“If she changes, I want to know,” Sebastian ordered, giving his sister-in-law a hard look.
Within a moment he was gone.
Dawn was edging over the horizon when the filthy and exhausted men stumbled into the kitchen. Although it had been completely destroyed, they had managed to contain the fire to the one room.
While they had been fighting the flames, Amelia had come round but couldn’t remember anything. Although she had a bruise the size of a goose egg on her temple, and a raspy cough from the acrid smoke, she appeared to be otherwise unharmed. She tried to keep a brave face on her condition, she really did, but in reality she knew she fooled nobody.
Her head ached fiercely each time she moved, and it seemed to take all of her energy just to think. That wasn’t discounting the heavy burning in her lungs. It was difficult to breathe without coughing all over the place.
“I’m sorry,” Amelia rasped after a particularly heavy bout of coughing.
“We need to get you out of this smoky house, and back to Tingdale,” Dominic said softly, eyeing the paleness of the cheeks, and the brave show she tried to put on for everyone’s benefit.
Although the events of the night had been worrying for all concerned, it did confirm that Amelia had no involvement in any of the events that had happened to Sebastian. For that he was very grateful.
“We will leave immediately. I think we have everything we need for now. If we need to do any more searching, we can come back for the day with armed staff,” Sebastian declared with a yawn and a cough. “Amelia needs clean air and some rest.”
Amelia frowned. “I feel fine,” she muttered with a glare. “You don’t have to leave on my account.” She wondered if this was going to be another of those occasions when Sebastian’s inherent air of command took hold, and was unsurprised when she got her reply.
“I’m not. I think if we stayed, none of us would rest properly. There is only one of us who can realistically keep watch at night. Even then, we can’t watch all of the windows all of the time. Last night was too close. You could have been killed. At least at Tingdale, the house can be heavily armed and we have a full complement of serving staff to act as extra eyes and ears,” Sebastian added. The dark circles under Amelia’s eyes and the blackening bruise on her temple made him intensely angry. “We will leave as soon as we have packed the things we need.”
“All done,” Peter replied. “Edward is out front with the carriage now. Hughes rode one of the horses back to Tingdale when we got here, so Edward is going to drive the carriage with the ladies inside.”
Within moments, Amelia found herself swept into Sebastian’s arms. “I can walk, you know,” she mumbled, eyeing the red lines of his eyes. Whether they were from smoke or tiredness, she wasn’t certain. She wondered where he got his stamina from.
“You already have a lump on your head from the bottle that was thrown through the window,” Sebastian replied, carefully navigating the steps at the front door. “You need to rest.”
“Bottle?” Amelia tried to raise her eyebrows, but winced as her bruised temple protested.
“Peter found it lying on next to the bed in your room. It had some kind of accelerant in it. Undoubtedly it was thrown through the window and started the fire. It landed on the bed – you – apparently, and lit the bedding it landed on.” Sebastian shuddered to think of the possible repercussions, had Ballantyne succeeded in firing the house.
Amelia felt her stomach drop as she glanced briefly at the imposing edifice of Edenvale Manor with a shudder. In happier circumstances, it would be a delightful family home. With tall towers on either side of the Jacobean facade, it was simply beautiful. If somewhat creepy.
She was glad when Sebastian placed her carefully upon the squabs inside the carriage, pausing to stare at her intently.
“Are you really alright, Amelia?” His voice was soft, as his bloodshot eyes tenderly searched her face.
“I’m fine,” Amelia replied gently cupping his lined cheek, the soft pad of her thumb wiped a small smudge of smoke off his cheek as she smiled tenderly at him. Without hesitation she leant forward and brushed her lips against his in gentle reassurance. “I’m fine.”
Sebastian returned the gesture briefly before resting his forehead head against hers for several moments. Seeking the physical reassurance she was indeed hale and hearty, before reluctantly drawing away.
“I’ll just be outside.” He motioned towards the window next to her. “If you need to stop or anything, just let me know.” He glanced back and waited until she nodded her agreement, before handing Isobel into the carriage and closing the door with a snap. Within moments they were off.
They had barely pulled out of the gates of Edenvale Manor when Sebastian appeared at the side of the carriage, sitting astride his huge chestnut horse. Across the other side of the carriage, Amelia spied Dominic trotting along, lost in conversation with Edward.
“I don’t want to speak out of turn, Amelia,” Isobel murmured from her seat across the carriage. She had been observing the silent interplay between Amelia and Sebastian as he rode alongside, and wasn’t oblivious to the deep affection between the pair. “Don’t hurt him.”
Amelia’s gaze turned toward Isobel, and she was acutely aware of the new, slightly uncomfortable distance between them. Despite it only being two days, the return carriage ride to Tingdale was entirely different than the one they had taken on their way to Edenvale Manor. The easy familiarity, the female camaraderie that had sourced their friendship was now replaced with a wariness that Amelia hated.
“I promise, Isobel, I have no intention of hurting Sebastian in any way.” She knew if she had any hope of future friendship with the lady opposite, she had to be honest. “If I am completely honest, it isn’t without some sense of self-preservation that I cannot take Sebastian into my confidence. You know how strong willed and determined he is.” Amelia glanced at the commanding presence of the man riding so straight-backed and aristocratic alongside them. His mere presence bespoke command and authority. “He makes a decision on something and doesn’t stop to listen. I am afraid I will be swamped with his good intentions if he should learn everything.”
“Everything?” Isobel murmured with a quirk of her brow.
“It isn’t anything heinous or anything like that. It is certain knowledge of my background that will change things between us. I don’t want Sebastian to be married to me because he feels it is his duty. I want him to want me, for me.” Amelia fought the urge to cry as Isobel suddenly reached across the carriage and encased Amelia’s cold hands in her gloved ones.
“I understand, truly I do,” Isobel murmured, feeling the other woman’s worries acutely. It resembled her own worries and concerns so closely; it made her shudder with the painful memories of those uncertain times.
“I thank you for your kindness. Please understand that I love Sebastian. Truly I do. But until I know for certain he feels the same way because of whom I am, not what I am then we can have no future.” Amelia sat back against the squabs with a shiver. “For one thing is certain in all of this, if Sebastian doesn’t feel the same depth of feeling towards me as I do for him, then it will be I who will be very deeply hu