Page 48 of Sleepless in Saunton
“Who is it?”
“Tatiana. May I enter?”
Jane gritted her teeth. The little girl would require some diplomacy, and she was not sure she had any to offer this morning.
“Of course.”
The door opened, and Tatiana came into the room. At least, Jane assumed she came in because she was too busy rubbing her temples to notice what was happening behind her.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, yes. I am suffering from a megrim, is all.”
“Oh. I was wondering if I could ask you to join me and Papa for a walk?”
Jane clenched her jaw in irritation, nearly biting her tongue. Moderating her voice, she tried to think how to respond. “Did your father agree to that?”
Tatiana hesitated. “I have not asked him yet, but I am sure I could convince him.”
And Jane was sure it was futile. Not to mention mortifying. She was the silly chit he had rejected. Worse, Barclay was well aware of how she felt because she had not known how to react when she had encountered him in the hall the previous morning. She was certain she beamed like a little girl, before allowing her disconsolation to be revealed when she had a moment later recalled they were no longer … friends, she supposed.
Damnation, this was going to become even worse if he announced a betrothal. Traveling home to Rose Ash Manor was becoming ever more appealing.
“Then, no. I am afraid I already made plans for the day.” She had not, but she would.
“Please, Jane. I … miss you. It felt like when Mama was alive and we would do things as a family. I want …”
“I am sorry, Tatiana. I cannot. I already promised my time to Mr. Dunsford, and I must hurry if I am to meet him.”
The child’s face fell. “What about Ladin? Could you read to me this evening?”
Jane pressed her eyes closed, nearly bursting into tears at the lovely memory. But if she were to read to her this evening, Barclay might be there as he had been the first time, and she could not bear it in her current state. She would need time to recover from this fiasco with the coffee before she could feign any pleasantries with the girl’s father.
“Perhaps in a couple of days, Tatiana. There is no telling if this headache will recede by this evening.”
Perhaps by then her battered spirits would have time to recover. Not to mention this blasted thudding in her skull.
“I am sorry you do not feel well.”
Jane managed a small smile. The child was so sweet. It truly would have been an idyllic life to spend her days with Tatiana while traveling at Barclay’s side. She quickly squashed the errant musing. That was not to be, and she needed to focus on her health through this ordeal with the cursed coffee.
“Thank you.”
The little girl came forward to wrap her arms around Jane’s neck. “Please do not give up,” she whispered against Jane’s hair.
“Give up?”
“On Papa. Promise me you will not give up. We can be a family, I know it! I will make him see, I swear it.”
Before Jane could respond, Tatiana let go of her and ran from the room.
* * *
Barclay strodedown the family hall to meet up with the earl for a spot of fishing when Tatiana stepped into the corridor unexpectedly from Jane’s room.
Drawing to a halt, he rubbed his temples while trying to think why this did not sit right. He realized he needed to dissuade the connection between his daughter and the young woman in order to prevent Tatiana from developing further hopes.
Dropping his hand, he straightened up to glare at his daughter, but she narrowed her eyes and glared right back at him.
