LITMIR.BIZ

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she didn’t appear to be standing in the way of the one decision he’d gotten to make about his own life.

      Of course, Emma Jane had what she wanted—his name and fortune. Though she’d insisted that the events leading to their marriage were not intentional, he couldn’t forget the sound of her mother congratulating her on a job well-done. The woman had practically cackled with glee as she’d told Emma Jane that luring him to the abandoned mine had been masterful.

      Marriage to Emma Jane would have been a whole lot easier had he continued to believe it was all an accident. He’d even thought, in their time at the church picnic, they’d become friends. But friends trusted each other, and Emma Jane should have trusted him when he’d told her that he’d find a way to save her family without her having to get married. Perhaps, in supporting his cause, Emma Jane could make up for taking away one of the most important choices a man had in life.

      A stolen glance at his parents revealed they’d both turned odd shades of red—to be expected, of course—but part of him wished they’d have come forward to say they were proud of him.

      No, it was Emma Jane who first spoke up.

      “After everything that happened with the brothel burning down, I can understand your desire to bring justice.” She gave a small smile. “I’ve been thinking I should do more to help Pastor Lassiter’s ministry to the women rescued from the fire.”

      Her words shouldn’t have surprised him. After all, aiding the less fortunate was what their church was about. Or, at least, that’s what people said their church was about. He’d seen many of the young ladies pay lip service to helping others, but none ever seemed to put those words into action. Except Emma Jane. He didn’t know her well, yet he could remember seeing her a number of times at other church events, helping out.

      “Nonsense,” his mother snapped. “We’ll give the pastor some money, just as we always do, and that will be that.”

      Then she turned her attention to Jasper. “I hardly know what’s gotten into you. Your unfortunate marriage, chasing bandits—I can’t imagine what you’ll do next.”

      He recoiled at his mother’s description of his marriage. Especially when he noticed the pained look on Emma Jane’s face. Why he was so concerned about his young wife’s feelings, he didn’t know, especially when the larger issue at stake was his ability to follow his dreams. No, his mission was bigger than a dream. Innocent lives were at stake.

      Ignoring his mother, Jasper turned to his father. “I am alive today because of the noble sacrifice of a woman who only wanted her sister to be saved. If I don’t help bring these men to justice, who will? If I continue to live with no other purpose than to entertain Mother’s guests, then really, what was the point of a woman dying in my place?”

      Then, taking another deep breath to dispel the inevitable lump that filled his throat when talking about Emma Jane, Jasper addressed his mother. “It would do you credit to remember that if it hadn’t been for Emma Jane pushing me out of the way of the mine caving in, I’d be dead. She put her safety in jeopardy for mine, and I will always be grateful.”

      His life had been saved twice in a matter of weeks. By women. Perhaps, as much as he reminded his mother of his debt to Emma Jane, he needed to remind himself of it, as well. She risked her life for him. If marriage was the price he’d had to pay, so be it.

      “Regardless of what happened in that mine, we both know you’d have had to have married her, anyway,” Constance snapped.

      Jasper swallowed. True, of course, but Emma Jane’s sacrifice had somehow made his own more palatable. Even if the mine hadn’t caved in, they would have both been gone long enough that their returning together—after being out alone in the pitch-dark—would have caused tongues to wag. But once they’d been trapped in the mine, marriage had been a foregone conclusion.

      And as he watched Emma Jane’s lower lip quiver, he couldn’t help but wonder how much she regretted the cost of their marriage.

      “What’s done is done,” Jasper said quietly, looking at Emma Jane. “And it’s time we made the best of it.”

      His words didn’t erase the sadness from her eyes, and while Jasper wished there was something else to be done, he knew that the distance between them wasn’t going to be bridged by a few words.

      As grateful as he was for Emma Jane saving his life, the sting of her betrayal was still too deep, the pain too fresh. When she’d approached him at the church picnic and told him that her mother wanted her to marry him to restore the money her father had lost in a poker game, he told her that he’d help her find a solution that didn’t involve marriage. Emma Jane had said she was willing to trust him. But she’d lured him out to the abandoned mine, anyway. Obviously, she’d heard him say he needed to go clear his head, and gone out on her own. Of course he’d answer her cries for help. She couldn’t have known how dangerous it would be, or that the rains would have weakened the ground to cause a cave-in. He wasn’t even sure that she’d known the mine was there.

      Regardless, Emma Jane had to have known that being alone with him, outside in the dark, was enough to compromise them both. For that, he blamed her.

      So why, as tears shone in Emma Jane’s eyes, could he not bring himself to hate her?

      Maybe it was because, as he had just told his mother, they couldn’t do anything about the past. All they could do was move on. Jasper was trying, he really was, and maybe someday he could hold more firmly to his resolve to look ahead rather than be afflicted by questions he would probably never find answers to.

      “We should take this conversation somewhere more private,” Jasper’s father said, gesturing toward Pastor Lassiter’s empty office.

      Jasper looked around, realizing for the first time that while many of the churchgoers had exited, there were still enough people milling around that seeking privacy was a wise decision. He followed his father into the pastor’s office, waiting until his mother and Emma Jane had entered the room before closing the door behind them. Pastor Lassiter wouldn’t mind if they used his office while he was busy conversing with folks leaving the church.

      “I meant what I said about making the best of our marriage,” Jasper said slowly as he moved toward Emma Jane, stepping in between her and his mother. “But you have to understand that my mission to save Daisy takes precedence right now. Her life is in danger, and every moment that I spend here is a moment closer to her demise.”

      Emotions he didn’t understand flickered across Emma Jane’s face as she straightened her shoulders and nodded. “You have my full support.”

      Then she hesitated, looking down at her Bible, as if she were hoping it would... Jasper shook his head. What could the Bible do for her? It wasn’t going to save anyone’s life.

      Emma Jane sighed and looked up at him. “But... I’m tired of pretending that the whispers don’t bother me. I’m tired of people thinking I’ve driven you away. I...”

      “I’m sorry you’re bothered by all the talk.” Jasper cut her off, trying not to sound cold, but what else was he supposed to say? Everyone thought that being a Jackson was a wonderful thing, but all it did was put you in the limelight, where everyone always had something to say about your life. And by something, it never meant anything good.

      Jasper took a step back. He’d intended for their marriage to ease Emma Jane’s problems, not make them worse. The only reason he’d married her was because after being alone together overnight, her reputation would be ruined, and no decent man would have her. Apparently, their marriage hadn’t had the desired effect.

      “I’m sorry, Emma Jane.” He held out his hand to her, then captured her gaze, ignoring his mother’s indrawn breath. How had he never noticed before that Emma Jane’s eyes were such an exquisite shade of blue, with little flecks of brown dancing within?

      “I’d hoped that our marriage would be enough to keep people from talking.” He looked back at the ground, unable to face the way her wide-eyed expression asked

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