stopped and walked over to a writing desk. “Let me pen a note for him.”
“Why does he even deserve that courtesy? He hasn’t relented with any of your requests.”
“Because he holds my life precariously in his hands, Hayden. Don’t be a boor. It’ll take me but a moment; then you’ll have me all to yourself for the rest of the morning.”
He liked the ring of that: all to himself. He hoped he had enough time to cajole the old Jez out to play. He should have come by sooner, but she’d asked him to stay away and he could do no more than respect her wishes. They hadn’t discussed all that had transpired, nor did he intend to stir painful memories by mentioning it until she was ready to discuss it.
Jez went over to the bellpull and called for the butler to have a maid bring down her hat and shawl. Then she wrote her note to Warren.
“Warren will be livid when he finds that I’m not here and that I’m gallivanting around Town instead.”
“We are simply catching a breath of fresh air.” Hayden tapped his chin thoughtfully with the eagle tip of his cane. “That’s if you can call it fresh air in this heat.”
Jessica’s maid brought down a light shawl and assisted in tying the satin ribbon of her bonnet beneath her chin. He couldn’t believe she was willingly leaving her house. Was she humoring him, or was she happy to leave this godforsaken place for a few hours after weeks of self-imposed solitude?
“Around the Serpentine, darling?” she asked, her mood already lighter.
Hayden’s smile was slow and sure.
In the sunshine, Hayden saw the telltale signs that Jez was on the mend. Her hair was shinier, her skin not as wan, and her clothes were marginally tighter on her willowy frame. More important, her disposition was a great deal happier. Perhaps he was worrying too much. It was hard not to do so after everything she’d been through.
He tucked her arm firmly against his side and patted her hand. What he wanted more than anything was to thread his fingers though hers, raise her gloved hand to his mouth, and press his lips to the frilled edge at the back of her wrist.
Dangerous thoughts, those. But hadn’t he already determined that she would be his? Yes, soon enough. Right now, though, she needed to heal.
Jessica was taller than most women of his acquaintance, so she easily kept stride with him as they strolled toward the entrance gates of the park.
“So tell me why Warren is visiting.”
“He is having an inventory of the house completed. I suppose he’ll have to amalgamate both his residences here in Town.”
Hayden’s hand squeezed hers lightly with the news. “Why does he need to do this right now?”
She looked away from him, focusing on the picnicking families and small gatherings of friends who had found a nice patch of grass to sit on as they fed chunks of bread to the ducks.
“The house will be his in a matter of months, Hayden. Fighting him is nothing more than an exercise in futility. We both know there is nothing I can do to change that outcome.”
“He can at least show some decency and wait out the year before he takes charge of your household.”
She sighed heavily. “It’s not in his nature to wait for anything when it’s rightfully his to take.”
“And for how long have you known him?”
“Longer than I ever wanted to, I assure you. He is in a difficult position, too, Hayden.”
Hayden pulled Jessica to a stop and turned her so he could look her in the eye. “Why have you given up your fight?”
She shrugged away from his hold. “I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Help me to comprehend this colossal change in heart, Jessica. It was agreed that you could stay in the house for one year.”
She walked on, though he still had a light hold of one of her arms and didn’t release her till her fingers slipped completely from his grasp.
“You invited me for a walk.” She nodded her head toward their abandoned path. “Don’t make me finish on my
“Why does he even deserve that courtesy? He hasn’t relented with any of your requests.”
“Because he holds my life precariously in his hands, Hayden. Don’t be a boor. It’ll take me but a moment; then you’ll have me all to yourself for the rest of the morning.”
He liked the ring of that: all to himself. He hoped he had enough time to cajole the old Jez out to play. He should have come by sooner, but she’d asked him to stay away and he could do no more than respect her wishes. They hadn’t discussed all that had transpired, nor did he intend to stir painful memories by mentioning it until she was ready to discuss it.
Jez went over to the bellpull and called for the butler to have a maid bring down her hat and shawl. Then she wrote her note to Warren.
“Warren will be livid when he finds that I’m not here and that I’m gallivanting around Town instead.”
“We are simply catching a breath of fresh air.” Hayden tapped his chin thoughtfully with the eagle tip of his cane. “That’s if you can call it fresh air in this heat.”
Jessica’s maid brought down a light shawl and assisted in tying the satin ribbon of her bonnet beneath her chin. He couldn’t believe she was willingly leaving her house. Was she humoring him, or was she happy to leave this godforsaken place for a few hours after weeks of self-imposed solitude?
“Around the Serpentine, darling?” she asked, her mood already lighter.
Hayden’s smile was slow and sure.
In the sunshine, Hayden saw the telltale signs that Jez was on the mend. Her hair was shinier, her skin not as wan, and her clothes were marginally tighter on her willowy frame. More important, her disposition was a great deal happier. Perhaps he was worrying too much. It was hard not to do so after everything she’d been through.
He tucked her arm firmly against his side and patted her hand. What he wanted more than anything was to thread his fingers though hers, raise her gloved hand to his mouth, and press his lips to the frilled edge at the back of her wrist.
Dangerous thoughts, those. But hadn’t he already determined that she would be his? Yes, soon enough. Right now, though, she needed to heal.
Jessica was taller than most women of his acquaintance, so she easily kept stride with him as they strolled toward the entrance gates of the park.
“So tell me why Warren is visiting.”
“He is having an inventory of the house completed. I suppose he’ll have to amalgamate both his residences here in Town.”
Hayden’s hand squeezed hers lightly with the news. “Why does he need to do this right now?”
She looked away from him, focusing on the picnicking families and small gatherings of friends who had found a nice patch of grass to sit on as they fed chunks of bread to the ducks.
“The house will be his in a matter of months, Hayden. Fighting him is nothing more than an exercise in futility. We both know there is nothing I can do to change that outcome.”
“He can at least show some decency and wait out the year before he takes charge of your household.”
She sighed heavily. “It’s not in his nature to wait for anything when it’s rightfully his to take.”
“And for how long have you known him?”
“Longer than I ever wanted to, I assure you. He is in a difficult position, too, Hayden.”
Hayden pulled Jessica to a stop and turned her so he could look her in the eye. “Why have you given up your fight?”
She shrugged away from his hold. “I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Help me to comprehend this colossal change in heart, Jessica. It was agreed that you could stay in the house for one year.”
She walked on, though he still had a light hold of one of her arms and didn’t release her till her fingers slipped completely from his grasp.
“You invited me for a walk.” She nodded her head toward their abandoned path. “Don’t make me finish on my
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