Rogues, Rakes & Jewels

She heard a sudden commotion outside the library, one that usually occurred with a new arrival. She immediately brightened, thinking it might be Ryker, but then her brother and his friend stepped into the library.

“Jimmy!” she screeched, rushing across the room to throw her arms around him and fiercely hug him, happy for his safe return.

“Whoa there, Jewels … don’t bowl me over.” Her brother laughed, patting her on top of her tawny head.

She smiled at Arthur and then hugged him as well. He tapped her shoulder and said soothingly, “There, there … all is well.”

She laughed and directed them to the sofa. “Sit … be comfortable …”

Jimmy went first to the wall table and poured a glass of sherry for his friend, took one himself, and indicated a chair for Arthur.

“Now,” said Jewelene, “I am not going to ask you how you fared. I can see for myself that you are both well. I am not going to ask Art to leave us alone, as he probably knows more than I do about this business, but tell me, Jimmy, how do you plan to pay back the moneylender?”

Jimmy sighed. “You know? How do you know?”

“Omsbury told me—”

“Omsbury!” exclaimed Jimmy, who looked at Arthur and said, “I will never doubt the hairs on the back

of your neck again. So he had us followed, did he?”

“Moneylender?” Jewelene brought the subject back to practicality.

“It isn’t as bad as you think …” her brother answered.

“It is worse,” she said roundly.

“No, no … I swear. What I did first was sell Papa’s ring and another piece … and that gave us a hefty sum. Then I only had to borrow the remaining amount … we’ll do, sis, I swear we will.”

“You sold Papa’s jewelry … but oh, Jimmy, it is all you have left of his—”

“No, it isn’t. We have Henshaw House, and we have each other.” He smiled sweetly. “In the end—that is all we need.”

She burst out crying and went to hug him once more. He patted her and then exclaimed, “For pity’s sake, Jewels, you are acting like a girl!” She laughed and smacked his shoulder, and he grinned. “That is more like it.”

She sighed. “But, Jimmy, we still have the interest on this loan you took—and what if we lose?”

“Aye,” Arthur agreed. “There is the rub.”

“Positive thinking is the ticket. We can’t lose—so we won’t!”

“Well, I still have Mama’s emeralds … and Omsbury doesn’t know about them, so we may yet come about …” Jewelene said, feeling as though the world had turned into a big, dark pit with teeth and she was being pushed towards it.

“Do I intrude …?” asked a strong male voice at the threshold of the library.

Jewelene looked up to see Ryker, and for a moment everything—all her problems, the black pit, the specter of Omsbury, the entire world—vanished, and all she wanted to do was rush into his arms and feel safe. Something in her heart told her that there she would be safe, and she did in fact whisper in a tone that hinted of those feelings, “Ryker …”

Her tone, her need, everything about her, invited him, and he went to her side and took her hand to his lips. It was as though no one else in the room was there. “I asked you once to trust me. Are you ready to do that, yet?” he whispered.

“I … I …” she said, faltering.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that both Jimmy and Arthur had been turned to stone as they watched them.

He sighed heavily and said, “Very well, my dear, for now I must speak with your brother … and his friend in private—will you give us a few moments?”

She was surprised but inclined her head and left them at her back. She did trust him. She told herself she had reason not to, but in spite of that, and without knowing or understanding why—she trusted him.

She should have told him so. Instinct told her to tell him that she trusted and loved him. Why hadn’t she told him so?