Page 16 of The Marquess of Temptation
"That sounds like Jane," Hestia cried, gathering her skirts and rushing out of the room. She was greeted by the sight of her mistress, batting away the concern of Giles and Lord Payne, as she made for the staircase.
"Honestly, it's just a migraine," Jane was saying --though Hestia knew from the high-pitch of her voice and its slight tremor, that it was much more than that.
"I will look after Miss Deveraux from here," Hestia said, sweeping out into the hallway and placing herself between Jane and the two men. Jane offered her look of thanks and together the two women climbed the staircase without a backward glance to the men below.
Hestia was most grateful for the distraction of helping Jane to her room, where the misty-eyed young woman confessed that Lord Payne had asked her for her hand --properly this time--and she had said no.
"It's just that I think that Mr Jackson might offer for me," Jane sniffed, "And I have loved him for years. We are both studious, quiet and serious. It would be a much better match."
If Hestia thought that Jane sounded more like she was trying to convince herself, than actually convinced, of Mr Jackson's suitability, she kept her opinion to herself. Jane seemed set on the dull, irritable entomologist and if Hestia said a bad word about him and the pair did marry, then she would soon be out of a job.
The pair parted ways and Hestia undressed for bed. It felt like she had been asleep for only five minutes, when a knocking on the door woke her up. Goodness, she thought as she hurried to open it, was it the Marquess? She would have some very stern words to say to him if it was. She opened the door to find Jane standing outside, her face streaked with tears.
"What on earth?" Hestia exclaimed, worry filling her. She had never seen Miss Deveraux so overwrought; Jane was usually so calm and practical.
"M-M-Mr Jackson thinks me old and unattractive," Jane wailed through her tears.
"Gracious! Did he say that to you?"
"No," Jane's sniffed, her words coming out breathlessly. "I overheard him say it to Lord Payne in the library. Then Lord Payne punched him."
Hestia gave a silent cheer at this news --so she had been right to prefer the heir to Hawkfield over the fusty entomologist.
"I have ruined everything." Jane wailed, a bout of sobbing taking hold again. "I hurt Lord Payne for the sake of Mr Jackson and he has turned out to be an utter cad. Oh, I want to go home to St Jarvis, I don't want to be here anymore."
"It's too late to be running off to Cornwall," Hestia advised, her tone practical. "If you still wish to leave in the morning, then we shall go together. Go to sleep now, Jane. Don't make any rash decisions late at night. Wait until morning, when you feel more rested."
Jane nodded, as though taking her advice and disappeared into her bedchamber, but the next morning when the house woke to find that Jane had disappeared, Hestia knew that her advice had fallen on deaf ears.
