Quinn drove steadily, but as the curricle rounded the first bend he felt the figure beside him sway and he quickly put an arm about her shoulders.
‘Easy now. I don’t want you falling out on to the road.’
‘No, of course not.’ She sounded very calm and made no move to shake him off. ‘I do not feel quite myself.’
‘That is understandable.’ He frowned. There was something familiar about her voice, but he couldn’t quite place it.
‘No, what I mean is, my head is swimming. He made me drink the wine. He was trying to get me drunk.’
‘Did he succeed?’
‘Not quite.’ There was a long pause. ‘You must think me very foolish.’
‘I do. But you are not the first.’
‘I should have known better. Molly—my sister-in-law—is patroness of Prospect House, a refuge for women who have, who have been...’ A shudder ran through her. ‘I have met some of them and learned their history, but I thought it could never happen to me. I thought I knew better.’
She was talking quite naturally, as if they were old friends, but Quinn guessed that was the shock. It would not last. Reaction would set in at some point and he must be ready for that. For now, talking was a way to distract her from her ordeal.
‘It is common among the young,’ he remarked, ‘to think they are awake upon every suit.’
‘Where are you taking me?’
‘To Melham Court. My housekeeper will look after you. I am Quinn, by the way.’
‘I know. You were pointed out to me at the Grindleshams’ ball.’
So that was it! He felt a stab of shock. The hair, the voice—he could place her now, the outraged beauty from the rose garden. Well, however wilful she might be, it was clear she had got herself into a situation far beyond her control.
She said now, ‘I was told you are the rudest man in London.’
‘Which was your own opinion, when we met in the garden.’
‘Ah, yes. Do you wish me to apologise?’
‘No. I admit it, I was rude to you.’ He glanced down at her. ‘You have the advantage of me. I do not know your name.’
‘S-Serena Russington. I am Lord Hambridge’s ward. But I pray you will not blame him for my present predicament.’
‘I don’t. I have no doubt you told him some tarradiddle so you could slip away this evening.’
She tensed, and said coldly, ‘I think you should release me. It is most improper for you to have your arm about me like this.’
‘Improper, perhaps, but necessary. In the dark you will not be prepared for the twists and turns of the road. My team, however, are very familiar with this route and need little guidance from me.’
‘You can drive one-handed?’ Her indignation died away as quickly as it had come. ‘I am impressed. Not that you wish to impress me, do you, Lord Quinn? You think me a sad romp.’
‘No, I merely think you foolish.’ The stiff little body beside him drooped a little and he softened his tone. ‘Perhaps you should tell me how you came to be at the Swan this evening. And who was your companion?’
He thought at first she would not reply. Then she began to speak, her voice low and tightly controlled.
‘The man was Sir Timothy Forsbrook. He said he would take me to Vauxhall Gardens, but instead he was going to carry me off to Scotland. I did not realise the deceit until we were out of London.’ She added bitterly, ‘He tricked me finely! He said that he thought I wanted to elope with him, so he had arranged it all. Elope!’ She shuddered. ‘I am sure I gave him no such indication!’
‘Yet you agreed to go to Vauxhall with him.’
Silence, then, ‘Yes.’
‘And would I be correct in assuming your dowry is...substantial?’
‘Of course. I know now that is why he ran off with me, but he d-did not admit it at first. When I told him I did not wish to elope he begged pardon and said he had quite misunderstood and we would go back just as soon as we had changed horses. When we reached the Swan, I wanted to remain in the carriage, but the night mail followed us into the yard and he said I would be sure to attract attention. He...he had bespoken a room where I might rest in private.’
‘And you believed him?’ He could not keep the incredulity out of his voice.
‘He had given me no cause then to think he would not respect my wishes. He was so polite, so remorseful that I truly believed he was in earnest, that he really was protecting my honour. Instead he...he t-tried to...’
She began to shake, quite violently, and his arm tightened.
‘Enough. I can guess the rest.’
With relief he saw they were approaching the gatehouse of Melham Court and he slowed the greys. The bridge and archway leading into the courtyard were narrow, but at least there were no tight corners to negotiate one-handed. He brought the team to a stand before the door and a servant ran out to take their heads. Serena was still trembling. Quinn picked her up and carried her into the house. It was the work of a moment, but he was aware of two things. She weighed almost nothing in his arms and she smelled of summer meadows.
* * *
If Dunnock thought it unusual for his master to arrive with a strange woman in his arms, he was too wise a butler to show it. Quinn made directly for the drawing room, requesting that the housekeeper should attend him.
It was his custom whenever he was returning to Melham to send word ahead in order that the principal rooms could be prepared, so he was not surprised to find a good blaze in the hearth. He lowered Serena gently into a chair beside the fire and she huddled into her shawl, leaning towards the flames. She barely seemed to notice him.
His housekeeper came bustling in and he explained without preamble.
‘I found Miss Russington at the Swan. She is very distressed and I need you to take care of her, Mrs Talbot. She will need a hot brick for her bed.’ He glanced down at the dishevelled figure hunched over the fire. ‘And a bath.’
‘Aye, of course, my lord. I always make sure there is hot water when you are due back, but ’tis only enough for one. And...’ She stopped, consternation in every line of her kindly face.
‘Yes?’
‘Everything is set up in your dressing room, my lord. I can easily have the hip bath removed to the guest room, but there is no fire burning there and it will take a time to get it warm.’
‘Bathe her in my rooms, then, while you have the guest room prepared.
