her
hands shook as she reached up to smooth her hair. She wore it unbound and had
been cut recently. Still, for all that, she looked well. Her eyes were as
beautiful as ever.
“You came for me,” Clara murmured. “I didn’t
think you would.”
Branson steeled himself. “I can take you as
far as London,” he said stiffly. “I keep a carriage there. I shall journey back
to Windemere Hall and you may do as you please. I
won’t trouble you any longer, Clara.”
“I see.” Her hazel eyes glistened but she
did not cry.
She seemed removed from him, as though
confinement in the asylum had done more to her than change her hair. It had
broken her spirit and interest in life. Branson wanted to hold her, kiss her
and bring her back to life, but doing so would only trap her further and drain
her of what little life she had left.
“I am sorry you came all this way and put yourself
to trouble on my account.” Clara turned away.
“Where are you going?” he asked sharply.
“I would rather stay here, sir. There is
nothing for me in London. Thank you all the same.”
“Stop!” he hissed through clenched teeth. “I
did not come all this way to return to your brother empty-handed. At this very
moment, Edgar is making the announcement at the shareholders’ meeting in my
absence. He came to me yesterday to arrange for your release in exchange for my
proxy. The success of the day hinges on your safe return! I have come at great
personal risk—”
“Risk!” Clara’s eyes were alive with fury. She balled her hands into fists.
“The risk is that Edgar will rebel and he won’t do your bidding. Your sudden
interest in me begins to make sense. I can only imagine the choice you gave
Edgar—destroy his father or destroy his sister— it is up to you, dear fellow . You treat your friends well, cousin.
You treat your fiancées even better. One, you allowed to kill herself. The
other, you suffered to be shut up in a madhouse.”
His jaw clenched. He took two swift steps
toward her, grasped her arm and pulled her against his chest to shut her up. “ I mean to take you London and deliver you to your
brother. If you did not run away from me in the first place, none of this would
have happened!”
“You gave me little choice, Bran.” Clara gently
extricated herself from his hold. Her expression held great grief. “I am sorry
but I will not be going anywhere with you. Please inform my brother that I have
released you from your promise and you are no longer under any obligation to me.
He will understand my meaning. I am glad to have the opportunity to part with
you as friends. I wish you well. Good-bye, cousin.”
Obviously, Edgar Hamilton had not taken into
account his sister’s significant objection to Branson’s company when he devised
this plan. “Wait, please—Clara.” Branson caught her arm. “There is something
you need to know. Something I must tell you. I did not come here for Edgar’s
sake alone. Will you come now, before we attract further enquiries from the
good doctor? It is only a matter of time before he decides to send word to
London to confirm my story. Your father will be out of the meeting soon. We
need to be well away before then.”
“Nothing you can do to my father will prick
his conscience,” she said sadly. “Nothing will move him. He has no feeling for
any person’s welfare save his own.”
“That does not
make what he is about to endure any less just,” Branson retorted fiercely. “Make
no mistake—I regret nothing on that
score.”
Her legs seemed
to give way and she collapsed against him. Branson noticed for the first time
how very weak and pale she was. He lifted her in his arms as easily as he might
lift a sack of grain and choking with emotion, he buried his face against her neck.
“Clara, I
cannot leave you behind. I beg of you—if you love me, you will let me take you
away from this place!”
The orderly arrived with Clara’s belongings
in that moment, a small case
hands shook as she reached up to smooth her hair. She wore it unbound and had
been cut recently. Still, for all that, she looked well. Her eyes were as
beautiful as ever.
“You came for me,” Clara murmured. “I didn’t
think you would.”
Branson steeled himself. “I can take you as
far as London,” he said stiffly. “I keep a carriage there. I shall journey back
to Windemere Hall and you may do as you please. I
won’t trouble you any longer, Clara.”
“I see.” Her hazel eyes glistened but she
did not cry.
She seemed removed from him, as though
confinement in the asylum had done more to her than change her hair. It had
broken her spirit and interest in life. Branson wanted to hold her, kiss her
and bring her back to life, but doing so would only trap her further and drain
her of what little life she had left.
“I am sorry you came all this way and put yourself
to trouble on my account.” Clara turned away.
“Where are you going?” he asked sharply.
“I would rather stay here, sir. There is
nothing for me in London. Thank you all the same.”
“Stop!” he hissed through clenched teeth. “I
did not come all this way to return to your brother empty-handed. At this very
moment, Edgar is making the announcement at the shareholders’ meeting in my
absence. He came to me yesterday to arrange for your release in exchange for my
proxy. The success of the day hinges on your safe return! I have come at great
personal risk—”
“Risk!” Clara’s eyes were alive with fury. She balled her hands into fists.
“The risk is that Edgar will rebel and he won’t do your bidding. Your sudden
interest in me begins to make sense. I can only imagine the choice you gave
Edgar—destroy his father or destroy his sister— it is up to you, dear fellow . You treat your friends well, cousin.
You treat your fiancées even better. One, you allowed to kill herself. The
other, you suffered to be shut up in a madhouse.”
His jaw clenched. He took two swift steps
toward her, grasped her arm and pulled her against his chest to shut her up. “ I mean to take you London and deliver you to your
brother. If you did not run away from me in the first place, none of this would
have happened!”
“You gave me little choice, Bran.” Clara gently
extricated herself from his hold. Her expression held great grief. “I am sorry
but I will not be going anywhere with you. Please inform my brother that I have
released you from your promise and you are no longer under any obligation to me.
He will understand my meaning. I am glad to have the opportunity to part with
you as friends. I wish you well. Good-bye, cousin.”
Obviously, Edgar Hamilton had not taken into
account his sister’s significant objection to Branson’s company when he devised
this plan. “Wait, please—Clara.” Branson caught her arm. “There is something
you need to know. Something I must tell you. I did not come here for Edgar’s
sake alone. Will you come now, before we attract further enquiries from the
good doctor? It is only a matter of time before he decides to send word to
London to confirm my story. Your father will be out of the meeting soon. We
need to be well away before then.”
“Nothing you can do to my father will prick
his conscience,” she said sadly. “Nothing will move him. He has no feeling for
any person’s welfare save his own.”
“That does not
make what he is about to endure any less just,” Branson retorted fiercely. “Make
no mistake—I regret nothing on that
score.”
Her legs seemed
to give way and she collapsed against him. Branson noticed for the first time
how very weak and pale she was. He lifted her in his arms as easily as he might
lift a sack of grain and choking with emotion, he buried his face against her neck.
“Clara, I
cannot leave you behind. I beg of you—if you love me, you will let me take you
away from this place!”
The orderly arrived with Clara’s belongings
in that moment, a small case
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