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She nodded, battling back fresh tears.
Muttering curses under his breath, Old Gregory helped her up into Daniel’s saddle. She had to bunch up her skirts, and strain to reach the stirrups, but she’d manage.
She allowed Jupiter plenty of slack as she rode across the fields and roads. Darkness fell but Jupiter knew the way home because Daniel visited her nearly every day.
When she reached Hartfield House, Sir Malcolm’s carriage was waiting by the front steps. The horses were restless and stamping their hooves, the coachman and grooms already mounted.
A shocked groom helped her dismount from her saddle.
The door of the carriage opened and Daniel climbed down. “What are you doing here, Indy?”
“I brought Jupiter back. What areyoudoing?” Her lip trembled. “Leaving without saying good-bye?”
“We’re going to stay with Sir Malcolm for a time,” explained the duchess, leaning out of the carriage door. “At his estate near London.”
“Father’s dead,” said Daniel, his face expressionless and striped with shadows from the light of the lanterns mounted on the carriage.
Colin, his younger brother, whimpered softly from inside the carriage, and his mother placed her arm around his shoulders.
“I know. I’m so sorry.” She wanted to fling her arms around Daniel but everyone was watching them. “Please take me with you. I can’t stay here. My father forbade us to wed but I told him we would marry with or without his consent.”
“Of course we’ll marry, you dolt,” said Daniel.
“Then take me with you,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry, my dear,” said the duchess. “I wish we could take you. I know your home is not a happy one.”
“We’ll be back soon,” said Daniel, conviction filling his eyes. “It’s not true what they’re saying about Father. It can’t be true.”
“Of course it’s not true.” Indy reached into her pocket and drew out the handkerchief filled with coins. “My father said something about your fortune being forfeit,” she whispered. “You take the coins. Perhaps you’ll need them.”
Nothing would help when his father was gone but she wanted to give him something.
Daniel gently pushed the coins away. “Give them to the museum, as we agreed.”
“We must go now. Say your farewells, Daniel.” His mother turned to Sir Malcolm. “H-he’s not Daniel anymore, is he? He’s Ravenwood now.”
“That’s right. He’s the duke now,” said Sir Malcolm.
Daniel shifted his shoulders into a solid line. “I’m the duke.” He said it as though it had just occurred to him, as though it was a heavy burden to bear.
He bent forward and for a moment she thought he meant to kiss her, but instead he plucked a coin from the air near her ear and held it out. “Good-bye, Indy.”
“Where did that come from?”
“Had it up my sleeve.” One side of his lip quirked, a glimmer of her carefree friend resurfacing.
She took the Minerva coin, struggling not to cry. “G-good-bye.”
He climbed back into the carriage and a groom closed the door.
She ran after the carriage, lungs aching and legs on fire, until it became a black speck in the distance, until she was sure they weren’t going to turn around and come back for her.
She slumped against a sturdy tree trunk by the side of the road. The tears came then, sliding down her cheeks like warm rain.
Her fingers still clutched the coin Daniel had given her.
Minerva with her spear and owl imprinted on her palm.
