Page 50 of Sleepless in Saunton
“Jane can teach me that.”
“Yes, but …”
“But what?”
“Mrs. Gordon was the wife of a vicar. She can teach you all about …” Barclay sought for something to say. “Charity!” he announced, proud of himself for thinking of it.
Tatiana considered this, and Barclay realized neither of them knew enough about Jane to know if she was involved in charitable work. After a lengthy pause, her face lit up, and she responded, “Grandmama can teach me that.”
That was true. Aurora involved herself in charity work with their church.
“Mrs. Gordon has a lovely voice, and she must know how to sing. She could teach you to sing lovely hymns.”
His daughter narrowed her blue eyes in a menacing manner. “Are you saying I cannot sing?”
Barclay coughed into his hand. If Natalya were here, she would do a much better job of handling their daughter. But if Natalya were here, they would not be arguing over who would be her new mother, so that was a moot point.
“You have a lively singing voice, little one.”
Thankfully, she appeared mollified. Barclay straightened his shoulders and endeavored to return to his original point before Tatiana had debated him into a corner.
“I need you to leave Jane alone and allow her to seek a young man to marry. We cannot stand in her way, or cause complications.”
She shook her head. “I do not agree to this. I have already asked Jane to read me Ladin, and she said when she is feeling better, she will do so.”
Barclay frowned, worried despite his vow to steer clear of the young woman. “Is Jane unwell?”
“She said she has a headache.”
He exhaled. “Then I need you to listen to me. I am the parent.”
“I should listen to you, even if you are wrong?”
Scowling, Barclay tried to think how to respond to that. “I am the parent, and you must listen.”
Tatiana drew herself up to her full height. It was not much, but she was as regal as a queen when she replied, “I shall not. Jane is my friend, and you cannot stop me from spending time with her.”
Before he could respond, she turned and ran from the room in a blur of skirts and stockings before he even had time to think. Bloody hell! He should have stood between her and the door, knowing she might bolt. Now he would have to wait to find her and start this discussion all over again. Natalya had always been so talented at dealing with Tatiana. He was a brute compared to her finesse with the child.
Damn, if his nine-year-old daughter besting him in debate was not a sign of his advanced years! This was precisely why this age gap between him and Jane would not work. If he did not know better, he would swear he had aged a hundred years based on how he had felt since he had found Aurora crying in her room.
* * *
Jane lefther bedroom at about two in the afternoon, once the pounding in her head had receded sufficiently to paste a smile on her face and feign some social pleasantries.
While preparing for the day, she had reached a decision. It was time to seriously consider a match with Mr. Dunsford. With him, she would access a path to the familiar. As the daughter of a landowner, she would marry the heir to a similar situation. This was a world which she could understand and navigate. Her sister was the wife of a landowner. Her father was a landowner himself, and her mother was the wife of a landowner. It would be perfect because she would have plenty of help to make such a situation a success.
It had been the original plan she had had for this Season, before Emma had meddled with her ideas of a meeting of the minds. She had tried following Emma’s advice, which had led to bitter disappointment. Her sister’s success with bringing Perry up to scratch had been a fluke, a once- in-a-lifetime lucky occurrence not to be repeated.
All that remained was to confirm that she and Mr. Dunsford had enough in common to make a marriage work. Anything to leave this miserable situation in the past.
Jane stopped in the hall to rub her weary hands over her face. She was having trouble maintaining the appearance of conviviality. Fatigue was setting in once more, and she cursed the coffee that had put her in this infernal mood, while craving a cup of the demon brew, which would release her from this current agony.
Be strong! Aurora said this will only last a few days before it wears off.
Inhaling deeply, she pasted the jovial expression back on her face and continued her walk to the library. She would rest there for a moment while she regathered her wits, then set off to find Mr. Dunsford. Hopefully, his attentions had not wandered to another female guest while she had been occupied with Barclay.
When she reached the library, she scowled at the coffeepot with loathing. And longing. It was hard not to recall the blissful sense of tranquility after drinking a cup. Shaking her head, then groaning when it caused the thudding to echo against her skull, Jane squared her shoulders as if preparing for battle.
