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If she had obeyed her own desires she would have remained in her room. However, the Duchess's command had been explicit, and besides, not to put too fine a face upon it, she was hungry.
Di
Carlyle's essays and went dispiritedly up to her room.
The volume did what she hoped it would do; it put her to sleep, in spite of a rising wind that made unca
The wind that had howled so drearily had not been an evil portent but the reverse. Not only did Maria
The air was cold, and frost whitened the grass. Puddles of water had fringes of ice. It would have taken more than cold to discourage Maria
Still exhilarated, she turned onto the footpath and walked toward the village.
The smoke of the cooking fires rose up into a cloudless sky. There were few people abroad; early as it was for the pampered upper classes, most of the villagers had been up for hours and had gone to their work. Maria
She had intended to go as far as the church – for no particular reason, just to have a goal in mind – but the sight of the stroller ahead of her made her self-conscious. She turned and started back.
Before long she heard rapid footsteps approaching; then around a curve in the drive came Carlton, trotting along like a man who is late for an urgent appointment. He was hatless; his dark hair blew in the wind. Maria
"Walking. The sun was so welcome I could not wait to enjoy it."
"You have no business rushing out like that. If one of the footmen had not seen you I would have had no idea where you were."
"Why should you concern yourself about my whereabouts?" Maria
As her anger grew, Carlton became cooler. He smiled in a superior way and replied, "Oddly enough – that had not occurred to me. I hope you have no such scheme in mind; I am far too busy to be forever searching your room."
"I don't see you actively engaged in anything," Maria
"As a matter of fact, I am leaving almost at once."
"Oh," Maria
"But I shall return."
"When?"
"Ah, you do care!" Carlton exclaimed, clasping his hands in mock rapture. "I don't know when, Miss Ransom. Hopefully in two or three days. Now I want you to promise me something before I go."
"What?"
"You are monosyllabic today – and wary, too. Couldn't you have said, 'Anything,' instead of pronouncing that flat, skeptical 'what?' I merely want your word that you will not leave the house until I return."
"Impossible! I will lose my mind cooped up any longer. Surely a ride, with one of the grooms -"
"No. Not even a walk in the garden. I have postponed discussing this matter with you because… Well, for a variety of reasons which need not concern you. But now I must speak out. There is a stranger staying at the Devenbrook Arms."
"The man I saw this morning?"
"Ah, you saw him. Then it was not Bagshot?"
Maria
"I… I ca
"I have not been able to get a look at him," Carlton said. "He keeps very much to himself. But even if I had seen him I might not know him; there are such things as disguises. I do not really believe this man is Bagshot.
He probably is not. But I learned a few days ago, from my informants in London, that Bagshot is not to be seen in his usual haunts, and that he is rumored to have left the city."
"Days ago! Why didn't you tell me?"
Carlton shrugged. "You would not believe my reasons," he said enigmatically. "I am telling you now only because I am going away and you will have to watch out for yourself."
"But it is so vague," Maria
"If you take that attitude I will be forced to tell you another fact I had meant to keep from you, because of its distressing nature. I have found Maggie."
Maria
"Not dead, no; but she was badly beaten and left for dead. Precisely when the attack happened is uncertain; but she finally managed to reach the man she had mentioned to you, old Harry. A scavenger and ragpicker by trade. He took her in and did his best for her, but when my people found her she was delirious and sinking fast. She is now receiving the finest care," he added quickly, seeing Maria
Maria
Carlton took a quick, impulsive step toward her, his hands extended; but caught himself before he actually touched her. When Maria
Maria
"Good. Let us go in now. I will return as soon as I possibly can. Take sensible precautions, but don't let your fears get the better of you."
Maria