Part 5 (1/2)

When Wolfe had adjusted the wick properly, he went back to the stove. Jessica was in the process of breaking another match in half while trying to strike it on the smooth, greasy portion of the stoveas metal surface. With a muttered word, she took a new match from the diminis.h.i.+ng supply in the cup.

aHere,a Wolfe said, reaching past Jessica and putting his hand over hers. aHold onto the match. Now bring it across the spot where the fire below burned the hottest. The metal is clean there. No soot or grease is left to foul the match tip.a As Wolfe spoke, he drew Jessicaas hand beneath his over the stove in a swift, firm stroke. The match blazed instantly to life.

aSee?a he said.

Jessica looked over her shoulder at Wolfe. The burning match was reflected in his eyes. The contrast between the flame and the blue midnight of his irises enthralled her, as did the straight, black length of his eyelashes and the p.r.o.nounced arch of his eyebrows. The intensity and intelligence in his eyes was brighter and more alluring than even the dance of flame.

The odd, s.h.i.+vering sensations returned to her stomach.

aJessi?a aYes, I see.a aDo you? You look rather baffled.a aJust a bit shocked.a aBy lighting a match?a She smiled oddly. aNo. By you. I just realized how very handsome you are.a Wolfeas eyes widened a fraction, then narrowed. The pulse at his throat speeded.

aI mean, Iave always known you were handsome,a Jessica continued, trying to explain. aEveryone from d.u.c.h.esses to maids has rattled on about your looks for years, but I never really knew. Itas rather unsettling suddenly to see you as they must have seen you.a She laughed uncertainly. aDonat stare at me so. I feel foolish enough as it is. How could I overlook something so obvious for so manya”oh!a Jessicaas hand jerked as the match burned down to her skin. She s.n.a.t.c.hed her fingers to her lips and dropped the still flaming match onto the stovetop.

aAre you all right?a Wolfe asked.

Jessica blew on her fingertips before staring at them critically. aJust a trifle scorched.a aLet me see.a He looked at her fingertips, then bent his head and gently ran the tip of his tongue over them. When he lifted his head again, Jessica was watching him with an expression on her face that could have been shock or disgust.

aYou neednat look so appalled,a Wolfe said curtly. aItas only what a cat would do for a foolish kitten.a Jessica opened her mouth but no words came out. A visible shudder ran over her. Wolfe turned away and lit another match with a swift slash of his hand.

aGo unpack the trunks, your ladys.h.i.+p,a he said as he set the match to the previously laid fire. aThe viscountas savage will fix supper tonight.a Jessica flinched. She hadnat realized how warm and affectionate Wolfeas voice had become until she measured it against the return of ice and distance.

aWolfe? What have I done?a aWhen youare finished unpacking, be sure to take some of those aristocratic bed linens you brought and make a pallet by the hearth. A nun like you wouldnat want to do something so b.e.s.t.i.a.l as to sleep near any man, much less a savage like your husband.a Wolfe stood up. Behind him the stove fire blossomed into orange flames.

aButa”a she began.

aYou said when I tired of your company you would leave me alone,a Wolfe interrupted, slamming the stove door shut. aDo that, Lady Jessica. Now.a Even an aristocrat had some common sense. Jessica picked up her skirts and fled to Wolfeas bedroom. But even there, she found no peace.

The sound of the wind was very loud in the silence.

5.

W OLFE watched Jessica as she knelt over a washtub in the lean-to at the side of his house.

aYouare supposed to be was.h.i.+ng the s.h.i.+rt, not making rags of it,a he said.

aI see little difference in the process.a aNot the way youare going about it, certainly. Tell me, your ladys.h.i.+p, while the servants accomplished all the useful work at Lord Robertas house, what did you do?a aI read, I played the violin, I oversaw the staff, I embroidereda”a aMy G.o.d,a Wolfe interrupted. aSomething useful. How did that creep into your daily regimen? Does that mean youall be able to repair the seams youare pulling apart under the guise of was.h.i.+ng my clothes?a aWould you prefer initials, a coat of arms, or Jacobean-style flowers embroidered in your seams?a Jessica asked pleasantly.

Wolfe made a sound of disgust.

She didnat bother to look up from the washtub and the lean-toas widely s.p.a.ced wooden slats. She knew what she would see if she looked at her husband. He would be watching her with cold eyes and an unforgiving line to his mouth. It had been that way for the three days since he had so startled her by running the tip of his tongue over her burned fingers.

And for those same three days, she had kept a smile pinned on her lips until her face ached.

Unfortunately, by now her face wasnat the only part of her body that ached. She was as exhausted this afternoon as she had been at the end of the stage ride. When she wasnat pumping water to wash and rinse clothes, she was carrying bucket after bucket to the stove to heat. From the stove she hauled buckets to the lean-to, poured water into the big tub, knelt, and went to work rubbing and scrubbing every piece of clothing. It usually took three or four times before the s.h.i.+rts pleased Wolfeas critical eye.

aThatas about as much scrubbing as the poor s.h.i.+rt can take,a Wolfe said.

aI think not, my lord. Itas not perfectly clean.a aEnough, your ladys.h.i.+p. Thatas my favorite s.h.i.+rt. Willow made it for me last summer.a The sound of ripping cloth carried very clearly over Wolfeas last words.

aJessica!a aOh, dear, look at that. One would think a paragon would choose cloth that was less frail, wouldnat one?a Jessica dragged the ruined s.h.i.+rt from the water and wrung it out with real pleasure. aBut all isnat lost, my lord. It will make a wonderful rag for cleaning the privy.a aYou little witch! I shoulda”a Wolfeas words ended in a curse as he leaped aside, barely avoiding the torrent of soapy water that came when Jessica upended the washtub.

aSorry, did you say something?a she asked.

There was a simmering silence while husband and wife looked at each other. Then Wolfe smiled. Jessica smiled in return.

aI think itas time your ladys.h.i.+p learned to scrub something more durable than a s.h.i.+rt,a Wolfe said.

aWhatas that?a aFloors.a Jessicaas smile slipped, then was resurrected. aAh, another quaint wifely ritual. It occurs to me, my Lord Wolfe, why Americans donat have servants. Wives are ever so much cheaper.a aToo bad you dumped all that hot, soapy water,a Wolfe said, turning away. aNow youall have to get more. You do remember where the wood pile is, donat you?a aQuite well.a aThen hop to it.a aDo I look like a rabbit?a Jessica asked beneath her breath.

Wolfe turned back. aHurry up, my red-haired bunny. Daylight is free, but lamplight is expensive. Those of us not fortunate enough to be born into the aristocracy have to be concerned about such things.a Standing up was easier said than done for Jessica. With an effort, Wolfe restrained his instinctive move to help her. Instead, he watched impa.s.sively while she struggled to her feet.

Despite her best effort to be silent, a groan got past her lips. Wolfe took it as a sign that he was finally winning the contest of wills. At least, he hoped he was. He didnat know how much longer he could bear to twiddle his thumbs while the shadows beneath Jessicaas eyes deepened more each hour. The hard physical labor of housekeeping under his critical eye was draining what strength had remained after the long, strenuous trip to his home.

Even though Jessica had trapped Wolfe into marriage, he had too many good memories of times past to enjoy grinding her down in such a manner. Yet he forced himself to watch Jessicaas stiff movements without flinching. If he showed kindness, it would be mistaken for weakness, which would only prolong the process of getting Jessica to accept the futility of their marriage.

But even while he was telling himself to be strong, he was speaking.

aJust say the word and youall never put those delicate hands into wash water again.a Jessica stretched her back and sighed. aThe last time you made that offer, you objected to the word I said.a b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

Unwillingly, Wolfe smiled as he remembered. Jessica caught the softening of his expression and prayed that he would relent on the matter of scrubbing floors.

Wolfe saw her hopeful expression and knew he must not give in. Silently, he picked up the bucket and held it out to her. He saw both the dismay in her eyes and the straightening of her spine as she took the bucket from his hands.

Reluctant admiration grew in Wolfe. Jessicaas sheer determination was greater than that of men twice her size. But no matter how stubborn she was, her endurance was limited by her strength. In the end, he would use her own stubbornness as a weapon against her. In the end, he would win.

All he had to do was endure his own self-disgust while he wore her down.

aJessi,a Wolfe said gently, agive it up. You arenat cut out to be a commoneras wife. You know it as well as I do.a aBetter your wife than Lord Goreas.a Wolfeas temper slipped, for there was nothing he could force himself to do to Jessica that would equal Lord Goreas drunken brutality, which put Wolfe at a disadvantage when it came to convincing Jessica to give up this farce of a marriage.

aBetter for you,a Wolfe retorted coldly, abut not for me. There are many better wives for me than you.a aDonat count on it,a Jessica said, turning away. aParagons arenat so thick upon the ground that you can just pluck one like a daffodil in spring.a aI donat want a paragon. I want a wife.a aHow fortunate for the paragon Willow that she is already married. Her heart would be broken if she knew that even her astonis.h.i.+ng perfection wasnat enough to satisfy Tree That Stands Alone.a At first Wolfe didnat understand what Jessica meant. When he did, he smiled. It was the first real sign that his frequent praising of Willowas accomplishments had rankled Jessica. She had just given him a tool with which to chip away at her own monumental confidence that their marriage would work.

aWillow has pa.s.sion,a Wolfe said. aThatas something a nun wouldnat understand, much less be able to equal.a There was no answer but that of the pump handle being worked inside the kitchen as Jessica drew more water for scrubbing the floor.

FORWARD, back, forward, back, dip into the water, lean hard, harder, forward, back, forward, backa The silent chant had been repeated in Jessicaas mind so often that she wasnat aware of it any longer. Nor was she aware of the lateness of the hour. Her world had shrunk to no larger a s.p.a.ce than the bricks within reach of her scrub brush.

At first look, Wolfeas kitchen had struck her as small. Now it seemed the size of a ballroom.

Forward, back, forward, back.

The wind had risen with the descending sun. Now the wind moaned hungrily around the eaves and pried with transparent fingers at every crevice, searching for a way inside. Jessica began humming to shut out the horrifying, soulless cries that had disturbed even the exhausted sleep she succ.u.mbed to at night. No matter how forcefully she hummed, the sound of the wind was louder.

Lean hard, harder.

The brush moved sluggishly over brick despite Jessicaas desire to finish. Despairingly, she realized that her arms had no more strength. She locked her elbows and leaned her full weight on the brush. It rolled in her soapy fingers and rattled across the floor. She barely caught herself before she went sprawling.

By the time Jessica set aside the brush and rinsed the whole floor with clean water, it was past time to be preparing supper. Not that it mattered. Whatever she prepared, Wolfe would look at it as though it had crawled from a chamber pot onto his plate.