Chapter 31 Jahleel—Standing on Business #2
She sighs and downs her cup like a dinner drink at White’s gentlemen’s club.
Sipping mine, I want to laugh, but she seems ready to explode.
Katherine comes to me and pulls me by the cravat. Face-to-face, breath to breath, she kisses me. Ruthless and passionate, I submit to whatever this is.
My hands grab those hips, and I hold on.
She embraces me, pulling me almost off the desk. “That’s how you kissed me the morning after you recovered. You wanted more then.”
“I’ve always wanted you, Katherine, but I may have been a little more reckless having survived.”
“Wanting me is reckless? Admitting that we should be together is careless? No. I think it to be right.” She gets close to my ear. “What escapades have you done with your other mistresses? You’ve surely had them since we’ve been apart?”
“You sound very angry and irrational. Let’s cool our foul blood by reading what the Palmerses want.” I pick up the letter. “Let’s see—”
“Wait. You’ve not mentioned a name, not one, to me.” She lifts a finger to my face. “Name one mistress. Just one, Jahleel.”
“Why do you want to know this, Katherine? My affairs will only anger you. It will be another thing you’ll hold over my head.”
She steps to me and puts her gloved hands to my face. The texture of the knit vibrates along my jaw. Again, she doesn’t hold back and kisses me like only her love can keep me here.
As she shifts, those dainty gloves rub against my face, polishing my cheeks. The tingle lets me know I’m alive and willing to be seduced.
“Jahleel, I think there’s nothing to tell. There’s not even one name, because you kept our vows. You believe we are married. You’ve always believed it. Your Orthodox faith has kept you set apart. Or maybe this illness has. Who could you trust but a wife to know about this condition?”
I take her hands and hold them, putting distance between us.
“So if I agree to your fairy tale, I’ll get more invalid coddling and pity?
And if I name someone, I’ll gain irrational jealousy.
And weren’t you married to a whole live worm of a man in the middle of our alleged marriage?
” I release her and point her to a chair. “I’m not playing this game, Katherine.”
She backs away, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Yes, I am irrational. And it would be nice for us both to admit we made mistakes.”
“I’m sure I didn’t marry a worm.” I pick up the letter and break the seal. “Speaking of worms, let’s see what the in-laws want.”
Unfolding the parchment, I read the scrawl. My stomach turns. “So they want Wilcox Coal, or they will try to invalidate the findings by the Court of Chancery. Trust me, that won’t happen.”
“But their gossip will hurt Lydia. She can’t have anyone questioning her legitimacy.” Katherine shakes her head. “They can have Wilcox Coal. I want no more trouble.”
I walk to her and grip her shoulders. My taut fingers hide in the puff of her sleeves. “They don’t deserve what your father built.”
“It’s not the same company. It’s struggling. And I’m tired, Jahleel. I’ve failed it. I doomed it to failure by letting Tavis run it. It’s never recovered.”
“He was your … husband. He probably demanded it.”
“Tavis did, but I was tired. It’s hard to be in business as a woman. Drivers don’t want to work for a woman. They cheat me or sell off the coal instead of making deliveries. Only Mr. Thom and his sons do well by me, and that’s because they knew my father.”
“Give it to Thom and his sons to run. Run the ledger accounts. That was the job your father had you do.”
“That’s because I hated dealing with clients. But they loved Tavis. So when he demanded, I let him control it. For a few months, it was heaven. I was home with Lydia and my sisters. Then Tavis drained it dry.”
I pull her into my arms. “And you’ve been fighting to fix it ever since.”
Her hands wrap around me. With her head to my chest, she says, “I don’t want to fight anymore. I want to paint. To be around when Lydia learns something new. I want to help you do whatever you need. I want that choice.”
She kisses me, then whispers, “You were my first choice, and I bungled things. I want another chance to get things right.”
This sounds like a dream. It’s too good, but I’m down the steps. I’m well. Maybe it is the truth.
“Jahleel, you walked to me without the support of the cane. You’re getting stronger.”
Before her words make me lose my reason, I slip away and ease into my well-worn chair. The cushions seem alien, not readily accepting my form. A little give is there in the seat, but not much else.
“Have I lost much weight?”
“Maybe a little. You’ve gained some.” She looks at me like a fox at the hen house. “I’m sure you’re thick enough.”
“This used to be perfect, Katia. It fit me like a good riding saddle. Now, this seat feels new, like I’m a stranger to it. Others have had it. I don’t think—”
She seethes. Her teeth grit.
“Katherine, what is wrong? How have I offended you today?”
“You—”
“Other than me living, I’ve done nothing unusual.”
She comes closer, putting her hands down on the desk. “Should I get those new women fawning over you, or just the baroness? She loves your grand gesture. Saving her dowry. Haaa.”
“Katherine, I can’t keep up. You want me. You don’t want me. You want me to have mistresses. No mistresses.” I tap my desk. “I might need pen and paper to write this all down.”
The secret passage I built to hide my most valuable treasures opens. Carew and Scarlett come out.
I grow more amused at Katherine pointing like a wild woman. “How long has there been a secret room? And what are you two doing in there?”
Stephen holds his hand out and steadies Scarlett as she exits. “The duke had this built this year. It’s where we will operate on Thom. The lighting is the best.”
“Why are you two still arguing?” Scarlett shakes her finger at each of us. “We need calm. Thom’s surgery is risky, but we need everyone to have a positive attitude.”
“Scarlett, the duke and I are working out our problems.”
She looks at me, then her sister. “Should I have more tea sent in here?” Scarlett winks at Katherine and then leaves.
Carew looks at me with a bewildered countenance. “Not interrupting whatever is happening, but I’ll see you later tonight. The gentlemen will assemble as commanded.”
“Oh, tonight. Excellent,” I say. I’m a little bewildered myself, watching Katherine bend, hands on her bewitching hips, as she peers into my secret room as if it leads to paradise.