Page 57 of A Lady's Key to Passion

Jane was so stunned that she couldn’t reply for a moment. He kept gazing at her steadily, his eyes never leaving her face. A wave of pure anger swept over her. Anger at Charles, if he had actually said such a thing, and anger at Percy for clearly believing it. She knew now why he was so agitated. He was trying to catch her out.

“That is preposterous,” she said, trying to keep her voice even. “I do not believe he would say such a thing. Are you sure you heard him correctly?”

“Quite sure,” he said. “I just spoke to him at the hayshed behind his uncle and aunt’s house. The place where apparently you go to meet him for your lover’s trysts.”

“What?” Her voice was shaking now. “I do no such thing! I have met him there on a few occasions, but it is not for that purpose! It is a place where we played as children. We sometimes talk there now out of nostalgia for that time.” Her heart was pounding, and she felt sick. “He truly told you that I am having an affair with him?”

Percy nodded. His hands were balled into fists upon his knees. He kept staring at her searchingly. Another wave of anger swept through her.

“What I have told you is the truth,” she said. “I am terribly upset with him if he said such a thing to you. But I am also upset that apparently, you believe it. I have been honest with you about my relationship with Charles. He is just a friend to me, and I have consistently discouraged his wish to change our friendship.”

She was so furious with Charles that she wanted to march out of the room now and confront her old friend. This had gone too far. Charles was spreading lies about her, and it was dangerous. Was he telling other people that they were secret lovers? He could cause a scandal. But perhaps that was his intention. Perhaps he was trying to compromise her reputation to force her to marry him.

Or scare off Percy from pursuing her, so that the field was open once again.

Her eyes burnt with helpless tears. If he was trying to do that, she would never forgive him. She didn’t know if she could forgive him now. It seemed their old friendship was irrevocably broken once and for all. If she were not so angry. she would feel incredibly sad.

There was a tense silence in the room. Jane stared at him defiantly. If he didn’t know her by now and realise that she was telling the truth, then she didn’t care any longer. She wasn’t going to sit here and beg him.

Abruptly, he stood up and began pacing the room. She just watched him, her stomach churning. After a moment, he stopped, gazing back at her. His eyes were burning.

“I believe you,” he said in a faltering voice. “I just had to hear it from your own lips. He angered me so. It was like he was taunting me with it, telling me to leave this town.”

She shook her head incredulously. “Why were you even at that hayshed? I do not understand at all.”

His face tightened. “Miss Beatrice Prescott told me you were having an affair with him and that he was at that hayshed waiting for you. I rushed over there, sick to my stomach, thinking I would find you together.” He drew a deep, ragged breath. “And that was when he claimed it was true and that you were in love and always had been. I felt like I had been played for a fool.”

“Beatrice Prescott?” Jane reeled back in shock for a second time. “None of this makes sense! What is her involvement with this ,and why is she willing to spread lies about me?”

“Perhaps he confided in her, and she believed it,” said Percy, his face contorting. “She claimed she was trying to do the right thing by me. That she didn’t want to see me misled.”

Jane frowned. Her mind was racing. She didn’t think that was the reason at all. And now, everything was starting to make sense. Charles’s sudden, inexplicable friendship with the lady whom he had claimed he had always disliked.

They were always whispering together. Beatrice Prescott wanted Percy to pay her attention and become her suitor. Charles wanted Jane to fall in love with him. Had they been working together, plotting together, this whole time trying to drive a wedge between her and Percy?

It certainly seemed that way now.

“I do not think that is the truth,” she said in an angry voice. “I think we are both being manipulated. Charles has struck up a friendship with her recently. I have been mystified by it, for he always claimed to despise her.” She took a deep breath. “I believe they are in cahoots, trying to get you to stop paying attention to me. Then the field would be open for both of them—or so they believe. She wants you to be her suitor, and Charles wants me for his own.”

Percy’s jaw dropped. He swore softly underneath his breath. “I recognised that she was an ambitious lady from the start, but not quitethatambitious,” he said, shaking his head. “And Crawford is determined to get you, by fair means or foul. Yes, I believe you may be right.”

Jane was silent, trying to process the whirl of emotions. Percy suddenly strode to her, dropping to her feet, gazing up at her.

“Jane,” he whispered ardently. “If nothing else, this has proved to me how much I want you for my own. Can you not consider marrying me? Please?”

Jane’s heart somersaulted. He was gazing at her so beseechingly.

She was so confused, so drained by it all, that she didn’t know what to say. Her head was beginning to pound.

“I thought we agreed that this would stop,” she whispered eventually. “You cannot love me. You know I am committed to staying unmarried. All the reasons why it is not meant to be remain.”

“It would not be so bad married to me, would it?” he whispered, reaching out to stroke her face gently. “We could find happiness together. I am sure of it.”

Jane gazed down at him. His touch was as light as air. And it was already weakening her resolve. That magic that only he could wield within her was stirring to life.

She didn’t know how it happened. But the next moment, he was kissing her, pulling her down into his arms. The kiss was hungry and desperate. They clung to each other. He trailed kisses down her neck. She gasped, her head tilting back, as a bolt of fierce desire shot down her spine.

She was losing sense of time and place. The only reality was him. The feel of him, the scent of him, the pure wonder of him. She didn’t know how much longer she could stand it.

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