Harry looked back at the girls. “And you require me and your mother to go and appeal to his sense of fairness?” He shook his head in something akin to despair. “The sense of fairness you think a man who tried to murder his gardener’s boy might possess?”
Lissy managed an apologetic grin. “Now that you put it like that…”
Harry got to his feet. “I will return to Rampton, but not to try approaching Sir Julian, and certainly not in the company of your mother.” He paused. “I was prepared to face him in a duel when I thought him sane, but, if he is not, as it seems possible, then that would be wrong.”
“Not at all a good idea,” Mims said. “That’s what we’ve been telling you.”
Harry nodded. “Thank you for this intervention. After how he behaved this morning, I think it would be best if you girls remain here as it seems to me he might well be dangerous. I shall ride over to Rampton and bring your mother back here for her own safety. That seems to me the best idea. And then we can decide what course of action to take.”
The last thing he wanted as he began his new life as owner of Windrush and husband to Miranda was a deranged would-be suitor of hers just a few miles away. But how to deal with this? The most important thing was to keep Miranda and her daughters safe, and then he could decide how to deal with the unhinged Sir Julian. How lucky he was himself a medical man with past experience of mental disturbance. And that he also had friends with more experience than he had. Sir Julian would have to be persuaded to consult one of them. That was going to be the hardest bit. There was little alternative to being institutionalized and doing that might prove difficult. Sir Julian was not about to go easily. Perhaps Miranda might be able to persuade him.
He went to the door. “Please make yourselves at home. I’ll be back shortly with your mother.”
“Don’t forget Betsey,” Megs said. “She won’t be safe from him either.”
At least none of them were clamoring to accompany him.
He gave them all a confident smile, despite his inner turmoil. “It’s less than a mile. I’ll be back before you know it. Just wait here and I’ll have your mother with you within the hour.”
They nodded as one, their belief that he could sort out this problem touching.
And he headed to the stables.
