in the other’s face. A pair of grinning grooms egged them on, and to the other side hovered… Ethan? Alec blinked again, wondering if his eyesight was failing from fatigue. It couldn’t be Ethan. Ethan was in London. But it was him. The shorter, angrier maid turned, saw him, and bustled over like a hen chasing a beetle. Ethan hurried after her. “Thank heaven you’re back, sir. There’s been such doings here! Very irregular, as I told Ethan more than once.”
Alec couldn’t remember her name. He knew it, of course. But he was so tired.
“He had no right to be putting females in bedchambers and ordering tea made and I don’t know what all, for all the world like he was in charge…”
Ethan stepped in front of her. “I knew you’d want…”
She popped out from behind him. “Don’t you be pushing me aside, you great lug!”
“Ethan, what are you doing here?” Alec didn’t speak loudly, but the yard went silent at the sound of his voice.
“I came up after Mrs. Wylde, sir.”
“Cha…?” Alec shook his head to clear it.
“There was a note… only it didn’t make any sense, and then I went to Lady Isabella’s house and saw… It seemed like there was something wrong. So Lu… that is… I took the stage up to see if I could help. She’s upstairs resting now.”
“Wait, who is…?”
“Mrs. Wylde, sir.”
“Cha… Mrs. Wylde is here?” Alec couldn’t take it in. “Upstairs, here?”
“Yes, sir. She was worn out. We… I… took the liberty of having her put in a bedchamber.”
“But…” All his searching, and she hadn’t even needed him. She’d somehow come safe to his home on her own. “She’s all right?”
“Yes, sir. Just tired, like I said.” Ethan glanced around the yard, and Alec became aware of the circle of curious eyes. This discussion should be taken elsewhere.
But he couldn’t help asking again, “You’re sure?”
At his footman’s confident nod, Alec finally released the tension he’d been holding through the night. Slowly, his fear drained away. She was safe; it rang in his head like a refrain. Charlotte was all right.
Slowly, stiffly, he dismounted. “See to Blaze, Robin,” he told a groom who hurried over, handing off his horse’s reins. “He’s been ridden too hard. See he gets plenty of oats, and a rest.”
“Yes, sir.” He led the horse away.
Alec wanted to see Charlotte, to be certain she really was all right. But Ethan had said she was resting. That was good. Rest was a very good idea. Very good. A few hours of sleep and he would be able to think, to wonder how she’d made it here from Aunt Bella’s, and all that had occurred. For now… Alec headed inside. “Thank you, Ethan. Well done.” The maid beside Ethan sniffed. Alec couldn’t imagine why. “I’ve been up all night. I’m going to follow Mrs. Wylde’s example.” She was here, in a room in his house. In a daze, Alec sought out his own.
Ethan watched him go, wishing he could find a feather mattress and drop onto it himself. But his problems weren’t over, not by a long shot. His mother was off visiting his sister, and wouldn’t be back till tomorrow. He couldn’t tell anyone about Lucy and their plans until he spoke to her. She’d skin him alive, in the first place, and anyway he needed her help in smoothing things over. He could tell her the whole story. There was no one on earth more trustworthy. She’d understand why they’d traveled up here together, and she’d take his word that nothing wrong had gone on. As if he would! She’d like Lucy, too. He was certain about that. But she couldn’t like her till she met her, and in the meantime there were cats like Alice Ramsay making remarks and asking awkward questions. She’d shut her trap when Ethan’s mother spoke to her! Till then, he had to stay alert and make sure nobody bad-mouthed Lucy, or Miss Charlotte for that matter. Sleep would have to wait.
***
Charlotte woke in a strange bedchamber. It was a lovely room, hung with flowered chintz in soft yellows and blues. The scent of flowers drifted in through the open window. Lucy lay asleep on a chaise beneath it. The light outside slanted golden; it must be late in the day. All was quiet. She felt more rested, if not completely back to normal. She was in Sir Alexander’s house, she remembered, safe.
She relaxed into the comfortable bed and sorted through jumbled memories. Her brain