Fanshawe safe, but she has swooned and I think she may have a fit of hysterics if she opens her eyes and sees a strange man.’
‘Oh, thank God! I am coming. Wait for me…’
Jane threw on a warm dressing robe over her nightgown, easing her feet into sensible slippers. She ran quickly down the stairs and opened the side door that led out into the courtyard.
George came to her immediately, his eyes searching her face.
‘How have you been? Are you well?’
‘I am well enough, thank you. Where is Mariah?’
‘I brought her here on my horse, but she fainted. I have left her in your summerhouse. I wasn’t sure what to do—I dared not take her to the duke’s house. He would ask too many questions.’
‘Avonlea is in London,’ Jane said and fled across the lawn to the summerhouse. George was just behind her as she pushed open the door and went in. The moonlight revealed the unconscious figure of Mariah Fanshawe lying on a cane daybed, which Jane often used on summer days when she wished to be alone. She bent over her, feeling for a pulse in her throat. ‘She is still unconscious. We must take her into the house. Can you carry her—or shall I fetch help?’
‘I can manage. The fewer people who know of this the better,’ George told her. ‘She was just about conscious when I snatched her and she understood that I was helping her, but she fainted and I had to hold her for most of the time we were riding here. I strapped her to mybody so that she could not fall—but I fear she is ill.’
‘What has that devil done to her?’
‘He may have drugged her. She shows no signs of being beaten or assaulted, but she was certainly in a fever of some kind. She called me by her guardian’s name and I allowed her to think it.’
George had gathered the unconscious girl in his arms. Jane preceded him as they walked swiftly back into the house and up the stairs.
‘We shall take her to the guestroom next to mine. My godmother stays there when she visits and the bed is always kept aired.’
‘I thank God for your good sense,’ George said. ‘Blake led me to her and I took her when he left her to have his supper. It was only as I rode away with her that I realised that I could not take her home. Avonlea would have me arrested.’
Jane had pulled back the top covers and he gently placed Mariah in the bed, her head resting on the pile of soft pillows. She gave a little moan and her eyes flickered, but did not open. Jane touched her forehead. It was hot and damp.
‘The duke might be more grateful and moreunderstanding than you imagine,’ Jane said. She felt her cheeks grow warm as George’s eyes went over her and she realised that she was not properly dressed. He must think her lost to all propriety. ‘However, you did well to bring her to me, sir. She certainly has a fever. I shall send for a doctor and keep her here until she is well enough to go home.’
‘Thank you.’ George looked into her eyes. ‘I do not mind for my own sake, but as you know someone else would suffer if my part in this was revealed. Blake would destroy the happiness of someone I care for in revenge.’
‘You have not yet recovered your property?’
‘No, unfortunately not. I had hoped to find the things I need, but I discovered Lady Fanshawe first and acted on impulse.’
‘It was a good and noble deed,’ Jane told him with a look of approval. ‘I hope it will not bring retribution on your head, sir.’
‘I do not—’ George broke off as they heard the tread of a man’s footsteps in the hall. Then the door opened and a man entered. ‘Damnation, I thought you said you were alone?’
‘Jane? Who is…?’ Andrew’s attention was drawn to the bed. ‘Good God! Is that Mariah? How did she come to be here?’
‘This gentleman brought her to me,’ Jane said with an apologetic glance at George. ‘However, he wishes his part kept secret.’
‘I must go,’ George said. ‘She is safe now. Goodbye.’
Andrew stared at him,
‘Oh, thank God! I am coming. Wait for me…’
Jane threw on a warm dressing robe over her nightgown, easing her feet into sensible slippers. She ran quickly down the stairs and opened the side door that led out into the courtyard.
George came to her immediately, his eyes searching her face.
‘How have you been? Are you well?’
‘I am well enough, thank you. Where is Mariah?’
‘I brought her here on my horse, but she fainted. I have left her in your summerhouse. I wasn’t sure what to do—I dared not take her to the duke’s house. He would ask too many questions.’
‘Avonlea is in London,’ Jane said and fled across the lawn to the summerhouse. George was just behind her as she pushed open the door and went in. The moonlight revealed the unconscious figure of Mariah Fanshawe lying on a cane daybed, which Jane often used on summer days when she wished to be alone. She bent over her, feeling for a pulse in her throat. ‘She is still unconscious. We must take her into the house. Can you carry her—or shall I fetch help?’
‘I can manage. The fewer people who know of this the better,’ George told her. ‘She was just about conscious when I snatched her and she understood that I was helping her, but she fainted and I had to hold her for most of the time we were riding here. I strapped her to mybody so that she could not fall—but I fear she is ill.’
‘What has that devil done to her?’
‘He may have drugged her. She shows no signs of being beaten or assaulted, but she was certainly in a fever of some kind. She called me by her guardian’s name and I allowed her to think it.’
George had gathered the unconscious girl in his arms. Jane preceded him as they walked swiftly back into the house and up the stairs.
‘We shall take her to the guestroom next to mine. My godmother stays there when she visits and the bed is always kept aired.’
‘I thank God for your good sense,’ George said. ‘Blake led me to her and I took her when he left her to have his supper. It was only as I rode away with her that I realised that I could not take her home. Avonlea would have me arrested.’
Jane had pulled back the top covers and he gently placed Mariah in the bed, her head resting on the pile of soft pillows. She gave a little moan and her eyes flickered, but did not open. Jane touched her forehead. It was hot and damp.
‘The duke might be more grateful and moreunderstanding than you imagine,’ Jane said. She felt her cheeks grow warm as George’s eyes went over her and she realised that she was not properly dressed. He must think her lost to all propriety. ‘However, you did well to bring her to me, sir. She certainly has a fever. I shall send for a doctor and keep her here until she is well enough to go home.’
‘Thank you.’ George looked into her eyes. ‘I do not mind for my own sake, but as you know someone else would suffer if my part in this was revealed. Blake would destroy the happiness of someone I care for in revenge.’
‘You have not yet recovered your property?’
‘No, unfortunately not. I had hoped to find the things I need, but I discovered Lady Fanshawe first and acted on impulse.’
‘It was a good and noble deed,’ Jane told him with a look of approval. ‘I hope it will not bring retribution on your head, sir.’
‘I do not—’ George broke off as they heard the tread of a man’s footsteps in the hall. Then the door opened and a man entered. ‘Damnation, I thought you said you were alone?’
‘Jane? Who is…?’ Andrew’s attention was drawn to the bed. ‘Good God! Is that Mariah? How did she come to be here?’
‘This gentleman brought her to me,’ Jane said with an apologetic glance at George. ‘However, he wishes his part kept secret.’
‘I must go,’ George said. ‘She is safe now. Goodbye.’
Andrew stared at him,
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