“I owe you a favor or two in return,” she said, attempting a smile.
“You owe me nothing,” he said, standing abruptly and taking both plates, washing them in the small basin before putting them away.
“Jonny—”
“Going to get more water,” he interrupted, picking up the basin and walking outside, leaving her staring after him.
What had she done to cause him to be so angry with her? If he didn’t want her here, he never should have invited her. Ada didn’t want to be somewhere she wasn’t welcome, and if it was bothering him so much to have her here, well, she could do something about that.
She stood, ready to gather her things, only she had nothing with her. She nearly groaned aloud that she would have to ask him for one more thing — enough to pay a hack to take her to one of her friends’ houses. She knew that any of them would take her in, as much as she didn’t want to impose.
When Jonny returned, he didn’t look at her as he filled the water basin once more.
“Jonny?” she said, her voice threatening to tremble from uncertainty. “Can you loan me enough for a hack? I promise I will pay you back.”
“A hack?” he said, his head snapping up. “What do you need a hack for?”
“I’ll go stay with one of my friends,” she said, nervously twisting her fingers together. “You are obviously not comfortable with me being here, and I don’t want to impose.”
He crossed the room so fast that she was reminded of why he was one of the best half-backs in England. “I invited you here, and the last thing you are doing is imposing.” He stepped forward until they were nearly toe-to-toe, dipping his head as he placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up toward him. “If you don’t want to be here with me, feel free to go. I will give you the money to do so. But don’t leave because of me. I want you here more than you know.”
“You could have fooled me,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. “While you’re not always the greatest conversationalist, you’ve never been more surly or silent than you are being right now.”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in through his nose.
“If I seem that way, it is not because of you.”
“No?” she challenged him, “Then why?”
He took a step back, perhaps so that his anger wouldn’t lash out at her. “Because,” he bit out, “I had to watch you nearly get married off against your will. To a man who didn’t recognize how wonderful you were. Who would never have treated you the way you deserved. Who wouldn’t have taken care of you. Who would have let you be taken by Sharpe, to be used for everyone else’s gain. And then Sharpe nearly took you and I?—”
He cut himself off, rubbing his forehead.
Ada watched and listened with wide eyes, having never heard such passion in Jonny’s voice.
“Then why did you tell me to marry him?”
“I suppose I was trying to protect you… and myself. I just didn’t realize how it would be. Howhewould be.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“For what?”
“For seeing me,” she said, walking over and placing a hand on his arm. She realized then that there were no more battles to be had. Not between them. For now, they were on the same team. She knew he didn’t want marriage, couldn’t give her what she needed from him, and for that reason, she should walk away before she lost her heart and he truly broke it.
But, deep within, she knew it was too late for that.
For no matter how much she had tried to fight it, she had already fallen for him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“You can take the bed,” Jonny said, gesturing to the bed frame and mattress that took up most of the space in the small room up the stairs.
He had taken Ada to meet his mother and sister following their late afternoon snack of eggs and toast.
After he had told her exactly how he felt about her, and she had stared at him, wide-eyed and scared, as though he had said too much.
He understood.
