Jane squeezed behind Max’s chair to reach Morgan. She stood behind his chair and placed her hands on his shoulders. Leaning forward, she kissed the top of his head. “Don’t blame Jake. I told him not to say anything.”
Morgan reached back and laid one of his hands over hers. “You heard?”
“I did.”
Morgan circled Jane’s wrist with his fingers and drew her around his chair while he pushed back. He ignored the resistance she offered as he pulled her onto his lap.
“Morgan!”
He spoke to his men, not to Jane. “You all observed that she has expressed the proper amount of disapproval?”
They nodded. Jem said, “She’s a stickler for what’s proper. I noticed that right off.”
Morgan cocked an eyebrow at Jane. “See?”
“Morgan.”
“I love you.” He pointed to his men. “They think you have me tied in knots. They’re right. You do. It’s a hell of thing, Jane, but I don’t even mind. I thought you should know. I figure they already do.”
His very public declaration left her quite without words.
“I love you,” he said again, and this time he punctuated the declarative with a proper kiss. “Don’t fuss. I should have done that the first time we had witnesses.”
Jane angled her head against Morgan’s, her smile nearly beatific. She regarded her witnesses. “He neglected to kiss me at our wedding.”
“Now, that’s a damn shame,” said Jem. “Sorry. But it is. I’ve been givin’ that kiss some thought. I’m going to bend Renee back over my arm and?—”
Jessop slapped his spatula against the griddle. “More like bend her over your knee if you want to get that gal up the aisle.”
Jake nodded. “He’s right, Jem.”
Jane said, “Don’t you dare listen to them. Besides, you will want to save something for the reception. The whole town will turn out for that. They did for ours and we hardly knew a soul. I am still running into folks who were there that I have to meet all over again.” She started to rise. “Jessop, let me have a turn at those—” She did not finish because Morgan pulled her right back onto his lap. Surprised, she stared at him. “I was only?—”
He put up a hand. “Something…” He frowned, his thoughts turning inward as he searched for a recollection. “Yesterday—I think it was when we were leaving town—you said something about running into one of my friends. Am I remembering that right?”
“I suppose I may have said something like that. It’s true. It was the reason for my delay in returning to the Pennyroyal.”
A narrow crease defined the space between Morgan’s eyebrows as he continued to frown. “Someone you met at the reception?”
“Your thoughts do take the odd leap now and again. Is this because of what I said about the town turning out?”
“Probably. I don’t know. It’s been niggling, I suppose.”
Jessop put a platter heaped with fried eggs and bacon on the table. “Eat up.”
Jem reached out to pull the platter closer. Shaking his head, Max threatened Jem’s hand with a fork. Looking glum, Jem sat back.
“Who’s the friend?” asked Jessop, taking a seat. “The boss here maintains he doesn’t have any friends, or hasn’t he told you that?”
“That is what I hear,” said Jane, looking at Morgan. “I do not recall the man’s name. I am thinking now that he never told me, but he did mention that you and he went back a ways. I think that is how he described it. He knew who I was, so I supposed he must have been at the reception. I said that to him, I believe, although I am not sure he truly confirmed it.” She shook her head and offered a helpless shrug. “Really, our conversation was brief, the encounter was rather odd, and I was frankly in a bit of hurry to find you.”
Morgan was thoughtful. “He said we went back a ways? I’d say that’s odd since only Mrs. Sterling and I go back a ways, but why did you think so?”
“I am not certain I can explain it. I dropped my parcel, he picked it up, I thanked him, and he did not immediately return it. I think I said I would like to have it back at least twice, perhaps three times before he gave it to me. I found that odd.”
“Not very mannerly,” Jem said as he slowly walked his fingers toward the bacon and egg platter. “Ow!” He yanked his hand back and glared at Max who was examining his fork tines for blood. “What’d you do that for?”
“Leave the food for now,” said Max. “Can’t you see how this is somethin’ worth attendin’ to?”
