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Authors: Anne Herries
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full name yet. She knows only that my name is George.’
‘So it is, though not the name most use for you.’ Martha frowned at him. ‘Why have you been lying to the poor lass? I hope she is not in trouble because of you?’
‘No, not exactly.’ George sighed and raked his thick dark hair back from his face. ‘I had better start at the beginning when Verity asked me to help her.’
‘Ah, Verity is mixed up in this.’ Martha frowned. ‘I might have known. She was forever in a scrape when she was young and who did she ask to help her out? You’ve taken many a beating to save her, Master George.’
He smiled and shook his head. ‘She is my sister. I love her—and after Mama died I hadto protect her. Father was a bully—and now her husband is much the same.’
‘Yes, well, I can imagine what she has been up to,’ Martha said. ‘What I want to know is what it has to do with the young woman upstairs…’
* * *
Jane sighed and opened her eyes, looking into the face of the woman bending over her. For a moment she could not think where she was, but then everything came rushing back and she gave a little cry.
‘Where is George? Is he still here?’
‘No, lass, he had things to do that would not wait. He asked me if you would be safe and I told him I would look after you. He was happy with that and went off first thing this morning before it was light.’
‘But I wanted to say goodbye. I never really thanked him for all he has done for me.’
‘You’ll have chance enough when he comes back, lass.’
‘He is coming back?’ Jane snatched at the hope and it eased the curious pain in her breast.
‘He told me to say that he will be here in two or three days.’
‘Oh—I thought he was going to London, but he could not travel so far in that time. I’m notsure where I am, but I know it is a long way from London and my home.’
‘You are in Wiltshire, lass. We are but twenty miles from Alderbury.’
‘Then I am some distance from my brother’s hunting box, but not as far from help as I had feared. If I could reach Alderbury, I might be known for we visit often when staying at my brother’s estate in this part of the country, though his family seat is near Avonlea and that is my home. I am not sure how best to get home—will George take me when he returns?’
‘I don’t know, lass. He said he had several things to do, but would be here in two days unless unavoidably detained. I don’t know anything about London. I dare say he will tell you what he has been up to when he returns.’
‘Yes, perhaps.’ Jane gazed at her thoughtfully. ‘I am sorry to be so much trouble to you, ma’am.’
‘Nay, lass, call me Martha. I’ve never been ma’am to anyone. Some call me a witch, some call me Martha the wise woman, and some won’t use my name at all. I do no harm to any, but there are those that fear me.’
‘The tisane you gave me during the nighthelped me,’ Jane said. ‘I shall call you Martha, as George does—if you will permit it?’
‘Yes, of course, lass. So what should I be calling you?’
‘My name is Jane—Jane Lanchester.’
‘Well, Miss Jane…what are we to do about this wicked rogue who has snatched your friend, then? Master George has gone to see what he can find out, but I doubt a rogue like that will be easy to find.’
‘He could be almost anywhere.’ Jane smothered a sob. ‘He may harm her if he isn’t stopped in time—and that will be my fault for delaying George. Had I not interfered he might have found her by now.’
‘Mebbe and mebbe not,’ Martha said. ‘’Twas a rash thing you did, Mistress Jane—but mayhap it was meant to be. Fate works in mysterious ways and it may yet turn out for the best.’
‘What do you mean?’ Jane sat up, her head whirling. ‘How can what happened be a good thing?’
‘I feel it in my bones,’ Martha said. ‘I’m no witch, mistress, but sometimes I see things—and I can read the tea leaves. I read Master George’s
‘So it is, though not the name most use for you.’ Martha frowned at him. ‘Why have you been lying to the poor lass? I hope she is not in trouble because of you?’
‘No, not exactly.’ George sighed and raked his thick dark hair back from his face. ‘I had better start at the beginning when Verity asked me to help her.’
‘Ah, Verity is mixed up in this.’ Martha frowned. ‘I might have known. She was forever in a scrape when she was young and who did she ask to help her out? You’ve taken many a beating to save her, Master George.’
He smiled and shook his head. ‘She is my sister. I love her—and after Mama died I hadto protect her. Father was a bully—and now her husband is much the same.’
‘Yes, well, I can imagine what she has been up to,’ Martha said. ‘What I want to know is what it has to do with the young woman upstairs…’
* * *
Jane sighed and opened her eyes, looking into the face of the woman bending over her. For a moment she could not think where she was, but then everything came rushing back and she gave a little cry.
‘Where is George? Is he still here?’
‘No, lass, he had things to do that would not wait. He asked me if you would be safe and I told him I would look after you. He was happy with that and went off first thing this morning before it was light.’
‘But I wanted to say goodbye. I never really thanked him for all he has done for me.’
‘You’ll have chance enough when he comes back, lass.’
‘He is coming back?’ Jane snatched at the hope and it eased the curious pain in her breast.
‘He told me to say that he will be here in two or three days.’
‘Oh—I thought he was going to London, but he could not travel so far in that time. I’m notsure where I am, but I know it is a long way from London and my home.’
‘You are in Wiltshire, lass. We are but twenty miles from Alderbury.’
‘Then I am some distance from my brother’s hunting box, but not as far from help as I had feared. If I could reach Alderbury, I might be known for we visit often when staying at my brother’s estate in this part of the country, though his family seat is near Avonlea and that is my home. I am not sure how best to get home—will George take me when he returns?’
‘I don’t know, lass. He said he had several things to do, but would be here in two days unless unavoidably detained. I don’t know anything about London. I dare say he will tell you what he has been up to when he returns.’
‘Yes, perhaps.’ Jane gazed at her thoughtfully. ‘I am sorry to be so much trouble to you, ma’am.’
‘Nay, lass, call me Martha. I’ve never been ma’am to anyone. Some call me a witch, some call me Martha the wise woman, and some won’t use my name at all. I do no harm to any, but there are those that fear me.’
‘The tisane you gave me during the nighthelped me,’ Jane said. ‘I shall call you Martha, as George does—if you will permit it?’
‘Yes, of course, lass. So what should I be calling you?’
‘My name is Jane—Jane Lanchester.’
‘Well, Miss Jane…what are we to do about this wicked rogue who has snatched your friend, then? Master George has gone to see what he can find out, but I doubt a rogue like that will be easy to find.’
‘He could be almost anywhere.’ Jane smothered a sob. ‘He may harm her if he isn’t stopped in time—and that will be my fault for delaying George. Had I not interfered he might have found her by now.’
‘Mebbe and mebbe not,’ Martha said. ‘’Twas a rash thing you did, Mistress Jane—but mayhap it was meant to be. Fate works in mysterious ways and it may yet turn out for the best.’
‘What do you mean?’ Jane sat up, her head whirling. ‘How can what happened be a good thing?’
‘I feel it in my bones,’ Martha said. ‘I’m no witch, mistress, but sometimes I see things—and I can read the tea leaves. I read Master George’s
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