him even more sceptical.
‘I do.’ The lightness in Jasper’s answer made her wonder if he realised how in danger of having their plans thwarted they stood. She might be over the legal age to marry, but they needed Philip to obtain a common licence and arrange the church, and anyway, she wanted his consent. She was going to have to lie about the true source of Jasper’s income, she didn’t wish also to sneak behind her brother’s back to the altar.
Philip eyed Jasper with hard scrutiny. ‘I’d like to speak with Mr Charton, alone.’
Jane threw Jasper a wary look, but he didn’t appear ruffled by the requested interview. Instead, he nodded to let her know all would be well. She hoped so. The idea of having yet another one of her plans fail irked her.
* * *
‘I can’t believe Philip is being so difficult,’ Jane complained to a sympathetic Laura when they were alone together in the front sitting room.
‘He’s doing what he believes best for you,’ Laura explained, despite the perplexed crease between her brows. Evidently, Philip’s behaviour baffled her, too. ‘He always has.’
‘I’ve decided what’s best for me and it’s Jasper.’ Jane dropped on to the sofa near the window.
Laura didn’t argue with her and Jane was almost disappointed. She craved a little vigorous debate. It wasn’t just Laura and Philip who were sceptical. She had her own doubts and they’d been nagging at her since they’d left the garden to speak with her brother. She wondered if there was anything about Jasper she should be concerned with. If there was, Philip was sure to sniff it out. Oh, how he irritated her; she wanted to rely on her own intuition and judgement and stop being dependent on his.
‘Mr Charton strikes me as a very charming and persuasive gentleman. I’m sure he’ll bring your brother around.’ Laura sat down beside her. ‘Though I do wonder how you two arranged all this in so short an amount of time.’
Jane stopped fiddling with the tassel on a pillow and stared at her sister-in-law. Do she and Philip know I slipped out with Jasper last night? No, it wasn’t possible. Philip’s men might be very astute and loyal to him, but they weren’t infallible, as Laura had proven when she’d crept in here. She hadn’t even had the advantage of Jane telling her the best way to do it. Since then, she’d won Philip’s heart and had helped him to move past the grief which had left him distant and closed off from everyone including, at times, her.
She wondered if she and Jasper might ever come to have a relationship like Philip and Laura’s. Love hadn’t been a part of their negotiations. Good. It was better if she never expected it as then she’d never be disappointed. Besides, she was too old to fantasise about romantic nonsense. Compatibility was more valuable than a passion, even if it dampened instead of ignited her heart. She’d believed in love once and maybe some small part of her still did. It didn’t matter. This was an excellent arrangement. She hoped Philip realised it, too. In the meantime, there was Laura’s scrutiny to address.
‘I chanced to meet Jasper while leaving Mrs Fairley’s yesterday afternoon. We had a very long discussion on the matter.’ It was a shady version of the truth, omitting the more scandalous details of his having slipped into her bedroom to spirit her away to a gambling hell in the middle of the night. She wondered if she should mention at least the leaving with him in the middle of the night part to force Philip’s hand. However, if he hadn’t marched her and Jasper up the aisle after the incident at the Chartons’, she doubted he’d insist on a marriage because of some late-night escapade. Philip was much too level-headed to act out of emotion, which further worried her about his conversation with Jasper. She hoped Jasper was managing well.
‘And what did you discuss with Mr Charton?’ Laura leaned forward in the same manner Mrs Hale used to do when she and Jane shared gossip. It was almost enough for Jane to drop her voice and tell her the truth, the way she used to with Laura’s mother. She missed the old intimacy, connection and friendship. It’d never come easy to Jane except with Mrs Hale, and Jasper, but not even they knew the darkest guilt she carried about her parents’ death, nor could she tell them about the hell. Jasper had sworn her to silence and she would be worthy of his faith in her.
‘We discussed his business and how I could help him with it.’ If Jasper was working to win Philip over, then Jane must do the same with Laura.
‘You two discussed business?’ Laura tilted her head in disbelief.
‘Your mother and Philip went to a great deal of time and trouble to teach me accounts, contracts and negotiations so I could some day help a husband manage his affairs. It’s time I finally put those skills to use instead of trimming roses and telling the housekeeper how to make sure the grocer doesn’t short-change us. I’m tired of being useless.’
This was as close to the truth of her and Jasper’s discussion as Jane was willing to venture.
‘I understand.’ Laura took Jane’s hand. ‘When my uncle sold my father’s draper shop and I was left with nothing to do every day, I almost went crazy. I was so accustomed to working, I couldn’t sit idle. I can only imagine how it’s been for you. I’m sorry I didn’t see it before or do more to help you.’
‘It isn’t your fault, it’s no one’s, except perhaps mine.’ Jane unclenched her fingers, wondering if she should have made an effort to speak with Laura sooner, but there were some things Jane couldn’t share with anyone. ‘Somehow, I’ve managed to drive good gentlemen, and one very bad one, away.’
Laura squeezed her hand. ‘Not at all. You’re simply discerning, like your brother, and you’ve been waiting for the right one. I think Mr Charton is perfect for you and I believe Philip will see it, too.’
Jane wasn’t as convinced of her desirability as Laura, nor of having been waiting for the right gentleman. If she had, it hadn’t been out of choice.
Footsteps in the hallway made them both rise and face the door. Philip entered first and Jane studied his face, searching for signs of an answer. The lines at the sides of his mouth were softer and the suspicious scrutiny previously hardening his blue eyes was gone.
Jasper convinced him!
Jasper strode in behind him as if his gambling house had received a massive win. He winked at her and Jane had to resist throwing her arms around his neck in congratulations. Instead, she returned the wink, blaming the racing of her heart on the thrill of them having succeeded. Though he would be her husband, she refused to view him as anything but a friend with more intimate benefits.
‘I give you both my consent to marry.’ Philip kissed her forehead in congratulation, as he used to when she was young and did well at her maths lessons, before she’d grown older and begun to rebel against him for reasons she still didn’t entirely understand. When he straightened, he took her hand and gave it to Jasper. ‘Mr Charton and I will speak tomorrow about drawing up the marriage contract and securing the common licence. You can wed as soon as the required seven days are past.’
Jane wondered what Jasper had said to convince Philip of the need for a quick marriage. With Milton, he’d insisted on a long engagement, giving Milton time to live up to Philip’s low expectations. Perhaps Philip now allowed the wedding to hurry because he was tired of looking after her and exhausted at having to talk sense into her. He was giving her to another man and relieving himself of the burden.
No, I shouldn’t be so uncharitable. Whatever her brother’s motives, there was no mistaking his tender expression, much like the one the elder Mr Charton
