young butler bowed to her as she looked up. It was not his place to ask if she was well or needed help, but his expression admitted his concern.
Her life was unravelling at the seams. Unfortunately, she did not think a cup of tea would fix it. A raucous, disturbing laugh rang in her thoughts, a sound she knew bordered on insanity.
It was ridiculous.
She was now completely alone, apart from her servants.
There was no way out. No going back. She could only seek a path forward, and she could not do that if she became a simpering wreck or lost her marbles. No, she had to think, and get away from Joshua. She needed somewhere else to go.
She sucked all her courage back into her lungs on a long, deep breath. “No, thank you, Garnett.” Her eyes looked past the butler, her mind reaching for ideas. Then she remembered Garnett’s timely interruption. “Thank you for your intervention. I am grateful.”
“Your Grace,” he accepted, his voice full of compassion. “If you have need of anything, you will ring?” Then he bowed once more and left.
Jane stood. Her body was tense and her thoughts raced. She began pacing the hearth rug, crossing back and forth, her hands clasped at her waist. The sound of Joshua’s carriage pulling away permeated the windows.
She had thought this property secure, a place which would be a home at last. She had rented it only last week and moved in but two days ago, and Number Three, The Circle, Bath, was the answer to her prayers, the supposed beginning of a new and independent life. Joshua had proved her wrong. No doubt Messrs Brampton and Bailey, Hector’s solicitors, who had arranged her tenancy, had passed on her forwarding address. It had never occurred to her Joshua would follow.
She’d vacated the entailed property, which had become Joshua’s, within a week, allowing the new Duke, his wife, and eight children to take up residence. But it seemed having his father’s sprawling country estate and his town mansion, as well as a number of other smaller holdings and all the tenancies and income which went with them, was not enough.
Of course, a man in his father’s mould completely, Joshua wanted it all, and he wanted her to have nothing. But let him bully her as much as he wished. “I will not give in.”
Stopping before the mirror over the mantelpiece, she looked at her sad, pathetic reflection. She was gaunt, her skin sallow and grey, large dark circles rimmed her eyes, but then she had slept very little since Hector’s sudden death four weeks ago. She had arranged the funeral and played sorrowful widow at his wake, while neither Joshua nor his wife had made any effort to attend.
Joshua had severed all ties with his father the day the old Duke had married Jane. Since then, her stepson had taken the greatest pleasure in victimising her, including making several indecent propositions.
Yet when Hector was alive, Joshua had never entered their home.
Her eyes faced her reflection, Jane Grey, the Dowager Duchess of Sutton. A dowager at the ripe old age of six and twenty. It was ludicrous. It had always been ludicrous marrying a man more than four times her age with a son over twenty years her senior. But her parents had thought only of the title and their financial security. They hadn’t given a fig for her happiness. She had been bartered off for profit.
Finally, happiness was in reach. But Joshua was snatching it from her grasp once more. She was in equal measure angry and afraid.
He had the estates. They would make another fortune in time and plenty to live on. Why could he not leave her alone?
Oh, she wished her parents were alive. She would have run to them and let them share the hell they’d crafted.
Pressing her fingers to her forehead, she caught her sharp emerald gaze reflected in the mirror. Her almond-shaped eyes shone. She frowned in self-deprecation. Despite her current worn and sickly look, she was still beautiful. She did not feel in the least vain to recognise
Her life was unravelling at the seams. Unfortunately, she did not think a cup of tea would fix it. A raucous, disturbing laugh rang in her thoughts, a sound she knew bordered on insanity.
It was ridiculous.
She was now completely alone, apart from her servants.
There was no way out. No going back. She could only seek a path forward, and she could not do that if she became a simpering wreck or lost her marbles. No, she had to think, and get away from Joshua. She needed somewhere else to go.
She sucked all her courage back into her lungs on a long, deep breath. “No, thank you, Garnett.” Her eyes looked past the butler, her mind reaching for ideas. Then she remembered Garnett’s timely interruption. “Thank you for your intervention. I am grateful.”
“Your Grace,” he accepted, his voice full of compassion. “If you have need of anything, you will ring?” Then he bowed once more and left.
Jane stood. Her body was tense and her thoughts raced. She began pacing the hearth rug, crossing back and forth, her hands clasped at her waist. The sound of Joshua’s carriage pulling away permeated the windows.
She had thought this property secure, a place which would be a home at last. She had rented it only last week and moved in but two days ago, and Number Three, The Circle, Bath, was the answer to her prayers, the supposed beginning of a new and independent life. Joshua had proved her wrong. No doubt Messrs Brampton and Bailey, Hector’s solicitors, who had arranged her tenancy, had passed on her forwarding address. It had never occurred to her Joshua would follow.
She’d vacated the entailed property, which had become Joshua’s, within a week, allowing the new Duke, his wife, and eight children to take up residence. But it seemed having his father’s sprawling country estate and his town mansion, as well as a number of other smaller holdings and all the tenancies and income which went with them, was not enough.
Of course, a man in his father’s mould completely, Joshua wanted it all, and he wanted her to have nothing. But let him bully her as much as he wished. “I will not give in.”
Stopping before the mirror over the mantelpiece, she looked at her sad, pathetic reflection. She was gaunt, her skin sallow and grey, large dark circles rimmed her eyes, but then she had slept very little since Hector’s sudden death four weeks ago. She had arranged the funeral and played sorrowful widow at his wake, while neither Joshua nor his wife had made any effort to attend.
Joshua had severed all ties with his father the day the old Duke had married Jane. Since then, her stepson had taken the greatest pleasure in victimising her, including making several indecent propositions.
Yet when Hector was alive, Joshua had never entered their home.
Her eyes faced her reflection, Jane Grey, the Dowager Duchess of Sutton. A dowager at the ripe old age of six and twenty. It was ludicrous. It had always been ludicrous marrying a man more than four times her age with a son over twenty years her senior. But her parents had thought only of the title and their financial security. They hadn’t given a fig for her happiness. She had been bartered off for profit.
Finally, happiness was in reach. But Joshua was snatching it from her grasp once more. She was in equal measure angry and afraid.
He had the estates. They would make another fortune in time and plenty to live on. Why could he not leave her alone?
Oh, she wished her parents were alive. She would have run to them and let them share the hell they’d crafted.
Pressing her fingers to her forehead, she caught her sharp emerald gaze reflected in the mirror. Her almond-shaped eyes shone. She frowned in self-deprecation. Despite her current worn and sickly look, she was still beautiful. She did not feel in the least vain to recognise
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