Jackson flushed and dropped his left arm. “Any reason why I shouldn’t?”
“No, you’re wise. A friend of mine had a similar injury and he worked it the same way you’re doing. He wrote recently and said his hand has improved greatly.”
“Good to know.” Jackson resumed the hand-clenching exercise.
Simon was impressed by the other man’s determination since he knew that exercising a damaged limb hurt. “I think that you have a great deal of ability, more than you’ve had a chance to use. Would you be interested in a position that would be part valet but include other duties? I might eventually hire a private secretary, but I don’t need one now. If you’re willing, you could try your hand at that kind of work.”
Jackson’s brows furrowed. “How do you know I can read and write?”
“Am I wrong?”
“No, sir. I learned from another sergeant who was keen to earn an extra bit of money. What would my duties include beyond polishing boots?” Jackson asked, cautiously interested.
“Some correspondence and organizational work. A good batman carries wider responsibilities than caring for clothing and he needs good judgment, so I think you’re already well on your way.”
“What if I’m not good at the secretarial work? Would you discharge me without a character?”
Simon shook his head. “No, I’d ask if there was something else you’d like to do.”
“I thought you just wanted a valet. Why are you giving me a chance to do more?” Jackson sounded as if he needed to understand before he agreed to do something so unexpected. Another sign of his intelligence.
“My grandparents believed in education and set up schools on the family estate,” Simon explained. “Good students were given the chance to study further. Their success has benefited them, their families, and the community. One became the physician for the whole area, another opened a shop in the village so people don’t have to travel as far to buy what they need. I’ve found that there are many talented people who could do so much more if given half a chance. So I’m carrying on the family tradition.”
“Then I’m glad to agree. I’ll do my best for you, sir.” Jackson gave a genuine smile. “And I’ll make sure your boots are well polished, too!”
* * *
Suzanne looked forward to going to bed with Simon, especially since it had been a busy day and they hadn’t had much time to talk after returning home from Kirkland’s house. When Simon slid in beside her, she rolled over into his arms and gave a sigh of relaxation. “Now the household feels complete. As soon as Jenny told me that she’d been a lady’s maid, I knew she’d be perfect. I’m so glad you think Mr. Jackson will suit also. He didn’t seem very amiable when we met him.”
“He was feeling ill at ease with the world, but he relaxed after we talked. He’s clever and disciplined and I think he’ll work out well.” Simon drew her closer so she could feel his rich warmth the length of her body even through layers of nightclothes. “When I told him we were traveling to Brussels for a time, he hardly blinked.”
“Jenny is delighted by the chance to travel to an exotic foreign land as long as Jackson is coming, too.” Suzanne sighed. “I wonder how our quests will go. For Lucas, for Chambron.”
“At least we can find Chambron since it must be where we left it. Finding Lucas is quite a different matter.”
“There can only be so many religious orders in the area. Perhaps your family friend was wrong and it wasn’t Lucas he saw. At least we’ll have tried.”
Simon stroked her neck and back with a warm, lazy hand. “Are you having second thoughts about going to Brussels? You said once there was nothing for you in France, and Belgium is very French even though it’s one of the Low Countries.”
“Since meeting you, I’ve become braver about facing the past,” she said slowly. “I’m taking small steps to push fear away. Though I don’t wish to live in France again, I do want to be able to visit and remember that life without pain. Brussels is a long step toward France. When we’re there, I shall become prepared for a visit to Château Chambron.”
“Are you willing to take steps toward vanquishing some of your other fears?” Simon cupped her right breast with a gentle hand.
She froze, her pulse spiking. But he did nothing more, and after a few deep breaths, she was able to relax and recognize that his light, warm touch was pleasant. “That’s not so bad,” she said. “In fact, rather nice.”
“May I go a small step further?”
Her instinct was to say no. Instead she drew a deep breath. “A very small step.”
He shifted his hand just enough to gently strum her nipple with his thumb. Even through the fabric of her nightgown, a sharp sensation shot to her loins. She gasped and shoved his hand from her breast as she turned rigid.
His hand stilled on her torso. “You hate that kind of touch?”
She rolled onto her back as she struggled to analyze what she felt. “It’s . . . complicated. There is some pleasure and that makes me think of Jean-Louis, who was proud of his lovemaking skills even though he had little thought for me as an individual. But there are also memories of agony from Gürkan. The combination of those feelings is—disturbing.”
He was quiet for a long moment, not moving. “I don’t know what I can do to counter that.”
He started to draw away, but she arrested the motion by covering his hand with hers. Her heart fluttered under their joined hands, so she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. This was Simon, not Jean-Louis, not Gürkan.Simon.Whom she’d known half her life and who had never been anything but kind and protective. As she thought of him, she felt her heart slow to normal.
