One Night With You (The Derrings #3)(30)

With great reluctance, she replied, "She was my nurse."

"Ah." He nodded, a strange smile curving his thin lips.

"What?" she demanded.

"It's a shame, that is all."

"A shame," she echoed.

"Yes. I fear, you shall miss her," he drawled in tones of false sympathy.

"What do you mean?"

"I've dismissed her. Moments ago, in fact."

"Dismissed her?"

"I say, Jane. You're usually not this slow to grasp matters."

"Where is she?" she demanded, anger churning her stomach.

"I told you. I have released her from my employ. Currently, she is packing her things."

"You have no right," she cried. Jerking free, she pushed open the door, intent on finding Anna. He grabbed her by the arm and spun her back around, slamming her back against the door with enough force to rattle her teeth.

"I have every right," he snapped, all pretense at kindness gone. "Until Matthew comes of age, I shall make all decisions regarding this family. Regarding you. I warned you not to challenge me."

Desperation, thick and cold, clawed at her heart. She struggled against his hold.

"Please, Desmond. Anna is…" she choked on a sob, words woefully inadequate. Everything. All I have. The only one who has loved me all of my life.

"Perhaps I'll reconsider." He shrugged, his voice slithering through her like a snake gliding through grass. "Much depends on you. On your cooperation."

"You can't dismiss her! Where will she go?"

"It's not my habit to follow the comings and goings of a servant no longer in my employ."

"You cannot do this," she hissed, hands clenching at her sides. "I've done nothing to warrant—"

"Desmond." A voice rang out from the corridor, sharp and grating. Apparently Chloris's tonic had not been strong enough, after all. "Have you finished with Jane?" Have you finished with Jane? As if she were some disobedient child that required scolding.

"Yes, Chloris. For now." With a look promising more to come, he released her and slipped from the room.

Alone in her room, she leaned against the hard length of the door, taking comfort in its temporary barrier.

"I trust she apologized," Chloris's voice drifted through the door. "I won't even hazard a guess as to where she's been. Or what she's been doing."

Jane bit the inside of her cheek to stifle the acerbic retort she longed to shout. Turning, she dragged a chair from her desk and propped it against the door. However inadequate, it reassured her. She assessed her small quarters, pacing with long strides, back and forth, back and forth, missing Anna, her comfort, her presence, steady as the tide. Her heart hammered wildly, like a butterfly trapped in her chest, beating about for escape.

Worry for Anna filled her. In the dead of night, with no place to turn, where would she go? Jane shook her head, then drew in a long, steadying breath. Anna was no shrinking flower. She would be fine. She would contact Jane. A sob scalded the back of her throat, scratchy and hot, but she held it in.

"Damn you, Desmond," she swore, her voice small as she sank onto the bed, dropping her head onto the pillow.

Her hand slid beneath the pillow to bring the fresh linen closer to her face and her fingertips met something that crinkled. Sitting up, she pulled back the pillow to stare at a piece of folded parchment. Frowning, she grasped it with greedy fingers and quickly unfolded the small square, hope unfurling in her chest.

A deep sigh escaped her lungs as she scanned the note from Anna. She pressed the missive to her heart as relief flowed through her. Anna had gone to Lucy's. Jane must have just missed her. She was safe. That was enough. That was all that mattered.

Burying her face in the pillow, she gave in to the tears, unsure why she wept. Because Anna had been taken from her and she was well and truly alone? Or because of Seth? Because tonight had been wonderful, better than the dreams that had followed her these many years… and suddenly everything in her life seemed dimmer than ever before?





Chapter 14


Jane stared at the missive, blinking several times before refolding it and slipping it back in its envelope. Stubbornly, she resisted the weakening of her will and carefully smoothed out the envelope's crinkled edges, pretending not to feel the hard, watchful eyes across the table, pretending not to hear the whispers in her head that urged her to accept the invitation, to run, to flee. If only for an afternoon.

It was the third letter from Julianne in the last fortnight—penned in Rebecca's hand. Again, she requested Jane's company. Today the request was for a drive in the park. The very prospect both tempted and dismayed. Dismay won out… as it had in the face of Julianne's previous letters. It was the chance of facing Seth that had her declining Julianne's invitations.

Weeks had passed since Vauxhall, but in no way did she possess the nerve to face Seth again. Not this soon. Perhaps not ever.

"Who is that from?" Chloris demanded.

"Lady Julianne invited me to join her in the park." Jane saw no reason to keep the truth from her. It wasn't as if she would be accepting Julianne's invitation. This day or any other.

"Again?" Chloris muttered, her tone aggrieved as she stirred her tea, the spoon clanking the inside of her cup. "Doesn't she have anything better to do than plague you? Well…" Chloris's lips twisted in a semblance of a smile and she answered herself. "Likely not, poor creature." Jane pushed aside her barely touched food. Her stomach had been off lately, ever since losing Anna, and Chloris's company did nothing if not sour it further. Rising, she dropped her napkin on the table. Even morning lessons with her nieces held greater appeal than a leisurely breakfast with Chloris.