“Tabbie!”Lily cried, launching herself from Louisa’s side.“What have they done to you?”
Tabitha spared her a long, searching glance and, finding her state satisfactory in the circumstances, returned to Jack.He had drawn her hands to his lips, softly kissing the cuts and blisters.
“She was locked in a garden shed,” Meade said tightly, “and was sawing her way out when I found her.”
But Ralph, it seemed, never knew when to give up.“The question is, why was she there?And who with?Entirely unsuitable!No wonder I am reduced to marrying my poor cousin out of hand to this kind and generous gentleman.It is all I can do to save her from this —”
“You will be quiet,” Jack said, and stunningly, Ralph was.
“This has all gone horribly wrong,” Lord Hazlett said, almost in a wail.“No one should be man-handling or hurting the duke.It is meant to be a wedding, not a prize fight.This was not what we discussed, Sark!”
“It was not whatwediscussed either, uncle,” Jack said.
The agitated Hazlett dropped his gaze, but pleaded hoarsely, “Come away from that woman, Isbourne.She is not fit...”
“Fit,” Jack repeated.
Wheatsheaf stepped forward, speaking with all the authority of his calling.“She is not.An immoral woman, fallen—”
“Immoral?”Jack stared at him so fiercely that the clergyman’s words seemed to die in his throat.“Do you hear yourself?This lady has more integrity, more honesty in her little finger than anyone else in this room has ever shown!”
“Anyone except Nat,” Lily said anxiously.
Jack’s lips twitched.“Anyone except Nat.And our hosts, who I’m sure were tricked into supplying their respectable presence.”His gaze refocused on Lord Hazlett.“You, I cannot forgive.Nor my former chaplain.In the circumstances—”
“Formerchaplain?”cried Wheatsheaf, dismayed.“But your grace, it was all for you!”
This, Tabitha suspected, was where Jack usually gave in, accepting the apology and the apparent devotion.But the duke, it seemed, had learned much.
“Why should you imagine I want a chaplain who connives at imprisoning and hurting innocent women?At forcing a young girl into marriage against her will?Conspiring with an attempted murderer—oh yes, sir, I know all about your attempt to shoot the true Lord Sark.And I’m sure those documents spread so conveniently on the table there are your attempt to embezzle me out of a considerable amount of money under the guise of a wedding settlement for Lady Lily.”
Everyone was silent now.Jack, maintaining a gentle hold on Tabitha’s torn hands, held the floor completely.
“I believe, in the circumstances, Sir Peter and Lady Hawthorn, will forgive your early departure from this house.I’m sure their footmen will be ready to escort you from the premises—within five minutes at the most, for they have supper to serve and you have disrupted the household enough.”
He returned his gaze to Tabitha and his eyes softened.“Come my love, let us see to your hurts.Lieutenant, please conduct Lady Lily to supper.”
He placed Tabitha’s hand on his arm and strolled out with a style that made Meade grin.Chivers, who had clearly if belatedly grasped the seriousness of the situation, had brought four burly footmen to oversee events.
“As his grace orders, Chivers,” Sir Peter said, sounding slightly dazed but quite determined.“Discreetly, if you please.”
***
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, Jack had bathed her hands.Allison had anointed them, brushed and sponged her gown clean, and was brushing out and restoring her hair to its former style.
“Some clean gloves, my lady, and no one will know.Are you sure you want to go back to the ball?”
“I want to dance with his grace,” she said honestly.
Allison smiled.So did Jack, watching in the mirror as the maid reaffixed Tabitha’s head-dress with jewel-headed pins.
“Your grace shouldn’t be here,” the maid pointed out as she straightened, finally satisfied.
“We’ll go down in two minutes,” Tabitha promised.“I need to see to Lily.But first, I have to speak to his grace.”
Allison inclined her head and departed without fuss.In fact, she seemed to be smiling.
Tabitha turned to face Jack.“What will you do?”
