‘You have it,’ Thorn said unhesitatingly. ‘I’ll never be happy with what you and Frank did, but I forgive you both. As I hope you’ll forgive me, for how I failed in being… In taking you for granted, and so much else.’
Nodding, Helen wiped the bottom of her shining eyes.
‘Thank you, Thorn.’
‘We’ve secured you a room in the village for tonight,’ Hypatia told her, and she smiled graciously. ‘I’ll accompany you, and advise you on travel arrangements for your return home.’
‘Many thanks, Lady Gadmin.’
‘Of course.’ With a nod, and a squeeze of Thorn’s hand, she rose, releasing it. The gentlemen rose too, as Helen did. ‘Thorn, we’ll leave you and Mr Smith to speak of your further arrangements.’
‘Are you sure, Hypatia?’ Thorn whispered as she turned to go, and lead Helen on. ‘You don’t have to do this. Henry, or one of the others can go.’
‘I’m sure, Thorn.’
Steadying herself with one final look in his steadying grey eyes, she smiled reassuringly, and made to go again; this time he stopped her with a blatantly possessive, and not unwelcome kiss, before finally releasing her.
‘Until later,’ he promised, raising his brow in a manner that suggested many things.
So she smiled, wider, truer, and led Helen on.
What a day this has been; and it is far from over.
‘This is truly beautiful country,’ Helen said, a few moments after they’d set off, Hypatia driving them on at a quiet, butdetermined pace in a cart, as Ian had taken her family in the carriage; their own not prepared, and Ian having been advised that his priority was to get the Quincys off the grounds by any and all means. ‘I can see its appeal.’
‘Yes, I find that I have quite fallen in love with it,’ Hypatia said, with an ease she didn’t expect to have with the woman.
But then, away from her family, from Thorn even, she found she was better able to focus on what truly lay in her heart, and the simple truth was, she bore this woman no ill-will, though she was still immensely curious about many things, some of which she might gain answers to if she had but the courage to ask; others that she would never know, yet be at peace with.
There was an understanding of her now, here, alone on the road to Sandham, in the blinding summer sunshine, a light breeze restoring both their spirits, and bruised hearts.
‘It is very good of you to take me yourself,’ Helen said, somewhat sheepishly after a long moment watching hedgerows pass them by. ‘I could’ve made my own way.’
‘I know.’
‘You’re not at all what I expected.’
‘From a countess or from the woman whom Thorn married?’
‘Both. Either,’ Helen said, a smile in her voice, and Hypatia smiled too.
‘You’re not what I expected either.’
‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘It’s meant as one.’ They fell into silence for another mile or so, Hypatia dipping her head in greeting as they passed some workers they knew, then finally, she spoke again, seizing the opportunity she doubted she would ever have again. ‘Did you come in hope of rekindling things with Thorn?’
‘I…’
Glancing over, Hypatia found the woman gaping as she searched for words; guilt in her eyes.
‘It’s all right,’ she reassured Helen, who only seemed more flustered at that. ‘It’s natural, you two shared many years together.’
‘It isn’t because of his change in circumstance,’ Helen said after a while, realising surely, that Hypatia bore her no ill-will, and that such answers and talk were needed.
‘If it was, you might’ve tried to win him back sooner,’ she commented, and Helen laughed.
‘True.’
