She sank down onto the stair.
Why,whycouldn’t she just leave him? Why—even now—did her heart recognize his confusion? Not just recognize, butfeel?
And why in heaven’s name, ifshecould feelhisdeepest, conflicting emotions, couldn’t he properly read the simplest of hers?
The door to the tavern opened, and a maid slipped through—no one she’d seen before. Although, Jack had mentioned a sister, hadn’t he?
“Carol?”
The maid nodded, pressed her fingers to her lips, and then motioned for Julia to follow her into the kitchens at the far end of the stairwell.
“Miss,” she whispered. “Me mum sent me back to find the gent. You’ll do, though, I suppose.”
Julia glanced down at her breeches. “Miss?”
The maid lifted her brow. “If you’ll pardon, no man stands like that.”
“Did you require something?” Julia asked testily. “And why are we whispering?”
“A man and a woman just arrived. They’re in the tavern, talking to my pa. The man says he’s a rector from the village of Southford and they’re after a young lady and an earl”—Carol looked Julia up and down—“possibly eloping.”
Julia sucked in.
Rector Chandler?
Just like that, she was cold once more.
The rector had married her parents. Christened her and her brother and sister. Knew about—and had kept to himself—Julia’s fascination with Rayne, Rayne’s past behavior, and Markham’s disapproval.
If he’d come, he hadn’t come to expose them. He’d come to save her reputation, to give her a chance to turn back.
“Although,” Carol continued, “if you don’t mind my saying, he doesn’t look like a rector to me, any more than you look like a lady… Though I’ve been known to be wrong. So, what should I tell them?”
Julia glanced up the stairs.Rayne.
She looked over at the door to the tavern.Rector.
If she meant to leave Rayne, to banish him from her mind forever…thiswas her chance.
A chance she was not going to take.
Julia slipped her hand into her pocket and took out a coin. “Well,haveyou seen a young lady and an earl?”
“Can’t say as I have. The only people who came from the South last night were a middling sort of country gentleman and his valet…only, I can’t quite recall where they said they were heading…”
“Tell them East,” Julia lied. “Toward London.”
“Now I recall. When they left early this morning, they was heading East to London.” She changed her tone. “Greg’s your postilion. I’ll have him ready the carriage at the far side of the barn. You better move fast—all the way to Scotland.”
Julia exhaled. “I’ll collect the middling country gentleman.”
As quiet as she could, Julia raced back up the stairs. She opened the chamber door, breathless. “Get your valise.” She inhaled. “We have to go.” Another deep breath. “Now.”
Rayne cocked his head. “Didn’t I just tell you—?”
“Rector Chandler is below stairs,” she interrupted. “There’s no time to argue.”
Rayne strode to the window and opened the curtain, cursing under his breath.
