Page 4 of A Raven Revived

Her heart warmed and she smiled appreciatively at Ash. She was still Daisy here, with him.

“Three years ago, on the eve of what was supposed to be my wedding day, I ran. I just ran.” She breathed a long sigh. “I should have been happy to marry Geoffrey, I suppose. He was heir to a powerful earldom, after all. But he was originally betrothed to my older sister. After she drowned, I was suddenly the eldest daughter, which was written in the marriage contract, so it became my duty to fulfill the terms. Geoffrey was always so cold and unfeeling toward me, as if I were some annoyance he had to endure when in my presence. I couldn’t spend the rest of my life with someone like that. So I ran. No plan, no money, no clothes except the ones on my body.” She breathed in a shaky breath at the memory of the fear that had pushed her forward. “Eventually, I saw women coming and going from this place. They seemed to be happy and safe, so out of desperation, I decided to come here. But after a few days without food, I merely collapsed outside the gates.” She shrugged. “You know the rest.”

Ash’s brows dipped a bit. “What about your family? Your parents?”

She shrugged again. “I assume they believe me to be dead. Gerard obviously had.”

“Gerard is the man who recognized you today?”

Daisy nodded, but wasn’t sure what else to say. The truth was, he was one of the reasons she’d decided not to marry. Her heart had longed for Fitz in a way it never had for Geoffrey, and being wed to his brother would have been a kind of torture.

“And who is he to you?”

“He is Geoffrey’s youngest brother.”

“Don’t you think your family would like to know that you are alive and well?”

A panicked laugh bubbled up from her and she shook her head almost violently. “Lady Jane being dead is the best thing for everyone involved. By jilting Geoffrey, I will have brought scandal and shame down on two powerful families. If my father discovers the truth of where I’ve been all this time, he’ll likely have me committed to an asylum.” He had threatened that very thing when she’d said she didn’t want to wed Geoffrey. “I can’t go back there, Ash.”

Ash came around the desk and crouched beside her taking her hands in his. “You’re safe here, Daisy, even if this Gerard fellow does tell your family you’re here.”

“My father is a powerful man, Ash.”

Ash raised his brow. “Have you forgotten who you work for?” Daisy was one of the few people here who knew the truth about Ash and the others.

“Sometimes I forget you’re all from that world, too. But even still…”

“Now, tell me this man’s full name, and I’ll see if my men can track him down and convince him to keep your secret.”

“No! Don’t hurt him!” The words tumbled out of her in a rush.

Ash’s eyes widened and then he nodded with some kind of understanding. “So perhaps a bit more than just the brother of the man you were supposed to wed.”

She shrugged and eventually nodded. “Perhaps he was once.”

He watched her for a moment before speaking again. “You’re safe here, Daisy.” He looked into her eyes. “Do you believe me?”

“Mostly.”

“We won’t let anything happen to you. You have my word, and I hope by now, you know what that means.”

She sighed. It was hard to convince herself he was right, but Ash didn’t give his word lightly. “Thank you, Ash.” Her heartbeat was finally almost back to normal.

He squeezed her hand. “If you don’t feel like working tonight, you don’t have to.”

“I do want to work. It will help to keep my mind off everything else.”

“Very well. I’ll fill in the others so you won’t have to repeat your story.”

He opened the door and Gwen immediately wrapped a protective arm around her.

“She’d like to work tonight, but why don’t you take her to her room for now?”

“Of course,” Gwen said with a nod.

“See if you can help her find her smile. She seems to have lost it somewhere.”

His words made her do that very thing.

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