Page 123 of The Girl Out of Time
“I know.” Emmeline glanced at Sebastian.
“Go,” he said. “If Farenham can help you, go.”
She nodded, only half sure of her decision, and let Daniel lead her to a closed carriage waiting on the street. Louisa was already inside, and Daniel slipped into the seat next to his sister, following Emmeline.
“What’s going on?” Emmeline shifted her eyes between the two of them.
“Wescott ordered for Theo to be sent straight to Newgate,” Daniel said. “On no doubt false accusations. But he is Wescott and what he says goes.”
“Yes, but how doyouknow that?” she asked.
“Cass told me. Her father locked her in after she and Theo had fought him. She was only able to escape tonight, after you’d come to confront him.”
“Cass …” Louisa shook her head. “As in Lady Cassiopeia? Wescott’s daughter? Why on Earth is she tellingyouabout these things?”
“Because she’s—we’re—” Daniel ran a hand through his hair. Emmeline had never seen him this flustered before. “We have a relationship.”
“You—a what?” Louisa shot from her seat, nearly hitting her head on the ceiling. “You’re consorting with my enemy?”
“Your enemy?” Daniel scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment. “Be just like Father, why don’t you?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Emmeline quietly inspected Daniel; his mouth, contorted into a grim line, the sad shine in his eyes. “You’re Romeo and Juliet,” she whispered. “Your fathers are mortal enemies.”
“Papa? And Wescott?” Louisa said.
Daniel glanced away from the houses passing by the carriage window and took in Emmeline and Louisa. “Father and Wescott dueled a long time ago. Father injured Wescott—he was unable to sire any more children. Left without an heir.”
“Which is why he sought out Theo,” Emmeline said.
“But he needed Cass to marryhim,” Daniel said with a scowl. “Not the son of his worst enemy.”
“I think I might need some salts,” Louisa breathed.
“I’m sorry,” Emmeline said to Daniel. “This is all my fault, isn’t it?”
“It’s Wescott’s,” Daniel responded. “Father may have injured him, but Wescott’s actions following that are his alone. Besides, I have to thank you. When I came home last summer, I was in one hell of a mood.”
“Because of Wescott?”
He nodded. “He found out about Cass and me. Father also found out and thought the solution was to arrange a marriage for me. I behaved like an absolute brute, but you didn’t let that slide. You made those months a lot more bearable than they would’ve been otherwise.”
“What’s going to happen to you and Cass now?” Emmeline asked.
“She’s hiding at my place. We’re going to Gretna Green.”
Louisa, who’d just calmed down, jumped off her seat again. “Daniel, have you lost your mind?”
“If it were anyone else, you’d enjoy the gossip, wouldn’t you?”
“Well, that’s hardly fair—”
“Let them be,” Emmeline said.
Daniel gave her a small smile.
The carriage drew to a halt in front of a long, gray-bricked building with foreboding, stern-looking walls. Daniel opened the door as soon as they stopped. “You two wait here. I’ll arrange for a visit.” And he was gone.
