Serena’s grip tightened as she dragged Jane backward toward the large Gothic window. "No, you fat pompous baby."
“Angel!” protested Mr. Burry.
Serena snarled and edged farther away. Conisbrough and Royce, moving slowly, tracked her from either side of the room.
“Serena!” pleaded Lady Elsbeth. There was a flurry of movement from outside. Lady Elsbeth blinked in surprise, then quickly recovered, her attention back on her sister. "Serena, let Jane go. It is me you want, not her.”
“I’ll see you all in hell, in the unloved hell I live in.”
“Serena, I love you. I have always loved you,” cried Lady Elsbeth. "You’re my sister!”
On the other side of the window, right behind Serena, stood Jeremy and Sir Helmsdon. They drew their arms back, poised to throw large rocks through the glass.
“I say, what?” protested Burry, seeing them behind Serena.
“Burry!” screamed Elsbeth.
But Serena had already been warned. She spun around, dragging Jane with her as the first rock came. Her hand flew up to protect her face, letting go of Jane, who collapsed on the floor. It was all the opening Royce needed. He dove for Serena’s gun hand, slamming it above her head. His momentum carried them backward, through the jagged edges of the shattered window. They landed in the grass amid a welter of broken glass.
CHAPTER 16
It was late in the afternoon. A sheet of gray clouds blanketed the sky and a fine mist had begun to fall. The lovely Gothic window was boarded up, the parlor empty and dark. Servants moved silently through the house, lighting candles and lamps. Still, a gloom pervaded Penwick, a gloom that was as much in the spirits of its inhabitants as in the dark shadows of impending night.
Jane and the gentlemen guests were in the library. Few words were spoken between them, and those few were murmured; the clock in the corner was louder, a steady beat punctuated by its half-hour and hour chime. A cheery blaze burned in the hearth, but they did not seem to notice. They sat scattered about the room, lost in private thought or the pretense of reading.
They all looked up immediately when they heard the muted sounds of conversation from the hall. They heard the front door open, then close. The men rose from their seats, and they all stared expectantly at the library door. They were rewarded when moments later the door opened to admit Lady Elsbeth.
Her face was white and haggard. She moved like a wraith into the room. Quickly Lord Conisbrough went to her side andled her to a chair near the fire. Then he went to the sideboard, poured a healthy dose of brandy into a glass, and brought it to her. The smile she bestowed on him in thanks held the glimmer of her usual expression. They all took cheer.
Jane rose from her chair and crossed to her aunt’s side. She gently touched her hand in mute inquiry.
“She lives,” Lady Elsbeth said on a long expelled breath. "The cuts were not as bad as all the blood would have us fear. We discovered after cleansing the wounds that only one required stitching. My greatest fear is that we did not get all the glass out. It would have been worse had not the window already been broken. As it was, only the right side of her body bears cuts. Most will heal nicely. A few, like the slash across her cheek, will scar, leaving a vivid memory of today.”
She sipped the brandy, coughing a little as it burned its way down her throat. She took another sip, prepared for the sensation, and leaned her head against the back of the chair. "We gave both her and Millicent laudanum. They’re sleeping peacefully.” She looked at Jane. "What shook me the most, I think, was her docility. I don’t know if she has any memory of today’s events. It’s like Serena isn’t even here anymore.” She shook her head in wonder.
Elsbeth looked down at the glass in her hand, her voice distant when she spoke. "The doctor says that from now on, she’ll need constant care and supervision.”
“No!” The single word, loaded with anguish, burst from Lord Conisbrough. He went down on his knees beside Lady Elsbeth’s chair. "No,” he repeated softly. "She will not win. I will not allow her to ruin my life a second time. You will not sacrifice our happiness for her!”
“Excuse me, Lady Elsbeth, I shall see that Lady Serena gets the care she needs,” said a humble Mr. Burry, standing in the shadows by the bookcase. When it looked like Lady Elsbethwould protest, he came forward into the light and forestalled her. "I know I ain’t much to look at, and I’m often the butt of jests, but I love Lady Serena. Have for years. I ain’t blind to her faults, either, though I do act it. Fact is, I knew she was up to mischief when we come here, I just chose to ignore it."
"But Mr. Burry?—”
“I’m a rich man. I can afford to pamper her. Take care of Mrs. Hedgeworth, too.”
Lady Elsbeth looked at him helplessly, uncertain what to say.
“It might serve,” offered Jane. "And everyone knows he’s devoted to her."
“But she may never be the same again. She may never be that woman you love. La! She is such a dissembler, I doubt she ever was!” Lady Elsbeth said, her soft hazel eyes full of doubts.
Mr. Burry rocked back on his heels, his expression grave. "I told you I love her. You could call me a liar if that mattered. I’ve been willing any time these past years to take her in sickness and in health. Well, I ain’t going to change my mind now. Mayhap love can guide her back to health.”
The Marquis of Conisbrough squeezed Lady Elsbeth’s hand. She looked at him.
“Should it really ruin your life?” she asked whimsically.
“Yes. You know it would.”
