A Bride for the Prizefighter - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,140
was walking back through to the kitchen when she heard the horse hooves in the yard outside. She was surprised for it was nigh on ten o’clock. Glancing out of the window, she saw the rider dismount and was startled to see it was none other than Jeremy.
Hurrying through to the hallway, she flung open the door and waited for him to hand his horse over to Colfax who was still helping out where needed. Jeremy did not tarry to speak to his employee but strode immediately to where Mina waited. “Let’s go to your private room,” he said in a low voice and Mina led the way with her heart in her mouth.
As soon as he had shut the door behind them both, she turned to him, almost trembling with apprehension. “You have news? Please tell me.”
He reached into his jacket and withdrew a folded paper which he held fast a moment before passing it to her.
Mina’s hands shook so badly she could scarcely open it. “What is it?”
“Release papers.”
Mina cried out, almost dropping the papers to the floor. “For Nye?” She fixed her eyes on him with an intensity that was almost painful.
Jeremy smiled. “They are signed and ready for presentation to the officers at St Ives.”
“Then, why do you not present them immediately?” She glanced at the clock and cursed the lateness of the hour.
He cocked his head to one side. “It’s my belief that you should perform that office, sister. First thing on the morrow.”
“Me?”
Jeremy’s expression turned grave. “It’s my opinion you will need to exercise the full force of your charm on him, I warn you.”
Mina felt a spurt of alarm. “What do you mean?”
“When I saw him yesterday, his frame of mind was grim. He – er – was not contemplating the future with relish.”
“Well, no. He would hardly do so with the gallows looming on the horizon,” she reminded her brother somewhat tartly.
His lips quirked. “When I spoke of any possibility of cheating the hangman, he talked of disappearing to Exeter and leaving you in staid respectability at Vance Park.”
Mina turned quite cold. “What?” she cried.
“Either that or having you divorce him before he perished on the scaffold.”
“Divorce!”
“I’m sure it was only his depression of spirits that prompted such talk,” Jeremy hurried to assure her. “But I could not rouse him from it, try as I might. I think if I were to take these papers to him, he would disappear for at least a month or so.”
“Disappear? For a month!” Mina’s ire rose.
“No more than that, I’m persuaded, but even so I do not think you should be made to do without him at present.”
“No indeed!” Mina fumed, plunking her hands on her hips. “Why, the very idea!”
Jeremy gave a sudden laugh. “You’ll bring him about; I have no doubt.”
“Certainly, I shall,” Mina responded in high dudgeon. “You may depend upon it.” When he turned toward the door, she reached out to stay him, her mood changing abruptly. “Jeremy, wait. I have not thanked you for everything you have done for us—”
“No, and I beg you will not do so,” he interrupted her. “You are my family and I have more need of that now than ever.” He hesitated. “It will be your turn to return the favor in coming months. Comparatively, tis of little import, but I have started divorce proceedings as you advised. Amanda is not taking it well.” He grimaced. “I have no doubt that things will get a good deal worse before they get better.”
“Oh, Jeremy,” she squeezed his arm with a rush of sympathy. “It must be very hard, but I am convinced you are doing the right thing. We will be here for you, of course.”
He nodded, smiled at her, and left Mina still clutching the piece of paper to her heart.
*
It was not even six o’clock when Mina rose the next morning. She dressed hurriedly, but when she went to place her father’s watch in the inner pocket of her skirts, was surprised to find something hard concealed in there already. Drawing it out between two fingers she found it was her lost bridal sixpence.
She stared at it a moment, lost in thought, then taking it for a good omen she went downstairs a lightness in her step that had not been there before, in search of Ed Herney. He was already up and dressed and on confiding the errand was to fetch the master home, he showed every pleasure at the prospect of driving