“I think you are capable of anything.”
“Good then, it’s settled. I’ll come one day a week to visit the children and help out however I can.”
“I’d like that.” After a moment’s pause he asked, “Are you coming tonight?”
She felt the blush creeping over her face, and she looked away. It was so different interacting with him during the day. He didn’t seem like the man she’d been so intimate with, and it was disconcerting. “Yes, I’ll be there.” She looked up at the large grandfather clock across the room, and her face fell in regret. “I really must be going. I hadn’t anticipated being gone this long.”
“I’ll see you out,” he said, offering his arm to her.
As he handed her into the carriage, he nodded his head at Margaret, who eyed him with something akin to hostility. Though he didn’t voice the words aloud when he faced her, Jenna clearly read the words that came from his lips. “Until midnight.”
###
The only thing worse than the prospect of Sebastian and Quinn waiting to badger her, was Jenna coming home to find Stuart sitting in her drawing room. She was sorely tempted to pretend she hadn’t seen him and hide in her room. Unfortunately he saw her first.
“Jenna!” He got up and rushed over to her, the lacy cuffs of his sleeves billowing out as he grabbed her hand. “I just about gave up hope of seeing you and returned home.”
Too bad she hadn’t stayed gone five more minutes. She eyed him balefully, in no mood to contend with his theatrics. She wanted to find Sebastian and apologize for their earlier argument. “To what do I owe the honor of your visit?” She gingerly extricated her hand from his grasp.
Undaunted, he grasped her other hand and led her over to the settee. “I have the most wonderful news to impart.” He sat down beside her, carefully arranging the hem of his ruby jacket. “We’ve been invited to Lady Lockhart’s soiree tomorrow night.”
Jenna’s head snapped up at the mention of Lady Lockhart. “What do you mean we?”
“Well, you and I, of course,” he said as though she were a dolt.
“No, I meant were we invited together or wereyouinvited and you wish me to come with you?”
“I fail to see the difference,” he sniffed. “Really, Jenna. You’ve become so contrary of late.”
“Just answer the bloody question,” she snapped.
“Jenna!” His face whitened in shock, and he began fanning his face in rapid motion with his hand. He grabbed convulsively at his neckline as if it were choking the life from him. “Such language! So vulgar!”
“Cease your yammering, Stuart.” She looked at him in disgust, tired of suffering his eccentricities for the sake of an engagement she didn’t even want.
His mouth gaped open. Then to her surprise, he burst into laughter. “Jenna, my dear. You never cease to amuse me. Brilliant, just brilliant!”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she muttered. She got to her feet, smoothing her skirts in irritation. “Stuart, I really am not in good spirits today. Perhaps we should reconvene at another time.”
“Of course. Do accept my apologies.” He walked to the door of the drawing room and turned back. “In answer to your question, Lady Lockhart invitedus.”
She sat on the settee long after Stuart departed. Had Gray prompted her to invite Jenna? If he had, he could very well be present.
A smile spread across her face until her cheeks strained from the effort. An evening with Stuart was bearable if she could see Gray at the same time. And since the ball would no doubt carry over beyond midnight, it would afford her the only chance she had of seeing him that night. She could not continue to leave early or she would draw the suspicions of Stuart and her brothers.
Finally she rose and went in search of Sebastian. She didn’t like the gulf that was widening between them, and she was eager to make amends.
She found him in their father’s office going over a stack of correspondence. She eased over to the desk and sat down on the edge, scooting back on the polished surface.
He glanced up, laying a letter aside. Sadness shown in his eyes, and it was nearly her undoing.
“I’m so sorry,” she choked out.
He stood up and enfolded her in his arms. “Don’t cry, Sprite.”
“I was horrid to you. But I didn’t mean any of it.”
“I know you didn’t,” he soothed.
