Eli’s met his brother’s eyes. He had one thought, one he suspected Rob shared.We need to get her to the security of Clarion Hall.
Silence permeated the carriage until they reached Caulfield House.
“Does all this mean you’ll stay longer?” Lucy asked hopefully as they came to a stop.
“No,” Eli and Fanny spoke over each other.
“I have to get home to Ashmead; I have work to do,” Eli explained.
“Since some of that work is on Wil’s behalf, I need to go with him,” Fanny said.
“I—” Eli started to declare that he could take care of the business in Manchester on his own but thought better of it. He would save that fight for Ashmead. He said something else entirely.
*
Eli’s hesitance whenthe carriage pulled up at Caulfield House surprised Fanny. Dropping him first was logical, but his reluctance to leave them was not.
He leaned across to her and took one hand. “Fanny…” He glanced at his brother. “With Rob’s permission, may I have a private word?”
Rob seemed as startled as Fanny. “Of course. Abriefword.”
Eli handed her from the carriage and a step or three to the right of the door, putting his back to the window. His hands held hers, still encased in gloves. His thumbs rubbed circles in the palms of her hands.
“Fanny, I… Uh.” He stuttered to halt. “Are you well? I need to know if what happened tonight caused you distress. That is, I know it did, but I—That is…” He sighed. “I just—You must know that you—that is, your safety—is vital to me.”
“What are you trying to say?” Fanny’s heartbeat sped up. She swayed toward him.
He mirrored the movement until their foreheads almost touched. For a long while, they stayed in place, her eyes searching his in the lamplight, his studying her face until they focused on her lips. For one heart-stopping moment, she thought he would finally kiss her, but then he spoke softly.
“I will come at first light tomorrow to escort you safely to Ashmead. We will find that cottage you want. You will have your heart’s desire soon.”
“Thank you,” she breathed.Is that all? That can’t be all.
He gave his head a shake and turned so he could hand her back into the carriage, firming his grip on her left hand to do so.
“Thank you,” she repeated. “For everything.” She would have her heart’s desire. Once, she’d thought she knew what that was. Now? She wondered.
