Before he could think about the implication of that, she stopped and looked earnestly up at him, laying her hand on his arm. “I do so admire and like your mother. If nothing else, I want you to know I think the world of her. None of us would ever do anything to harm her.”
He wanted to believe her, especially since it hadn’t escaped his notice that his mother was happier since Jennifer Appleton came into her life. The two women had become friends, which should have provided some consolation, since his mother was no longer seeing Jennifer for séances. Yet he couldn’t get past the fact that Jennifer was a fraud, and that she had taken money from his mother for a service she couldn’t possibly have rendered. No onecould. He withdrew his arm from hers, fighting the almost uncontrollable urge to pull her close.
“I’m sure that you don’t think you’re doing anything to harm her. However, in the long run, it most certainly will. I realize, though, that you must be under considerable financial pressure. I know that it isn’t easy for young ladies to sustain a living on their own. Therefore, I thought perhaps I could help you a bit with investments. Maybe then, you wouldn’t need to perform the spiritualism nonsense.”
Jennifer’s face fell. Disappointment was clearly evident in her tone and manner as she paused in the center of the path. “I see. Then your offer of help is conditional upon our giving up the séances?” When he nodded, she sighed. “I must decline, then.”
“What?” It was his turn to be surprised.
“You have to understand,” Jennifer said softly. “I am responsible for them all. We were orphaned at a young age, and Aunt Eve, unfortunately, can’t do much to help us financially. Penelope wants to make her debut in society, and that costs money. Winifred’s ambition is to go to law school, and Aunt Eve thinks the heavens rain manna. I have to make sure we always have an income, and the spiritualism is the best way I know how. I’m sorry.”
Gabriel stared at her, as if suddenly seeing her for the first time. The monster, the “Appleton creature,” was a poor, frightened girl who’d had enormous responsibility thrust onto her shoulders at far too young an age. That she should manage that burden, and succeed in spite of it, said something about her character, as did the fact that she’d refused to lie to him. She could easily have taken his investment advice, still continued her fraudulent act, and there would have been nothing he could have done about it. Yet she’d told him the truth.
Life grew more incredible and complicated by the moment.
“Miss Appleton,” he nearly choked, the words galling. “It appears that I may have misjudged you. I …” He dropped his gaze, aware that it was too bewildering to look at her, especially when she stared at him as hopefully as she was at this moment. His vision fell to her feet, and to his amazement, he saw that she was clad in cloth slippers that, although pretty, were extremely impractical for walking outdoors. His frown grew thunderous as the meaning of that sank in, and he indicated her footwear.
“Miss Appleton, if you are so accustomed to strolling through the park, why are you so unsuitably shod? Those slippers will dampen and you will catch cold.”
Jennifer lifted her skirt a mere inch, but it was enough to set his blood pounding. A frothy bit of lace petticoat peeped from beneath the light cotton, and white silk stockings were scandalously exposed. She examined her slippers as if she’d just seen them, then shrugged nonchalantly, dropping her dress once more.
“Aunt Eve is always scolding me for running out of the house on a whim. I didn’t think to change my shoes. I just felt I needed some fresh air.”
“I see. Then where is your carriage? Surely you didn’t run all this distance in house slippers?”
“I—” Jennifer started to explain, then stepped into a huge puddle. Gasping in dismay, she withdrew her
He wanted to believe her, especially since it hadn’t escaped his notice that his mother was happier since Jennifer Appleton came into her life. The two women had become friends, which should have provided some consolation, since his mother was no longer seeing Jennifer for séances. Yet he couldn’t get past the fact that Jennifer was a fraud, and that she had taken money from his mother for a service she couldn’t possibly have rendered. No onecould. He withdrew his arm from hers, fighting the almost uncontrollable urge to pull her close.
“I’m sure that you don’t think you’re doing anything to harm her. However, in the long run, it most certainly will. I realize, though, that you must be under considerable financial pressure. I know that it isn’t easy for young ladies to sustain a living on their own. Therefore, I thought perhaps I could help you a bit with investments. Maybe then, you wouldn’t need to perform the spiritualism nonsense.”
Jennifer’s face fell. Disappointment was clearly evident in her tone and manner as she paused in the center of the path. “I see. Then your offer of help is conditional upon our giving up the séances?” When he nodded, she sighed. “I must decline, then.”
“What?” It was his turn to be surprised.
“You have to understand,” Jennifer said softly. “I am responsible for them all. We were orphaned at a young age, and Aunt Eve, unfortunately, can’t do much to help us financially. Penelope wants to make her debut in society, and that costs money. Winifred’s ambition is to go to law school, and Aunt Eve thinks the heavens rain manna. I have to make sure we always have an income, and the spiritualism is the best way I know how. I’m sorry.”
Gabriel stared at her, as if suddenly seeing her for the first time. The monster, the “Appleton creature,” was a poor, frightened girl who’d had enormous responsibility thrust onto her shoulders at far too young an age. That she should manage that burden, and succeed in spite of it, said something about her character, as did the fact that she’d refused to lie to him. She could easily have taken his investment advice, still continued her fraudulent act, and there would have been nothing he could have done about it. Yet she’d told him the truth.
Life grew more incredible and complicated by the moment.
“Miss Appleton,” he nearly choked, the words galling. “It appears that I may have misjudged you. I …” He dropped his gaze, aware that it was too bewildering to look at her, especially when she stared at him as hopefully as she was at this moment. His vision fell to her feet, and to his amazement, he saw that she was clad in cloth slippers that, although pretty, were extremely impractical for walking outdoors. His frown grew thunderous as the meaning of that sank in, and he indicated her footwear.
“Miss Appleton, if you are so accustomed to strolling through the park, why are you so unsuitably shod? Those slippers will dampen and you will catch cold.”
Jennifer lifted her skirt a mere inch, but it was enough to set his blood pounding. A frothy bit of lace petticoat peeped from beneath the light cotton, and white silk stockings were scandalously exposed. She examined her slippers as if she’d just seen them, then shrugged nonchalantly, dropping her dress once more.
“Aunt Eve is always scolding me for running out of the house on a whim. I didn’t think to change my shoes. I just felt I needed some fresh air.”
“I see. Then where is your carriage? Surely you didn’t run all this distance in house slippers?”
“I—” Jennifer started to explain, then stepped into a huge puddle. Gasping in dismay, she withdrew her
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