Page 62 of Pursued Beyond Treachery
Johnathan stood. “You thought correctly.”
“I have a predicament and I think you might be the right person to help—”
Javenia stood, and Al’s gaze snapped to her in surprise. He glanced around the room until he spied Javenia’s maid in the corner. A small exhale escaped him, but his brow still furrowed.
“Why are you here, Javenia?”
The harshness of his tone would have made any other woman shrink, but Javenia only stood taller.
“I have as much right to visit a childhood friend as you do.”
“Yes, but you are a lady visiting a single gentleman. Do you have no regard for your reputation?”
“And what of you? Do you have any regard for a lady’s reputation? Or was it some other gentleman that I witnessed walking alone with Miss Giles in the garden behind Lady Lincolnhurst’s house? In the freezing cold, no less.”
Al opened his mouth, then clamped it shut.
“I thought so.” She turned to Johnathan and took his hand. “Thank you for allowing me to visit. Please think on what I haveshared.” Then without warning, she stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek.
The action was so out of character that Johnathan hardly registered it before Javenia swept out of the room, not once glancing toward Al.
Silence settled in the room until the front door shut.
Al rounded on him. “What was that all about?”
“Pardon?”
“Why did Javenia kiss you?” Al’s hands were clenched and his shoulders taut.
“Probably out of spite.” Johnathan retook his seat. “There is nothing between us if that is what you are asking, but it seems there might be something between you and Miss Giles.”
Al sighed, slumping into the chair that Javenia had vacated.
“I… that is, she… Oh, I do not know what there is or is not. She is pretty enough, I suppose, but she lacks…”
“Intelligence?” Johnathan slowly smirked. It was no secret that most young women of the Ton did not cultivate any decent amount of knowledge, but Miss Giles was especially lacking.
“I was going to say an interesting form of address, but I suppose that is from an absence of something. I hate to call a lady’s intelligence into question, though.”
“So you have come to me, a man of little experience with courtship, to ask if you should continue your pursuit of her?”
Al’s head jerked back. “No. I already know she is not the woman I wish to shackle myself to.”
“Then what?” Johnathan leaned forward.
When Al’s gaze wandered to the door where Javenia had exited, he had his answer. But instead of voicing what was obviously on his mind, Al’s head whipped back toward him.
“Lady Roberts gave birth last evening.”
Johnathan’s eyes widened. He knew Al’s stepmother had begun her confinement, but it seemed awfully short. “I believecongratulations are in order.” He stood to shake Al’s hand, but his friend stared at the proffered appendage.
“I’m not sure congratulations are the correct sentiments in this situation. Condolences would be more to the point.”
The wide smile Johnathan had sported slipped. “Was there a tragedy?”
“Yes, the tragedy is that she gave birth to twins. Both girls.” Al put a hand to his forehead. “That makes an even dozen, John. I have one dozen sisters.”
A laugh burst out of him before he could hold it back. That the baby would be female had been a given, but that it should be two girls was simply too hilarious to withstand.
