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Chapter Thirteen
The moment Miss Dowding had departed from Hawthorne House, Jane exclaimed, “You abducted my friend?!”
Baldwin sighed before turning back towards his sister. “She shouldn’t have told you that.”
“Why?” Jane asked, placing a hand on her hip. “Is it because you want to keep up the pretense of being such an honorable lord?”
“If you would like to talk about this, I suggest that we adjourn to the privacy of my study,” Baldwin said. His tone brooked no argument, and he started walking towards the rear of the townhouse.
Jane followed closely behind, and he could practically feel her piercing gaze on his back. He stopped in front of the open door and stood to the side. Once Jane had entered, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the drink cart, knowing he would need something strong to drink to help him with this conversation.
As he removed the stopper from the decanter, he asked, “What is on your mind, dear sister?”
“You abducted my friend.”
“To say that would imply she wasn’t in on the ruse.”
“Do you have no remorse?”
Baldwin poured himself a drink before he responded. “I do not,” he replied. “Because of Miss Dowding’s cooperation, we were able to rescue five girls who had gone missing and saved them from a life of slavery.”
“Did you not concern yourself with Madalene’s reputation in the least?”
“I care greatly,” he replied, “which is why every care was taken to ensure no one discovered what we intended to do.”
“Madalene said you left her alone with the girls while you went off to have a drink with the person who tied her hands together.”
“That is true.” He took a sip of his drink.
Jane eyed him suspiciously as she lowered her voice. “Why are you even associating with those types of people?”
“You do not need to concern yourself with that.”
“You cannot possibly be in earnest!” she exclaimed in disbelief.
With his drink in his hand, Baldwin walked over to his desk and sat down. “Why do you say that?”
“Because if word ever got around Town that you were associating with those types of people, you would damage our family’s reputation.”
“No one will ever know,” he gave her a pointed look, “unless you intend to tell them.”
“Why would I intentionally ruin our reputation amongst the ton?”
Baldwin brought the glass up to his lips. “Frankly, I don’t know what to think about you anymore.”
“I feel the same way about you,” she countered.
He considered his sister for a moment before saying, “We can’t keep going on this way. We need to sort out our differences and move on.”
“Move on?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. “You just want me to forgive you for abandoning our family and be done with it?”
“I understand your hostility—”
She cut him off. “No, you don’t,” she declared. “When Father died, I needed you here. I needed my brother, but you left, without an explanation.”
“And I am sorry for that.”
“Are you?” she asked.
