Chapter Thirty-One

Lina smiled at Eliot as he took his seat next to her. As always, she and Marcelin sat either side of Climence’s position at the head of the table. Lina used to wonder why Eliot, as the only male of the household, never sat at the other end, opposite Climence, as Lina remembered her father doing. As she got older, it became clear why Eliot chose not to have a clear view of his grandmother.

Climence glanced at the door, her brow wrinkled slightly as the servants readied themselves to serve breakfast. “Perrin, you did tell Jack what time we sit for breakfast, didn’t you?”

“Yes, madam. I shall go and–” He was interrupted by the door abruptly opening.

Jack strode in and paused, executing a quick bow. “Forgive my tardiness, madam. It has been too long since I have had the pleasure of such a luxurious bed.”

Climence visibly relaxed as she looked Jack up and down. “Your master has chosen well. Come, join us.” She waved at the empty seat next to Marcelin.

Having noted Climence’s approving expression, Lina battled her curiosity to turn. As Jack walked past Marcelin to take his seat opposite Eliot, Lina’s eyes widened, and she hurriedly looked down.

Jack’s outfit, courtesy of Garlon, had been delivered some days previous. The black-edged charcoal waistcoat and breeches, and crisp white shirt proved a good enough fit, and Jack had taken the trouble to secure his hair in a neat ponytail.

Trying to ignore the fluttering in her belly, Lina kept her gaze fixed on her breakfast of eggs and bacon.

Climence sat back, dabbing at the side of her mouth with her napkin, and indicated the attending servant to refill her empty teacup. “I must commend you on your good manners, Jack. It’s hard to believe you’re an errand boy.”

Lina glanced up in time to see Jack narrowing his eyes before he smoothed his expression.

Turning to Climence, he inclined his head. “Thank you, madam. Despite my circumstances, I was raised as nobility.”

“Yes, of course. And one does not forget upbringing.” She graced him with a smile that reached her eyes.

The servant made her way around the table, refilling empty teacups. As she paused by Jack, Lina, again, chanced another glance, finding it hard to ignore his attractive countenance. Caught by surprise to find his gaze lingering on her, she quickly looked away, hoping the warmth spreading across her cheeks didn’t mean she was blushing.

Reaching for the bread roll on a small plate on the side nearer Eliot, aware of her brother looking at her, she pretended not to notice. Neither did she dare look up at her mother.

“Lina,” said Marcelin.

Startled, fumbling with her knife, the young woman stared at her mother whose direct gaze and raised brows spoke volumes.

“Is everything ready for when Minette arrives?”

Not what she’d been expecting, it took Lina a moment to reply. “Yes, yes.”

“Minette is coming, today?” said Climence.

Lina turned to her, glad for the distraction. “But Minette comes every summer, Grandmother. Surely you can’t have forgotten?”

Climence flapped her napkin at Lina. “I know she does. I simply forgot she’d be here today. With all the excitement, who wouldn’t forget? But that’s splendid. When the dear girl is here, you both can show Jack around the estate.”

Lina stared, speechless.

“I do not think that would proper,” said Marcelin.

Climence raised her brow. “I beg your pardon?”

“I do not approve. And I don’t believe Minette’s parents would either.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Mother.” Marcelin placed her roll on the plate and turned her full attention to Climence. “Lina is my daughter and, while she is here, Minette is my responsibility.”

“But Jack was raised as nobility, and I–”

“That may be so, but it would not do for unmarried young women to be seen in the company of a man who is unknown to this family.”

Lina’s wide-eyed gaze swivelled from her mother to her grandmother through their exchange. Feeling a stab of pity for Jack, she stole a hurried glance at him and stiffened.

Jack remained silently staring at his plate, but his flared nostrils and clenched fists resting on the table either side of his plate betrayed his feelings.

She quickly looked back at Marcelin and Climence to see the older woman glaring at Marcelin who held her stare.

Climence crumpled her napkin in both hands then flung it to the floor. “I do not care for such an open show of impertinence,” she said, her voice low. “Perrin. I am done.”

The butler, with his customary neutral expression, moved to Climence’s chair and moved it back as she got to her feet.

Waving in the general direction of the table, she said, “You may clear the table.”

“Mother–”

“No.” Climence swivelled to bark at Marcelin. “This is my house. And I will have the final say.”

Shaking her head, Marcelin sighed as she waited for Perrin to move to her chair and got to her feet.

“Perrin,” said Climence. “Have someone show Jack around the grounds.”

“As you wish, madam.”

“Yes, I do wish,” she said, flouncing out of the room.

Lina stood as Eliot held her chair, and they waited by the door for Marcelin who joined them without saying another word.

Lina left Minette with Ismay, one of the younger servants, to unpack Minette’s clothes, and went to the kitchen to have refreshments brought to her chambers. Ever since she’d discovered it was much quicker to go down and put in her request personally, she seldom rang the bell to summon a servant. She knew Climence disapproved, yet, somehow that made her want to do it more.

Almost bursting with the impatience of wanting to share her thoughts about Jack with Minette, she hurried down the corridor leading to the kitchen. Snatches of breathless giggling intruded on her awareness. Slowing down, she turned first one way then the other, trying to work out the source.

Stepping lightly as if in a dance, she retraced her steps, stopping by the door to the linen cupboard. She put her ear against it before standing back, frowning. Trying to convince herself it had nothing to do with her, she started to continue to the kitchen when she heard Jack’s voice. Her curiosity won.

Carefully, she pulled the door open. Heat instantly shot up her face as her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

A shirtless Jack stood pressed against one of the servants, her blouse undone. One hand on her breast, he continued to kiss her.

“Well!” Lina’s exclamation burst from her.

With a cry, the servant pushed Jack away and held her blouse together, averting her face.

Lina remained frozen to the spot then turned on her heel and marched back up the corridor, ignoring Jack’s attempts to explain.

“Wait.” Jack grabbed her by the hand. “Lina, wait.”

“Let me go. I have no wish to speak with you.”

But he wouldn’t release her. “That, what you saw, it didn’t mean anything.”

“I don’t care. But it will mean plenty when I tell–”

“Listen to me. You are the one–”

“What?” Jerking her head back, she kept her gaze on his face, very aware the shirt he’d pulled back on remained undone.

“I saw you looking at me at breakfast.”

“What of it?”

“The way you looked, I could tell you feel for me as I do for you.”

Her posture rigid, she frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. How could you possibly come to such a conclusion simply from that?” To her consternation, he moved closer, and she found herself trapped against the wall. To her annoyance, her heart refused to stop pounding as a small voice in her mind whispered of his attractiveness.

“Why deny how you feel?” he said, his voice soft. “There’s nothing wrong with me courting you, you know. As I reminded your grandmother, I am nobility.”

“I know, but what I-I meant…” To stop him coming closer, Lina had raised her hands and they now rested on his smooth chest. Absently wondering why the warmth of his bare skin emptied her mind of coherent thought, she drew a shaky breath. “What I meant was, it’s not your decision to make.”

Placing his hands over hers, he leaned forward. “I can be very persuasive.”

“You-you think a great, deal of.” Her hammering heartbeat made it impossible for her to calm her breathing.

Her eyes slowly widened as his hands covered her cheeks, and he leaned in to steal a kiss.

Lina couldn’t move or didn’t want to move; she couldn’t be sure. Deciding she liked the feel of his lips, soft against hers, she started to relax.

“Jacoby Tyce.”

He sprang away from her.

Blinking rapidly, it took Lina a moment to realise who had spoken. She turned to face an obviously furious Marcelin.

“Who dare you treat my daughter like some strumpet.”

Hurriedly buttoning his shirt, he said, “My lady–”

“Lina.” Marcelin’s stare remained on Jack. “Go to your chambers.”

“Mama–”

“I will speak to you later.”

Trembling, Lina ran down the corridor. She’d never felt such humiliation in her life. As she ascended the stairs, she rushed past a bewildered Ismay, ignoring her concerned question. Stepping into her chambers, Lina stopped.

Eliot’s enraged voice, demanding to know what had happened, sounded clearly.

“Lina.”

Lina, her mouth turned down, met Minette’s anxious stare.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, Minette.” Covering her face, she gave in to her tears. “I did.” She stopped, hearing Marcelin calling to Eliot.

Fearing the worst, Lina turned to run back down, Minette hurrying after her.

Ismay stood in the hallway, wide-eyed, staring into the garden room.

“Eliot.” Marcelin, obviously agitated, stood just inside the door, hands clasped as if in prayer.

By her mother’s side, Lina gasped at the sight of her brother, his face twisted in fury.

“You dare touch my sister.” Eliot continued advancing on Jack who kept backing away. Clearly ignoring his desperate attempts to explain, Eliot punched him in the mouth.

Jack stuttered to a stop, put his hand to his mouth then stared at the blood on it. With a growl, he launched himself at Eliot.

Staggering, Eliot fell on his back.

Lina and Minette both cried out as Marcelin, once more, called out to Eliot.

Eliot blocked Jack’s punch, planted his hand on the man’s chin. He pushed Jack’s head back, levered him off, rolled and regained his feet.

Jack leapt up, slammed his fist into Eliot’s face.

Eliot stumbled; Jack attacked again.

Evading Jack’s fist, Eliot drove his shoulder into Jack’s belly, forcing him back.

One hand on Eliot to steady himself, Jack drew his fist back to hit him.

But Eliot grabbed Jack’s hand, landed a punch to the side of his face; Jack fell against the wall.

“Eliot.”

Breathing hard, Eliot finally acknowledged Marcelin by turning to her.

Perrin stood to the side along with one of the male servants.

“Take him to his chambers,” said Marcelin, indicating Jack.

The servant strode in and hauled Jack up.

“Nicholas. Make sure he remains in his chambers.”

“Yes, my lady.”

As Nicholas escorted Jack past Lina, she refused to look at him, keeping her gaze fixed to the floor.

“My lady,” said Perrin, “do you require other assistance?”

“No, Perrin, thank you. That will be all,” said Marcelin.

The sight of Eliot, dishevelled and with a cut lip, only added to Lina’s wretchedness.

“Did he hurt you?” said Eliot, his voice rough with emotion.

Lina shook her head vigorously, not trusting herself to speak.

“Eliot,” said Marcelin, “go and clean yourself. There’s blood on your face, your sleeve.”

Glancing down at his rumpled shirtsleeves, speckled with blood, he walked to the door, pausing to pat Lina’s shoulder.

Thunder grumbled in the distance. Marcelin turned her gaze to the window before shutting the door. “Lina, tell me exactly what happened.”

Feeling the prickle of fresh tears, she haltingly recounted her encounter with Jack, her voice catching. When she finished, she stood hunched over, hanging her head, too ashamed to look at her mother. “I’m sorry, Mama. I should, I should have pushed him away, made him stop. I–”

“Yes, you should have.”

Covering her face, Lina wept. When Minette put her arm around her, she leaned against her friend.

“When we are away from.” Marcelin paused before continuing. “From the situation, it is easy to speak of what we should or should not do. But when we’re experiencing it, it’s never easy to know the best way to react.”

Lina lifted her tear-stained face to see Marcelin holding out her handkerchief. Her hand shaking slightly, she took it and wiped her face.

“Jack is an attractive young man, well aware of his charms it would appear. However, he is not a match for you. Even if he regains his former status, he is a thief. And I will not allow you to attach yourself to a criminal. Do I make myself clear?”

Lina nodded.

“Now, go to your chambers and tidy yourself. I need to speak to Mother about Jack and his behaviour.”

“Oh.” Lina’s eyes widened. “She’ll know what I–”

“She doesn’t need the details, only that he’s already made himself familiar with one of the servants and tried to kiss you. That is all Eliot knows also; he heard me scolding Jack about thinking he could kiss you. I didn’t say he did kiss you.”

Lina’s body sagged, relieved that Climence wouldn’t know of her wanton behaviour, and she was glad Eliot wouldn’t have any reason to think less of her. But, as she made her way to her chambers with Minette, her guilt whispered that Eliot surely deserved a better sister, for she wasn’t as innocent as he believed her to be.