An Indecent Marriage Read Online Free PDF Page B

Jonathan. Do you understand me, young lady?”
    “I understand,” Jessica replied in a subdued tone. Arguing would serve no purpose. “May I go to my room?”
    “You may. And I hope you’ll find some time to do the studying you seemed so concerned about when I left on Friday.”
    Jessica went upstairs and locked herself in her flowered retreat, planning her next move. Not for a moment did she consider obeying her father; the only issue was how to sustain her relationship with Jack now that Portman knew about it. After an hour she had formulated a plan. She emerged from her room and descended the stairs, pausing in the doorway of her father’s study, waiting to be recognized.
    Portman looked up from his paperwork and said, “Yes?”
    “I have to call Maddy about a homework assignment.”
    Her father considered for a moment and then said, “Go ahead. But make it short. I have to make a few calls.”
    Jessica went to the hall phone and dialed, wishing for the hundredth time that her father would allow her to have an extension in her room. Maddy’s younger brother answered and it seemed like an eternity before her friend got to the line and said, “Can’t do the trig problems, huh? Me neither.”
    “Hi, Maddy,” Jessica said loudly. “I was wondering if you could tell me what pages we have to read for Mr. Maybury’s class.”
    There was a pause before Maddy answered, “Jessica, what’s wrong with you? You sound like you’re yelling for the third balcony, and you know Maybury’s class has been a study for two weeks since he’s been sick.”
    “That’s right,” Jessica said. “Was it chapter twelve or thirteen?”
    Another pause. Then, “Okay, I get it. I knew something was up when Mom told me your father called here this afternoon, and you had told me he’d be away until tomorrow. Is he listening?”
    “Probably.”
    “Uh-huh, then I’ll ask the questions. What do you want me to do?”
    “I’d like you to tell that friend of yours, you know the one who’s so good in French, that I’d like to borrow her notes.”
    “You want me to tell Jack something,” Maddy said. She was familiar with the routine by now.
    “That’s right. Tell her that I need to see her.”
    “When?”
    “Tonight,” Jessica whispered into the phone, taking a chance. “Three a.m. at the kitchen door. Tell him to walk. The car might be heard.”
    “Jessica, I need that phone,” her father called from the study.
    “Right away, Dad,” Jessica caroled back to him.
    “Three o’clock in the morning?” Maddy said in an incredulous tone. “Are you nuts? It will be twenty degrees at that hour, and your father’s home. Can’t it wait until Monday?”
    “No, it can’t,” Jessica said in a normal voice. “Will you do that for me?”
    “Sure,” Maddy said, her shrug coming over the line. “I’ll call Jack right now. You’ll have to fill me in at school. I can’t wait to hear what this is all about. Can you give me a clue?”
    “He knows,” Jessica said miserably.
    “Who knows what? Oh, your father. He knows about Jack.”
    “Bingo.”
    “Oh, dear. Well, it had to happen sooner or later. Jessica, are you sure this is a good idea? It’s kind of like sending Jack on a suicide mission, isn’t it? What if your father wakes up and finds him in your house?”
    “Just do it, all right?” Jessica said impatiently as she heard her father rise from his chair in the room behind her. “Thanks a million, got to go. Bye.”
    She hung up just as Portman emerged from is study. “Phone’s all yours,” she said politely, and escaped to the second floor.
    The night seemed to go on forever. Jessica heard her father go into his room around midnight and waited until two to check on him. She pushed the heavy oak door inward cautiously, formulating an excuse for disturbing him if he should happen to be awake. But he was asleep, curled up on his side, and she exhaled with relief, shutting the door and sneaking along the hall. She