Captain Jones's Temptation - Audrey Harrison Page 0,43
body.
Her expression was so worried and tender it made his insides ache, and it was nothing to do with whatever was ailing him. He sometimes tried to remember exactly what was ailing him because he couldn’t actually recall what had happened. It seemed a fuzzy haze, yet somehow he felt it was important. A pity, then, that sleep was more appealing than trying to fight against memories that were muddled with blackness.
He had no idea how long he had been in this state of hovering between sleep and a hazy wakefulness, but as the time passed he could feel himself becoming more lucid. One morning he opened his eyes and, as always, Lydia was smiling down at him.
“Good day, sleepy-head. How are you feeling this morning?” she said, immediately moving to pour a small cup of water.
“Why does my body feel as though I have lost a recent fight?” Matthew croaked.
“Do you not remember anything about what happened?”
“Not at all.”
Lydia helped him have a drink, and once he was comfortable once more, she sat by his side. “Do you know who I am?”
Matthew smiled. “Of course. An angel in disguise.”
“Be serious.”
“It hurts to think, but yes, I do know who you are, Miss Lydia Bolton. The best teacher this side of London.” Matthew frowned. Teachers. Memories started to come back to him, still hazy, but they were there.
Lydia watched him, knowing he was remembering what had happened. She could not put into words how relieved she had been when he said her name. Foolish she might be, but his not remembering who she was would have devastated her.
“Isabella,” Matthew said. The memories were coming back, and they were not pleasant. “Is she safe?”
“Perfectly so, although things did not go quite to plan on the night.”
“Jones will be furious. He is such a tyrant when it comes to one following his orders.”
“I’m afraid Captain Jones doesn’t know the whole of our adventures as yet.”
“Oh dear. You’d better tell me the whole.”
Lydia slowly told Matthew what had happened, watching him carefully to make sure her words were not overtaxing him. When she finished, Matthew groaned.
“What is it? Has your pain increased?”
“No. But it will when Jones finds us. He will be madder than a roasted cat that he has no idea where we are. I realise you did not wish to alert anyone of Isabella’s location, but we will have to send a message,” Matthew said, trying to think straight. “How many days have I been out of sorts?”
“We’ve been here ten days.”
“Good grief! I can only hope for a relapse, for he will surely kill me when he catches up with us.”
*
Lydia repeated Matthew’s sentiments when he had succumbed to sleep and she had dashed downstairs to see Esther.
“It has been troubling me that no one knows of our change of plan,” Esther admitted. “I am not sure who to send word to. Corless House, Barrowfoot House, or the Prince Regent himself!”
“Captain Dunn was quite distressed when he thought Captain Jones didn’t know what had happened, and I can understand why. People must be wondering where we are.”
“I only hope there were no nasty surprises for those we left behind,” Esther said. She had been desperately worried that one of her brave servants, or Samuel, had been hurt or worse. If there had been a man waiting for them, there could have been other things that had not been anticipated. The thought of him being injured made her feel sick.
“Perhaps we should send a message to Barrowfoot House? It would probably be the safest place to send a letter,” Lydia said.
“I agree. I shall write one and send it express.”
Lydia returned to the sick room, and Esther seated herself at Sophie’s desk. Taking out a piece of paper, she started to write a note, not wishing to put too much information in it, but enough that Lord Longdon would not think he had received a letter from a madwoman when he read it. She could only hope that Samuel had reached him by the time the letter arrived.
As she finished, Sophie walked into the room and coughed to get Esther’s attention. “There are visitors for you,” Sophie said.
Esther rose from her seat in panic. “It’s not—”
“Captain Jones and Lord Longdon to see you. No one else,” Sophie answered as the two men walked into the drawing room.
Flushing with relief and surprise, she crossed the room. “You are safe!” Recalling herself, she faltered. “You found us! Have you news? Did anyone get