Jasmine sat up.
“Why not?”
“He isn’t a gentleman. We’re already on the fringes of society. I have to set a good example. If I marry a commoner it’ll cause such ascandal that it’ll shadow any influence that Matthew might gain, and Caroline will havenomarriage prospects. I may as well fling the family off a cliff for all the damage it will do.”
“Isn’t your happiness important?” Jasmine asked. “Would you rather be like Lady Honora? Married to some old man counting the days until you’re a widow? Mama can help you circumvent any scandal, you know how powerful she is. What other excuses do you have?”
“Excuses? These are valid concerns!” Cassandra frowned. “I have to take care of my family. We’re struggling, Jasmine. Truly struggling! And Seth—Mr. Reeves—is in worse straits than we are. And Matthew… with the money he spent on this contest… if they lose—”
“What if theywin, Cassandra?” Jasmine asked earnestly. “Have you considered it, even for a moment? They are neck-and-neck with Colonel Bishop and Mr. Nott. And even if theydon’twin, didn’t it occur to you that their level of craftsmanship might be sought after by someone else? Colonel Bishop’s and Mr. Nott’s rifles are one of a kind. How many rifles can your brother and your beloved develop in a month with the proper facilities?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Are you truly not paying attention? We’re atwar.” Jasmine spoke slowly. “The rifle your brother crafted isn’t meant for hunting at all, it’s meant to supply the military.”
Thoughts whirled in her head with sickening speed as the pieces fell into place.But no! Matthew wouldn’t get involved with themilitary.After watching their parents die, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he caused the death of another person. But the rifle they created…high accuracy with a telescope that can see into the distance… to kill another human being.
Cassandra’s throat went dry.
“When you make a deal with the devil….”
“Their rifle has the same performance as Colonel Bishop’s at a tenth of the price,” Jasmine continued. “That has value! With that telescope, even inexperienced soldiers can accurately shoot a target from a great distance. With Mr. Reeves’ mind, Matthew’s influence, and an interested investor—and already some gentlemenareinterested—my goodness, Cassandra. They’ll be so outlandishly wealthy that it won’t matter if they win or lose.”
“Even if that’s the case, Matthew would never allow it—”
Jasmine held Cassandra’s hand in hers. Her chocolate eyes were as gentle as her voice when she spoke. “Do you hear yourself? Matthew would be thrilled to have Mr. Reeves as a brother-in-law. They’re sewn together at the hip! Do you truly think he would disapprove?”
Cassandra worried her bottom lip.
“It can’t be that simple.”
“Yes, it can.” Jasmine smiled and squeezed her hand. “If you stop making it complicated.”
By late afternoon, Cassandra convinced Matthew that bed rest did not mean staying in bed the entire time. The salves and baths had worked wonders on her, to the point she didn’t feel any pain. At her pleading, Matthew allowed her to move to the yellow sitting room, which really wasn’t that bad once her eyes adjusted to the hue. At any rate, it was an improvement from the black canopy she spent the day staring at.
Outside, the sky darkened, and the wind picked up gradually until droplets of water struck the windows withplinks. Curled up on a sofa near the window with a throw blanket and a book, Cassandra tried to read, but the words blurred on the page.
Could it really be as easy as Jasmine said?
And Seth, how did he feel? Being attracted to her didn’t mean that he wanted to marry her, did it? And how sure was she that she wanted to marryhim? Attraction because of proximity happened all the time.Could she trust her own feelings? They only had one kiss! Well… two. Or was it three? She flushed.Four? When did one kiss end and the other begin?
Losing track of where she was, she flipped back a page. Trevor, the same young boy with the flowers, had dipped into the sitting room a few hours earlier to give her a copy ofThe Misadventures of Miss Moffet and Muffins.The collection of short stories of a precocious young girl and her spaniel was endearing and light, even funny. She focused on the book once more when someone knocked on the door frame.
Her gaze locked with Colonel Bishop’s. He wore his red uniform and an amiable smile. Without invitation, he came to sit next to her on the sofa.
“I was hoping to find you alone.” Colonel Bishop’s eyes traveled over her. “Are you well?”
“I am,” she said. She closed the book and set it on the tea table, only feeling the slightest pull of muscle as she did. “I’m almost back to normal.”
“I’m pleased to hear that.” He patted her hand. “I was furious to learn that Mr. Reeves injured you.”
She slid her hand from his grasp, and her eyes darted to the door. Her brother should have been in the hallway, but it was empty. Where was Matthew? She folded her hands in her lap and sat straight. “Mr. Reeves didn’t hurt me, he saved my life.”
“Your life shouldn’t have been in need ofsaving,” he said through gritted teeth. “You never should have been on the hunt.Iwould never have allowed it.”
In his eyes, she saw the same heat she had seen from Seth last night. But instead of the tender care in Seth’s eyes, Colonel Bishop’s were darker, coveting. She had often wondered what it would be like to be desired by him like this. Faced with the reality of his nearness and thepredatory shine to his eyes, her mind whispereddanger.
Why? Hadn’t she looked forward to this moment for years? Long before Seth came back into her life, she would have flung herself at this opportunity. She had wanted this… hadn’t she? Colonel Bishop moved closer to her on the sofa. Her nerves fired as she remembered she wasn’t wearing stays, and as his eyes raked over her body, he knew it too.