Chapter Seven

Jack had given instructions for Cook to prepare dinner, and when they finished eating, Brad excused himself, saying that he had to return to the club. It was common for Jack to work during the day, and Brad to work at night. It wasn't unusual for Jack to be called in during the days to order supplies and see to business matters, so they decided early on that he might as well work the days, and take the nights off. Even though that seldom happened. More often than not, Jack ended up working day and night. In fact, he seemed to prefer it that way.

After Brad left, Lena took Essie to her room and handed her over to Betsy to help her get ready for bed. Then Lena returned to the blue room, where Jack waited for her.

"Did you get your sister settled?" he asked when Lena was seated.

"I did. She had such an exciting day, I think she might sleep until noon tomorrow."

"I'm happy for her," Jack said, reaching for her hand. "And I'm happy for Brad, too."

"Yes," Lena said. "He seemed to have had a good time, too."

She kept her gaze focused on Jack, and the air surrounding them seemed to heat several degrees. "Would you like to walk in the garden before it gets too dark?" she asked.

"I'd love to."

Jack kept her hand in his as he rose and took her to the nearest set of glass-paned doors that led to the garden. From there, he led her across a wide terrace that spanned the length of the back side of the manor house. Across from the doors leading from the blue room was a set of stone steps that led to the garden. They descended the three steps and walked down a pebbled path.

"It's so peaceful here I could sit for hours and do nothing," Lena said, keeping her arm tucked in Jack's elbow. She breathed a deep sigh as he led her to a bench on the edge of the path that overlooked a pond. There were several ducks swimming smoothly in the tranquil water.

"Are you comfortable with the work we need from you?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"Oh yes," she answered. "You've explained it quite well."

"If you need more time to get settled—"

"No, no, I don't need more time. I know you're working tirelessly on the accounts for the railroad as well as the club. I need to do what I was hired to do."

"What time do you plan to come to work in the morning?" he asked.

"I should be at the club by nine o'clock. Is that soon enough, or would you like me there earlier?"

"No, nine o'clock is fine. I just want to tell my driver what time to be here to pick you up."

"That's not necessary, Jack. Your house is not that far from the club. I can walk it easily."

"No, you won't walk. I don't ever want you to walk to the club, or from the club when you go home. Promise me that you won't."

Lena looked up and caught the serious expression on his face. "Very well. I will wait for your driver to arrive."

"Good."

"Is there a reason you're so protective of me?"

"I would be protective of anyone who does the work you do for me."

Lena frowned. "I don't understand."

"No one knows that you work here yet, or what your job is. Eventually, that will change, though. Once they do, there are unscrupulous people who might decide they can use you to get to me."

"You mean kidnap me and demand a ransom for my release?"

"That's exactly what I mean. That's why I want you to go back and forth to work in a carriage. So you will never be alone."

"Has that ever happened to anyone?"

"No, but I don't want to chance that it might."

"You were a good army officer, weren't you?"

He smiled. "That's a change of topics. What makes you think that?"

"You don't just react to things that have already happened. You anticipate what could happen and make plans to prevent such happenings."

"That's what any good officer does when he's responsible for the lives of countless men."

"Your men were lucky to have you," she said, and he draped his arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to him. Lena turned enough in his arms that they faced each other.

Jack was going to kiss her. She knew he was, just as she knew she should move away from him to prevent him from doing so. She was attracted to him more than she should have allowed herself to be, but she couldn't help herself.

She had never met anyone like him. Never had the feelings inside her awakened like Jack was able to do. She couldn't allow herself to acknowledge those feelings. She'd known that from the day she faced the fact that Esther wasn't the only one affected by her blindness. Lena was, too.

She had always taken care of her sister. And she couldn't do that if she allowed herself to fall in love with someone. No man would want a wife who could only give him half her love, half her time, half her heart. He would want all her heart. A marriage was between a man and a woman. Not between a man and a woman and another woman.

Not that marriage had even entered Jack's mind. Nor had it hers. Their relationship was far, far, far from that, which was why it was imperative that she prevent him from kissing her before it went that far.

And yet…

Lena couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss him. She'd never kissed anyone before, and something inside her wanted to know. Not that she wanted to know what kissing anyone would be like. Just what kissing Jack would be like. But she couldn't.

Lena struggled with her emotions, but before she could steel her determination, Jack lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.

It was as if time froze. With his lips covering hers, Lena gave in to her raging emotions. Jack's kiss caused the most startling feelings to surge through her. A warmth that turned to an intense heat consumed her.

Every muscle inside her weakened, and her heart thundered in her breast as if it were running a race. Without urging it to, her body gave in to the emotions Jack created within her.

For some reason she couldn't explain, she wanted more from him. She skimmed her hands up his chest, then wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close to her.

From somewhere in the distance, a small whimper escaped, and Lena realized that whimper had come from her. It was a plea. Not a request, but a demand.

As if he understood her need, Jack deepened his kiss. He gave her what she was desperate to have, even though she wasn't sure what that was.

He kissed her again and again, and Lena accepted each kiss as if it contained the air she needed to breathe. She'd never experienced anything like this, had no idea a man's kiss could cause her body to react with such desperation.

He took her once more in a kiss that was tender and all-consuming, then he slowly lifted his mouth from hers and brought her to him, as if he knew she needed his strength to remain upright.

Thankfully, Jack held her close, or Lena was certain that she would have crumpled to the ground.

"We shouldn't have done that," he whispered softly enough that she knew he didn't intend for her to hear him, but she did.

"I'm sorry my kiss was a disappointment," she said softly. "I've never kissed anyone before."

"Your kiss was not a disappointment. In fact, it was anything but. It was the most passionate kiss I've ever experienced. That's what was wrong with it. It was so perfect that I want to kiss you again and again." He leaned closer to her and, indeed, kissed her again. "I don't know how I'll ever be able to stop."

"You have to, Jack. We can't continue this."

"I know," he said, releasing her. He stood and stepped away. "I'm sorry, Lena. I'm no good for you. I'm not the kind of man you want or need."

"You're exactly the kind of man I want, but I can't be the woman you need. I come with too many responsibilities." Lena stepped to where Jack stood. "We need to go back in now. Tomorrow will be a long day."

"Yes," he replied, and held out his arm for her to take.

Lena looped her hand through his arm, and they walked down the same path to the terrace. When they reached the foyer, Jack opened the door to the house and stepped out into the darkness.

"I'll have the carriage out front tomorrow morning."

"Thank you," Lena said. "And we'll forget tonight ever happened."

"Yes," he said as he turned away. "We'll forget this night ever happened. As well as the kiss."

*

Lena rose earlythe next morning and readied herself to go to work. She hadn't planned to start her day so early, but after the kiss she'd shared with Jack last night, she had been unable to go to sleep.

She hadn't exactly planned on going to work her first day with no sleep, but no matter how hard she tried, it had been impossible. She couldn't stop thinking about the kiss they'd shared.

Lena pressed her fingers to her lips and held them there. It was as if she could pretend he was still with her, that he still kissed her.

She dropped her fingers from her lips and left her room. She wanted to tell Essie goodbye and make sure she had everything she needed for the day. She also wanted to tell her sister that she wasn't sure what time she would be home, but someone would be with her, either Mattie or Betsy.

Essie was fine with that arrangement—in fact, she told Lena that she looked forward to having the day to herself. Brad had chosen a book to read to her yesterday, and she was going to ask whoever was with her today to continue reading to her.

Lena kissed her sister goodbye, then went down to the kitchen to get the lunch Cook had promised to pack for her, as well as a jar with something to drink. When she had everything she needed, she went to the foyer to wait for the carriage Jack had promised to send.

She didn't have to wait long. The carriage pulled up in front of the manor house, and Lena went out to go to her first real day at work.

She removed the key from her reticule and followed the instructions Jack had given her, and within minutes she was inside the office he'd shown her. Jack was waiting for her.

"Did you have any trouble?" he asked.

"No. Everything worked just as it was supposed to."

"Good." He walked to her desk and pointed to the box that contained the money from the day before. "I haven't done anything with it yet. I wanted you to be the only one who touched it."

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

"So," he said, sitting in a chair next to her desk and lifting the cup of coffee he'd been drinking. "What are you going to do first?"

"I'm going to count each table's money and get it ready for you and Brad to take to the bank."

"Perfect. Do you want me to stay here while you count the money and put the amounts in the ledger?"

"No," she answered. "That's not necessary. But I would appreciate it if you would check over my work before you take the deposit to the bank."

"I'll be glad to."

He turned to leave her office, but she stopped him. "Jack?"

He turned to face her.

"We made an agreement last night. We said we were going to forget what happened in the garden, but obviously you haven't. You're as nervous as someone who just got caught stealing half of Cook's biscuits from the oven."

She smiled. It took him a moment or two before he could match her expression, but eventually he did. Then he swiped his hand down his face in embarrassment and laughed.

"I didn't sleep well last night."

"Neither did I," she said.

"I regret kissing you. It put our feelings for each other on a different level."

"I know," she replied. "I'm not sure I can handle that right now."

He nodded his agreement. "Today will be better," he said in a voice that contained little confidence.

"Yes. Today will be better," she responded in a voice that contained even less confidence.

It promised to be a very long day.