moving swiftly to block his path. ‘I suppose you are the man who helped abduct my sister—and then helped her to escape?’
George looked distinctly uncomfortable. ‘Forgive me. I never intended harm to Miss Lanchester. I dare say she has explained the situation?’
‘I should wish for a further explanation from you, sir. You will wait and speak to me in private. I wish to know more of—’
At that moment Mariah opened her eyes and gave a little scream of distress. Jane bent over her, smoothing her damp hair back from her forehead.
‘You are safe now, Mariah,’ she said softly.
Turning to look at Andrew, she said. ‘Please fetch the doctor and send word to the duke and Lucinda so that she has no further need to worry. Mariah is safe now. George has risked much to help us. He is not your immediate concern now, Andrew. Mariah comes first.’
‘Yes, you are right,’ Andrew said and glared at George. ‘Very well, I shall not prevent you from leaving. Just give me an idea of where I may find Blake—and your word that you will never come here again.’
George glanced at Jane, but she was busy bathing Mariah’s head with a cool cloth and taking no notice of him or her brother.
‘Very well,’ he said. ‘I shall tell you where I found Mariah—but Blake may be long gone. I do not know where he may have gone to ground, but he will be furious when he discovers Lady Fanshawe has been snatched and he may come looking for revenge.’
They went out of the room together, leaving Jane busy with her patient.
* * *
It was much later that evening, when the doctor had been by and given Mariah some medicine, that Jane had time to think and to realise that she still did not know who George really was—nor had she thanked him for what he had done for Mariah.
His visit had been so brief and interrupted by Andrew before they’d had a chance to talk. Her brother had asked him not to come to the houseagain, which meant that Jane would probably never see him again.
A lump rose in her throat and tears stung her eyes, though she did not allow them to fall. Perhaps it was just as well. She could never have a future with George, even if he hinted he were willing—her friends and family simply wouldn’t allow it.
Chapter Five
‘I can never thank you enough for what you have done for Mariah, Jane.’ Lucinda kissed her cheek. ‘You have nursed her devotedly this past week or more, and now she is well enough to come home to her family. Justin is on his way home and he will be so thankful to have her safe again. We are so grateful for all you have done.’
‘It was a pleasure,’ Jane said. ‘I am just sorry I could not do more. She might perhaps have been rescued sooner had I not interfered.’
‘And she might still have been lost had your friend not found her and brought her to you. I think we have much to thank you for—and this mysterious George. He was wrong to beinvolved in the affair in the first place, but had he not been we might never have found Mariah alive.’
‘She has not told us much of her ordeal,’ Jane said. ‘I think Blake meant to seduce her when he snatched her, but she fell ill and I believe he was frustrated in that intention. She seems much better today, though she is still very distressed, of course.’
Jane glanced towards Mariah, who was saying goodbye to Andrew. He had given her a posy of flowers from the hot houses, as he had every day since she recovered her senses and lay resting in her bedchamber.
Mariah came up to them then and offered her hand to Jane, who took it and held it to her cheek. ‘I can never thank you enough, Jane dearest. Andrew told me that you persuaded that man to search for me. Had he not found me—’ She shuddered. ‘I am fortunate to be alive for I should never have married
him
.’
‘Hush, you must try to forget what happened.’
‘Yes, I shall,’ Mariah said, a determined look in her eyes. ‘But I shall never forget what you and your brother have
George looked distinctly uncomfortable. ‘Forgive me. I never intended harm to Miss Lanchester. I dare say she has explained the situation?’
‘I should wish for a further explanation from you, sir. You will wait and speak to me in private. I wish to know more of—’
At that moment Mariah opened her eyes and gave a little scream of distress. Jane bent over her, smoothing her damp hair back from her forehead.
‘You are safe now, Mariah,’ she said softly.
Turning to look at Andrew, she said. ‘Please fetch the doctor and send word to the duke and Lucinda so that she has no further need to worry. Mariah is safe now. George has risked much to help us. He is not your immediate concern now, Andrew. Mariah comes first.’
‘Yes, you are right,’ Andrew said and glared at George. ‘Very well, I shall not prevent you from leaving. Just give me an idea of where I may find Blake—and your word that you will never come here again.’
George glanced at Jane, but she was busy bathing Mariah’s head with a cool cloth and taking no notice of him or her brother.
‘Very well,’ he said. ‘I shall tell you where I found Mariah—but Blake may be long gone. I do not know where he may have gone to ground, but he will be furious when he discovers Lady Fanshawe has been snatched and he may come looking for revenge.’
They went out of the room together, leaving Jane busy with her patient.
* * *
It was much later that evening, when the doctor had been by and given Mariah some medicine, that Jane had time to think and to realise that she still did not know who George really was—nor had she thanked him for what he had done for Mariah.
His visit had been so brief and interrupted by Andrew before they’d had a chance to talk. Her brother had asked him not to come to the houseagain, which meant that Jane would probably never see him again.
A lump rose in her throat and tears stung her eyes, though she did not allow them to fall. Perhaps it was just as well. She could never have a future with George, even if he hinted he were willing—her friends and family simply wouldn’t allow it.
Chapter Five
‘I can never thank you enough for what you have done for Mariah, Jane.’ Lucinda kissed her cheek. ‘You have nursed her devotedly this past week or more, and now she is well enough to come home to her family. Justin is on his way home and he will be so thankful to have her safe again. We are so grateful for all you have done.’
‘It was a pleasure,’ Jane said. ‘I am just sorry I could not do more. She might perhaps have been rescued sooner had I not interfered.’
‘And she might still have been lost had your friend not found her and brought her to you. I think we have much to thank you for—and this mysterious George. He was wrong to beinvolved in the affair in the first place, but had he not been we might never have found Mariah alive.’
‘She has not told us much of her ordeal,’ Jane said. ‘I think Blake meant to seduce her when he snatched her, but she fell ill and I believe he was frustrated in that intention. She seems much better today, though she is still very distressed, of course.’
Jane glanced towards Mariah, who was saying goodbye to Andrew. He had given her a posy of flowers from the hot houses, as he had every day since she recovered her senses and lay resting in her bedchamber.
Mariah came up to them then and offered her hand to Jane, who took it and held it to her cheek. ‘I can never thank you enough, Jane dearest. Andrew told me that you persuaded that man to search for me. Had he not found me—’ She shuddered. ‘I am fortunate to be alive for I should never have married
him
.’
‘Hush, you must try to forget what happened.’
‘Yes, I shall,’ Mariah said, a determined look in her eyes. ‘But I shall never forget what you and your brother have
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