‘I just hope she is being sensible; she’s only sixteen – at least she is until next week,’ Emmy commented.
Jasper chuckled again. ‘Stop worrying, please. She’s young and having fun. Now, how about you and I go for a stroll and you can tell me all about how you are settling in London.’
‘But I’ve only just come in. Jake took me on a river trip along the Thames.’ Just for a moment she saw Jasper’s lips tighten and a look of irritation flash across his face, but then he was his usual charming self again.
‘I’m sure our delightful aunt wouldn’t mind if I whisked you out again,’ he said confidently. ‘She tells me it’s your day off to do as you please.’
Her aunt stared at him and sniffed and Emmy got the impression that for some reason his charm hadn’t worked its magic on her as it did on the majority of the women he met. Despite this, Imogen inclined her head. ‘He’s quite right. Today is yours to spend as you wish. I’m not your jailer!’
In actual fact, the last thing Emmy wanted to do was go out again but Jasper was her cousin so she supposed she couldn’t snub him, particularly when she had just spent part of the day with his brother. ‘Very well, I suppose we could take a short stroll about the park,’ she said reluctantly.
With an exultant smile Jasper rose and kissed his aunt’s hand. ‘Goodbye for now, dear aunt. I’m sure we shall see each other again very soon.’
‘I’ve no doubt we shall.’ She was unsmiling as they left the room.
Outside, Emmy led Jasper to the little park. At some stage he tucked her hand into his arm and once again Emmy felt vaguely uncomfortable in his company. Why, she wondered, when she always felt perfectly at ease with Jake?
‘So Abi is well?’ she queried.
He nodded. ‘Very well and having the time of her life from what I can see of it.’
‘And you’re quite sure that I can’t persuade you to tell me where she is living?’
He sighed dramatically. ‘I’ve already explained I can’t do that until I’ve had her permission, but I’m sure she mentioned that she was thinking of coming to see you.’
He chattered on of other things but his words went in one ear and out of the other as Emmy thought about her sister. She didn’t like the idea of what could happen to her in the sort of establishment she was working in, but there was nothing she could do about it for now, so she endured two laps of the park before politely but firmly informing Jasper that she wished to return to her aunt’s as she was tired.
He sighed again as if he were mortally offended but led her back the way they had come and when they reached the house, she didn’t invite him in.
‘I shall come and see you again very soon, sweet cousin,’ he told her, bending over her hand and planting a wet kiss on it.
It was all Emmy could do to stop herself shuddering, although she managed to keep her smile in place until he turned and strode away. Then, with a grimace, she wiped the back of her hand down her skirt before hurrying inside.
When she returned to the drawing room, her aunt was sitting where she had left her and gave Emmy a wry smile. ‘I don’t see any of my family for years then all of a sudden they’re coming at me from all directions. That one is the double of his father when he was young.’
Emmy managed a smile as she removed her hat yet again. ‘Yes, it does appear so.’
‘Hm, and it seems that you have both of your cousins eating out of your hand.’
Emmy looked surprised. ‘Whatever do you mean?’
‘It’s as plain as the nose on your face that they’re both quite smitten with you,’ her aunt said in her usual forthright way. ‘But be careful – that last one, Jasper .?.?. I wouldn’t trust that young man as far as I could throw him.’
‘I’m sure you’re quite wrong,’ Emmy said primly. ‘They’re mycousins.After what happened with your brother and sister, you must know that even if what you say is true, nothing could ever come of it.’
‘That might well be, but they’re also young men an’ you’re a young woman,’ her aunt told her tartly. ‘The older one, Jake, now he seems a nice young chap and I can see him making something of himself, but Jasper .?.?.’ She shook her head. ‘He’ll never be anything but a waster. Trust me, I’m a very good judge of character and I’ve come across plenty like him in my time so just be careful.’
Emmy couldn’t help but smile. ‘I must admit Jasper’s not my favourite person either,’ she admitted. ‘And Jake and I are merely good friends.’
Imogen sniffed as she rang the bell for Aggie, and taking that as a sign of her dismissal, Emmy went to her room where she immediately threw open the window. Unfortunately, she found the fussy furniture and decor rather overpowering at times, although she would never tell her aunt so for fear of hurting her feelings. Plonking herself down on the window seat she stared into the garden and as she thought back to the time she had spent with Jake, she smiled. They’d had such a lovely day and were so easy in each other’s company. She instantly felt guilty then when she remembered what her aunt had said and she was forced to wonder if it wasn’therwho had feelings for him. The smile slid from her face and she frowned.
Over the last couple of years before the family had lost Astley House her mother had paraded a number of eligible young men in front of her but she had never felt for any of them what she felt for Jake. She found herself looking forward to spending time with him and listening to what he’d been up to since they’d last met. He was kind and thoughtful and undeniably handsome but she knew that nothing could ever come of any feelings she had for him and she wondered suddenly if it wouldn’t be better to stop seeing him so often? She gave herself a little shake.Stop being so fanciful, she scolded herself.It’s nothing more than family affection you feel, so what’s the harm in that? We are both working away from home so it’s natural we should want to see someone we know.
With her mind somewhat settled, she quickly made herself think of other things.
Chapter Twenty
June 1875
