Free Judith Stacy by The One Month Marriage Page A

arms into the sleeves of her robe, troubled by the thought that Brandon would take his affections elsewhere, as any man would do, if she spurned him long enough. Even though she didn’t intend to stay. Even though he’d certainly sought comfort from someone while she was gone.
    “I suppose Brandon had…company…here while I was away,” Jana said.
    “Oh, no, ma’am.”
    She swung around to face Abbie as the maid opened the closet doors. “But surely—I mean he must have—”
    “Mr. Sayer never brought a woman into this house,” Abbie told her with such conviction that Jana believed her.
    “I suppose he went elsewhere,” Jana said.
    “I suppose he would, being a man, and all,” Abbie said. She shook her head. “But I’ve got my doubts. The way he pined after you…”
    “What do you mean?”
    Abbie hesitated a moment, then said, “After you left, I came in to clean, keep things looking nice, you know, just in case. And several times I found Mr. Sayer here, in your room…all alone.”
    Jana frowned. “Doing what?”
    Abbie shrugged. “Just lying on the bed, sometimes. Or touching your things left on the bureau. I saw him standing at the window once, looking out, holding your pillow.”
    Jana reeled back, the vision filling her head, making it spin. Sorrow and guilt clutched her heart. She’d had no idea….
    “Good morning.”
    Jana whirled toward the sound of Brandon’s voice. He stood in the hallway, his head tilted to see around the partially opened door.
    “Good—good morning,” she said.
    He stepped through the doorway as if he weren’t sure he should, and his gaze bounced around the room.
    Was he remembering their nights spent togetherhere? Jana wondered. Or the hours he’d wandered alone through her room in the wake of her departure.
    “I thought you’d want to see this,” Brandon said and held out a newspaper.
    Jana glanced at the mantel clock and saw that it was past time for Brandon to have left for the office. Her dreams had caused her to oversleep.
    “The advertisement,” Brandon said, holding the newspaper out farther. “I thought you might want to see it.”
    Jana crossed the room and took the paper. Her fingers brushed his, making her keenly aware that she wore only her nightgown and robe—a fact not lost on Brandon, given the way his gaze traveled over her.
    When she didn’t answer, he stepped back. “I’m going to bed—” Brandon stopped, looked pained and said, “Downstairs. I’m going downstairs now.”
    She couldn’t help but grin. He gave her one last lingering look, then strode away.
    Jana leaned out the door, watching as he disappeared down the stairs, a part of her wishing that he’d stop, come back.
    Then she admonished herself for having the thought and reminded herself to be on guard against him. So far, Brandon had respected her wishes about not sharing a bed. He’d held back.
    She had to do the same…somehow.
     
    “Dammit…”
    Brandon cursed as he cradled the elbow he’d justbanged into the wall behind him. The storage room Jana had converted into his study barely held the makeshift desk, the spindly chair and a side table laden with a teetering stack of papers and ledgers. He’d hit his knee and banged his elbow twice as he tried to get some work done in the small, airless room.
    He should have gone downtown to his office where he could be comfortable and actually get something accomplished. But after seeing Jana in her nightgown and robe this morning, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the house. So here he was, crammed into this tiny room, waiting what he judged to be sufficient time for his wife to dress and come downstairs so he could see her again.
    “Fine thing…” Brandon grumbled as he shifted in the tight space. Business—important business—awaited him, yet when Jana hadn’t appeared at the breakfast table he had decided to delay leaving for the office. Then he’d come up with a silly notion of bringing her the newspaper just