Silence echoed through the room. She could almost hear Jasper’s heart beating—or was that her own?
“All right,” he finally gritted out. “If that’s what you truly want, I’ll see about getting an annulment. As for how you’ll support yourself, I won’t let you do without. My family won’t like it, but I’ll see that you get a house and a small amount of money to get you by each month.” He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I suppose I bear my own share of the blame for this mess, and I won’t have you suffer for it.”
His acquiescence should have been a victory, but the heaviness tearing at her heart felt like she’d just lost everything.
* * *
The words were harder to say than Jasper thought they’d be. But he’d been up all night, reading Emma Jane’s Bible, unable to sleep. He’d been trying to figure out what to do about her and his growing feelings for the wife he hadn’t been sure he wanted.
One section in particular, 1 Corinthians, talked about love. Had he shown patience to Emma Jane? Kindness? Long-suffering?
The desperation with which she made her arguments made it clear that Emma Jane found no joy in her marriage to him. And why would she? He’d never shown her any of the things the Bible said about love. Foolishly, he’d believed that giving her his name would be all she needed, but he could see now how he’d sold her short.
Miserable. That was the word she’d used to describe their marriage.
“Are you sure?” Emma Jane looked at him as though she wasn’t confident she’d heard him right.
“Yes. I never meant you any harm, I hope you know that.”
“I never meant you any harm, either,” she whispered.
He knew that now, deep down in his soul, and he wished he’d been able to see it sooner, rather than thinking the worst of her. Of course her falling into the mine had been an accident. He didn’t even need to ask to know.
“I know,” he said thickly, watching her expression for any sign that she might believe him. “I’m sorry if I conveyed otherwise.”
Emma Jane sat on a chair, her skirts whooshing with the movement. “For two people who never meant to hurt each other, we’ve sure caused a lot of damage, haven’t we?”
He pulled up the chair next to her and sat beside her. “Nothing that can’t be repaired. I’d still like us to be friends.”
Friends. Actually, he wanted more. Much, much more. The memory of her kiss burned in his brain, and he knew he’d never again have the like. At least not from anyone but her. But for now, he knew what he had to do. Start over. Just like Stephen said. Court her. Be her friend.
“I’d like that, too.” She smiled at him, one of the same smiles that had stirred something deep inside him, telling him that Emma Jane was a treasure he couldn’t let go of.
The door on the side of the kitchen opened, and Abigail entered, carrying the baby.
“I thought I heard voices in here.” She smiled, then yawned. “This happy little fellow has been up for a while now. He’s fed, changed and gurgling happily.”
Abigail handed the baby to Emma Jane, whose mood seemed to immediately lift just by having the baby in her arms.
Jasper should have paid more attention to the effect the baby had on her. He’d already known, he supposed, but he’d been too busy fighting the battle to really acknowledge how good Emma Jane was with the little guy.
“You look like you could go back to bed,” Emma Jane said to Abigail, cuddling the baby. “Why don’t you get some rest and I can help your mother prepare breakfast?”
“I couldn’t do that.” Abigail frowned. “I need to earn my keep.”
“You’ve been doing that, and more. After all, without you, I don’t know what I would have done for Moses.”
The two women exchanged smiles that spoke of their bond shared over the baby.
“You know I’m delighted to care for him.” Abigail looked at Emma Jane, then over at Jasper. “In fact, that’s something I’d like to talk to you both about.”
Jasper’s stomach knotted. He’d known Emma Jane and Abigail had become close over the past couple of days, but this felt like an ambush. Had Emma Jane already been making plans to leave him?
“As you know, Charles and I have been living here with my parents, and as much as I love my family, it’s not the best situation for Charles. I was hoping that we could return to town with you, and I could...” She hesitated, twisting her hands in front of her.
“That is, it’s a pleasure to help with Moses, but if you could give me employment as his wet nurse, then Charles would have the opportunity to find a job in town and we could eventually have a home of our own.”
The woman’s unease only served to make the knots in Jasper’s gut tighten. Why was his automatic response to question Emma Jane’s integrity? Especially when he knew better.
He looked over at Emma Jane, whose face was downcast at Abigail’s request. To say yes to Abigail meant that Emma Jane couldn’t stay here. But to say no would be cruel to her friend, even if it gave Emma Jane what she wanted.
But at least it would help with Jasper’s quest.
“We would be delighted to have you,” he said smoothly, looking
