Bride for a Night(27)

Talia blushed, vividly aware of the intimate touch of his hand against her cheek.

“You must know that I was not the bride of his choice,” she said in flustered tones.

His thumb brushed her lower lip. “Are you so certain?”

“Of course.” She regarded him in bewildered shock. He could not possibly mean that Gabriel was anything but horrified to be married to Silas Dobson’s daughter. “He barely noted my existence until my father bullied him into marrying me.”

“It is my experience that gentlemen such as Lord Ashcombe rarely allow themselves to be bullied into any situation, let alone into marriage.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You have not yet had the untoward pleasure of meeting my father.”

“I do not doubt he is a man of considerable…”

“Pigheaded stubbornness combined with a brute lack of morals?” she offered wryly.

“Whatever his power, he could never truly take on a wealthy peer of the realm,” he smoothly continued. “He might have given Lord Ashcombe an excuse to take you as his bride, but the earl would never have wed you unless that was what he desired to do.”

Talia’s heart gave a strange leap of excitement before she hastily quelled the ridiculous reaction.

Jack clearly underestimated Gabriel’s pride. He would have wed a savage from the colonies to avoid a nasty scandal. Now he hated her for the sacrifice he had been forced to make. And she did not blame him.

“You are quite mistaken.”

His lips twisted. “Perhaps.”

Giving a shake of her head, Talia parted her lips to continue her protests only to be distracted by the heavy tread of footsteps approaching from the cemetery behind the church.

With a frown she turned to watch two men dressed in rough woolen sailor coats and loose trousers come to an abrupt halt as they noticed her.

A strange chill inched down her spine at the sight of their heavily muscled bodies and their weathered faces that spoke of endless hours toiling in the sun. Still, it was not their rough appearances that made her consider the need to flee for safety, it was instead the unmistakable air of violence that hovered about them.

She took an instinctive step backward, not sure what to expect. Then surprisingly, she felt Jack move to stand protectively at her back, his hand circling her waist.

One of the two men glanced toward the vicar, and Talia tensed, terrified that they were about to be attacked.

Instead there was a taut moment of silence before they gave a respectful dip of their heads and turned to make their way into the church.

Talia gave a baffled shake of her head, not entirely certain what had just happened.

“Good heavens.” She turned to meet Jack’s wary gaze. “Who were those gentlemen?”

“No one who need concern you,” he assured her.

Talia was far from comforted. “Are you certain? They look to be ruffians.”

Jack shrugged. “Ruffians have as much need of spiritual guidance as any other. Even more so.”

“But…”

“It grows late, Talia.” Without warning, Jack leaned down to brush a soft kiss over her cheek. “Return to your home.”

She ignored his forward manner, sensing that he was deliberately attempting to be rid of her. Why?

Did he fear the men might still be a danger to her? Or was there some other reason for his desire to send her on her way?

“You do not wish me to call for the constable?”

“No.” He gave her a small push down the narrow lane. “I will be fine. I will see you tomorrow.”