Marshall flinched.
Isabelle laid her hand on his arm. His muscles tightened beneath her fingers. When she glanced up, he was looking at her hand.
“I saw Mr. Gerald,” she said. “Did you really give him a position?”
His jaw hardened. “I needed a competent master of the horse, and he just so happens to be the finest hand with horses I’ve ever seen. Is that why you’ve come — to discuss Mr. Gerald?” She detected a note of hurt in his voice, and his piercing eyes bored straight into her core. “This ship sails in two hours,” he said. “I’m extraordinarily busy.”
“No.” Isabelle gripped his arm. “No, of course I haven’t come to discuss Mr. Gerald. I came because … ” Her courage began to flag.
He arched a brow, and she caught the faintest hint of a smile at the corners of his lips.
“I love you,” she blurted. She turned away and tossed her reticule onto the bed.
Marshall crossed the cramped cabin in a couple steps. He turned the chair around and sat down, crossing his ankles. “This sounds more interesting than Thomas Gerald,” he drawled.
Isabelle bit her lip. She sat on the edge of the bed with her fingers curled around the side rail. “I’ve been perfectly miserable these last few months. I thought I could be happy on my own, but I’m not.”
“You’re respectable again,” Marshall pointed out. “I hear you have the ladies’ committee well in hand.”
Isabelle started. “Ah,” she raised her brows, “Naomi. Who must’ve had it from Lily. They’ve been conspiring behind our backs, you know.”
“I find I am not surprised in the least.”
“Justin came home,” Isabelle said. “He showed me the letters he received.”
“Mother again.” Marshall gave her a pained look. “She’s staying in the country, perhaps for a very long time.”
Isabelle winced. “I’m sorry it had to come to that.”
Marshall blew his cheeks out. “So am I, but I couldn’t allow her to continue unchecked. What might she do when it comes time for Grant to marry, or Naomi?”
It was a bitter thing for a son to have to punish his own mother, but Isabelle didn’t want him brooding now. “You did the right thing. Thank you for bringing Justin home.”
He shrugged. “I couldn’t let him spend the rest of his life fearing to return to England. He didn’t propose?” he asked mildly. “I thought you’d come to tell me you were marrying Miller.”
“What?” she gasped, amazed he could ever think such a thing. “No, darling, Justin brought his wife and child with him.” She wrinkled her brow. “It’s never been like that between him and me. You know that.”
He smirked. “Not really,” he said, cutting his eyes to her. “Logically, yes, but if I hadn’t been so damned jealous of your relationship with him I never would have taken my mother’s word for what happened in the cottage that day.”
“Jealous?” Isabelle said, bewildered. “You never said anything before. I shouldn’t have invited him while you were gone, Marshall. I know that now. I ask your forgiveness for doing so. Truly, though, I never would have done if I had any inkling you’d object. I thought you understood how things were with Justin.”
He leaned back and raked his hands through his hair. “I know. And I did try not to let my emotions overrule my sense. I was insecure. I wanted you so much, but Mother would hear nothing but that you were only after the title and money. When she found you with Justin, it was easy to believe the worst.” He lowered his head into his hands and groaned. “I did so many things wrong,” he muttered miserably.
“So did I,” Isabelle said wistfully.
She crossed the room, crouched in front of him and took his hands. Marshall’s pained gaze tore her heart. “I never told you back then that I loved you. I should have, but I didn’t think you wanted to hear it.”
Marshall’s fingers squeezed around hers. “Did you?”
She nodded, and felt the knot she’d been carrying in her middle for months begin to unwind. “I’ve loved you since before we married. And I’m afraid that no matter what I do, I shall love you until the day I die. So you see,” she said with a half-smile, “I find myself in quite a predicament.”
Suddenly she was in his arms. They were standing, with her full length pressed against his. His mouth came down on hers, tenderly at first, but rapidly becoming more demanding. Isabelle felt like the light of the sun pulsed between them, bright and hot and unquenchable.