Unrequited Love

“I have heard about your engagement,” he breathed. Even saying the words hurt. He hated them. He hated having to say them and, in that moment, hated her father for allowing it to happen.

“I am not engaged,” she hissed fiercely. “Whatever my father says or does, I can assure you that I am most definitely not engaged.”

“But your mother said your father had arranged it,” Ryan said.

“I know but it was without my agreement,” Sian replied, her voice firm despite her exhaustion. “I am not marrying that fop.”

Ryan studied the sodden material of her dress for a moment before slowly lifting his gaze to hers. “Did you try to take matters into your own hands to prevent being married to Cedrick?”

Sian contemplated the hidden meaning in his eyes and in the tone of his question. It took her a few moments for her sluggish mind to work out what he meant. When she did, she looked horrified. “I would never do such a thing. I was contemplating how I could sneak out of the house first thing in the morning and catch the first carriage out of town. I was planning to go and see my cousin, Sophia, in Bath, you see? Father won’t agree to it of course because Sophia hates him, but it is the only place I can go where he isn’t likely to order me to return home.”

“You have an ally in Sophia.” Ryan was starting to like the woman already.

“Is he here?”

“Cedrick?” Ryan experienced a flash of anger.

“Father.”

“I don’t think he knows you have been found yet. I have left that to Norman and the men.”

“Norman and the men?” Sian frowned.

Ryan explained what had happened once the alarm had been raised and looked ruefully at her. “You have had half the county out looking for you.”

Sian winced, but it was more to do with the pain in her head than anything else.

Ryan opened his mouth to speak only for a deep shiver to sweep through Sian. She winced when her stomach roiled in protest against the movement and her head began to pound even more.

“Look, get changed.”

Sian looked helplessly at him. Ryan realised then that she had nothing to change into. He returned to the room a moment later with one of his shirts, which he handed over to her.

“Will you be all right by yourself, or do you want me to get one of the maids to help you?”

“I can manage,” Sian whispered.

She remained where she was until he stepped out of the room. When he had gone, she awkwardly sat up and slipped out of her dress. Seconds later, she slid beneath the covers of the freshly laundered bed with a heartfelt sigh of relief. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt safe, protected, and so at peace with her world that she was fast asleep within seconds.

CHAPTER TEN

When Ryan crept back into the room an hour and a half hour later it was to find Sian tucked beneath the covers sound asleep. He closed the door quietly behind him and tiptoed across the room. Perching on the edge of the bed, he took a moment to study her. His gaze turned to the narrow gash on her forehead. It had already started to turn purple and looked painful, but Ryan had been assured by the doctor it would fade in time, with plenty of rest and relaxation.

He looked up when Mabel eased into the room. The look on her face warned him that she had uncomfortable news.

“What is it now?”

“Her father is downstairs and wants her moving home.” Mabel sighed as she eased into the chair on the opposite side of the bed.

“I don’t give a damn what her father wants, she is not going anywhere. The doctor has ordered her to have complete bed rest and that is what she is going to have. Do you really think it is fair on her to have Wilhelmina and Cedrick hovering over her while she tries to recover? They hardly create a relaxing atmosphere, do they?”

“She is very disappointed in her father right now.”

“Who can blame her?” Ryan snorted. “I am very disappointed in Arthur right now.”

“He has told you about our situation.” It wasn’t a question.

Ryan’s face was grim when he nodded. “What I don’t understand is that if there is no dowry why Arthur is so determined to get her wed. I mean, she is hardly an expense, is she?”