“Ye never cared about him,” Beatrice continued. “Ye cared about this manor and yer position in it. Ye cared about the independence that was taken from ye. If ye hadnae tangled me husband’s braither into it, I might have admired ye for what ye’ve done.”
Anna drew in a deep breath. “I have not done anything.”
“Ye expect me to believe it’s a coincidence?” Beatrice asked with a cold sneer. “Ye expect any of us to believe that ye have such bad luck that both yer husbands have suffered on yer weddin’ night?”
Trying very hard not to cry, Anna stared back at Beatrice. “I understand how it appears, Beatrice, but I have not done anything. Itisa horrible coincidence, and if you do not mind, I am waiting for the physician.”
“I do mind,” Beatrice retorted. “I mind very much, havin’ a killer in me house. I ken ye think it’s yers, but it should have been mine and, right now, I willnae have a wretch like ye within these walls.”
“I am the Duchess of Stonebridge,” Anna said firmly. “I am not going anywhere, certainly not while my husband is upstairs in such a dire situation. I notice thatyouhave not been to tend to him, yet you claim to care so much!”
Evidently, Beatrice knew what had happened to some degree, so why had she been absent?
Beatrice leaned in. “Ye think I can bear to be in that room and watch him die after everythin’ that has already been taken from me?”
“No, but… he is not going to die,” Anna rasped. “He cannot.”
“If he does, lass,” Beatrice’s voice was a harsh whisper that sent shivers down the back of Anna’s neck, “I’ll hang ye from that tree out there meself.”
“I am innocent,” Anna shot back, her heart pounding. “Jeremy and I were… engaged in… um… certain things that go on between a husband and a wife. The next thing I knew, he was on the ground, unable to breathe. If that means I am to blame, then fine, hold me responsible. But I did not do anything to him. I did not harm him. I would never!”
“How fortunate for ye that Jeremy isnae awake to verify that,” Beatrice replied, her voice dripping contempt. “I want ye gone, Anna. I daenae want ye anywhere near him or me daughter. So, ye can either leave of yer own accord, or I’ll knock ye out and send ye on yer way to whichever infernal place will have ye.”
“I have not done anything!” Anna shouted louder, frustration fizzing through her veins. “Ineedto be here when he wakes up.”
“So ye can pretend ye’re innocent and make up a story? Aye, that’s nae happenin’,” Beatrice retorted. “Someone get her out of me sight before I do somethin’ I willnae be able to undo!”
A rumble of sleepy conversation passed between a few of the gentlemen present, but none moved forward to try to remove Anna. The same couldn’t be said for Jeremy’s people, however, who remained loyal to their own. Of course, they would obey Beatrice rather than Anna; the older woman had been their lady.
Beatrice’s former housekeeper began to approach with two men, their faces cold and grim. Wherevertheymight take her, Anna was certain it would end in a faraway ditch.
How can I make them believe me?Panic seized her in a vise grip that sent a cold sweat beading down the nape of her neck. Evenshecouldn’t fathom how it was happening twice, so how could she ever persuade them that she wasn’t responsible? She looked guilty; she wasn’t oblivious to that.
Just then, her butler rushed forward, breezing past the trio who seemed to want to beat Anna black and blue.
“The townhouse,” he blurted out, coming to stand between Anna and Beatrice, his arms out in a defensive stance. “I’ll take Her Grace to the townhouse while we wait to see how things unfold with His Grace. There’s no reason for any violence.”
Beatrice seemed to stare through him. “Just get her out of me sight and do it quickly. If she’s still here by the time that clock over there chimes, I willnae be held responsible for the punishment she gets.”
From the entrance hall, someone asked, “Would it not be better to hold her here, so that constables can be sent for if necessary?”
Anna’s stomach plummeted. If anything happened to Jeremy, she would never be able to explain to the constables, or any magistrate for that matter, that this was all just a terrible, terrible coincidence.
“The townhouse will suffice,” the butler said sternly. “If constables need to be sent for, then everyone shall know where she is. Yet, she will also be out of the way of… your ‘punishment,’ should you feel like enacting upon it before anyone knows anything.”
He shot a hard look at Beatrice, but the woman barely seemed to notice.
“I suppose therearemore constables in London,” someone else remarked with a nod. “More courthouses, too, should it come to that.”
“I am innocent,” Anna mumbled, her body shaking violently, though it had nothing to do with the cold night air.
Beatrice’s lip curled. “Ye’re nay more innocent than the fire that claimed me husband. I should have seen it sooner. I should have kenned what ye intended when I saw ye divide the manor into two.” She jabbed a finger toward the distant gates. “Go on, get out, while I still have a thread of patience! But if ye try to run, if ye leave the townhouse, just ken that I’ll hunt ye down and make ye pay.”
The butler turned around and grabbed Anna by the arm, hurrying her away from the mob, who clearly didn’t wish her well. She didn’t attempt to resist, though the very last thing she wanted to do was abandon her husband. If he woke up and she wasn’t there, and these fools tried to convince him that she was responsible for his breathless collapse… her heart would never recover from the catastrophic break it would inflict.
“You just stay in the stables while I have the carriage prepared,” the butler said as he pulled her along. “We can send for your belongings later.”
Anna gaped at him. “My belongings? But… why would I need them? I will not be away for long. I will only be away until Jeremy gets better, and he can tell them that he does not believe them.”
