Page 17 of Third Time is the Charm (Passion and Perseverance #3)

Beth knocked impatiently on Jane’s door.

She’d finished dinner, immersing herself in the conversation between the Gardiners and her younger sisters, all the while preoccupied with every question that she needed an answer to.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t had any further opportunity to talk to Lydia during dinner.

Afterward Lydia had left before dessert was served because her feet and back were really hurting her, so she’d wanted to go upstairs to bed.

That meant Beth had had to bide her time until Jane headed up for bed; yes, she could have just gone upstairs and waited there, but she didn’t want to take the chance of running into Darcy on her way out of her room.

No, she needed to wait for Jane to leave and then say her goodnights, discreetly following her sister to her room.

For the most part, that is what had happened. Phil and his wife had left early, and Beth had feared that her sisters would follow suit, leaving her alone at the table. However, they’d stayed, talking amongst themselves long enough to where Jane had stood to say her goodnights first.

Even though he’d kept his eyes off of her for most of the night (she knew because she hadn’t been able to do the same), after dessert she felt his hot gaze warming through her, drawing her to him.

She had this feeling like he wanted to approach her, to talk to her, but not when she was surrounded or talking to other people – all the more reason she felt edgy as more and more people began to leave.

She didn’t want to talk to him; she was still attracted to him, and more than that, she was completely thrown off by his behavior, not just the cordiality towards other people, but how he had approached her with a respectful reserve – no demands, no questions, no accosting her, preying on her desire for him.

Aside from the steamy stares, she would have thought he was completely over her.

She just needed to talk to Jane .

“Oh, hey,” Jane said breathlessly, answering the door.

“Sorry, I thought you might be Charles so I was trying to find my robe; I told him he couldn’t see me anymore until the ceremony tomorrow, but I thought he was trying to be sneaky and get one more goodnight kiss.

” She finished with a smile, her love and excitement for tomorrow painted all over her face.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to bother you so late.

I just wanted to chat for a few minutes, if that’s ok…

” Beth asked, knowing that with her pleading tone, Jane wouldn’t refuse.

She just needed answers… and she needed to stay away from her room until there was no possible way that she would run into Darcy on her way back.

“Of course,” Jane assured her, opening the door up wider as Beth walked in. “Does this have to do with what mom said?”

Well, there was that.

“I mean, we can start there,” Beth murmured. “What did she mean that your wedding wouldn’t be possible without Darcy? I mean, he didn’t introduce you, I don’t understand.”

Jane sighed. “Sometimes, I do understand how you can get so frustrated with mom. She shouldn’t have said anything; I should have told her specifically not to say anything, but, of course, I thought she would know better.”

“She never knows better,” Beth informed her sister, wryly.

“Darcy owns Blue Hill,” Jane began, taking a seat on the bed, pausing to watch Beth’s reaction.

Of course, he does.

Now, she knew where this was going.

“So, he’s not charging us for anything… the space… the food… none of it,” Jane finished meekly.

It’s fine, Beth. You are fine. It’s their wedding, he’s just trying to give them a gift.

“And mom and dad weren’t upset about not paying for it?” Beth asked, surprised that her mother would want to advertise that they hadn’t spent a dime on at least that part of the wedding.

“No. I mean, honestly, I doubt we could have gotten married here otherwise. It’s really expensive, plus, the fact that our date was available less than a year out.

Even if mom and dad could afford it, without Darcy, I don’t think we would have gotten our date; I think he moved another wedding out for us – or had whoever manages Blue Hill to do it. ”

Wow.

“Well, I mean, Charles is his best friend. I take it this was his wedding present to you guys?”

Jane bit her lip, ducking her head and saying, “Sort of.”

Beth closed her eyes, not sure she wanted to know until the words came out of her mouth. “What do you mean sort of?”

“He’s also flying us to, and letting us use, his private island in Fiji for our honeymoon.” Beth just stared at her sister. “I mean, I’m sure you’re right, I’m sure it’s because Charles is his oldest friend.” Jane winced as her reassurances seemed flat, even to her own ears.

Beth felt slightly lightheaded. Why was he doing so much for them? It was wonderful and generous… and so not Darcy. The only other time he’d done something like this was when he’d secretly helped Lydia. For her.

“No… well, yes, that’s part of it, but that’s not all of it,” Beth said breathlessly, coming to sit next to her sister.

Jane grabbed her hand, not responding, even though Beth could tell there was something more that she could say.

“What is it?” she asked. “You know you’re not good at keeping secrets from me.”

Jane gasped, “I’m not keeping a secret. I just… oh, Beth. It’s just what I said before – Darcy has changed. I could give you specifics – some of which I already have, but it’s not my place. There’s a lot that I don’t know. There’s also a lot that you don’t know.”

“So then why won’t you tell me?” Beth asked, astonished that Jane wanted to keep something from her.

“Because, like I said, it’s not my place.

But, more importantly, I don’t know that it would help.

If anything, because I don’t have all the answers, it could make this whole situation worse, which is sometimes how I feel the advice I gave you before worked out,” Jane choked here, tears rising to the surface.

“I was the one who told you to go talk to him, to fight to be with him; it was my fault you went there. He hurt you, and then I convinced you to walk directly into your heartbreak.” Now, Jane was almost sobbing.

Beth sat stunned by the train of thought coming out of her sister’s mouth, trying frantically to calm her.

“It’s my fault you had to run away. That’s why I don’t blame you for not talking to me about it, not telling me what happened.

Why would you? Look what happened to you the last time I tried to help?

That’s why I love you and I will listen to you and talk to you, but I don’t want to be involved; I don’t want to be responsible for any more of your hurt. ”

Beth enveloped her sister in a hug, shushing her as she tried to scan the room for the tissues. Why hotels always put tissues in the bathroom – far, far away, was beyond her. She quickly stood and grabbed the box by the sink, returning back to Jane’s side.

“Jane, please,” she begged. “Don’t do this; it’s not your fault. I’m so sorry.” Seeing her sister like this on the night before her wedding was torture. She’d had no idea that Jane had thought all… any… of this.

Maybe if you would have just talked to her you would have known.

“I’m sorry, Beth,” Jane said with a hiccup, her sobs beginning to subside.

Beth sighed, handing her sister another tissue.

“Don’t be sorry, Jane,” she said sternly, feeling herself start to get choked up.

“Don’t you be sorry. This is not your fault and I have never blamed you for what happened.

Never.” She paused, taking a deep, steadying breath, taking her sister’s hand.

“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about what happened, but it had nothing to do with the fact that you told me to go and talk to him.

I can’t believe you’ve thought this, this whole time. God, I’m such a jerk.”

“No, Beth, you’re not,” Jane whispered.

“I would never blame you, even in the smallest way, for what happened between Darcy and I. Whatever happened between us, whatever he did, whatever I did… the blame rests squarely on us. I left because of him, and those first few weeks… months… I was angry and depressed and in shock; it’s a potent and debilitating combination. ”

“I know, and I didn’t want to push you to talk to me, it’s just usually when something is that bad, you do.”

Beth took a deep breath. “I guess because it was even worse than that, that I couldn’t reach out.

Plus, you were planning the wedding and so excited and I didn’t want to ruin that – which is not a good excuse, I know.

Please, just promise me you won’t blame yourself anymore for this; it’s not your fault at all.

Darcy made his choice, and if anything, it was probably the best thing for me to have figured it out as harshly as I did, because otherwise the break would have been even longer and more painfully drawn out, with so many more unknowns. ”

“I promise. I’m sorry I didn’t say something sooner.

I don’t know, I just never want to bring it up because I know how much it has hurt you already,” Jane replied.

“I’m not you, I’m not Charles, I don’t have all of the information, but from what I do know, from everything that I’ve observed over the past few months, I would suggest that you try to talk to him, if for no other reason than to get closure on everything that happened; I think you’ll find that he might be much more willing to open up. ”

Beth gave her sister a small, forced smile, knowing that Jane was trying to help, but also knowing that she and Darcy were so far past the point of trying to get closure.