Charming the Elusive Earl (Charmed By Chance #2)

Chapter 6

6

J ane watched Felicity pace before the drawing room window in her great uncle’s townhome.

Felicity’s family had sent her to London with a chaperone for the Season, and Jane wasn’t certain the posh old manor had ever seen so much liveliness in all its years.

As Felicity walked back and forth, her brown curls bobbed, her arched brows furrowed, and her pretty cupid’s bow lips pursed as she stewed over Jane’s tale.

Jane didn’t want to interrupt her friend, and it seemed Meg was equally lost in thought, though occasionally she broke the silence to mutter things like, “Extraordinary” or “Just like a novel.”

Jane couldn’t agree more. The entire interlude with Marlin and those thieves had been torn straight out of the pages of one of her romantic novels.

Of course, in the novels, something would likely have occurred after they parted.

Another meeting, perhaps. Or even another run-in with danger.

But no. A full week had passed since the incident, and still no word from Marlin.

For the first few days after, she’d tiptoed anxiously through her day, her ears ever vigilant for the sound of a visitor arriving.

But no. No sign of her fiancé. Which shouldn’t have surprised her. He no doubt meant they’d discuss what had happened…next month. At his scheduled visit.

Which should come as relief, really.

Jane stared down at her hands, which were clasped in her lap, waiting for her friends to fully digest her story well enough that they might mutter more than the occasional exclamation of surprise.

She fussed with the edge of her gloves. Truly, she ought to be pleased that Marlin hadn’t returned demanding explanations and forcing an unwanted conversation.

Still, it was rather depressing, was it not?

She nibbled on her lower lip. Even after all that excitement, even after the way he’d held her, and kissed her, and?—

And he’d still managed to forget all about her.

This right here was why her life was too boring to be a novel.

He’d forgotten all about the incident, while it was all she could think about. She found herself constantly touching her lips, as she remembered the feel of his mouth on hers. And she stared off into the distance so often her aunt had checked to see if she had a fever.

But, it seemed, this was all merely evidence of how little she had to think about in her own life. Perhaps if she were as busy and in demand as Lord Marlin, she too wouldn’t have time for such foolish daydreams.

Felicity spun around. “And he still hasn’t called?”

She said it so loudly, Jane jumped. And when she settled she felt just a little satisfaction that at least she wasn’t the only one irritated by this.

Jane shook her head, but before she could reply—if, in fact, a reply was necessary—the drawing room door swung open and a maid entered. But before the woman could finish announcing the visitor, Ann swept in right behind her, breathless and still dripping wet from the rain.

Her damp red hair looked darker than usual, and her eyes sparkled brightly as her gaze moved from one to the next. “W-what did I miss?”

All eyes swung toward Jane, who’d seated herself next to a potted fern out of habit.

Felicity had dragged her out of her shell two years before when they’d met at a tea in this very home, and she’d all but forced her to be her friend.

Felicity did not understand the word no .

Jane had been glad, of course. If left to her own devices she’d never have left her room or her books. But thanks to Felicity, she now had three friends.

Three friends…and an elusive fiancé.

When Jane wasn’t quick to speak—indeed, telling Meg and Felicity the entire tale had been more speaking than she’d done in a year—her friends understood.

They always understood.

Her heart warmed when Meg leaned forward. “Shall I?”

Jane nodded quickly. Unlike Ann, who was working hard to overcome a speech issue, Jane had no physical trouble speaking. It was more…being looked at while speaking that was the issue.

She never enjoyed being the center of attention, not even amongst her friends.

And so Meg quickly and succinctly gave an astonished Ann a rundown of events.

Ann was left gaping at Jane in wonder. “Blimey,” she muttered.

“Indeed,” Felicity said.

“It sounds like one of your novels, Jane,” Ann said.

Meg grinned. “That’s what I said!”

Felicity folded her arms. “Yes, but in one of her novels, Jane’s fiancé wouldn’t have just left her there after kissing her. He’d have stayed…” She paused to think before shrugging. “Or returned, at the very least.”

“Maybe he still will. It hasn’t been that long,” Meg said. “Perhaps he was just as affected by that kiss as Jane was.” She leaned forward. “You were affected, were you not?”

Jane’s shiver was involuntary at the memory of that kiss. She’d never known a touch could make her head spin like that, or make her whole body warm.

She blushed under their stares. “Oh yes. I was affected.”

“See?” Meg’s smile was triumphant as she turned to Felicity.

Jane shared a smile with Ann. Meg always had been the most optimistic of the lot.

Meg turned her smile on Jane. “I’m certain he’ll show up soon and with every intention of sweeping our dear Jane right off her feet.”

“Perhaps,” Ann said slowly, a wicked humor in her eyes as she winked at Jane. “But let’s not hold our breath, shall we?”

Jane giggled. Ann was that wonderful mix of utterly kind, but brutally honest. She was pragmatic, and right now Jane was grateful for her honesty.

She nodded her agreement.

But Felicity had gone back to scowling out the window. The rain certainly wasn’t helping her mood any, and that was to be expected. If Jane was content to sit in a room and read all day, then Felicity was her total opposite in that way. She hated being caged up inside, as she put it.

Felicity turned to face them. “It’s cruel of him, that’s what it is.”

Jane blinked in surprise at Felicity’s anger. She shared a quick look with the others. Oddly enough, she felt a flicker of guilt that Felicity was so angry on her behalf.

“It’s all right, Fee.” Her voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the wind. “I’m accustomed to being ignored by him. You know that.”

It was only a very small lie. She had become accustomed to it. But this time was…different.

Felicity whirled around. “This time is different!”

Jane blinked as Felicity seemingly read her mind. But then Felicity added, “You’ve uncovered an actual, honest-to-goodness mystery and he’s left you out of it.”

Jane blinked a few more times. Perhaps Felicity wasn’t reading her mind, after all.

“The mystery,” Meg repeated. “That’s what you’re concerned with?”

Now it was Meg with whom Jane shared a conspiratorial smile. Of all her friends, Meg was the most like her in the sense that they shared a love of romance.

Of course, neither of them was so silly as to expect such a thing in their own lives—though Meg had been fortunate indeed to stumble upon it.

But that was different. Meg had options.

Jane did not.

But either way, she suspected Meg was the only one here who was more concerned with the kiss than the thieves.

Felicity continued on, all about how finally—finally!—something exciting was happening in their boring little world, and that dratted Earl had left them out of it.

“He left Jane out of it, you mean,” Ann corrected with a laugh. “It had nothing to do with us.”

“It could have.” Felicity sighed loudly.

Jane leaned forward hesitantly. “Are you saying you’d wish to get involved in the matter?”

Felicity’s brows arched high. “Are you saying you wouldn’t ?”

They regarded one another in silence for a long moment. They all did.

“I’m not sure I’d wish to get so close to danger,” Meg finally admitted.

Ann leaned over and nudged Meg’s shoulder with her own. “That’s because you’re so happily in love with the Duke,” she teased. “Of course you’re not looking for excitement—your whole life is like some romantic fairy tale at the moment.”

Meg dipped her head with a smile and a blush.

“It’s true. Of course you don’t,” Felicity said. To Ann, she added, “What about you?”

Ann tilted her head to the side as she considered it. “This may make me boring, but it’s not the thought of danger that excites me, but of finding a place where I belong.”

Ann’s cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink with that admission.

At least, Jane found it to be adorable. Blushing was common for Jane, but she rarely saw her friends so afflicted.

“Why, Ann,” Felicity teased. “Are you talking about finding a love match of your own? Are you becoming a romantic?”

Ann rolled her eyes. “Hardly. I just…I don’t know.” She fidgeted with her skirts. “Watching my sister prepare to marry, and then seeing how happy Meg is with her Duke…”

She pressed her lips together, and everyone waited patiently.

Ann had improved so much when it came to speaking, in general, and particularly when she was amongst friends. It was only when she was rushed, emotional, or overly nervous that she stammered.

Ann took a deep breath. “It occurred to me that perhaps I could find a husband, make a home…” She winced as she stared down at her hands. “I have no fantasies about romance or true love or any of that. But I wonder if there could be a man out there with whom I could be…comfortable.” She glanced around at them each in turn. “Someone I could see as a friend, and speak to just as I talk to you, and—” She cut herself off with a laugh. “I sound silly, don’t I?”

“No,” Meg said quickly.

“Of course not,” Jane added.

Felicity shook her head soundly. “Not silly at all, Ann. I’m certain the right gentleman is out there for you. And we shall help you find him.”

Ann’s smile was shy and sweet. Jane’s heart warmed at the sight.

And so she was thoroughly startled by Felicity calling on her next, “And what about you, Jane? Are you averse to danger as well?”

For a moment Jane felt as though the heat of the sun was in her cheeks at the undivided attention. She opened her mouth to say the words they all expected to hear.

Of course I’m averse to danger. I have no desire to seek out excitement.

But when she opened her mouth, nothing came out.

And when she really ought to be thinking of words to say to fill the awkward silence, all she could do was…remember.

Her memory called up that moment when she’d gone riding off alone into the woods. And then the moment when the skies had opened and she’d been drenched through, caught in the rain for the first time since she’d been a child.

Her breathing came quick and shallow as, one after another, the memories came.

How her heart raced when they’d heard voices in the woods. The way her whole body seemed to coil and unfurl at once when Marlin pulled her into his arms.

The simultaneous horror and relief when she’d told Marlin the truth—that she’d been running from him .

The others were watching her with concern now.

“Oh dear, now I’ve done it,” Felicity muttered. She sat beside Jane and clasped her hands. “You must have been so frightened, and here I am discussing it so frivolously like a ninny, and?—”

“No, it’s all right,” Jane intervened.

“Were you very scared?” Ann asked.

“Er…yes, I suppose I was,” Jane said. But that wasn’t why she’d gone quiet.

“You were so brave, Jane.” Meg said that.

Meg who was one of the bravest people Jane had ever met.

Jane frowned, shaking her head, trying to make sense of all the feelings she’d experienced that day. And most of all, trying to sort out why it was she’d been so achingly disappointed ever since it had ended.

Partly because of Marlin’s absence, yes, but it was more than that.

She turned to Meg, “I wasn’t brave. Not really.”

Her friends all started to protest at once, but then Jane continued. “I wasn’t brave, but I was… free .” The word came out louder than she’d ever spoken. It came out strong and fierce.

Not like her at all.

“I wasn’t brave, but I’d like to be,” she continued. “But more than that, I’d like to feel that freedom again.” She frowned as she tried to put it into words, relieved beyond belief that her friends were nodding as if in understanding.

And maybe they did understand. Maybe they understood even better than she.

“I don’t know that I need danger or even excitement, for that matter,” she said slowly. “But I do know that I need to be free.”

After a long silence, Felicity broke it. “What do you have in mind?”

Jane’s heart seemed to grow wings and take flight. It was fear and excitement all at once. “I need to speak with Marlin.”

“Yes!” Meg brightened. “Good for you, Jane. A proper conversation is precisely what you both need.”

Felicity nodded her approval.

“You likely should talk about what happened.” Ann winced as she added, “But I do not envy you.”

Jane gave her a smile.

No one asked what precisely she wished to say to the Earl, and for that she was grateful. She wasn’t sure she was even ready to think it, let alone speak it.

“Do you think you’ll see him soon?” Felicity asked.

Jane let out a laugh that was cynical and jaded, and not like her at all. “I doubt it. But for once, the Earl’s avoidance might be a boon.” She took a deep breath, her new resolve settling into place even as fear wrapped around her like a vice.

But it was a fear that was laced with excitement. It was nervous anticipation, and it made her heart beat stronger.

“I likely won’t see the Earl until his next visit,” she said.

“I bet you will,” Meg said. She looked pleased and a little smug.

Jane didn’t argue, but she didn’t agree. She had no hope of seeing Marlin before his next scheduled visit. But that was likely for the best.

Because the next time she saw Lord Marlin…it would hopefully be the last.