Page 35 of The Hidden Heart

“What…what happened here?”

“I am afraid I know little more than you,” Jessica replied, fighting to keep her voice even. “I heard a noise and awoke. I heard more noise, and I went to the door and looked out. I saw…someone standing outside Gabriela’s door.”

“What was he doing?”

“I’m not sure. Nothing that I could see. Listening, perhaps? Or maybe he was about to open the door. I don’t know. All I thought was that Gabriela was in danger. So I grabbed the pitcher from the washbasin and ran out at him and hit him.”

His brows rose. “You hit him? You ran toward him?”

“Yes, of course. Where else would I have run?”

“Well, away, one would think.”

“And leave Gabriela with him?”

“You could have gotten help.”

Jessica looked back at him levelly. “Would you?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why would I?”

“Because you are a woman. You might have been hurt.”

“Anyone might have been hurt, including you. Being a woman does not make one a coward.”

“I didn’t say—” His mouth tightened. “You are remarkably adept at twisting my words, Miss Maitland. I was—oh, blast! Never mind.”

“Where is everyone?” Jessica asked. “Where’s Gabriela?”

“Rachel took her downstairs to the kitchen for a soothing cup of hot chocolate. I sent the servants out to look around the house, see if they could locate where he went in or out. Provided he came from outside.”

“And do you think he came from outside? Or in?”

“Meaning, was it Vesey? I don’t know. I sent servants to his room, ostensibly to check on his well-being, but even if he is there, it won’t prove that he wasn’t the man in here. During the commotion, he could easily have slipped back to his room and pretended to be asleep before the servants got there. You struggled with him. Do you think it was Vesey?”

“I’m not sure. It might have been. He was taller than I, but not as tall as you. He might have been Lord Vesey’s height. I could not see his features. It was dark, and he had something tied around his face, hiding his features.” She shivered a little. “It was awful, as if his face were blank, nothing, except the little holes for eyes. I think that was the scariest thing about him.”

He came forward. “I’m sorry. I—it’s inexcusable that this should happen while you are under my protection.” His face darkened. “If this was Vesey, he will regret it, I assure you. Whoever he is, he will regret it.”

He stopped, looking down at her. He raised his hand as if to touch her cheek, then let it fall back to his side. “Are you all right? Did he harm you in any way?”

“No. Actually, I think I did more harming than he did.”

A smile flickered across his lips. “That does not surprise me. One would have thought Vesey would have known better than to cross you.”

Her eyes were huge and blue, her pale skin luminous even in the dim light. Bright curls tumbled down around her head. Richard thought about touching one of those curls, of sinking his hands into the springing mass. He could almost feel them winding around his fingers, soft as silk, clinging.

With great effort, he tore his gaze away. “I’ll just check your rooms.”

He walked to Gabriela’s door and looked in, then turned and went across to the open door of Jessica’s room and went inside. Jessica trailed after him. Richard glanced around the room, taking in the small, barren place, the narrow bed, the small chest and hard chair. He had not remembered the governess’s room as being so small and spare. He resented the fact that she had to live in such a room, and it bothered him even more that he was responsible for her being there.

“Tomorrow I shall have the servants make up rooms for both of you closer to me.” He stopped, then added hastily, “So that you will be safer. It’s dangerous, the nursery being so far from everyone else. I can’t think why they put you here to begin with.”

Jessica felt relatively sure that they had been put here precisely because Cleybourne wished them as far away from him as possible, but she refrained from pointing that out.

“Tonight I shall put one of the footmen outside the nursery door to make sure nothing else happens,” he went on.