Page 74 of Miss Vincent’s Vow

Jethro knew the vehemence of her words should reassure him, but it did not. If the accusation was without foundation, she would have brushed it away in a flash.

As soon as she left the room to fetch her bonnet, Alexander turned on him.

“I see what it is. You fear I’ll be drawn into another fracas with Eugenia, but I assure you, I have myself well in hand this time. I do not require a minder.”

“And I do not need any help to look after my wife. Please do not upset her again by making inappropriate comments about the curate. It is not kind.”

“Huh! You’re not jealous of old Barnesy, are you? Does it irk you she would have accepted him rather than you if he’d been half as rich?”

Jethro swallowed the bile that rose into his throat and steadied himself. Of course it irked him. It was hard enough to accept that his wife had harboured an affection for another man before her marriage.

To think it might be ongoing was unbearable.

Chapter 39

The walk to church that morning had to rank as one of the most uncomfortable in Cassandra’s life. With Xander on her left side, and Jethro on her right, both men insisted on addressing her, but ignoring each other. She was thankful they lived so near to St Mary’s that she did not have to endure it for long.

After the service, her brother commandeered her arm and hustled her out of the building before anyone could engage them in conversation, leaving her husband behind.

As Xander led her into the graveyard, Cassandra heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he was set on avoiding another altercation with Eugenia. She couldn’t bear the thought of having to make more excuses for her brother’s behaviour to Jethro.

She glanced back at the church and noticed her husband had followed them and was standing at a distance, watching her. Was he coming to join them? Was it wrong of her to hope that he wouldn’t? She was not sure she could cope with them continuing their feud at her parents’ graveside.

Her concern must have shown on her face. With a brief nod, Jethro walked away.

Cassandra turned back to her brother, who stared at their father’s grave.

“So, this is where the gaffer is laid to rest,” Xander said, staring at the newer of the two headstones. “It’s rather plain, isn’t it?”

“Father wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. As far as he was concerned, there was no need to mark the resting place of his bones at all, as he knew his spirit would be in heaven.”

“Do you believe that, Cassy?”

“Of course, don’t you?”

Xander shrugged. “I don’t know.”

She screwed up her eyes in concern. “Shouldn’t you find out? What if you were to die at sea? It would be too late then to work out what you believe.”

“There’s plenty of time for that,” he said with a huff, offering her his arm for the walk home. “If I took religion seriously, I would have to reform my behaviour, and where would the fun be in that?”

Cassandra despaired of her brother’s attitude. What had happened to the faith-filled youth he had been before he went to sea? Had his time on board ship changed his entire outlook on life or had Eugenia’s desertion robbed him of more than his heart?

Taking his arm, they made their way out of the graveyard. She could not let his words go unchallenged.

“Is that—”

She broke off, a lump forming in her throat. The man in the green jacket was there again, leaning on the wall separating the churchyard from the street, watching them.

After walking for a few minutes, Cassandra glanced back over her shoulder. To her relief, she saw they were not being followed. Now she could finish what she wanted to say. Though she doubted it would do any good to scold him, she had to try to guide Xander onto a better path.

“Is that what it is all about to you these days? Having fun? Don’t you care if you hurt people?”

“What are you getting at, Cassy?”

“The way you treat Jethro. It’s unkind.”

“The man’s got such a thick skin I doubt anything I say could upset him.”