Distracted by her Virtue by Maggie Cox Page B

Jarrett’s heart was beating as wild and as fast as her own beneath the soft wool of his luxurious cashmere sweater.
    She lifted her face up towards him. ‘Before my husband died I vowed to myself that I
would
find a way to get Charlie and me out of that horrendous situation. I’d even started making discreet enquiries about going abroad … somewhere far-flung where Tom’s father’s influence carried no weight. But then Tom died in his sleep … just like that. When I found him he looked almost peaceful. It doesn’t seem right somehow, does it? That a man can put his family through such hell and then abdicate all responsibility by simply dying?’
    ‘I don’t want to make you feel even more upset—but why did you marry such a man in the first place?’
    Jarrett’s big warm hand cupped her cheek as he glanced intently down into her eyes. The guilt she still suffered made Sophia struggle to find adequate words to explain. ‘I was young and naive and flattered by his attention. He was good-looking, funny and clever, and because he’d been given everything on a silver spoon he was supremely confident too. When it came to getting what he wanted he knew exactly how to go about it, and when he decided that he wanted
me
I was too young and stupid to see that I might be walking into a trap. I was so dazzled by him that I relinquished every ounce of common sense I may have had. When he asked me to marry him I didn’t even hesitate. Even when I started to hear rumours about his drinking and chasing women I told myself not to worry … that he would soon learn he’d made the right choice in making
me
his lifelong partner. I thought I could reform him, make him change some of his less attractive qualities when he saw what a good life we could have together.’
    ‘How did you meet him?’
    ‘I went to school with his younger cousin, and I met him at a party at her house.’ Feeling suddenly uncomfortable beneath Jarrett’s intense scrutiny, she removed his hand from her cheek and glanced away. ‘No doubt I was easy prey. I was only eighteen—hardly a woman of the world. I’d just got into studying photography, and I wanted to go on to university. Meeting Tom put a stop to all that. It wasn’t as though nobody warned me. My dad told me early on to cool things off and not rush into anything. But I was deaf to his advice. My husband-to-be even managed to fool
him
into thinkinghis intentions were good … that he loved me and wanted to take care of me. In the beginning I believed it, too. But it didn’t take long for my fiancé’s true nature to surface. I thank God that my dad didn’t live to see what he put me through.’
    The silence that pervaded the room after she’d finished speaking felt like a smothering blanket, and Sophia wanted to escape into the open air. Moving out of the intimate circle of Jarrett’s protection, she lifted her glance to stare forlornly out of the window at the still pounding rain. She shivered.
    ‘I’d better go. I’m trying to convert one of the downstairs rooms into a darkroom, and there’s a lot to do. I have to get on. Thanks for the tea … and for listening.’
    ‘Don’t go. It can’t have been easy to share what you’ve just told me. It was very brave. It’s only natural that you might be feeling vulnerable and exposed. I made you a promise that I wouldn’t share your confidences with anyone, remember? I want you to know that you can trust me, Sophia. I would never harm you or Charlie.’ Catching her hand, Jarrett gently impelled her towards him. ‘You’ve been through a terrible ordeal,’ he acknowledged huskily, ‘but given time things will slowly but surely get better—believe me. This is a new start for you and your son. Your husband is dead, Sophia … he can’t hurt you or Charlie any more.’
    ‘What about his father? Why do you think I reacted the way I did when you came up to me that day by the stream? After Tom died I had to sell the house to pay off