Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
“What happened exactly?” a man at the next table asked.
* * *
The speaker looked to Frederick. “Perhaps her brother can explain.”
* * *
Frederick looked at Arthur with a raised brow. “Can you explain?”
* * *
Arthur stood up and took a deep breath. “My dower house was burned down and the men, who did it, took Janice who was waiting there. The dower house was prepared for my mother, whom I had gone to collect in London where my father had her committed to Bedlam. Lady Janice was helping me to prepare a comforting place for her to live.”
* * *
The room was so silent, you could have heard a pin drop. Everyone was gaping at him.
* * *
“Your mother was in Bedlam?” a farmer-looking man asked in disbelief.
* * *
“Yes. My father drove her mad and then had her committed.”
* * *
There was a gasp around the room.
* * *
“I knew your father,” an older man spoke up. “His eyes were cruel. I didn’t like him.”
* * *
“I didn’t either,” Arthur said.
* * *
“Well.” The old man banged the table and got to his feet. “Abducted you say? What are we waiting for? Let’s go out and look for her. I bet they haven’t gone far.”
* * *
To Arthur’s surprise, everyone else in the room also got to their feet. “Yes, let’s find her.” The man on the table jumped down and drained his tankard. The patrons began to head for the door in an untidy crowd. Frederick and Arthur exchanged shocked glances before joining the melee.
She startled awake when she felt something nibbling on her ankle. Hemsworth had not returned after leaving her with food and so her mouth was still ungagged. She screamed in terror, trying to move her legs away.
* * *
“Help! Help!” she cried, scrambling away from the shuffling sounds as much as she could. She could not stand rats and she began to strain, trying to get to her feet and away from the vermin. To her horror, she could hear them squeaking around her and realized there was more than one rat close by.
* * *
Her screams got louder and more frenzied as panic took over her mind. She was almost incoherent with terror. The darkness was so total that she could not see a single thing. All she had was her hearing and that left only her imagination to help her visualize what was around her.
* * *
“Please, someone, help me!” she screamed long and hard as she began to cry tears of fright.
* * *
There was a louder shuffling sound somewhere behind her and it made her scream louder and then the door opened, letting the moonlight in. “Hush there. You called for help?”
* * *
“Oh thank heaven. Please! Don’t leave me here. Help?”
* * *
The room suddenly filled with light as the person lit a torch and Janice could see the rats scrambling off into the dark.
* * *
“Oh thank you. Thank you so much,” she said with relief. A man appeared above her and she looked up, squinting to see if she knew who it was.
* * *
“Lady Janice?” the man asked.
* * *
“Yes? Do I know you?”
* * *
“I don’t suppose you do. But we’ve been looking for you. There’s search parties and everything.”
* * *
“Oh? Well here I am. Would you please untie me?”
* * *
“Oh! Of course.”
* * *
He put aside the torch, and bent down, fussing with her ties. To her relief, they finally loosened and she felt as if she was taking her first deep breath since she’d come to. “Thank you so much,” she said tearfully.
* * *
“Come on then. Your brother and husband are waiting.” He began to walk towards the door but she hesitated.
* * *
Husband? Who is he talking about?
* * *
“Excuse me? I am not married,” she called.
* * *
“Oh aye?” the man sounded disinterested.
* * *
“May I know your name?” she hurried after him.
* * *
“Oh, I’m John Burrow. I’m the blacksmith.”
* * *
“Very pleased to meet you, Mr. Burrow. Thank you for rescuing me.”
* * *
“Yes, well, we can’t have people being abducted from the village. What would that say about us?”
* * *
She huffed in amusement. “You’re quite right.”
“She’s been found.” Lord Benjamin burst into the parlor and announced to Emily, Anne, and Leticia who were waiting up for the men who had all gone out to search.
* * *
Emily put a hand on her bosom and closed her eyes in relief. “Oh thank heaven! Where is she?”
* * *
“She’s on her way back with Frederick and the duke.”
* * *
Emily sank into the chair with a sigh. “So she’ll be here soon?”
* * *
He nodded. “Yes, she will.”
* * *
Emily jumped to her feet. “Right. Well, I’ll go and make sure they draw a bath for her and make something for her to eat.”