It was after three in the morning when Emily finally returned home, to everyone’s shock and dismay. Her mother was more shocked than anyone, as her daughter had returned in company with a lone gentleman, which meant her reputation was in shreds.
Emily, who wanted nothing more than to go upstairs, wash her mouth out with strong soap, and sink into an exhausted slumber, was forced to meet her mother and sister in the drawing room and try to answer their multitude of questions. She was very thankful when Alexander put an end to the barrage by telling them simply, “She was abducted by a highwayman, but, Sir Ma—, that is, Lord Wesleigh and I were able to recover her before any damage was done. Now, I am sure she would like nothing more than to have a good rest, after which she will be able to give more intelligent replies to your request for information. I will return tomorrow afternoon to provide any more explanations you may require.”
Lady Smithfield, though bursting with questions, had to be satisfied for the nonce, and Emily whispered her gratitude to Alexander before turning to leave. She was struck by a sudden thought, and turned back to Alexander, “My horse,” she said, so tired it came out as barely a whisper.
“Not to worry. I am on my way to collect the horses now.”
Emily nodded, too tired to thank him, and turned to walk up the stairs to her bedchamber.
It was almost noon before she awoke the next day, and at first she could not imagine why her jaw ached so. Then the activities of the previous evening returned to her with a rush, and she closed her eyes again, trying to take them all in. She had been abducted by a highwayman, but Alexander had saved her, and as he was not the highwayman himself, she was actually in a better humor than she had been in four-and-twenty hours earlier.
She quickly washed and dressed, and, as she was finishing, Lydia entered her chamber.
“Emily! You are awake! I am so glad. Mama just sent me to awaken you. How are you feeling?”
“My jaw aches a little, but other than that I am remarkably well.”
Lydia took a closer look at Emily’s face. She and her mother had not seen Emily’s injury when she was brought home, and she was shocked by the black-and-blue mark on Emily’s cheek. “Oh, Emily! You poor thing, it must have been perfectly dreadful,” Lydia exclaimed sympathetically.
“It was, and I am very relieved the whole thing is over. If Mr. Williams had not come, I would be unfortunate indeed,” Emily said with a shudder.
“But, Emily, none of us can work out how it is the highwayman abducted you. Surely he did not come to the house.”
“No, he did not. I behaved very stupidly, I am sorry to say.”
“Emily, you did not agree to meet him clandestinely!”
“No, no, of course not. I am not that stupid. However, I rode out to the Rye Road and hid in the bushes, in the hopes of observing who the highwayman was. I thought perhaps it was someone I was acquainted with, in which case I could inform the authorities. Unfortunately, the highwayman discovered my hiding place and rendered me unconscious. Mr. Williams and Lord Wesleigh heard me scream and followed us until they had an opportunity to rescue me.”
“But I still do not understand. How could Mr. Williams and Lord Wesleigh have heard you scream? You do not mean that they were at the Rye Road as well?”
“Yes, that is how I arrived there. I followed them.”
“You followed them? But why? I thought you went to observe the highwayman,” Lydia asked, more confused than ever.
“I did, but it all started when I saw Williams and Wesleigh leave the house, and that is what gave me the idea of going also.” Emily knew her jumbled explanation was hardly convincing, but she did not want to admit that she had followed the men because she had believed Williams was the highwayman. Lydia was forced to be content with this explanation, such as it was, and Emily left her to go downstairs and have a late breakfast.
While she was eating, her jaw aching with every bite, her mother came into the room to tell her to hurry, that the duke, Lord Wesleigh, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Sedgewick all awaited her in the drawing room. Emily was not anxious to meet that particular group of gentleman, nor was she at all eager to answer the many questions that were sure to be asked, but she could not see that she had any other choice than to obey her mother’s dictum.
Her eyes flew to Alexander’s as soon as she entered the room, but it was the duke who, upon seeing her, immediately came to greet her.
“My dear girl,” he told her, taking her hand and patting it as he spoke to her. “I am so pleased that you suffered no ill consequences from your misadventure.”
Emily thanked him for his kindness, and went to sit beside Lydia. She was very embarrassed by his sympathy, as she had begun to think of her actions as those of an undisciplined hoyden. She hated to think what her mother would have to say on the subject, and made herself as inconspicuous as possible on the sofa, hoping no one would ask her why she had behaved in so reckless a manner.
Lady Smithfield begged the gentlemen to be seated, and when they were, the duke said he had an announcement to make. Lydia, whose own troubles loomed larger in her mind than anything else, was sure it was to be an announcement of her betrothal to the marquess. Before the duke could make his announcement, she stated in a clear voice that only trembled slightly that she was prepared to do her duty.
While the rest of the party looked at her in surprise, the duke and his son wondering what in the world the girl was blathering on about, Sir Marcus rightly guessed her meaning. “You look like Joan of Arc about to be burned alive at the stake. Such martyrdom is not necessary, my girl. I would as lief marry my housekeeper as you.”
Lady Smithfield looked quite offended at this plain speaking, and seemed as if she might object, turning to the duke for support. Before she could say anything, however, Sedgewick confronted Sir Marcus, righteous indignation clearly written on his face.
“You, sir, are a fool, to esteem so high an honor so lightly. Why, if I were in your position, I would thank God every day for giving me the opportunity to just be in Miss Smithfield’s presence, regardless of whether or not she ever learned to return my affections.”
“What noble sentiments! Sir, you put me to the blush,” Lydia stated, a slight smile appearing as she addressed him.
“Miss Smithfield, the sentiments I expressed are totally sincere. If only I could say to you all that is in my heart.”
“I wish you could as well.” Lydia and Sedgewick stared at each other mournfully, their audience forgotten.
“Why can he not?” Emily interceded, startling the two young lovers, who jumped in surprise.
“What?” Sedgewick asked.
“Why can’t you tell Lydia what is in your heart? What is preventing you?”
Sedgewick was very obviously put out by Emily’s interference in an important scene between him and Lydia. “It is quite obvious what prevents me. She is betrothed to another.”
“That is correct,” Lady Smithfield interjected. She had been watching the spectacle before her with dismay, unable to believe all her hopes and dreams were being dashed to pieces. Her eldest daughter, who had always done what was expected of her, was apparently contemplating throwing herself away on a vicar when she might marry the heir to a dukedom. “Lydia is betrothed to this gentleman, and the announcement is to be made later this month.” She gestured toward Marcus, before looking to the duke for confirmation of her statement.