it.’
Kayla shook her head. ‘I know, but right now I suddenly feel I need more time to think about it. It happened so quickly – the proposal and all that, I mean – and I was swept up in the preparations before I knew what was going on. Perhaps we should have had a longer engagement, but everyone kept saying there was no point in waiting, and somehow I just went along with it.’
‘Oh, stop worrying. You’ve been going out with the guy for what … a year? And you haven’t wanted to leave him once in that time. Okay, so maybe Mike isn’t the demonstrative kind, but he did propose without you having to prompt him. That’s got to mean something, right?’ Maddie flashed her a grin to show she was joking. ‘Seriously, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Everyone has their off days and I bet he’s getting a bit jittery himself, you know.’
‘Yes, I suppose, although Mike doesn’t really get nervous about things. That’s what makes him such a good lawyer.’
‘This is different, personal. You don’t get married every day. It’s bound to affect him.’
‘Maybe, but then there’s this party on Saturday. You know I don’t get on too well with his mother and if the rest of his relatives are the same, it’s going to be absolute hell.’
‘Well, you’re not marrying them or her, you’re marrying Mike. And you love him, don’t you?’ Kayla nodded slowly, annoyed with herself for hesitating even a fraction of a second. ‘Right, so stop worrying and help me come up with some cunning plan about this painting of yours instead. Perhaps it will be okay if you introduce the idea to Mike gently and promise not to hang it in his flat? Oh, and tell him it’ll be worth loads of money within a few years.’
Kayla hesitated. ‘You think that’ll do the trick? I suppose it’s worth a try, although he’s bound to see through it.’
‘Rubbish. Just bat your eyelashes at him and smile sweetly and he’ll forget everything else. Anyway, you’re going to keep your flat after the wedding, aren’t you?’
‘Yes, I was going to rent it out. It’ll give us an additional income which might come in handy if I should become pregnant or something.’ Maddie gave her a searching look and she hurried to add, ‘Not that I’m planning on starting a family any time soon.’ Thankfully Maddie let it pass, even though she knew how much Kayla loved kids.
‘Well, then, just leave the picture there as part of the furnishings.’
‘I guess I could.’ Kayla giggled. ‘I’ll have to sneak in whenever the tenant is away to look at him for a while, though. Oh, Maddie, just wait till you see him, he really is—’
‘For goodness sake, woman, just listen to yourself!’ Maddie rolled her eyes. ‘I’m not sure you deserve my help, but here’s what I think you should do …’
As Maddie outlined her plan, Kayla had to concentrate really hard. All her brain wanted to do was think about the man in the painting and even when she briefly closed her eyes, his features were all she could see. She took a sip of wine and fixed her eyes on Maddie.
Enough already
,
she told herself sternly. She had to get a grip.
Chapter Five
Of course once was not enough. It would never have been enough, and Jago had known it before he even uttered the words. One night with Eliza had sealed his fate, binding him to her forever.
He stayed away from her of course. How could he do otherwise? It wasn’t as if he could walk up to the Hall and demand to speak to the mistress. He was a lowly innkeeper, a bastard at that, and she was a lady. It simply wasn’t done. But she found a way to overcome this barrier.
A week after their first meeting, on the afternoon of the day Sir John left for a prolonged visit to London, she entered the taproom of the King’s Head. Her midnight-blue riding habit with its mannish jacket suited her to perfection, and she wore a jaunty black hat, set at a slight angle, with a couple of ostrich feathers adding height. She