Page 38 of A Raven Reformed

She settled into a chair with a book. After fussing over her and feeling her forehead at least three times, Lizzie eventually left her.

After a few minutes, she donned her coat and carefully made her way out the back of the house. The skies were overcast and there was a sharp chill in the wind. She scanned the surroundings for any sign of any of the men but didn’t see anyone. She sprinted across the grass for the cover of the trees, waiting again to see if anyone had seen her. All was still. Quickly and quietly she went to the tree where Isaac had left the note and then continued in the direction he’d disappeared.

Eventually, the trees opened up, and she came to a stream. She hadn’t ended up exactly at the bridge, but it wasn’t far, and there was a cottage on the other side.

She knocked nervously. The door opened, and she was tugged inside.

The cottage was dark, and she could hardly see a thing. Curtains covered all the windows, blocking out most of the light. But she could see well enough to make out Isaac’s tall form.

“You came,” he said happily.

“Isaac!” She threw her arms around him. His long limbs wrapped around her and squeezed her tight. Happy tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. When she’d left America, she thought she’d never see him again.

He stepped back and looked into her face. “No tears, Bells. You’re safe now.” He tapped the end of her nose gently with his fingertip. So much joy radiated from his smile.

“Here, sit.” The cottage was obviously abandoned, and there wasn’t much in the way of furniture, but he led her over to a small bed and she perched herself on the edge.

“What are you doing here Isaac? How did you get here? What’s going on?”

Isaac chuckled and dropped onto the floor, crossing his long legs in front of him and leaning back on his hands. “Leave it to you to ask a bunch of questions and not wait for a single response. The short answer is, I’m here to rescue you.”

“Rescue me? From what?”

“From your tyrant husband, silly.”

What was he talking about? Belle shivered. “Isaac, I don’t understand what is happening.”

“Did you forget about the promise I made you? I told you I would rescue you from your husband if you were unhappy. Of course, now I realize I should have just taken you away that night and never sent you back to be wed. I am sorry for that. But I’m here now, Bells.”

“I’m really happy to see you, Isaac. I’ve missed you, dearly. But I don’t need rescuing from my husband. He’s a good man.”

He pulled a letter from his breast pocket and handed it to her. It didn’t matter that there wasn’t enough light to read it. She recognized it anyway. She’d forgotten even sending that letter. They’d only been in England two days when she’d posted it. At that time, she was scared and angry and feeling very sorry for herself. She couldn’t remember exactly what she’d written, but she had undoubtedly exaggerated how terrible everything was.

“Oh, Isaac, I’m so sorry. I never should have sent you that letter. Things were a bit difficult at first, but the truth is, he’s never been anything but good to me.” She felt like such a fool. Even though he’d said as much, it had never occurred to her that he would actually leave his whole life behind and cross an entire ocean to rescue her. How was it even possible that he had done that?

He tipped his head and raised a disbelieving brow. “You don’t have to pretend with me, Bells. I know everything is not well. I’ve seen him abuse you.”

She recoiled from his words. “You most certainly have not!”

“I was there, Belle. At the ball. I heard him threaten you. I saw him drag you into that sitting room, and I saw you when you came back out a few minutes later, disheveled and flushed.”

“Oh God,” she said, dropping her face into her palms. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Don’t be embarrassed, Belle. You’re safe now, I promise.” He rested a reassuring hand on her knee. He truly had no idea of the reality of the situation.

“Isaac, that was not what you think it was.” He was like her brother, and this was the most humiliating conversation she’d ever had with him. Or, at least, it was about to be. “Michael didn’t do anything to me that night that I didn’t want him to do.” Belle’s cheeks were instantly on fire.

“But I heard him say he was going to—” Belle could almost see the gears turning in his mind as he worked through what she meant and what he had witnessed. He blew out a sharp puff of air.

“I know this is awkward, Belle, and I’m sorry, but I need to be absolutely certain that I understand what you’re saying.” He paused for a moment, probably trying to decide the best way to phrase whatever he was about to say. Belle steeled herself for the embarrassment she knew was coming.

“That night at the ball, when he threatened to… you went willingly into that room, and consented to, and enjoyed, everything that happened in there?”

Heat had spread to her entire face and she closed her eyes, unable to bear looking at him. “Yes.”

“Promise me?”

“Yes, Isaac. I promise. He’s a good man. In fact, he’s more than that. He’s kind and gentle and wonderful, and quite frankly, the best husband I could have asked for.”

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