“I spoke the truth to Norah. And to you,” Jeremy said in a quiet voice. “And that’s all I can say. I trust you’ll understand.”
“But I don’t—” Norah started.
“Now I ought to get back.” Jeremy gestured toward the guard, who began walking toward them. “I love you, Norah. I miss you and everyone else every day. If you’re able to write, I have the privilege of sending and receiving letters.”
Norah nodded, her throat tightening. There was so much more she wanted to know. So much Jeremy hadn’t said. And now he was leaving, and she couldn’t come back for three months—if she dared to defy her parents again. And if Stuart would acquiesce to accompany her a second time.
“Jeremy,” she said, forcing his name past the lump in her throat. “I’ll write.”
He flashed her that smile she remembered so well. If her letters could make him smile like that, she’d write hundreds and hundreds of them.
“Wait here,” the guard instructed before leaving with Jeremy.
The door shut behind her brother, and Norah swallowed hard. She knew two things for certain now.
First, Jeremy was most definitely innocent of the crimes for which he’d been imprisoned.
And second, it was up to her to find a way to help him. But she couldn’t do it alone.
“Stuart.” She whirled around to face him. “I need your help.”
Chapter Four
THAT FIRE WAS BACKin Norah’s eyes. The one that had blazed when Stuart had originally declined to bring her here to visit Jeremy. It was the sort of look that would make it nearly impossible to say no to her.
But Stuart had the sneaking suspicion that what she was about to ask him was something he wanted no part of at all.
“Of course I’ll help you if I can,” he found himself saying despite every alarm sounding in his mind.
“We must prove Jeremy’s innocence. Youknowhe didn’t commit those crimes. I know you’re angry, and anger makes people say things they wish they hadn’t. You want to believe him—I know you do.” Her lips pressed together in determination and she watched him with an expression that almost dared him to say no to her.
He had to step around this very carefully. Under no circumstances did he want Norah running off to do this on her own if he disagreed. Yet he also didn’t want to get her hopes up. It would be so much easier if she could simply believe the truth of the matter.
Jeremy wasn’t the brother she’d known.
“That could prove to be very difficult,” he said gently.
