A tear made its way down her cheek almost before she realized she was crying. She loved her family, even overbearing Sebastian, and Quinn...they’d been inseparable since they were children. She had no wish to leave them under the happiest of circumstances, much less the miserable occasion of her marriage to Stuart.
Gentle hands turned her around and pulled her to a firm chest. How had Quinn come in without her hearing him? “Oh, Quinn, what am I going to do?” Her voice was muffled by his chest and more tears seeped out the corners of her eyes.
“I hate to see you so unhappy,” he said quietly.
“I don’t want to leave you and Mamma and Papa...and Sebastian. And I don’t want to marry Stuart.”
“I know.”
She pulled slightly away from him, placing her hands on his forearms. “Why is Sebastian being such a boor? I’ve never seen him act this way toward me.”
“He’s just doing what he thinks Papa would want. He loves you, Jenna. I know he is taking a hard line about Stuart, but he’s having to take the brunt of Viscount Dudley’s displeasure in Papa’s absence.”
“Displeasure? Ha! What does he have to be displeased over? It is I who should be displeased. Why did he and Stuart even come to London? Theynevertravel out of Westerleigh.”
Quinn sighed, his eyes reflecting true sadness over his sister’s plight. “I don’t know. I gather the impression the viscount wasn’t too pleased that Mamma and Papa left you to your own devices while they traveled to Italy.”
“Yes, of course,” she said bitterly. “They should have locked me away at home and taken me out in time for the wedding. Brushed me off a bit and sent me on my way.”
“Jenna, I can understand your anger. Truly I can. But what does it gain you? Wouldn’t it be better to make the best of your circumstances? It’s not as if you can change them.”
And therein lay the crux of the matter. She couldn’t change them. Maybe by embarking on an affair with Gray, she’d hoped that somehow she could, but in the end, she would marry Stuart, only she would do so with a broken heart.
Twisting away from him, she dropped to the bed, sitting on her hands. “I didn’t intend for you to know.”
“Like I wouldn’t see how desperately unhappy you’ve been? I doubt Sebastian has missed it either. The light is gone from your eyes, Jenna, and I don’t like it. You look tired and blasted unhappy.” He ran a hand through his hair and frowned. “You were so excited about coming to London. You bounced around the house for weeks after Papa gave his permission. I don’t suppose it’s been the best time for you.”
“Oh let’s do stop talking about it,” she said bleakly. “I am growing more depressed by the minute. If only he hadn’t written that bloody letter to the viscount telling him of our plans.”
“Jenna,” he said reproachfully at her language, but his admonishment was half-hearted and he chuckled. “You are going to give Sebastian a stomach malady if you keep that up.”
She grinned. “Bloody, bloody, bloody.”
“That’s better,” he announced. “I like the smiling, laughing Jenna much better than the sad girl I’ve seen moping around the house.”
“Have I been so terribly pathetic?”
“Well, let’s just say you haven’t won any awards for congeniality.”
She tossed her pillow at him, and he quickly dodged. “Promise me something, Quinn.”
“Anything for you, dear sister. Within reason,” he hastily added.
“Promise me you’ll visit me often.”
“You know I will,” he said, his eyes growing serious. “It won’t be that bad, Jenna. You’ll have children to keep you busy. And Stuart isn’t a bad sort. He’ll treat you well.”
“Yes, I know.” The image of her children flitted through her mind, but they all had smoky gray eyes and ebony hair. She shook her head, dispelling the insane notion. The sooner she got over her infatuation with Gray and resigned herself to her circumstances, the less miserable she would be.
It could certainly be worse. She had no fears of Stuart ever beating her or mistreating her. He was pleasant, even if a little annoying. All right, very annoying. But she could do worse in a husband.
“Jenna, is there something else? Something you want to talk about?” Quinn asked in a soft voice.
Her stomach clenched, and it was all she could do to meet his gaze without looking guiltily away. She’d never lied to him, but now she was living a lie. “What makes you ask?” Her voice was shaky even to her own ears.
“Nothing. You’ve just been...well Sebastian was right. You haven’t been yourself lately.”
“I’m sorry. I know I have been completely intolerable.”
