath, his face grim. “I wish I could stay, but what choice do I have? Without my income, I won’t have any way to support you. A lieutenant’s pay might not be a fortune, but if you live modestly, at least I could rent you a house in town where you can live as you please. And if I can get my hands on enough prize money, it needn’t be too long. Five or ten years at most.”
Five or tenyears? She knew officers often served longer, but even that was an eternity. “I don’t need you to rent me a town house. I’d expected that we’d live in Devon.”
“And give up your club? I can’t let you do that.”
She might have been grateful if the circumstances had been different. All she’d ever wanted was the freedom to manage her own affairs. Her independence. But it meant nothing if Eli wasn’t safe.
“I’d rather give up my club than risk losing you again. I don’t mind living in the country.”
