When Jane, Joanna, Rosalind, and Regina finally reached Castle Kincade, the women were quite mad with fear, particularly Jane, who knew that a duel was very possible.
“Jackson!” Jane called out for her husband as she and the others rushed into the hall.
“Here, my love!” Jackson stepped out of a nearby room, and she all but flung herself at him.
“Are you hurt? Tell me it didn’t come to a duel?”
“No and no, my darling. Rest easy. Lydia is safe, and Portia too.”
“Portia? I thought she was in Brighton with your aunt?”
“She was,” Jackson sighed. “She ran away and came here to try to rescue Lydia herself.”
“Oh, good heavens.” Jane glanced about. “But if you didn’t duel with Mr. Kincade, then where is he?”
“Gone. He said he had no honor to defend, took a horse from the stables, and rode away. He hasn’t returned since.”
At this point, Rosalind spoke up. “My brother said he had no honor?”
“Yes. It quite puzzles me, but that’s what he said.”
Rosalind and Joanna exchanged glances.
“Where is Lydia?” Jane asked.
“Upstairs in her room. She was quite upset. I didn’t wish to bother her.”
“Oh dear, we had better go.” As one, the four women headed up the grand staircase. A maid in the hallway indicated which room Lydia was staying in, and Jane knocked lightly on the door.
“Lydia? May we come in?”
There was a moment of silence before the door opened. Lydia peered at them with puffy red eyes. She had been crying. Jane’s heart broke for the girl.
“Oh, sweetheart, come here.” She took Lydia into her arms and held her close. She had wanted to be a mother to this young woman for so long, and now she was. She only hoped she could earn Lydia’s trust now. Jane let the girl cry as she gently coaxed her to sit on the bed. Rosalind, Regina, and Joanna stepped outside to give them privacy.
“I’m so sorry, Lady Rochester. I mean, Mrs. Hunt. Heavens, I don’t even know what to call you.” Lydia sniffled and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.
“It’s all right. You may call me Jane, or even Mama, if you like.”
Lydia managed a watery smile. “I’ve always thought of you like a mother whenever I spent time with you and Lysandra.”
Jane brushed a lock of hair back from Lydia’s face. “I remember what it feels like to have a broken heart. Even all these years later, it’s not something one forgets.”
Lydia lifted her teary gaze to Jane’s. “How did you know that I love him?”
Jane nodded. “I couldn’t imagine you would be crying right now for any other reason.”
Lydia nodded and wiped at her eyes again. “I don’t normally cry. Yet I can’t seem to stop now.” Without further encouragement, Lydia told Jane everything, leaving out no details, except for when it came to moments of private passion.
Jane was stunned. How could Brodie Kincade not love this woman back? Was he truly that much of a rakehell that he was unmoved by Lydia? Or . . . Jane bit her lip in thought. Did he love her madly but yet didn’t have the time to make things right with Jackson? It was quite possible that Brodie had chosen to leave rather than hurt Lydia by facing Jackson down, since it would be hard to calm the tempers of two men who had both wronged each other. Yet Brodie’s attempt to avoid hurting Lydia by leaving had, in fact, hurt her anyway.
“Now that you are here, we should return to Bath.” Lydia sat up, straightening her shoulders as she tried to mask her pain. “We have so much to do now that you and Papa . . .” Lydia embraced Jane again. “Lysandra and I are truly going to be sisters now, aren’t we?”
“Yes, you are,” Jane agreed as she stroked Lydia’s hair. “You don’t mind that I married your father?”
“Mind? No, you’ve always been so wonderful to me. If I had thought you and Papa could have made a match, I’d have introduced you to him myself.”
Jane chuckled. “I am fortunate. Your father has given me something I never thought to find again.”
“I’m so very happy for you both.” Lydia’s joy was genuine, though she was a bit shaky from crying.
“My children will certainly be surprised, but they know that I do not hesitate when my instincts tell me to do something. And spending time with your father while searching for you, I felt it, deep inside.” Jane shook her head with a