She squeezed his hand, and she could feel him relaxing. She pulled him away from Mr. Ramsay, and he did not fight her.
“I’m sorry, Helena. I?—”
“You do not have to apologize,” she said.
“I do. Everything… all of this… it is my fault.”
“As is you saving me.” She took his other hand. “I can’t help but think that we are even.”
He frowned at her response. Eyes flicking to her hands, then back to her. She held the smile, letting it wash over him.
Helena did not know what had happened exactly. She could not say how things had come to this.
Was it really Sebastian’s fault? Should she blame him or forgive him? What was the truth, if such a thing even existed?
What she could say was how she felt when she heard his voice earlier. What she could say was how fearful she had been when she thought Mr. Ramsay might shoot him. What she could say was how relieved she had been to see him fly through the door, there to rescue her, which in hindsight wasn’t nearly as surprising as it might have seemed.
What would happen next, she could not say. What Sebastian might tell her, she couldn’t even guess. But for now, it was enough to know that he rescued her. Actions that meant more than words ever could.
“You came for me,” she breathed, still holding his hands.
It was subtle. It was unclear. But a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
“Of course I did. How could you think…” He winced. “I’m sorry, Helena. I am so sorry for?—”
“Not now,” she interrupted. “Not here. Let us take care of this…” She gestured to Mr. Ramsay, who was still whimpering on the floor. “And then you can tell me everything. The truth, this time.”
Sebastian laughed awkwardly and breathed out. “The truth. I can’t help but feel that at this point, you deserve it.”
CHAPTER 37
“This isn’t over!” Mr. Ramsay screamed as he was dragged out of the room. “I will tell everyone what you did! There won’t be a soul living who does not know the truth!”
Helena was sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands folded in her lap, not wasting time looking at Mr. Ramsay because in her mind, he was the past and not worth thinking about.
Beside her sat Sebastian. He had an arm around her shoulder, his hand squeezing her own, also not bothering to look at Mr. Ramsay.
There were three men in the room with them. Five originally, but two of them were busy pulling a handcuffed Mr. Ramsay out of the room and leading him down the hallway. His screams could be heard as he was dragged away, slowly fading, becoming weak and not worth paying attention to.
“We will be requiring an official statement at one point today,” Officer Mangrove informed Sebastian. “At your leisure, of course. There is no rush.”
Sebastian nodded. “I will make sure to stop by your office before the day is out. You have my word.”
Officer Mangrove oversaw the Bow Street Runners. As Sebastian explained, once he learned of where Mr. Ramsay was holding Helena, he sent an urgent letter, asking them to come here at once. But not willing to wait for their arrival, lest the worst happen, he came in alone, despite the dangers.
And there were dangers. Two of Mr. Ramsay’s men were found downstairs, both beaten and subdued by Sebastian, who trampled over them like a horse across a field of wheat.
By the time the Bow Street Runners arrived on the scene, all that was left for them to do was handcuff the assailants so this sordid business would finally be put to bed.
“And thank you,” Sebastian made sure to tell Officer Mangrove. “For everything.”
Officer Mangrove snorted. “If we had done anything, perhaps it would be necessary. As things stand…” He sighed and shook his head. “You are the one we should be thanking.”
The Bow Street Runners left them soon after.
Helena was glad about it, because she wanted to be alone with her husband. She was still so confused. She had theories about what had happened and how, but no answers. The last time she had spoken with Sebastian, he told her in no uncertain terms that he felt nothing for her and that everything he had said before that was a lie.
Lies on top of lies on top of lies. I am sick to death of them. All I want is the truth. All I want is to know where this relationship stands, where my future will lead me.
