Elizabeth shook her head, unable to find the words to tell Annie how she felt.“Ye see how miserable yer feelin’?”
“Miserable would be a good word to describe my emotions,” Elizabeth said, understanding the obvious.
“The longer ye wait the harder it will be.”
“I know, Annie.”Elizabeth sighed and looked at her.“I’ve already heard this lecture from Tiffany.And I’m going to tellhim.I promise.”I just don’t know how, she didn’t say out loud.
Annie nodded her approval.“Good.”
Dawson brought Tiffany back, pulling on her hand.He had picked her a flower, too.
“I like her,” Dawson said as he looked up at Tiffany and grinned.“She said she’d play with me.
“Good.I hope you are going to be good friends, and when Tiffany has her baby you will have someone else to play with.”
Dawson screwed his face into a frown.“Are you going to have the baby tomorrow?”Dawson asked Tiffany, seriously.
Tiffany laughed.“Good Lord, I hope not.No, Dawson, it will be a little while.In the meantime, you can play with me.”
“Come on, let’s go,” Dawson said as he ran toward the house and motioned for the rest to follow.
The next morning,Giles came to Elizabeth as she was eating breakfast.“A rider has arrived with a message for you, mum.He’s in the foyer.”Elizabeth pushed back her chair and stood.She suspected it was a message from Jonathan ordering her to return to London at once.It would be just like him.
“Do you suppose ...?”Tiffany was thinking the same question that Elizabeth had on her mind.
“I don’t know, but we’ll find out in a few moments,” Elizabeth said, then left the room.She went straight to the foyer, her heels clicking on the floor.A young boy stood by the door, shoulders slumped as if he’d been riding all night.
When the messenger saw Elizabeth, he straightened and handed her the note.She immediately opened the letter and scanned the contents.Her heart plummeted to her toes.She had expected a letter from Jonathan demanding that she return to London, but not this.
She looked at the messenger, who couldn’t be more than sixteen, and said, “Wait a moment, and I’ll send a reply.”
He nodded.“Yes, mum.”
Elizabeth walked briskly to Adam’s study, picked up a quill, and penned a note back to Jonathan’s father.Returning to the foyer, she handed the boy her note.“Please make certain Lord Middlesex gets this note.”
“Yes, my lady.”He nodded.
Elizabeth looked at Giles.“Please have the kitchen prepare something for this lad to eat before his return journey.”
She watched them leave, then went back to the breakfast room where she sank into her chair.Her legs had done well to support her for as long as they had.
“What’s wrong?You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Tiffany said as she patted her lips with a linen napkin.
“I’ve just received terrible news,” Elizabeth said, then looked at the empty chair.“Where is Dawson?”
“Annie took him to the nursery.She should—”
Just then the door opened and Annie swept in.“That wee one is full of energy today.”She looked at Elizabeth and immediately asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I just received a message from Lord Middlesex.They have arrested Jonathan for treason!”
“Oh, my God!”Tiffany said.
“Saints above!”Annie said at the same time.
“I can’t believe it, either,” Elizabeth said, wringing her hands.“It must have happened shortly after I left.Jonathan wants me to send Derek to get Adam.Can you get him quickly?”
“Aye,” Annie nodded.“Derek is in St Ives.But ’twill take him too long to reach Adam in America.”
