Jack gazed into her eyes, and then he pulled her roughly into his arms and kissed her long and hard on the lips. ‘What’s your answer now, Judy? I’m not joking. I want you with me always.’

Chapter Two

Judy moved away, giving herself time to think. The embrace had left her shaken, but wanting more, and that was even more disturbing.

‘Answer me, please.’ There was a note of desperation in Jack’s voice, quite alien to his normal tone.

‘I don’t know what you want of me.’ Judy met his intense gaze with a searching look.

‘What is there to know, other than the fact that we were always together. I want that to continue. I’m not the type of man to be lord of the manor, any more than my brother, Jay. I won’t renege on my responsibilities, but I need you to help me through all this.’

‘Are you asking me to marry you?’

‘Marriage? Of course I want that, but not just now. In a few years, maybe.’

‘Oh, Jack. You know that’s not good enough. I don’t want you to feel obliged to do anything. You either want us to be together always, or you don’t.’

‘That’s exactly what I’m saying. I want you here with me.’

Judy shook her head. ‘It wouldn’t work. Life isn’t a game of chance, Jack. You should listen to your mother. She has plenty to say on the subject, and I hate to admit it, but I think she’s right.’

‘What does my mother know about how I feel?’ Jack demanded angrily. ‘She has no right to interfere.’

‘She loves you,’ Judy said simply. ‘From what I was told, your mother suffered greatly at the hands of the old squire, and her marriage to your father wasn’t a particularly happy one.’

‘That has nothing to do with us. I want things to be as they were.’

‘That’s not possible, and you know it.’

‘I’m not asking anything of you other than to be here for me. I need you to keep me from doing stupid things, and I want to hear you laugh again.’

He looked so downcast that Judy was deeply touched and she moved closer, taking his hands in a warm grasp. ‘You were always impatient.’

Jack drew her closer, but the door flew open and Hilda burst into the room. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Nothing,’ Judy said firmly. ‘We were just talking.’

‘Your mother wants a word with you, Master Jack.’

‘Stop calling me that,’ Jack said crossly. ‘It makes me sound like a ten-year-old. Who told you we were in here, anyway?’

‘It was Molesworth, if you must know. I was sent to fetch you and that’s what I’m doing.’ Hilda gave Judy a warning look. ‘We’ll talk about this later, my girl.’

‘We’ve done nothing wrong,’ Judy said tiredly.

Hilda turned to Jack and he held up his hands. ‘All right, Hilda. I’ll go and placate my mother, but only if you promise to leave Judy alone. This was my fault, not hers.’