“We can save all of us a great deal of time,” Miss Fairfax said. “Neither of us knows anything about where Nora is or why she disappeared. Isn’t that right, Gertie?”
The other young woman dropped her gaze. “Yes. That’s right.”
Jane didn’t believe them. How could she when one of them wouldn’t stop looking at the floor and the other was holding such intense eye contact that it felt like an over correction? She shook her head. “Please. Whatever you think of me, know that I only want to be certain my sister isn’t in danger. Even if she ran away on her own, that doesn’t mean she isn’t in trouble.”
Miss Fairfax folded her arms. There was a steel in her stare, protective and unyielding. Jane wouldn’t get through to her—she’d already made up her mind about the situation and nothing that was said would likely break through that shell. But the other girl, Gertie, was shifting.
So Jane focused her attention on her. “Please,” she said more softly. “If you haven’t heard from her since she vanished, you must be concerned, even if you believe she left of her own accord. If she’s happy, I won’t bother her.” Not entirely true, perhaps, depending on the circumstances, but at this point honesty wasn’t the best policy. “Please, Miss Greenwich.”
The young woman lifted her gaze, but before she could say anything, Miss Fairfax caught her arm and tugged her closer. “We don’t know anything. There’s nothing else to say. Come, Gertie. We’re meant to be in lessons.”
She tugged the other girl toward the door.
“Oh no, please wait!” Jane cried out, rushing toward them, but they were already bolting down the hall and Miss Knightly stepped in the way. She had clearly gathered herself and she appeared stern and unyielding again.
“It seems the young women are finished discussing whatever it is you wished to talk about, Mrs. Ripley. There’s nothing else to do or say. I’ll have your carriage brought back around. You can wait on the drive.”
Jane looked back over her shoulder at Ripley and he met her stare evenly. There was such comfort in that stare, such certainty that she couldn’t feel in this moment when it seemed like the floor had dropped out beneath her feet and all she could do was fall hopelessly.
He nodded at her slightly before he came to her and took her arm. Silently they walked to the foyer together and out onto the drive. Miss Knightly said a curt farewell that Jane hardly heard, and then she left them to wait.
“So much for her bloody manners,” Ripley muttered.
“She never knew what I was,” Jane said softly. “But she sensed I wasn’t worthy of manners, I suppose. As did those girls. They knew more, but they didn’t think I’d earned it.”
Ripley wrapped his arm around her. “We did find something out, though. Their lack of concern with Nora’s whereabouts, that says to me that they knew she intended to go. She ran, Jane. She wasn’t taken against her will.”
She nodded. “I suppose that’s something. Even though I know full well that just because she left with some grand future in mind doesn’t mean that’s what she walked into.”
Ripley drew a breath as if to respond, but before he could there was a tap on Jane’s shoulder. She swung around to find Miss Greenwich standing there. She glanced over her shoulder toward the house and then handed over a little folded message.
“What is this?” Jane said as she took it.
“That’s all I can do,” Miss Greenwich responded, and then bolted back inside.
Jane glanced up at Ripley. The carriage was arriving now, but she ignored it as she unfolded the note. The hand was sloppy and shaky, on a scrap piece of paper that had class notes written on the back. It read:
There was a young man. I don’t know his name, but Nora was going to elope.
CHAPTER 13
Ripley couldn’t see what the note Jane had been handed said, but he knew it wasn’t positive by the way she wobbled on her feet. He caught her elbow, steadying her before he opened the carriage door.
“Come, Janie,” he said softly as he helped her into the vehicle. She slumped against the carriage wall, the note crumpled in her hand. He looked up at the drive with a frown. “Just take us somewhere close and stop. I’ll give you further direction after.”
The man inclined his head and Ripley joined Jane in the carriage. She was trembling, but not crying. Somehow he wished she were. That she could release some of those fears and heartbreaks that lined every part of her face.
He reached out and cupped her hand, smoothing his fingers over hers before he slipped the note from her hand and read it. He glanced up. “So she’s eloped with some young man. Jane, this could be the best scenario.”
She shook her head. “You’re trying to appease me. To calm me, but how can I be calm? My sister has run off with God knows who. The kind of man who would do something so?—”
“Potentially romantic,” Ripley interrupted gently.
Jane rolled her eyes as if the concept didn’t exist for her. “Ugh.”
He had set the box Miss Knightly had given to them onto the seat beside him when he joined her and now he motioned to her. “Why don’t we look through this? There may be more information that could help us find her.”
Jane nodded and he handed it over. She balanced the small item on her lap and tugged it open. They looked inside together. There were a few more letters and a ring. She drew it out with a shake of her head.
