The Lady Who Drew Me In Read online

  She stared incredulously. “But you just said—”

  “I said nothing of marriage.”

  She frowned at his back as he turned away. He paced the floor, a caged animal desperate for escape.

  “There must be some other way,” he said. “Something else we can do.”

  She bristled at his audacity. While she’d expected his distress, she’d also expected he’d have the decency to try to hide it. “We can do nothing without risking Andy’s safety,” she said. “Not that disclosing the circumstances would change things. We spent the night together. Alone.”

  The reiteration forced him to silence for what seemed like forever.

  “I just need a minute to think,” he said, pacing some more.

  “It’s all been arranged.”

  He stopped in his tracks, turning to face her.

  “Your brother took care of everything.”

  Jackson frowned. “Of course he did. I’m sure Dannion was only too happy to help.”

  That Jackson was now angry at Dannion as well fueled her ire. “He wasn’t the least bit happy about anything, I assure you. But he and Tessa will be here tonight. The ceremony will take place in the morning.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “Yes. Tomorrow. I will not return to Misty Lake as a scandalous widow. I can’t. I won’t.”

  “And what about me?” he demanded. “I had plans for my life.”

  “So did I,” she shot back. “And they certainly did not include getting married again. Especially to someone like you.”

  He blinked at the insult before his face turned to steel. “And yet, here you are.”

  “And here I will stay until you agree to do the honorable thing.”

  He snorted. “The honorable thing.”

  “A foreign concept to you, I’m sure. But you will do what is right.” She couldn’t help herself. “According to your brother you’ve been in need of rightening for quite some time.”

  “Is that so?”

  “He told me about the circumstances leading to the loss of your position at the law firm.”

  The taut line of his mouth tightened. “I see.”

  “We have no choice,” she said, veering back to the matter at hand. “We’ve made this mess and must now clean it up.”

  “And how tidy things will turn out for you.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “The Gallway name carries weight in Misty Lake.”

  “No thanks to you,” she muttered.

  He clenched his jaw. “Nevertheless, your plans for a day home stand a better chance with the Gallway name behind you. Not to mention your late husband’s funds become available upon your remarriage. You’ve read the will, surely you know this.”

  While this was indeed a brighter side to the bleak predicament, she resented the accusation. She took a furious breath. “Now you listen to me, Jackson Gallway, and you listen good.” She took an imposing step toward him, pointing her finger. “This is as much your fault as it is mine. My reputation is ruined because I helped you. If you do nothing else in your roguish life, you will marry me. You will do the honorable thing, or so help you—”

  “All right. All right.” He held up a hand.

  “Will you do it, then? Will you marry me?”

  His sudden smile took her by surprise. “Are you proposing to me, Mrs. Lansing?”

  She frowned, exasperated. He’d resorted to humor to mask his fear, but he was clearly terrified.

  “Will you?”

  All amusement drained from his face. “Yes.” His blue eyes pierced her like daggers. “I will do the honorable thing. But let me make something straight.”

  She swallowed at his somber tone as he stepped closer. She’d never seen him wear a more dire expression.

  “There’s much you don’t know about me,” he said. “But what you do know is true. I am a rogue, and I live a roguish life. So as you consider this warning, consider this as well. Are you certain you want to marry me?”

  * * * *

  While Josephine showed Daisy to one of the guest rooms upstairs, Jackson poured himself a brandy, dreading Dannion’s arrival. Jackson could almost hear the censure in his brother’s booming voice, the smug “I told you so.”

  Married. Damn Jackson’s foolish idea to take Daisy to Barston, and damn the stubborn woman for insisting she go. That she’d conspired with his brother made him angrier. She’d run to Dannion first, enlisting his support to ensure Jackson did the honorable thing. Not that he could blame her for securing reinforcements. She was too smart not to formulate a solid plan of attack.

  Even so, their lack of faith in Jackson was like salt in the wound. Would his reputation as a rake always supersede all? He stiffened, clenching the glass in his hand. If so, perhaps his future bride was not as bright as he thought for binding herself to “someone like him.”

  He knew she’d succeed with her plans for a day home somehow. Then there was the matter of her late husband’s estate. He sighed, unconvinced. Money was not the motivation behind their marriage but merely a fortunate benefit. She cared about children. She was protecting the boy by remaining silent, as he was. Jackson shook his head, his thoughts tangling into knots. None of this mattered now; the damage was done.

  The whole point of solving the Morgan case was to pave his way to St. Louis. The urge to leave town right now to escape this debacle was hard to resist. A few short weeks ago he wouldn’t have thought twice about shirking a case—or a scandal. He dragged around that damn promise he’d made to Morgan like he’d now drag the shackles of a wife.

  But it could be worse.

  He had to admit, somewhere deep in his anger, thoughts of marriage to Daisy Lansing stirred a certain amount of excitement. Since she’d kissed him that night, soaking wet from the rain, he’d had one hell of a time keeping her out of his mind. His admiration of her remarkable ability was part of the attraction, and the intellect behind her lively eyes appealed to him as much as what lay beneath her skirts. He couldn’t remember ever being so affected by a woman. Even Miss Swootz hadn’t managed to divert his brain from thoughts of the beautiful widow.

  Be careful what you wish for…

  The phrase rang in his head almost as loudly as his mother’s words. Her constant reminders that he wasn’t a marrying man. According to her, he wasn’t a working man, either, and Jackson had made sure that most people agreed. He forced away thoughts of his mother and took a long sip of his drink. “To hell with them all,” he muttered.

  The calming warmth of brandy flowed like blood through his veins, clearing his head. He was wrong to blame Daisy for their predicament. She’d wanted only to help. He’d brought this trouble to her, and she didn’t deserve it. It was all his own fault.

  For once, he was involved in a scandal that wasn’t caused by his lust, and yet he would pay the price for the rest of his life. By this time tomorrow, he’d be a married man.

  Proving Randal Morgan’s innocence had damn well better be worth it.

  Chapter 5

  After the grim civil ceremony at Troy City Hall, the wedding breakfast Tessa had arranged on the garden patio behind Jackson’s brownstone was a pleasant surprise. Daisy breathed in the scent of the honeysuckle shrubs, welcoming the slight lift to her mood.

  Birds chirped in the tall lilac bushes lining the iron-fenced yard; a plush hammock hung from between two pear trees in the corner. Sounds of the city floated on the breeze, distant reminders of the world beyond the serenity of the patio’s vine-covered walls.

  The wrought iron table was cloaked in lace and set with gleaming stemware and china. In lieu of place cards, small vases containing three daisies each adorned the settings for Daisy and Tessa. The men wore matching flower favors in their lapels. The intimate beauty of the occasion hit Daisy like a slap of reality.

  She was married. Again. It all seemed like a dream. An incredible dream that spurred a mix of
dread and excitement. All those years living with Lawry, his rules and his ways. His intolerance. He’d been appalled by her entranced drawing. From the day they had married, he’d forbidden her to paint or sketch. Depriving her of her art had been her daily reminder of the mistake she had made, and she’d mourned the loss of her creative passion as she’d never mourned him.

  Her new husband was different. Jackson was intrigued and impressed by her strange ability, and from where he’d stood in his life he had little room to condemn anyone’s past. While his leniency would be a welcome change, he was a rake, first and foremost. He’d admitted this with no apologies, and she’d do well to shore up her defenses. After Lawry’s betrayal, she’d be a fool to trust another man. Especially a man like Jackson Gallway. She had to remember that. Daisy glanced down at the wedding band on her finger, fearing her attraction to Jackson might make her forget.

  He’d looked so handsome in his gray frockcoat during the ceremony this morning she’d had to anchor her heels to the floor to keep from being swept away by the fantasy of their marriage. By him.

  He’d stood before the officiant, reciting his vows with his usual flippancy, but his trembling hands as he’d slipped the gold band on her finger had given him away. To his credit, he hadn’t fled the room as she’d half expected he might. But in each nervous movement, she’d sensed his reluctance to enter into a marriage she was sure he’d regret as much as she would. The kiss on the other hand…

  Could two people who craved freedom as much as she and Jackson find some common ground? Could they be happy together? She stiffened against the romantic notion. There was no place in this marriage for futile expectations, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t anticipate other aspects of their union. The mere thought of tonight—of sharing a bed with this young, vital man—caused her heart to pound wildly.

  “Do you like it?”

  Daisy spun to face Tessa.

  “I thought the garden would suit nicely,” Tessa said as she stepped out to join her.

  Daisy glanced around at the classical statues and potted rubber tree plants. Painted vases held fan leaf palms. “It’s lovely,” she offered. “And it looks like the weather will cooperate,” she added for lack of anything else to say.

  Even in the company of her dearest friend, Daisy felt ashamed of her hasty marriage. For little Andy’s sake, she hadn’t divulged to anyone the circumstances that led to her spending the night with Jackson. Although she knew she could trust Tessa, she thought it best not to risk it, and Jackson had agreed.

  “I just checked with Cook, and breakfast will be served within the hour.” Tessa reached to push a stray wisp of hair from Daisy’s cheek. “You’re a beautiful bride.”

  Daisy gave a fluff to the skirts of her gown. “It seems so plain,” she said, missing the orange blossoms and veil her status as widow denied her.

  “You need no embellishments,” Tessa said. “You are lovely as you are.”

  Daisy smiled at Tessa’s attempt to lift her mood. “Thank you so much for being here for me. For us.”

  Before Tessa could reply, Josephine appeared with a silver tray of tall glasses and placed it on the table next to a bottle of chilling champagne.

  “Wonderful,” Tessa said with a clap of her hands. “I love my children dearly, but sometimes a little freedom feels like such a treat. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed champagne this early in the day.”

  “You miss them already, don’t you?”

  Tessa laughed. “Pitiful, isn’t it?”

  Daisy shook her head. “Not at all. You and Dannion have much to be thankful for.” She smiled against a sudden prickle of tears. “Will I never marry a man I love?”

  Tessa took Daisy’s hand. “Give this marriage a chance, Daisy.” Love and concern overflowed in her eyes. “Give Jackson a chance.”

  Daisy nodded.

  “I have hope for my wayward brother-in-law, and I am certain you’re just the woman to mold him into shape.” She gave a nod toward the sound of the men’s voices inside. “God knows his brother needed a little molding.”

  Daisy smiled at the reminder of Tessa and Dannion’s rocky history, feeling better.

  “We are true sisters now,” Tessa said. “And speaking as your new sister, and from my own experience, there’s often more to a man than his reputation.”

  If this is true, I’m really in trouble. What Daisy knew already of Jackson was almost more than she could handle. The memory of interrupting his tryst with Miss Swootz last night burned in her brain. And then there was the ugly business that had cost him his last job. Most people learned from their mistakes. Jackson took them in stride. But as he’d said, the Gallway name carried weight. Daisy intended to carry it with pride, even if her husband didn’t. “While I fear hoping too much from my groom, I’ll let you hope for the both of us,” Daisy replied.

  “Hope for what?” Dannion asked as he and Jackson stepped out to the patio.

  “Our husbands,” Tessa teased.

  Dannion raised his brandy. “I’ll drink to that.” He took a sip before turning to Jackson. “How are things with Markelson?”

  Jackson shrugged as they all took seats at the table. “The man’s head is harder than steel. I gave him proof that Randal Morgan is not a murderer, but he refuses to see what’s right under his nose.”

  “You can’t blame Markelson for his reluctance, Jax. You haven’t exactly earned anyone’s trust.” Dannion’s gaze flew to Daisy, and she felt his regret.

  “So you’ve mentioned,” Jackson ground out.

  The air between the brothers crackled with the tension. Although Tessa seemed to take the sibling discord in stride, Daisy doubted she’d ever get used to the brothers’ strained relationship.

  “As you’ll soon discover, Daisy, when it comes to my brother citing my faults, no occasion is sacred.” Jackson turned back to Dannion. “But for my new bride’s sake, I ask you to spare us today.”

  Dannion gave a nod of surrender, lifting his glass in salute to the truce. His dark eyes softened. “To Daisy and Jax,” he said as the others joined in the toast. His booming voice dipped with genuine emotion as he raised his glass higher. “And heartfelt hopes for their happy future.”

  * * * *

  Tessa and Dannion’s departure filled the parlor with an awkward silence. Jackson glanced at Daisy, who quickly lowered her gaze to the glass of wine in her hands. Throughout the ceremony, the cake cutting, and other formalities of the small celebration his sister-in-law had arranged, Jackson had managed to tuck his excitement about their wedding night into some nook in the back of his mind. But now…

  He could barely cling to his sanity now that they were finally alone and he and Daisy were free to move on to more enjoyable formalities.

  Daisy, on the other hand, obviously didn’t share his excitement. She’d sipped through a tall glass of wine, and then poured herself another, as though the pending evening—the inevitable consummation of their marriage—was too unpleasant to face sober.

  The woman had spent six years in the bed of an old man, so Jackson took her reluctance tonight personally. How could he not? He was more suited to her age, and most women considered him handsome. Daisy had been attracted to him once, but her tentative kiss at the shanty in the woods was offered in ignorance of who he really was. His bride’s present aversion was to his lacking character, and it was this insult that bothered him most.

  “I don’t know what Dannion told you about the affair that led to my resignation, Daisy, but I did not know she was married.”

  “You didn’t?”

  He hated the spark of hope in her eyes, the grasping for some justifiable excuse for his behavior. “No,” he replied. “But I didn’t ask, either.”

  “Unfortunate.”

  “To say the least,” he mumbled, considering the woman happened to be married to one of the firm’s partners.

  “How did you land at Markelson’s?” Daisy asked.

/>   “I have my brother to thank for that, though it pains me like a sun burn to admit it. Markelson owed him a favor, and Dannion arranged it—cleaned up another of my messes.”

  Daisy lowered her gaze.

  Jackson welcomed the silence. He didn’t want to talk anymore. He wanted her to want him again, to look at him as she had at the shanty. He moved to the settee, then sat beside her. The heat of her nearness aroused his every sense. The floral smell of her hair and her skin, the curve of white lace at her perfect breasts. He reached to her hand and gave a gentle squeeze.

  She stared down at their hands, his thumb caressing her smooth flesh, spreading her fingers as he entwined them with hers. His pulse spiked in anticipation of what they both knew was coming. She lifted her gaze, and the heady desire inside her blue eyes left him breathless. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. The certainty filled him with pride. The rare appearance of the emotion surprised him.

  He leaned slowly toward her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. With a sigh, she closed her eyes. Her breath smelled of wine, fruity and sweet; her lips were soft as a peach. Her mouth became more pliant, more accommodating, and his heart pounded like a drum in his chest. He kissed her again, slowly trailing his lips to her cheek. Savoring the contact with her satiny skin, he forged a lazy path of light kisses along her jaw to her ear. “Shall we go upstairs?”

  She nodded, her eyes still closed.

  He pulled her to her feet and led her upstairs. The walk seemed endless as they made their way down the hall. Jackson had ducked into the room earlier to check on the arrangements, and he hoped Daisy would like what awaited her inside. He opened the door.

  Josephine had transformed the master bedroom into the perfect bridal suite. Gone were the piles of newspapers and cigar boxes that marked the room of a bachelor. The smell of flowers filled the air. He closed the door quietly behind them, allowing Daisy a moment to peruse their surroundings.

  Tall candles burning on the nightstand cast a soft mix of light and shadow on the bed. Golden rays danced across the coverings, which were turned down neatly to the matching linens. A thriving fire crackled in the hearth. The room whispered with an invitation, a prelude to pleasure and the one good thing he could offer her.