“Well, go find out, will you?”His huff was half apology, half exasperation.“That is,pleasego find out.We’ll wait here—out of the range of this damned door.”
“Come back with pins!”Kendra yelled after her.
Nineteen
Jewel
IN HER LITTLEprivate bedchamber, as she folded fabric around her last gift, Jewel was still mentally debating whether she should marry Henry.Last night, she’d been doubting he really loved her.But the truth was, she wasn’t any more certain thatshelovedhim.
And she wondered if that really mattered.
As a small girl, she’d dreamed of true, everlasting love—how could she not, having grown up with her parents, aunts, and uncles as examples?That dream hadn’t died, but she was old enough now to have noticed such love was rare.And she liked to think she was sensible.Didn’t it make sense to choose a pleasant life over a lonely one, given that an exceedingly passionate life was unlikely?
She’d turned down countless suitors, waiting for the right one, until Henry walked into her life.Surely by now she’d met every eligible young man in the kingdom—the aristocracy comprised a small social circle, after all.At this point, anyone she hadn’t met probably lived in the north, which was entirely too far from her family.
Could she do better than Henry?
She thought not.
Although she wasn’t sure she loved Henry, she was very sure shelikedhim.He was good and decent.He would make a kind husband and father.And she wanted children.Perhaps she should say yes.Maybe it would be best to get herself a husband and get on with her life, put the tiresome matchmaking-go-round behind her.
She envisioned herself in the big workshop Henry had said he’d build for her.In her mental picture, she was creating an exquisite stained-glass window, a dark-haired little girl and a tow-headed little boy by her side, both of them learning her craft.
Smiling, she tied the final ribbon.Then she rose and stretched and left the room.Thinking it felt good to be closer to a decision, she turned to head down the stairs.
Just then, a shriek came from the far end of the corridor.Alarmed, she turned back to investigate.
The door that led to Aunty Kendra and Uncle Trick’s chamber was open.Or at least itlookedopen, until she got closer and saw it was not strictly open, but rather completely disconnected and propped against the wall.
How on earth didthathappen?
Something was going on, Jewel thought, remembering her aunt and uncle’s odd behavior at breakfast.
A discussion was wafting from the room, just garbled enough that she couldn’t make out the words.She frowned and moved yet closer.
“One of the pins fell out of its hinge,” a female voice said, “and—”
“How on earth didthathappen?”Uncle Trick interrupted, echoing Jewel’s thoughts in a much more annoyed tone.“It should have been wedged in there so tight—”
“Apparently it was broken, your grace.They had to take the other pin to the blacksmith, so he could make a match.I’m so sorry,” the female added in a soothing manner.“Mr.Harry assured me it would be fixed by tonight.”
“Tonight?Tonight?I want to scream!”Aunty Kendra all but screamed.
Something was going on—Jewel was sure of it now.Her aunt and uncle were clearly desperate to be alone in their chamber, and she could think of just one thing married couples did alone in their chamber.Something was preventing them…
Quite definitely, something was going on.
Something devious.
And in the Chase family sphere, something devious usually meant something cooked up by Papa.
She felt close to putting the pieces together when she heard Uncle Trick say, “You may leave, and please don’t return until we call for you.”
Hearing footsteps approach the doorway, Jewel rushed to the other end of the corridor.
A young maid exited the room, looking like she was stifling a giggle.
Very curious.Or…
