Jane and Bingley (Countdown to Christmas Book 8) by Jenni James Page A

hadn’t defended her, he’d still feel the same way. She rested her head on the steering wheel. He never would have seen her for who she was. Ever. And that broke her heart most of all.
    Why? Why did Charles matter so much, anyway? Why was she even trying to care for a man who only listened to what others thought? Despite his gifts and effort—what did it matter? Wouldn’t she rather have someone who stood up for her, someone who missed her, someone who wasn’t so willing to judge her?
    Was she that hard to love all on her own?
    Maybe she didn’t deserve to be happy and have true love and marriage and a family and all that. Maybe she just wasn’t the type of girl who …
    The last thing Jane remembered was that crying gave her a headache, and she really shouldn’t do it.
    By the time she’d woken up, it was dark and cold, and the children had gone home. In confusion, Jane popped her chair up—she must have laid it back when she was crying—and then screamed when she saw a light in her window.
    Then someone knocked, startling her again.
    “Ma’am, can you open your window, please?” It looked like a police officer.
    Jane started the car, cranked up the heater, and glided the window down. “Sorry.”
    “Are you all right?” he asked. “I’ve had some reports that you were out here in the cold. Do you need anything?”
    Her head was pounding and her neck was sore, and that light was really, really bright. “No. Sorry. I was thinking and must have dozed off.”
    “Are you here visiting anyone?”
    “Um, no. I just happened upon this town as I was driving from Nephi.”
    The officer looked concerned. “There are some nice hotels down in Ephraim, or even back in Nephi—if you’d prefer.”
    How humiliating. She couldn’t believe this was actually happening. “No. I’m fine. I’ll go ahead and get back on the road. It’s time I went home anyway. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare anyone, or worry anyone. But I’m fine now. I’ll . . . I’ll leave. Thank you for waking me.”
    “Well, definitely didn’t want you freezing out here in your car on a night like tonight.”
    Jane laughed nervously. “Yeah. Again, I’m sorry.” The town must have thought she was crazy.
    “No worries. Just checking in on you.” He pointed toward the nearest road. “If you go right and follow that road, you’ll hit the main street. Then take a left, and you’ll be back on your way to Nephi.”
    “I . . . thank you.” She attempted a smile. “I’ll head back now.”
    “Be safe. And watch out for deer.” He gave her a small salute and then thumped her car.
    Jane took that as her cue to leave—quickly.
    By the time she made it home, it was nearly midnight. She pulled into her parking spot and then picked up the phone. Eight missed phone calls from Charles. And seven voicemails as well as several text messages. Nothing like completely scaring the guy.
    She scrolled through the worried texts and then quickly shot one off. “Went for a drive. I’m home safe. Please don’t call me or try to push anything. Will talk later.”
    Jane grabbed her coat and purse and headed up the stairs. There, hanging on her doorknob, was a grocery bag disguising a box with six beautiful Fabergé eggs. Six geese-a-laying. He’d done it.
    In another world, in another life—like yesterday—she would’ve gasped over the delicate gold filigree designs. But now . . . now her heart only dropped. How much had this cost him? And more importantly, what did he think of her when she got excited about such expensive gifts?
    She sighed as she pushed open her door. The joy was gone.
    Now there was only pain, guilt, sorrow, and shame.
     
     

CHAPTER NINE
    Seven Swans-a-Swimming
     
    At ten the next morning, Jane found a beautiful silver envelope taped to her front door. Inside was a ticket to the Salt Lake City Ballet that night to see none other than Swan Lake . The performance started at seven thirty. Scrawled on a note inside of the