Six

Mr.George poked his finger at Sarah's shoulder and growled, Do not move. He took a few steps toward the door, and that was all the time Sarah

needed to make a mad dash for the open window But the vicar was fast, and his strength was fueled by rage. He threw her back down on the bed, giving her face another vicious slap. Zara! he barked. "Get me a sheet.Zara blinked. I beg your pardon? A sheet!" he bellowed.

"Yes, Papa, she said, scurrying off to the linen closet. In a, she merged carrying a clean white sheet. She handed it to her father, who then began to methodically ear it into long strips. He bound Sarah's ankles together, then tied her hands n front of her. There, he said, surveying his work. She won't be going anywhere this evening.

Sarah stared at him mutinously. I hate you she said in a low voice. I will hate you forever for doing this. Her father shook his head. You'll thank me someday.No.I won't. Sarah swallowed, trying to work the quiver out of her voice. I used to think that you were second only to God, that you were all that was good and pure and kind. But now—Now I see then you are nothing but a small

man with a small mind.

Mr.George shook with rage, and he raised his hand to strike her again. But at the last moment brought, down to his side. Zara, who'd been chewing on her lower lip in the corner, stepped timidly forward and said, She'll catch a chill, Dad. Just let me cover her. She pulled the blankets up over Sarah's shaking body, leaning down to whisper, I'm so sorry. Sarah shot her sister a grateful look and then rolled herself over so she was facing the wall. She didn't want to give her father the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Zara sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at their father with what she

hoped was a gentle expression. "I'll just sit with her if you don't mind. I don't think she should be alone just now."

Mr.George's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? he said."I'll not leave you to untie her and let her run off to that lying bastard. He yanked on Zara's arm and pulled her to her feet. As if he would ever marry

her, he added, shooting a scathing glance at his elder daughter.

Then he pulled Zara from the room and proceeded to tie her up, too.

"Goddamn it, Edward bit out. Where the hell is she?"

Sarah was now more than an hour late. Edward imagined her raped, beaten,

and killed—all of which were extremely unlikely to have occurred on her short walk

down the road, but his heart was still icy with fear. Finally, he decided to throw caution to the wind, and he left his curricle and belongings unattended as he ran up the road to her house. The windows were dark, and he crept alongside the outer wall to her window. It was open, its curtains ruffling gently in the breeze.

A sick sensation formed in his stomach as he leaned forward. There, in the bed, was Sarah. She was facing away from him, but there was no mistaking that glorious black hair. Cozily bundled beneath her quilts, she appeared to be

asleep.

Edward sank to the ground, landing in a silent heap.

Asleep. She'd gone to bed and left him waiting in the night. She hadn't even sent a note.

He felt something turn in his gut as he realized that is father must have been right all along. Sarah had decided that he was not such a catch without his money and title. He thought about the way she'd pleaded with him to make amends with his father—amends that ld surely result in the restoration of his fortune. He

thought she'd asked that out of concern for his well-being, but now he realized she'd never been concerned with anyone's well-being but her own. He'd given her his heart, his soul. And it wasn't enough. ten hours later, Sarah was racing through the woods. Her father had

kept her prisoner through the night and morning and well into the afternoon. He had untied her with a stern lecture about behaving herself and honoring her father, but she let only twenty minutes go by before she climbed through her

window and ran off. Edward was going to be frantic. Or furious. She didn't know which, and she was more than a little apprehensive about finding out. Village Manor came into view, and Sarah forced herself to slow down.

She had never been to Edward's home; he had always come to call at her cottage.

She realized now, after the marquess's vehement opposition to their betrothal,

that Edward had been afraid his father would treat Sarah rudely.

With a trembling hand, she knocked on the door.

A liveried servant answered, and Sarah gave him her name, telling him that

she wished to see the duke. He is not here, miss," was the reply.

Sarah blinked. I beg your pardon.

"He left for America early this morning.

But that's not possible!"

The servant gave her a condescending look. "The marquess did ask to see you,

should you call?"

Edward's father wanted to speak with her? That was even more unbelievable

than the fact that Edward had left for America. Numbly Sarah let herself be led through the great hall and into a small sitting room. She glanced around her surroundings. The furnishings were far more opulent than anything she and her family had ever owned, and yet she knew instinctively that she had not been shown to the best sitting room.

A few minutes later the duke of Village appeared. He was a tall man and looked very much like Edward, except for the little white frown lines around his mouth. And his eyes were different—flatter, somehow.

"You must be Miss," he said.

"Yes," she replied, holding herself tall. Her world was falling apart, but she wasn't going to let this man see it. "I'm here to see Edward."

"My son has left for America." The Duke paused. To look for a wife.

Sarah flinched. She couldn't help it. He told you this?"

The Duke didn't speak, preferring to take a moment to assess the state of the situation and admit the ed to him, that he had planned to elope with this girl, but that

she had proven false. Sarah's presence at Village, combined with her almost desperate demeanor seemed to point to the contrary. d, not hacked his band vowed never t return to the district. But the duke was damned if he was going to let his son throw his life away over this little nobody.

And said, Yes. It is high time he married, don't you think? I cannot believe you're asking me that. My dear Miss., You were nothing but a diversion. Surely you know that. Sarah said nothing, merely stared at him in horror.

"I don't know whether my son managed to have his fun with you or not. Frankly, I don't particularly care. You can't speak to me like that. My dear girl, I can speak to you any way I damn well,e. As I was saying, you were a diversion. I cannot condone my son's actions, of course; it is a touch unsavory to go about deflowering the daughter of the local vicar."He did no such thing!

The duke looked at her with a condescending expression. However, it is your job to keep your virtue intact, not his. And if you failed in that endeavor,

well, then that's your problem. My son made you no promises."

"But he did, Sarah said in a low voice.

Village cocked a brow. "And you believed him?"

Sarah's legs went instantly numb, and she had to clutch the back of a chair for support. Oh, my good Lord," she whispered. Her father had been right all along. Edward had never meant to marry her. If he had he would have waited to

see why he had not been able to meet him. He probably would have seduced her

somewhere on the way to Gretna…

Sarah didn't even want to think about the fate that had almost befallen her. She remembered the way Edward has asked her to show him" how he loved him, how earnestly he'd tried to convince her that their intimacies were not

sinful. She shuddered, losing her innocence in the space of a second.

"I suggest you leave the district, my dear," the duke said. "I give you my word that I shan't speak of your little affair, but I cannot promise that my son will be as close-lipped as I.

Edward. Sarah swallowed. The thought of seeing him again was agony. Without another word she turned and left the room. Later that night she spread a newspaper open across her bed, scanning the advertisements for positions. The next day she posted several letters, all applying

for the post of governess. Two weeks later, she was gone.

California America.

Five years later Sarah chased the four-year-old across the lawn, tripping over her skirts so

frequently that she finally snatched them up in her hands, not caring that her ankles were bared for the world to see. Governesses were supposed to behave with the utmost decorum, but she had been chasing the tiny tyrant for the better part of an hour, and she was about ready to give up on propriety altogether. Fairy!" she yelled. Fairy Stop your running this instant!"The fairy didn't show the least inclination to down Sarah rounded the corner of the house and halted, trying to discern which way the child had run. Fairy!" she called out. Fairy!"

No answer.

"Little monster," Sarah muttered.

"What did you say, Miss Sarah?"

Sarah swung around to face Lady Fairy, her employer. Oh! I beg your pardon, my lady. I did not realize you were here."

"Obviously," the older lady said acidly, or you wouldn't have called my son such filthy names."

Sarah didn't much think that little monster qualified as filthy, but she bit down her retort and instead replied, I meant it as an endearment, Lady Fairy. Surely you must know that. I do not approve of sarcastic endearments, Miss Sarah. I suggest you spend your evening reflecting upon the presumptuousness of ur ways. It is not your place to assign nicknames to your betters. Good day. It was all Sarah could do not to gape as Lady Fairy turned on her heel and swept away. She didn't care if Lady Fairy's husband was a baron. There was no way in this world that she would ever think of a five-year-old

Fairy as her better. She gritted her teeth and yelled Fairy!"

"Miss Sarah!"

Sarah groaned inwardly. Not again.

Lady Fairy took a step toward her, then stopped, lifting her chin imperiously in the air. Sarah had no choice but to walk over to her and say,

"Yes, my lady?"

"I do not approve of your uncouth elling. A lady ever raises her voice.

"I am sorry, my lady. I was only trying to find a young Master If you had been watching him properly, you would not find yourself in this

situation."

It was Sarah's opinion that the boy was as slippery as an eel and that Admiral himself couldn't have held on to him for more than two minutes, but she kept these thoughts private. Finally, she said, I am sorry, my lady."

Lady Fairy's eyes narrowed, clearly indicating that she didn't for one minute believe that Sarah's apology was sincere. See that you behave with more decorum this evening.

"This evening, my lady?

"The house party, Miss Sarah. The older woman sighed as if it were the twentieth time she'd had to explain this to Victoria when in truth she'd never before mentioned it. And the lower servant spoke to Sarah, so she was rarely privity to gossip.