Page 45 of A Raven Reformed

ChapterThirteen

“My lady.”

Belle slowly opened her eyes and sat up. She was still curled up in the chair in Michael’s room. Jones was halfway across the room, looking at her as if she might pounce at any moment. Perhaps she deserved that after the way she’d treated him.

“His lordship instructed me to unlock the door and check on your welfare.”

Belle rolled her eyes. “How magnanimous of him.”

Jones fidgeted nervously, and there was a bit of pity in his eyes. That was probably not a good sign. Hopefully it had nothing to do with Isaac.

“And where is his lordship now?”

“He’s gone to London, my lady.”

“Of course he has.” She closed her eyes and sighed. Running away seemed to always be his answer. “Thank you, Jones.”

“My lady,” he said with a bow and turned to leave.

“Oh, and Jones.”

He stopped in the doorway. “Yes, my lady?”

“I’m sorry if I’ve ever been short with you.”

“Not at all, my lady.”

“I appreciate you taking such good care of him.”

“Thank you for saying so, my lady.” He paused for a moment. “If it’s any consolation, he didn’t take me with him, which probably means he won’t be gone long.”

When Belle entered her dressing room a few minutes later Lizzie immediately wrapped her in a tight embrace. “What happened, Belle? There’s been some speculation below stairs, albeit inappropriate speculation, that you left and returned with a man who is your?—”

“Oh for crying out loud. Isaac is not my lover.” Belle threw off Michael’s robe. “Will you please just help me to dress? I don’t have patience for this nonsense.”

“What does Isaac have to do with any of this?”

“It’s a long story, Lizzie, and I really just want to go down and see how he’s doing. I promise I’ll tell you everything later.” Belle finally walked to the armoire and pulled out her own chemise and threw it over her head.

Lizzie helped her to dress the rest of the way in silence. Guilt gnawed at Belle’s stomach and a voice in her head nagged that it was peevish behavior like this that had caused this whole mess in the first place. She justified it by saying she needed to know Isaac was still alive and at least not worse off than he had been when last she’d seen him.

Belle wasn’t really even sure where to find him. They’d been dragging him toward the side of the house last she’d seen him, so she went outside and wandered in that direction. Ash was there, in conversation with one of the burlies, and looked surprised by her sudden appearance.

“Is something wrong, Belle?”

“No. I’ve just come to see Isaac.” She nodded toward the door.

Ash hesitated a moment before speaking. “I don’t think Michael wants you to see him.”

Right now, she didn’t really care what Michael wanted. “If Michael didn’t want me to go down there and see my friend, then he should have stuck around instead of running off to God knows where. Now let me pass. Please,” she added as an afterthought.

Ash rubbed a hand over his face with a sigh. “Fair enough.” He opened the door and gestured for her to enter. “Watch your step.”

Inside the door was a steep set of stairs leading into darkness. Ash followed her down to the bottom. The air was damp and cold against her skin. A shiver snaked through her body.

“He’s down at the end.” Ash pointed with his cane.

Belle made her way slowly down a wide corridor of sorts. It was lined on one side with a row of barred cells, a few small lanterns trying to chase away the darkness. The stone floor radiated cold. It was a place that should have echoed with screams, but instead was filled with a heavy silence.

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