her home. He had truly been her enemy, though perhaps not intentionally.
‘Something has upset you,’ he said, eyes narrowed as he looked at her. ‘What has your uncle said to you?’
Her throat was tight as she said, ‘I am no longer welcome here. He wants me gone as soon as...as soon as you are able to fend for yourself. Since you are so much better, he will probably bid me leave tomorrow.’
‘If he does, I shall leave with you.’ He swore angrily, saying as she flinched, ‘Forgive me, but the stupidity of credulous men who harbour such foolish ideas makes me furious. You are not a witch, Mistress Babs. You have done no harm to any and a great deal of good to me. It was my stupid tongue...and yet it was the reason he sought to promote a match between us. He already suspected you and wanted to keep his son safe from your influence. I think he thought you might bewitch the boy when he came home from college.’
‘I do not even care for my cousin...’ Babette wiped a tear from her cheek, tossing her head defiantly. ‘What have I done that he should think so ill of me? I have not flaunted myself, wearing only plain dresses and no jewellery—why should he think me so wicked? What have I done to deserve his distrust?’
‘I think it was rather your mother he thought a witch...until my foolish jest and the way you saved my life by your quick thinking. I am at fault and so I shall make reparation. I shall leave tomorrow and take you with me. My men and I will escort you to within a safe distance of your home.’
Babette felt tears sting her eyes. Once her pride would have rejected his offer instantly, but now she knew that she needed his protection and she was grateful for his offer. Yet even as she looked at him, her thoughts were of his own needs.
‘You must rest longer, sir. You lost much blood.’
‘And would have lost more were it not for your quick action. I cannot lie here and see you mistreated.’
Her uncle might send her away, and alone the journey would be hard and dangerous. She must allow him to help her, though it went ill with her pride.
‘You may not be fit enough to leave in the morning.’
‘I shall be fit enough to ride,’ he said and smiled. ‘I have been worse, yet still managed to do my duty. Do not concern yourself for me, Mistress Babs. Had I not made a stupid remark in jest you would not have been turned from your home.’
He spoke but the plain truth, and she needed his help.
She nodded, turning away from him before the tears could shame her. Leaving his chamber, she ran up the stairs intending to wash her face in cool water before returning to the kitchen. As she reached the door to her room, Angelina came running to her in tears.
‘You mustn’t go,’ she said. ‘I was lonely and bored before you came—and I shall be again. Please, take me with you. I want to come and stay with you, Babs. I love you.’
‘I wish that I might ask you to stay,’ Babette said. ‘With all my heart I wish you were my sister and not my cousin. Your father would not allow you to come with me, Angelina. He thinks I am... He thinks me a bad influence on you.’
‘He is wrong. Mother was always telling me to be more like you and praising you, but now she seems almost afraid to speak your name within his hearing. What have you done that was so terrible?’
‘I have done nothing save cut the ball from Captain Colby’s shoulder and given him a fever mixture to make him well. Please do not believe ill of me, Angie—no matter what people say of me. I promise you that I mean neither you nor your family harm. I love you and my aunt...’
‘But not my father?’ Angelina raised her head. ‘I do not love him, either. He is stern and cold and I want to laugh and run in the meadows with you—not sit here and read my Bible.’
‘You must obey your father and mother,’ Babette said. ‘If there were some way that you could come to me, I should welcome you—but only if it is allowed.’ She
‘Something has upset you,’ he said, eyes narrowed as he looked at her. ‘What has your uncle said to you?’
Her throat was tight as she said, ‘I am no longer welcome here. He wants me gone as soon as...as soon as you are able to fend for yourself. Since you are so much better, he will probably bid me leave tomorrow.’
‘If he does, I shall leave with you.’ He swore angrily, saying as she flinched, ‘Forgive me, but the stupidity of credulous men who harbour such foolish ideas makes me furious. You are not a witch, Mistress Babs. You have done no harm to any and a great deal of good to me. It was my stupid tongue...and yet it was the reason he sought to promote a match between us. He already suspected you and wanted to keep his son safe from your influence. I think he thought you might bewitch the boy when he came home from college.’
‘I do not even care for my cousin...’ Babette wiped a tear from her cheek, tossing her head defiantly. ‘What have I done that he should think so ill of me? I have not flaunted myself, wearing only plain dresses and no jewellery—why should he think me so wicked? What have I done to deserve his distrust?’
‘I think it was rather your mother he thought a witch...until my foolish jest and the way you saved my life by your quick thinking. I am at fault and so I shall make reparation. I shall leave tomorrow and take you with me. My men and I will escort you to within a safe distance of your home.’
Babette felt tears sting her eyes. Once her pride would have rejected his offer instantly, but now she knew that she needed his protection and she was grateful for his offer. Yet even as she looked at him, her thoughts were of his own needs.
‘You must rest longer, sir. You lost much blood.’
‘And would have lost more were it not for your quick action. I cannot lie here and see you mistreated.’
Her uncle might send her away, and alone the journey would be hard and dangerous. She must allow him to help her, though it went ill with her pride.
‘You may not be fit enough to leave in the morning.’
‘I shall be fit enough to ride,’ he said and smiled. ‘I have been worse, yet still managed to do my duty. Do not concern yourself for me, Mistress Babs. Had I not made a stupid remark in jest you would not have been turned from your home.’
He spoke but the plain truth, and she needed his help.
She nodded, turning away from him before the tears could shame her. Leaving his chamber, she ran up the stairs intending to wash her face in cool water before returning to the kitchen. As she reached the door to her room, Angelina came running to her in tears.
‘You mustn’t go,’ she said. ‘I was lonely and bored before you came—and I shall be again. Please, take me with you. I want to come and stay with you, Babs. I love you.’
‘I wish that I might ask you to stay,’ Babette said. ‘With all my heart I wish you were my sister and not my cousin. Your father would not allow you to come with me, Angelina. He thinks I am... He thinks me a bad influence on you.’
‘He is wrong. Mother was always telling me to be more like you and praising you, but now she seems almost afraid to speak your name within his hearing. What have you done that was so terrible?’
‘I have done nothing save cut the ball from Captain Colby’s shoulder and given him a fever mixture to make him well. Please do not believe ill of me, Angie—no matter what people say of me. I promise you that I mean neither you nor your family harm. I love you and my aunt...’
‘But not my father?’ Angelina raised her head. ‘I do not love him, either. He is stern and cold and I want to laugh and run in the meadows with you—not sit here and read my Bible.’
‘You must obey your father and mother,’ Babette said. ‘If there were some way that you could come to me, I should welcome you—but only if it is allowed.’ She
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