Claire aimed her brown gaze at him, slipped her hand into Kensworth’s and said, “Stephen and I are to be married in four weeks.”
Kensworth squeezed her hand, but smiled—genuinely this time—at John. “Of course you’ll come to the wedding.”
The room spun, and John closed his eyes in an attempt to regain his focus. Married in four weeks? She’d had five bloody years to get herself married to her damned True Love. But, no. Now he would have to witness her engagement and wedding.
The door swung open even farther, and John was suddenly surrounded by his family, all of whom were speaking at once.
His brother drew him into a hearty embrace, exclaiming, “It’s about time. I will beat you senseless later for not visiting before now.”
His sister-in-law, blonde and lithe even while with child, stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m so glad you are here.”
Allerton and Emily pulled back, and a slim, dark-haired woman with a regal bearing stepped in front of John, her blue eyes surveying the length of him.
“You appear no worse off than when you left.” Her voice started out firm, but by the time she finished the sentence it was trembling, and tears filled her eyes.
John wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. All he could think to say was, “Mother.”
As he let her cry softly against his chest, Claire and Kensworth slipped past everyone and left the room.
John sighed and hugged his mother tighter.
***
Claire led Stephen from the salon, marching down the stairs to the entrance hall. Finally she drew in a ragged breath and let it out slowly.
John was home. God had no mercy at all.
“I wonder why he has returned now,” Stephen mused.
She shrugged, not entirely certain she was capable of speaking to Stephen about John. What if he guessed she had once thought herself in love with John? She and Stephen usually spoke of all manner of things, but Claire had always kept John and her feelings for him locked away. She couldn’t trust what she would say, and above all she did not want to hurt Stephen. He was her friend.
No, he was her fiancé, she reminded herself as he took her hand and kissed it. As such, she should offer to continue their time together elsewhere.
Smiling a smile she didn’t feel, Claire said, “The household will be in a jumble all afternoon. Perhaps we should go for a drive in the park.” Escaping from Allerton House sounded heavenly.
“No.” Stephen shook his head. “I think you had best spend time with your family on such an important occasion.”
But she didn’t want John’s return to be an “important occasion.” The event should be no more significant than if her aunt had stopped over for tea. She did not want things to change between her and Stephen.
“You will return for dinner as usual?” Allerton had issued an open invitation to Stephen to dine with the family any night he chose.
His eyes searched her face and then a shadow darkened their bottle-green color. “I’m afraid I have to decline. I promised to meet Robert and David at the club.”
She hadn’t known his brothers were in Town, but that was neither here nor there. “We will miss you.” The words came out automatically, but Claire couldn’t honestly say she wasn’t relieved.
“I will come another day, when the household has recovered from its happy surprise.”
“Very well.”
Stephen leaned down to kiss her cheek. She closed her eyes, feeling an odd rush of guilt, then his coat sleeve brushed her arm as he moved past her toward the door.
***
The reformer pushed his way through the smelly throng at the door of the Black Falcon tavern, hunching his shoulders so as to appear smaller than he was. Being tall and strapping didn’t make his secret work easy.
He crushed his hat further down on his head and made his way toward the dark corner table where a thin, doleful man sat staring at a pot of ale. The unruly noise of the crowd masked his arrival, and the other man
Kensworth squeezed her hand, but smiled—genuinely this time—at John. “Of course you’ll come to the wedding.”
The room spun, and John closed his eyes in an attempt to regain his focus. Married in four weeks? She’d had five bloody years to get herself married to her damned True Love. But, no. Now he would have to witness her engagement and wedding.
The door swung open even farther, and John was suddenly surrounded by his family, all of whom were speaking at once.
His brother drew him into a hearty embrace, exclaiming, “It’s about time. I will beat you senseless later for not visiting before now.”
His sister-in-law, blonde and lithe even while with child, stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m so glad you are here.”
Allerton and Emily pulled back, and a slim, dark-haired woman with a regal bearing stepped in front of John, her blue eyes surveying the length of him.
“You appear no worse off than when you left.” Her voice started out firm, but by the time she finished the sentence it was trembling, and tears filled her eyes.
John wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. All he could think to say was, “Mother.”
As he let her cry softly against his chest, Claire and Kensworth slipped past everyone and left the room.
John sighed and hugged his mother tighter.
***
Claire led Stephen from the salon, marching down the stairs to the entrance hall. Finally she drew in a ragged breath and let it out slowly.
John was home. God had no mercy at all.
“I wonder why he has returned now,” Stephen mused.
She shrugged, not entirely certain she was capable of speaking to Stephen about John. What if he guessed she had once thought herself in love with John? She and Stephen usually spoke of all manner of things, but Claire had always kept John and her feelings for him locked away. She couldn’t trust what she would say, and above all she did not want to hurt Stephen. He was her friend.
No, he was her fiancé, she reminded herself as he took her hand and kissed it. As such, she should offer to continue their time together elsewhere.
Smiling a smile she didn’t feel, Claire said, “The household will be in a jumble all afternoon. Perhaps we should go for a drive in the park.” Escaping from Allerton House sounded heavenly.
“No.” Stephen shook his head. “I think you had best spend time with your family on such an important occasion.”
But she didn’t want John’s return to be an “important occasion.” The event should be no more significant than if her aunt had stopped over for tea. She did not want things to change between her and Stephen.
“You will return for dinner as usual?” Allerton had issued an open invitation to Stephen to dine with the family any night he chose.
His eyes searched her face and then a shadow darkened their bottle-green color. “I’m afraid I have to decline. I promised to meet Robert and David at the club.”
She hadn’t known his brothers were in Town, but that was neither here nor there. “We will miss you.” The words came out automatically, but Claire couldn’t honestly say she wasn’t relieved.
“I will come another day, when the household has recovered from its happy surprise.”
“Very well.”
Stephen leaned down to kiss her cheek. She closed her eyes, feeling an odd rush of guilt, then his coat sleeve brushed her arm as he moved past her toward the door.
***
The reformer pushed his way through the smelly throng at the door of the Black Falcon tavern, hunching his shoulders so as to appear smaller than he was. Being tall and strapping didn’t make his secret work easy.
He crushed his hat further down on his head and made his way toward the dark corner table where a thin, doleful man sat staring at a pot of ale. The unruly noise of the crowd masked his arrival, and the other man
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