She lowered her head, saying nothing.
q/1.7
21
January is a brooding month, Jules thought, pulling her cloak more closely about her. The air was thick with swirling fog and a chilling drizzle that made her bones ache with cold. She thought of Maui, pictured herself running along the beach, the warm trade winds in her face. She wondered if she’d ever become accustomed to this bitter climate. She supposed with a shake of her head that she should count her blessings. After all, she could have ended up in Toronto.
She’d managed to lose Thackery. She’d gotten quite adept at it over the past couple of weeks. She was hunting again. It added excitement to the game to think she was also the hunted. Wilkes was there, waiting for her, just as she was searching for him. She knew it, she could practically feel his presence.
It was odd, her thinking continued, even as her eyes darted about her as she walked, but Wilkes had become the focal point of her life. It was odd and, she realized, rather pathetic. But she had nothing else.
Both Thomas and Lydia knew that Michael slept in the parlor. Lydia had said nothing, qAQ
but Thomas had not been so reticent. Indeed, she thought, seeing his face in her mind’s eye, he’d been appalled and angry.
‘What the hell is going on, Jules?’
She’d merely looked at him, not at first understanding his attack.
‘Saint,’ he nearly shouted at her. ‘Your husband little sister. I find to my chagrin that my brother-in-law, the owner of this damned house, is sleeping like some sort of extra guest downstairs! What is wrong with you?’
‘Nothing,’ Jules said.
That had brought him up short. His features softened just a bit. ‘Look, Jules, I realize that all is not well with you two, but you don’t even allow him to sleep in his own bed?’
‘He doesn’t want to,5 Jules said.
‘Oh, come on, Jules.’ Thomas said in disgust. ‘You’re not exactly a troll. I don’t understand any of this.’
‘It’s very simple, Thomas.,’ Jules said, her voice hard. ‘Michael didn’t want to marry me in the first place. He had to, if you’ll remember. In terms of sleeping with me, he’s not interested.’ That wasn’t precisely true, but all the rest of it was hardly Thomas’ business, after all.
Thomas looked shocked. ‘He’s never slept with you?’
‘2 A 0
‘Once. That, it appears, was more than enough. Now, Thomas, is there anything else?’
He saw tears sparkling in her eyes, and without another word gathered her in his arms. ‘This isn’t right, love,’ he said quietly, stroking her hair. ‘I’m sorry, Jules. Damn, after all that happened to you, well … is there anything I can do?’
She shook her head against his shoulder. ‘Don’t embarrass Michael, please, Thomas. He doesn’t deserve it, it’s not his fault. He’s making the best of a bad bargain.’
But there was something Thomas could do, and he had done it two days later. He’d moved out. The short note he’d left his sister simply said that it was time to make his own way. And he’d thanked her for her hospitality.
Thomas had been gone a week now, Jules thought, starting momentarily at the shadow of a man in an alley to her right. Nothing. Jules had moved that same day back into the guestroom.
And the siege of polite indifference had continued.
That voice, Jules thought, freezing. It was Wilkes! She was certain of it! She clutched her small derringer, fear trickling through her, fear and excitement. At last! Her eyes
glittered in anticipation, her fingers tightened about the trigger.
But it wasn’t Wilkes. It was a man, a very dirty man, dressed poorly, and he was drunk. ‘Little girlie,’ he said fondly, staggering
toward her. ‘My Anna had red hair, like a flame, she did.’
‘Get away from me,’Jules said, backing up a step.
‘Anna?’ he said, his eyes bleary, his voice shaking.
‘No, I’m not Anna!’Jules said, and tried to pass him. He let her go, and she heard him make a whimpering noise behind her. Poor man, she thought. She turned slightly to look at him, worried that he might hurt himself. She jumped as two hard hands grasped her shoulders, jerking her around. This man was neither drunk nor dirty, and his eyes were alight with unexpected pleasure.