The Scandalous Duke Takes a Bride (13 page)

For some reason, Hayden didn’t think Warren was usually so accommodating. If Hayden’s presence made him better mannered, he’d make a point of coming over more often, especially when Warren was scheduled to be in the house.

“My day is full and I won’t be back till early evening. Would you be kind enough to send a card ahead of you, so I know you plan on visiting?”

Hayden could tell that this was a request she made often. It was just as he thought: Warren was making himself at home and making Jez uncomfortable with the current living arrangement.

Warren did not respond as he put on his hat.

“Hayden, shall we be off?” She put out her arm.

“Indeed, we do have a full day.”

“You can show yourself out, Warren,” she said.

Hayden shouldered past Warren and took Jez’s arm to lead her away from the tension-filled room. Once they left the house, he said, “I’m glad to have intercepted his meeting with you, considering he was not invited.”

“About Warren…” She fidgeted with a button at the side of her glove.

“What is it?” Hayden prompted.

She looked away from him before she answered. “He’s given me till the end of August to wrap up my affairs and find new accommodations.”

Hayden halted suddenly and turned to face his friend. “And you didn’t think to tell me this before now?” He released her, ready to mete out justice and cause serious injury to Warren.

Jessica grabbed Hayden by the forearm before he could make it any great distance. When she had his attention, she dropped her hands and looked toward the spectators watching them.

She stepped close enough that she could whisper what she wanted to say, close enough that passersby wouldn’t hear their discussion. “He knows about the miscarriage.”

Hayden stood stunned for a moment, not sure how to respond.

How was that even possible? Hayden had personally watched the last person who knew of Jessica’s condition sail away from English shores a month ago. Could the blighter, Miller, have come home after the first docking? If Miller was in London and spilling Jessica’s secrets, he’d kill the bastard the first chance he got.

“It’s not possible for anyone to know, Jess.”

“My husband spoke with Warren after his first collapse. In all probability, there are a great many things that Warren knows that could be used against me. I can’t fight him on this. Last night…”

Hayden took her arm, realizing that too many eyes were on them right now. They couldn’t risk being heard.

“Let’s discuss this later. Did you eat this morning?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Someone didn’t give me the opportunity.”

“We’ll stop at my house,” he said. “We can talk without worrying we are being overheard.”

“We don’t need to discuss this further. I just want this meeting with your man of affairs done and over with.”

“I will send a note to request a later time. And I will not allow you to bury this topic so easily, Jessica.”

“You’re incredibly assertive today.”

“Then you’ve never noticed it before.”

“Hayden, really, I’m fine. I’ve come to terms with my circumstance. I plan to remarry before summer ends.”

Had he heard her right? He pulled her to a stop again and studied her. “All I had to do to convince you of that was kiss you?”

His fist clenched at his side and a twitch started in his eye. She wasn’t thinking logically, he decided. She’d acted without thought of consequence before, and she was doing it in a dire period of her life. Maybe this was part of her denial that what had happened last night had felt right.

“You’ve gone from having a year to make arrangements for your future to two months. And you think a husband is going to just happen along?”

“No. But I have no other choice but to move onward.” She leaned in close to him, saying softly, “There were things my husband said to me that made me believe he was going to petition for divorce.”

“The man would have no grounds.” Hayden scoffed at the very idea until he recalled part of his conversation with Miller. “What did Fallon think he had that would grant him that right?”

She ducked her head, the rim of her bonnet covering her eyes. “More than you can imagine.”

“We’re back to you shutting me out of your life. You need to be honest with me if I’m going to help you, Jess.”

She nibbled on her lower lip. “It’s no secret that I haven’t been cooperative with Warren since my husband’s death.”

“And you shouldn’t have to be.”

“I couldn’t agree more; Warren on the other hand thinks that I should turn a new leaf and be the paragon of all that is pious and seek redemption for my past sins.” She let out a soft snort. “He disapproves of me. And he has no shortage of secrets that could make my life a living misery.”

Hayden grew paranoid about being out in the open, so he didn’t respond or ask any more questions as they strolled the remainder of the distance to his home in near silence.

Once they walked up the wide stone steps of his townhouse, the door opened and Jessica pulled her ecru lace parasol shut. Hayden took it from her and handed it off to the footman, giving instructions to have finger sandwiches and other refreshments brought into the study. He tossed his hat on his desk and turned to face Jessica once they were alone. She pulled out her hat pin and untied the satin ribbon to remove her hat, too.

She had one eyebrow quirked in question. “Now that it’s only the two of us, what did you want to discuss?”

“Miller mentioned the divorce before he boarded his ship.”

“And you didn’t think that you should have told me this before now?”

“What purpose would it serve? Fallon can’t divorce you when he’s buried six feet beneath the ground.”

Hayden watched, helpless, as tears swam in her eyes. What had he said to upset her?

He stood before her, his hand cupping the side of her face as he searched her eyes. “If I thought that information was vital to you, I would have told you. I wasn’t intentionally keeping you in the dark. I would never do that to you, Jess. Never.”

“Yet you have been doing just that.” She turned away from him and walked over to the window. Her arms crossed over her midsection and her fingers wrapped tightly around her waist. “What else did Miller tell you?” she asked on a shaky breath.

“I’m afraid he was more worried about running than talking.”

Hayden went to her, his hands warming her upper arms, trying to soothe her. Her shoulders rose and fell once, a sure sign she was fighting back the tears that had threatened to spill moments ago.

“Did he tell you why?”

“I didn’t believe him. I only asked why your husband ended the pregnancy the way he did. I was never given a clear answer.”

She nodded her head as a soft sob escaped her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and proclaim that everything would turn out right in the end, but how could he make that promise when not even he was sure how this would end?

To hell with it, he thought, and pressed the front of his body against her back, wrapping both arms around her and tangling their fingers together. She didn’t stop him, which he took as a good sign. He was halfway to winning her over, whether she knew it or not.

“You have to let the past go, Jess. There will be children aplenty if that’s what you desire.”

“So easy for a man to declare.” She slid her hands away from his but did not step out of their embrace. “I was married a long time, Hayden. That was my second pregnancy to make it past the third month.”

He pressed the side of his face against her temple. Even though he could guess the answer, he asked after a long pause, “What concluded the first?”

“The main staircase up to the second floor.”

Hayden’s jaw clenched and cracked.

She turned in his arms, but she didn’t look him in the eye. “It was a long time ago.”

“That doesn’t excuse it, or make it any less tragic.”

She leaned forward, her forehead resting against his chin. “What else did Miller tell you?” There was an added firmness in her question. What was she trying to hide from him?

“There wasn’t much he could say, as his face was the worse for wear.” Hayden looked at her for a long moment, all the while searching her eyes, silently willing her to open up to him. “What other secrets are you trying to hide from me?”

She stepped away from him. It was perfect timing, for a knock sounded as the door opened and trays laden with cucumber sandwiches and pastries were brought in. His staff knew what Jez preferred and always made her favorite dishes when she was here. A glass pitcher brimming with lemonade accompanied the trays.

“If you’re planning to ply me with food this afternoon, I may not be able to move from your sofa to see this businessman of yours.”

Her good humor, he was sure, was put on for his staff setting out the trays and dishes for them.

“Just an appetizer to prepare you for the day to come.”

She turned to him, a sly look in her eyes, and not an ounce of the tears that had been awash there moments ago. How easily she shut herself off from everyone around her—had he ever noticed her do this before? He didn’t think so.

“I thought it was going to be an afternoon filled with errands,” she said.

“And I thought I might also persuade you to an evening out.”

She raised an inquiring brow. “Do tell. It’s been an age since we crashed a
decent
party.”

“And what of the duchess’s ball last month?”

“As I said, it’s been an age.” She poured out two glasses of lemonade and handed one to him. “Will Tristan and Leo join us tonight?”

“They’ve both been preoccupied with the task you gave them.”

“Yes, I nearly forgot about Ponsley’s daughter. She’s a conquest neither will easily win.” She sipped at her lemonade and then made up a plate for herself.

“Why did you ask them to pursue the young lady?”

“My reason was twofold. First and foremost, I wanted to prove a point to Warren—he gloated about his upcoming nuptials, about filling my childless home with babes, since I wasn’t up for the task.”

That heartless bastard.
Hayden should have taken a swing at him earlier while he’d had the perfect opportunity.

“Jess…”

She gave him a sad smile. “When he said that I already knew I was losing the child. I was hurt at the time, even though he couldn’t have possibly known that my husband was the reason for the miscarriage. Fallon would never paint himself in so poor a light—the blame would have been put to me. And that brings me to the other reason I asked Leo and Tristan to pursue Lady Charlotte. I wanted neither to take note of my condition. But to do that, I knew their focus needed to be elsewhere.”

He set his glass down and sat next to Jessica on the sofa. He caressed her arm. “They wouldn’t think less of you for the trial this put you through.”

“There are some things that are so private that when revealed they expose a piece of your soul that should be yours alone to see.” Her eyes were awash with unshed tears again. “I wish none of you knew my shame.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Jess. Some burdens are too great to shoulder yourself.”

“So philosophical of you, darling.” After flicking her fingers beneath one eye to wipe away a stray tear, she picked up one of the sandwiches and took a small bite.

She leaned back on the sofa with a sigh. “Shouldn’t today be filled with fun? I hate rehashing all the ugliness in my life.”

He hadn’t forgotten that she hadn’t revealed what Warren knew that was so damning about her. He’d have to ask another time; he wanted nothing more than for Jessica to be happy.

“And it will be full of fun.” He gave her a warm smile before chomping down on one of the sandwiches.

“I don’t know why your cook’s cucumber sandwiches are as divine as melted chocolate, but I wish I could steal her to my household to make these for me every day.”

“You’re always welcome here.”

She smiled, though the gesture didn’t touch her eyes. “So when will we see this man of yours?”

“Anxious, are you?”

“Curious.”

Chapter 10

Can you believe that the Duke of A—— would conduct himself with such impropriety in public? He was seen about Town, purchasing fripperies and sharing ices with a certain dowager countess. I’m beginning to wonder if there is more than meets the eye where those two are concerned. Considering their recent appearance at a disreputable house party, one can only assume what is becoming more and more obvious to this chronicler.
Mayfair Chronicles,
July 1846 What mattered most was that Hayden didn’t know the full truth. Jessica wouldn’t have been able to face him had Miller revealed the reason her husband was petitioning for divorce. Though she was left wondering why Miller hadn’t spilled that particular secret long ago.

She wasn’t naïve enough to think her secrets safe indefinitely; it wouldn’t be long before Miller ran out of money and started selling the gossip he had on various members of the
ton,
including her.

When Hayden had introduced her to a man of business, she’d been pleasantly surprised by his suggestions—all sound investments with minimal money to start. Hayden explained her finances to him, since he had thoroughly reviewed the will and estate, searching for a loophole that would grant her fortune back to her; that loophole did not exist. To no surprise to her, Hayden had it in his mind precisely how she should allocate what was left of her inheritance, too. He had wanted her to meet with this man, so she humored Hayden in allowing him to speak on her behalf. She’d mull over her choices when she had a moment alone.