Page 63 of Lady Controversial
‘Nothing to concern yourself with,’ Isolda said, kissing Jane’s brow.
‘But you do fight with a sword. I watched you practise countless times in the grounds of Crawley Place,’ Jane said, her eyes wide and scared. ‘I did not like the countess and didn’t believe her, but you did not deny it and you often go out without telling me where you are going and you have a bandage on your arm and…and…’
Jane’s breathless tumble of words stuttered to a halt.
Mrs Compton, who had waited up for the girls, glanced at Jane’s stricken features and took control.
‘Don’t you worry none, lamb. Everything your sister does, she does with your best interests at heart. Now come on, I’ll help you to bed. Everything will be as it should in the morning and all this nonsense will be forgotten. Now, tell me about that Mr Felix. Was he attentive? Did you enjoy his company?’
Brutus greeted Isolda as though she had been gone for a month rather than a few hours and danced round her feet like a whirling dervish.
‘Well, I am glad you at least are pleased to see me and do not stand in judgement of my actions,’ she said, bending to tug the dog’s ears.
Isolda seated herself at the small desk in the corner of the room. She reached for pen and ink, took a moment to reflect and then swiftly wrote out her instructions. When Mrs Compton returned, she had her sign her name as a witness to them.
‘What’s happened, love?’ she asked, falling into a chair across from Isolda.
In a dull voice, Isolda explained that the countess had told Brooke that they were in residence on this estate, and the disastrous contents of his reply.
‘That wretched man is a viper!’ Mrs Compton pursed her lips. ‘What will you do about it?’
‘What I have to in order to protect Jane and the earl, which is to apply to Brooke’s better nature.’
‘Ha! That man ain’t got one.’
‘No, but he is greedy and I can feed that greed.’
‘How?’ Mrs Compton asked, frowning.
Isolda explained. ‘If I withdraw it will satisfy the countess and she won’t want to talk about having entertained two such wanton women as Jane and me. My aunt, I am absolutely sure, will take Jane in, thereby protecting her.’
‘But what about you, love? What you plan is nothing short of reckless.’
‘But it will protect the earl, Jane will be looked after and…’ Isolda impatiently dashed at an errant tear. ‘What other way is there?’
Mrs Compton sent Isolda a considering look. ‘It’s the earl you’re willing to sacrifice yourself for, I fancy.’
Isolda had never kept secrets from a woman whom she looked upon as a second mother and had no intention of starting now. ‘He offered to marry me,’ she said starkly. ‘Obviously, I couldn’t allow him to make such a dramatic sacrifice just to get the better of Lord Brooke, but even so…’
‘You think that’s why he did it?’ Mrs Compton shook her head. ‘In which case, you’re a dolt and you ain’t half as clever as you think you are.’
Isolda yawned behind her hand. Weary to the bone, she knew sleep would elude her. ‘It doesn’t matter why he did it. All that signifies is that my plan will fix his problem and Jane’s future will be secure.’ She stood up. ‘Wake me at first light. I will walk to Rose Cottage. Give me an hour, then go up to the house and ask the earl’s man to send my letter to London by express.’ She held up a hand to ward off Mrs Compton’s protest. ‘My mind is made up and I shall not change it.’ She kissed the older lady’s cheek. ‘Good night.’
Isolda took to her mercifully warm bed and tossed and turned for what felt like hours, images of Ellery’s ardent gaze searing themselves into her mind, stirring latent passions and making her yearn for what could never be.
It felt as though she had only just fallen into a restless sleep when Mrs Compton shook her awake.
‘I suppose there’s no point trying to talk you out of this now that you’ve had time to reflect,’ she said in a whisper.
‘None whatsoever, Mrs C.’
Isolda blinked the sleep from her eyes, performed a perfunctory wash and dressed quickly in her warm woollen gown. She twisted her hair into a knot and plonked an unflattering bonnet on top of the arrangement. A thick velvet cloak with a hood and her warmest half-boots completed the ensemble.
Dawn was creeping over the horizon as she let herself out of the gatehouse, Brutus scampered at her heels, refusing to be left behind, and Isolda welcomed his company as she walked briskly in the direction of the lane that led to Rose Cottage. Her footsteps left a trail in the frosty grass but no one was about to follow them and the marks would be gone by the time anyone thought to look for her.
Ifthey ever did.
She knew that Brooke would go to Rose Cottage in person and would go early, expecting her and Jane to have returned there the previous night or at first light. He would be keen to drive home his advantage.
