She couldn’t help smiling at him. The world was suddenly a beautiful place. Who cared about the weather?
She wanted to throw herself into his arms and hug him as she had so many times. Once he would have embraced her, then they would have kissed. After this morning, however, she knew that once she started kissing him, she wouldn’t want to stop.
He didn’t move. Nor did she. Finally, she stepped back, sending him a tremulous smile.
“Are you ready for lunch?”
“I am,” he said. “Let me get my coat.” A moment later he held out his arm for her and she took it. Together, they headed back to the Hall.
Jennifer pulled him into the kitchen to introduce him to the new cook. Then she gave her the ingredients for a treat they’d devised as children, a cross between tablet and shortbread.
“Could you make that for us, Doris?”
“Aye, I could, Miss Jennifer. Is it something you’ll be wanting for today?”
“Most definitely for today,” Jennifer said. “Isn’t it the most marvelous, glorious day, Doris?”
The cook smiled at them. It seemed to him that everyone was smiling in their direction. He took it as a sign that Fate itself recognized that a terrible wrong had been righted.
They ate their lunch together, the meal punctuated by laughter.
Jennifer sat next to him, her chin propped on her hand, her breakfast forgotten as he told her about his rise in London. She hadn’t looked away since he began his story.
“I didn’t want to waste your mother’s bequest,” he said. “It had to count for something, so I considered it my principal. I always repaid it so that it didn’t get smaller.”
She reached over and grabbed his hand as if she wanted to ease his circumstances all these years later.
He told her his plans for the future on land he’d already purchased. His newest music hall, currently being designed by an architect, would rival the Alhambra. He employed over three hundred people. The responsibility to ensure their salaries continued uninterrupted was a constant pressure, yet he seemed to thrive on it.
Jennifer stood and walked to the sideboard. She took a plate from the stack, then replaced it, picked up a cup then put it back. He watched her, wondering if he’d said something to disturb her.
“Look what you’ve accomplished in only five years, Gordon. No one knowing you would be amazed. My mother certainly wouldn’t be. She’d say something like, ‘I always expected it of Gordon.’”
“Is that a bad thing?” he asked, genuinely confused.
“Of course not, but in comparison I’ve done absolutely nothing. You’ve built an empire while my life has remained the same. No, if anything it’s gotten smaller. I think my life has been incredibly dull compared to yours.”
“How can you say that?”
“Because I did nothing,” she said. “Other than a few trips to Edinburgh I haven’t ventured far from Adaire Hall. I’ve been its chatelaine when there was no one else, and since Lauren has been indisposed. I have no grand adventures to recall. Nothing about which I’m proud. At the very least I should have something to be ashamed about.”
“How can you say that? You’ve kept the Hall running when Harrison was off playing in London for most of the year. I’d be willing to wager that you’re the single most important person at Adaire Hall.”
“How did you know about Harrison staying away so often?”
He wasn’t about to start lying to her now. “Harrison frequents the Mayfair Club. Not to mention that he has rooms there. He’s known to be voluble when he drinks.”
“Does he talk about Adaire Hall with you?”
He shook his head. “I only visit the club on Monday mornings. To go over the accounts. But I hear about him from my staff.”
There was another part of that he needed to tell her.
“I’ve been careful not to let Harrison know who owns the Mayfair, Jennifer. Nor has he figured it out.”
“My brother is foolish, but he isn’t stupid, Gordon.”
Harrison cared more about himself than anyone else. The man’s single-minded pursuit of pleasure blinded him to most truths.
“Let’s just say that Harrison doesn’t care who owns the Mayfair Club. All he cares about is whiskey, cards, and women, not necessarily in that order.”
She returned to the table and sat.
They spent the rest of the day together. For the first time in years Gordon had no obligations, no duties, no responsibilities other than assisting Jennifer. Since Sean was feeling better, he didn’t feel any guilt for leaving his father alone for a time. Besides,