Page 50 of A Stormy Season

“Yes.”

“Not very happy. But perhaps it’s because I know you both so well.”

“Lovely.” Jane sighed and closed her eyes.

“Here comes Lady Ingraham,” Penelope whispered, barely moving her lips.

“Jane.” Sarah was smirking as she came toward her, holding her hands out to her.

“Sarah. I trust you are enjoying yourself.” Jane’s stomach sank. She’d nearly forgotten that Sarah would be one of the guests, as she and Lord Ingraham had a house in Hertfordshire.

“And I am most gratified to see you, Jane, and allow me to wish you every happiness in your upcoming marriage to Luke Watley, you sly thing.”

Jane felt herself bristle at Sarah’s “sly thing” remark. She didn’t want to ask her what she meant, but she wouldn’t be able to get past it if she didn’t, so she said, “Must I be sly to land a husband?”

“You know what I meant. That ball two weeks ago, when you and I were standing above the fray, watching all the young women fawning over newly widowed Luke Watley. You and I remarked upon it, so above it all, and all the time . . . but perhaps I presume too much. Perhaps the two of you had no attachment at all at that time.”

Jane was trapped. If she said there had been no attachment between her and Luke, she was admitting that they had become attached, in love, and engaged in less than two weeks’ time—most likely while they were kidnapped. But if she said yes, they had indeed already formed an attachment before that night, then she would have to admit that she was rather sly in the fact that she had played along with Sarah as she made sport of the ladies’ desperate attempts to get Luke’s attention—when Jane had already arrested his attention for herself.

Why had she ever suggested this foolish charade?

“Either way, we are attached now,” she said, smiling. And it wasn’t untrue. They were attached by their agreement.

The next song started and Jane was surprised that Luke had not come to escort her to the dance floor. She glanced around and saw him speaking to a small group of men. By their expressions, they were discussing some political issue, such as the corn laws.

“I was hoping my brother Henry would be able to attend tonight, but his business in London must have prevented him.” She was trying to distract herself as well as Sarah from the fact that her fiancé had not come to ask her to dance the second dance, as would have been customary.

“I heard about that terrible kidnapping. It is so very shocking. I suppose the kidnappers were hoping to get a ransom?”

“Yes. Fortunately, we escaped before they got what they wanted.”

“It must have been harrowing. But having Luke Watley with you must have been a comfort.” Her lip curled and one of her brows went up.

“Well, the fact that he had been knocked unconscious and was bleeding profusely rather precluded that comfort.” Henry had told her she should take care not to reveal such details, especially to a gossip like Sarah, but she couldn’t resist.

Sarah held a gloved hand up to her mouth, her eyes wide. “How shocking.”

“But I know you would not wish to know about that. Truly, he was not seriously injured, in the end, and I was completely unhurt.”

“That is a mercy,” Sarah said, “but still, it is so very shocking. We are not safe on the streets of London anymore, it seems. But all turned out well for you.” Again, she had that smirking smile on her face.

“Yes, indeed.” Jane wondered how she might escape this conversation. “I believe I must check on the refreshments and make certain the servants do not need further instruction. Would you excuse me?”

“Of course. And let me—”

Jane hurried away before Sarah could finish her sentence, pretending not to know she was talking to her.

She must be getting accustomed to pretending. But that did not seem like a good thing.

It took only a few moments to make sure everything was proceeding smoothly with the refreshments and the food preparations. When she came back out to the ballroom, she noticed a group of three women staring at Luke a moment before they bent their heads and started whispering among themselves. No doubt they were wondering why he wasn’t dancing with his fiancée.

Jane was wondering the same thing.

How could he humiliate her this way? It was the same as saying he cared nothing for her, that he would rather talk with the other men than dance with the woman he was supposed to be in love with. But then, so many marriages were made for reasons other than that the couple was in love. Was everyone assuming that Jane, after being so vocal about her opinions on marriage, that it should be for love and not a financial arrangement, had changed her mind and decided to marry to save her own reputation?

Jane felt her face heat.

If that was what everyone was thinking then she would call off the engagement here this very night. It wasn’t real anyway, and she was already quite tired of it.