“Well, thankfully the duke made certain my accommodations were clean and safe.”
Jack’s face turned cold. “How can you still defend the man after what he did?”
“He was a friend.”
“And what was I?” he demanded. “Everything I did was to help you clear your name.”
“Hah! You thought I was guilty! I was nothing but a job to you. Te
ll me, Jack, how many other women have you bedded for your job?”
“None, Tessa. Only you.” He strode toward the horses. “We are leaving now. I have a carriage to arrange for you.”
“As you wish.”
After helping her on Fiona, they both rode back to the house in an uncomfortable silence. Tessa wondered how he could believe he was in the right on this matter. She obviously had meant nothing to him, and she cursed herself for caring. The carriage ride back to London would give her time to think about what she could do with her life and her money. Perhaps some charity work would do her good.
Arriving back at the stables, a boy helped her down and then she strode for the house, not looking back to see if Jack followed. She asked the butler to have Marianne pack her things.
“Going somewhere?”
Tessa turned to find Regina frowning at her. “I am returning to London. I don’t believe this is the right time for me to travel.”
“Of course it isn’t,” Regina grabbed Tessa’s arm and led her into the small salon. “Are you such a simpleton that you cannot see why I brought you here?”
Tessa anger flared at the older woman. “I know exactly why you brought me here and it did not work. I will never forgive your grandson for what he did to me.”
“Of course you will, my dear.”
“I am done with this conversation.” Tessa turned to leave the room.
“Has the young fool not told you everything yet?”
“There is nothing more to tell. He used me to get to the duke.” She took a step only to feel the older woman grip her upper arm with a strength Tessa hadn’t imagined.
“Did he tell you that he would have been one of the duke’s victim, if not for your maid?” Regina whispered harshly.
No! That could not be true. “We weren’t married so there was no reason to think the duke would have attempted to kill him.”
“Your maid said otherwise. She told Jack that the duke wanted her to give the powder to him but she never did it.”
“Why not? If she had no idea what the powder contained, why wouldn’t she have used it on Jack?”
The older woman laughed. “Anne was told the powder would invigorate a man. She’d overheard you and my grandson in the bedchamber and felt there was no need for that with him.”
Tessa’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.
“And then there was your prison cell,” Regina added.
Prison cell? Tessa slowly faced the older woman again. “I beg your pardon?”
“Your prison cell, with the private guards, soft cot, and tasty meals. Far from the usual fare at Newgate.”
“The duke paid for it all.”
Regina laughed softly. “Oh no, my dear, my grandson spent a fortune trying to keep you safe. Money he could ill afford to spend.”
“Jack paid for all that?” That wasn’t possible. He had caused her to be imprisoned in the first place.