and laid it in the saucer. ‘I think, deep down, you do know what to do.’
‘I don’t, it’s why I’m here,’ she blurted through clenched teeth. This wasn’t at all what she’d expected from her old mentor. Jane’s outburst didn’t rattle Mrs Hale who sat calmly across from her, hands folded in her lap just as she always had when Jane had come to her fuming about one thing or another. Jane rolled her shoulders and calmed herself, not wanting to drive away Mrs Hale like she was driving away Jasper. ‘If I did, then I would do it and things wouldn’t be as bad as they are.’
‘I know you like to take action, to get to the meat of the matter, but Jasper isn’t an obstacle to overcome or a problem with a neat solution. If he’s holding on to his secrets as you say, he’ll fight like a wounded badger if you try to wrest them from him.’
‘Are you saying I was wrong to try to force him to talk?’
‘Not at all. Sometimes, you have to try something before you know it won’t work. Now it’s time to try something else, something only you as his wife can do. You were his closest friend for a very long time, the one person he chose to entrust his secret to and then to wed. You know him better than possibly anyone else and what it will take to reach him and gain his confidence.’
‘But—’
Mrs Hale held up one hand to silence her. ‘There is nothing to stop you from doing this except your doubt in yourself and your value to him.’ She reached over and cupped Jane’s face with her hands. ‘You’re a very strong young lady and, while it hasn’t always worked in your favour, it is an advantage and not a weakness, and you must learn to see it as such.’
‘How can I when all anyone has ever done is chide me for it?’
Mrs Hale tilted her head at her in amused disbelief. ‘And have you ever listened to all those people in other matters, such as purchasing buildings?’
‘No.’
‘Then why take their word for it this time?’
Because over the years she’d come to realise they were right. She wasn’t a strong person, just a stubborn one whose desire to always have her way had killed her parents and now was driving her husband away. Jane took a deep breath and shoved her doubts down deep inside her. She’d always pretended to be strong so others would think she was solid against those who wanted to pull her down and so she might believe it, too. The last few days had shown her how weak she really was. If she dared to speak about it with Mrs Hale, then the woman who held so much faith in her might at last see it, too.
Mrs Hale smoothed a strand of hair off her forehead. ‘Trust in yourself, Jane, and in Jasper’s concern for you, and I promise all will be well.’
* * *
Jane returned from Mrs Hale’s, pondering everything she’d told her. She didn’t share her friend’s belief in her strength or her ability to find a way out of her present troubles. If she could, she would have done it by now, but everything seemed to be growing steadily worse. She shuddered to think how it all might end.
She was not two feet in the door when Johnson approached her. ‘Mr Steed is here to see you, Mrs Charton. He’s waiting in the sitting room.’
‘Thank you.’ Jane reluctantly made for the sitting room, in no mood to deal with anyone today. ‘Mr Steed, I hope this unexpected visit is good news.’
She needed a little good fortune to lift her spirits.
Mr Steed rose from where he’d been sitting and bowed to her. They’d met before when Jasper had taken her to his office to arrange for her to manage his accounts once they were wed. He was tall with sandy hair and the charm of Jasper, but more sedate in his application of it. ‘It’s neither good nor bad, Mrs Charton, only necessary. Since Mr Charton has given you power to handle his affairs, I thought you could approve this bank draft. He instructed me to send it at once and there’s a ship leaving for America in the morning. He promised to deliver it to me yesterday, but it must have slipped his mind. I’m eager to send this with the captain. It will prevent any unnecessary delay.’
He removed a paper from the fine leather satchel he carried and held out the draft. Jane took it and swallowed hard, determined not to fly into a panic. ‘Who is Mrs Robillard and why is Jasper sending her this much money?’
‘He’s been sending money to her since he first engaged me after coming home. As for why, that is something you will have to discuss with him. He offered me no reason and it isn’t my habit to ask. If you’d like, I can wait on the draft and speak to him myself.’ He reached for the paper, recognising his mistake in bringing it to her. The pity on his face reminded her of the way the elder Mr and Mrs Charton had looked the morning they’d come to tell her about Milton. It was exactly what she hadn’t wanted to experience in marriage, what Jasper had promised her wouldn’t happen and yet here it was. What other secrets of his were waiting to rise up and humiliate her? The possibility added to the disquiet surrounding her since leaving Mrs Hale’s.
‘No, he told me the other day he received a note from Georgia about some unfinished business. This must have something to do with it.’ She’d bet her eye teeth it wasn’t the sort of commercial interest Jasper had alluded to, but it allowed her to save face with the solicitor. She refused to stand here and have him think her a betrayed wife who’d inadvertently discovered her husband’s infidelity. ‘I’ll sign the draft and speak to Jasper about it later.’
‘Of course.’
Jane took the paper to the writing table and signed the document, her fingers tight on the pen to keep it from shaking as she wrote her name. Then she handed it to Mr Steed, who tucked it back in his valise.
‘Thank you, Mrs Charton. I hope I haven’t inadvertently caused you any distress or concern,’ he apologised while Jane escorted him to the front door.
‘Of course not.’ She smiled brightly, trying to shake off his embarrassment as well as hers. ‘Good day, Mr Steed.’
He slipped on his hat and darted down the walk to his waiting carriage.
With as much composure as Jane could manage she returned to the study while Johnson closed the door. She stopped in the centre of the narrow room, fighting back the wave of distress crashing over her.
Jane slumped into the gilded chair by the desk. Maybe this was the real reason he’d been reluctant to marry her. He’d hoped his paramour from Savannah might join him. Except Mrs Robillard was married. No wonder Jasper had changed his mind. Better to wed a free woman in London who could help him with his club then pine for a married one in Savannah. Except he isn’t pining. He’s sending her money.
If he were upstairs sleeping, she would march up there directly and ask Jasper about this mysterious woman. But she didn’t know where he’d gone while she’d been out. She would have to wait until he returned to escort her to his parents’ house for dinner.
His parents.
It was bad enough she intended to enter their home while lying about Jasper’s true occupation and income, but to be forced to play the role of the happy newlywed while she worried about his fidelity was more than she wished to bear. Perhaps she could plead a headache and not go, except it would probably have his sisters flooding in here wondering if she were with child, since she never took ill. There was nothing to do but go and face his family, guilty conscience or not. She’d taken on Jasper’s lies when she’d
