When he looked at Lord James again, smiling as if the party were for his benefit, he vowed to protect Jessica forever.
Stapleton clapped him on the shoulder suddenly. “You are a true friend to save my family from another night of tedium. I swear that pair talks of nothing but their own ambitions day and night.”
“I’m glad to be of service,” he murmured, then winced.
Pursuing Jessica for his wife could put his friendship with the Duke of Stapleton in a whole new light. He’d have a father again.
Jessica slunk back to Stapleton, dejected by Gideon’s rejection of happiness. She gave her horse an absentminded pat, slipped a coin to Paulson, and climbed the stairs to Stapleton Manor’s front door very slowly. Why couldn’t Gideon see that she was grown enough to be…his?
The knowledge that he didn’t want her the way she thought of him made her both angry and miserable. For a year, she’d endured talk about the qualities she should look for in a potential husband. Gideon embodied every good and kind attribute a spouse could, and his name had never been mentioned. He’d even participated in several discussions. Admittedly, his remarks had been supportive of not rushing any decision, which she’d attributed to him being a bachelor of long standing.
Stapleton’s butler opened the door for her and welcomed her home, and she answered him with just a nod. Maybe Gideon didn’t want her after all, or perhaps he didn’t want a wife of any description.
She’d taken three steps inside the cool interior, hadn’t even removed her bonnet and gloves, before Rebecca was suddenly upon her. She blinked at Rebecca stupidly, tears beginning to prick her eyes.
“I need to talk to you in private,” Rebecca said as she grabbed Jessica’s hand and towed her toward the music room. Jessica stumbled as the door was thrown shut behind them with remarkable force.
She turned around quickly. “What?”
Rebecca stalked toward her, apparently very angry. “Who. Is. He?” she ground out, eyes blazing.
Jessica took a pace back from her sister’s unexpected fury. “Who?”
Rebecca grabbed her arm before she could retreat farther, holding her tightly until it pinched. “You were seen last night, meeting with a man.”
Jessica was not a good liar but she had to try. “I wanted some air.”
Rebecca leaned close and ground out, “And the man you left behind? You will tell me his name this instant.”
Jessica swallowed hard. “It’s not what you think.”
It was probably worse.
“Who were you with?” Rebecca was so angry her mouth was pinched white around the edges. Her grip tightened even more as the silence lengthened. Rebecca could cause a great deal of trouble for Gideon if she wanted to. “Were you meeting with Lord Rafferty?”
“No!” she cried. “I was with Gideon.”
Rebecca released her immediately and turned away. When Rebecca began to pace, arms folded across her breasts, Jessica’s heart started to pound in time with her hard steps.
“What are you going to do?”
Rebecca paused and then turned, smiling with triumph brightening her eyes. “Nothing. For now.”
Jessica was afraid of that smile but stood her ground. “What do you mean, ‘nothing for now’? What about the gossip you heard?”
“Gossip is unavoidable on an estate of this importance.”
“But—”
“No buts. We will do nothing and allow the rumor to spread.”
Jessica paled. “Father will be angry at me. At Gideon, too.”
“You should have thought of that before you started flirting with Father’s best friend.” Rebecca wagged a finger.
Jessica gaped but then snapped her mouth shut. She had been drawn to Gideon more since her return home, but she hadn’t quite considered what she’d been doing as flirting. Not really. But if she loved him, her behavior was completely normal. She looked across at her sister and winced. “I’m sorry if my actions have disappointed you.”
“I knew something was in the wind at dinner last night, but the duchess swore Whitfield was merely being protective. Possessive is more likely.” Rebecca came close and put an arm around Jessica’s back. “What you start must be finished.”