Chapter 12
“Has Marguerite taken ill, Lindsay? It’s past midday and yet you say she’s still abed.”
Lindsay swallowed hard and shook her head as she gazed at Jared, who had astonished her completely with his unexpected arrival at the town house.
She’d been playing with Justin when the footman had brought her the news, and she’d run downstairs to find Jared standing so tall and handsome in the foyer. Truly, she was glad to see him, but oh dear, oh dear.
Marguerite and Walker hadn’t returned yet from Gretna Green! What was she to do now? What else was she to say?
She’d already voiced a falsehood when she’d told Walker that she would do no such thing to Jared. By her reckoning, they should have arrived back in London by now…unless the carriage had lost a wheel or they’d been caught in a storm or a bridge had washed out.
Now that she considered all the things that might have gone wrong, she began to regret her advice to them to marry in Scotland. If anything had happened to them, she would never forgive herself!
“Lindsay, you look pale. You’re not taking sick—”
“No, no, my love, I’m just so happy to see you! Surprised, too. You’d said later in the week and here it’s only Monday—”
“The foreman had matters well in hand so I came home to you. Why should that surprise you?”
“No reason—oh!”
Jared had pulled her into his arms to kiss her soundly, which only made Lindsay feel worse that she had lied to him. As if sensing her increasing discomfiture, he drew back to study her face.
“Something’s amiss. Woman, I know you too well.”
“Amiss? Of course not! Everything’s perfectly fine.” She’d twisted away from him and hurried into the drawing room, knowing he would come after her.
Knowing with deepening chagrin, too, that this wasn’t the first time her romantic nature had gotten her into trouble. She should tell him the truth; she felt sick inside for deceiving him.
Oh, why hadn’t Marguerite and Walker already returned to London to spare her from revealing their secret? She only hoped Jared would forgive her for the part she’d played in their marriage…please may he forgive her.
Her fingers twisting in the pale yellow muslin of her gown, she turned from the window to face him and opened her mouth to speak when she heard it. Yes, she heard it! The clopping of horse hooves and the clatter of carriage wheels pulling up in front of the town house.
Walker and Marguerite were just outside, but oh Lord, how was she to distract Jared now so he wouldn’t see them together?
“You know, I’ve never liked this room,” she stated with feigned exasperation even as Jared looked more perplexed. She hastened to him and took his hand. “Let’s visit in the garden, shall we? It’s so beautiful out there and so stuffy in here.”
“Stuffy? I think it feels fine.”
She didn’t answer but began to pull him with her, smiling prettily, though she could tell by the stiffness in his fingers that he wasn’t convinced by her complaint. Heaven help her, another lie!
“You must tell me all about the renovations,” she said brightly, drawing him through the foyer toward the hallway leading to the back of the house. Yet her heart sank when she heard a loud knocking. She glanced over her shoulder to see Sims, the footman, hastening to answer the front door.
“Lindsay, were you expecting company?” Jared asked her, stopping to look behind him.
She didn’t have a chance to answer. No sooner had the door opened when Marguerite rushed inside with Walker striding behind her.
“Lindsay, you’re all right! We’ve been so worried about you!”
