“Is something the matter, my lady? Do you need a refreshment or perhaps to sit in the shade?”
She glanced at Lord James, annoyed by his suggestion. She was no wilting wallflower who needed coddling, even if her heart had really begun to pound in her chest. “I am not in distress.”
But she was in a way. She’d like nothing more than to scratch out Mrs. Beck’s eyes right now for flirting with Gideon when she wanted to.
“Do not let me keep you, Lord James,” she said as she waved her hand in his vague direction.
Lord James withdrew, but Jessica couldn’t move a muscle, more for the shock and wonder filling her soul.
Natalia’s hand stole onto her sleeve, distracting her from her stunning realization. “Lady Jessica,” Natalia whispered. “Jess, you are staring…in a rather frightening manner, I must say.”
Jessica blinked and looked down. “You were right,” she whispered. “She means to have him.”
“Do you mean Mrs. Beck? I am ever so sorry. I know you care for him,” she whispered.
“I do,” she whispered. Her chest tightened, and her breath came quick and shallow. “I love him,” she admitted at last.
Dear God, I love Giddy so much. She darted a glance in his direction just as the race began.
He burst away, and she cried out. The crowd’s wild cheers drowned out the sound. Within minutes, he and Lord Rafferty were just a spec of shadow disappearing around the first corner in the road.
Natalia hugged her quickly. “I know you love him.”
“What?”
“I’ve always known,” Natalia said with a half-hidden smirk on her face. “Took you long enough to admit it, but I don’t mind that you didn’t tell me sooner.”
Jessica stared at her friend. “I…I didn’t understand. Not until this moment. How could I not have known my own feelings for him ran so deep?”
Natalia hugged her against her side. “Love is like that, and I suppose it is not at all surprising, given the way he is around you.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s always there, but makes light of your friendship. It is easy to miss his interest.”
Jessica’s heartbeat began to thunder in her ears. “Gideon is interested in me?”
“Oh, yes. It quickly became apparent to me once I spent a little time in your orbit. That the gentleman sees no other lady but you. He moves with you, though he tries to hide what he’s doing. And you are always talking about him.”
Jessica’s face burst over with heat and shy pleasure. “I didn’t realize.”
Natalia shook her. “That is what makes you both an adorable couple. I don’t know why he hasn’t spoken up yet, but he should have long ago.”
Because he never meant to marry anyone. Because of the way his own father had treated him as a boy.
Jessica closed her eyes. “What can I do?”
“Nothing until they come back,” Natalia murmured, and then tugged on her arm. “Come on. I’m desperately in need of a cup of punch if there is any left.”
Jessica smiled quickly. “If there isn’t, Cook will find something for us to drink anyway if we ask.”
“I would be happy with water, honestly. It has become quite warm, hasn’t it?”
She glanced at Natalia, and saw her friend was grinning madly. “Indeed,” she agreed.
They clambered down unaided, leaving Paulson to stay behind with the gig, and strolled through the crowd arm in arm.
But Jessica’s heart continued to beat wildly in her chest. She was in love with a man she’d never doubted would always be there when she needed him. Was it her turn to show him he didn’t need to be alone after all?