"I have been travelling all morning. I need something to eat to keep my strength up and then I can really start to enjoy myself." George said taking off his jacket.

"I would be happier if you just got on with it." Miranda demanded sullenly. She was not used to having to share control; Herbert never suggested anything that would go against her wishes. George was annoying her by trying to take over. It was her plan after all.

"In my own time, dear sister. The room next door is free for you to use while I am busy."

"I am not leaving you!" Miranda snapped.

"If you expect me to perform in front of my own sister, you are mistaken. I do not perform in front of anyone." George snarled in return.

"How will I know she has been ruined? There has to be no doubt."

"I will show you the bloodied sheet and if there is no blood, I will create some, one way or another!" George leered. "You may even hear her cries; I am going to take the opportunity to have some fun, I've waited long enough, and had to suffer her looking down her nose at me these past days. You have no need to worry, I am going to make sure there is no doubt that she has been ruined."

Elizabeth tried to swallow without the pair noticing, she felt physically sick. She dared not open her eyes, but was desperate to find something that she could use on herself to end their plan. There was no doubt in her mind that she would never have Michael after today. When George had finished with her there would be nothing left to live for. She needed to find a way to kill herself before they could stop her, and she must not fail.

The group were interrupted by the landlord delivering food and drinks, and a bowl of water and cloths for the patient. Miranda once again proved she was a wonderful actress, leaving the landlord in no doubt of her sisterly affection. Once the door had closed however, she demanded that George hurry.

George ate at a steady pace, and although Miranda snapped at him occasionally, she did seem to calm down a little. George chatted easily, including a remark to Miranda that he hoped to have a long and happy marriage, at which Miranda laughed out loud.

Eventually, George had eaten his fill, and moved to the side of the bed. "I had hoped she would have woken earlier, I did so want to build up the antic.i.p.ation for her." he said.

He moved over to the table and picked up the bowl and threw the water over Elizabeth. She did not need to pretend to have been woken in such a way, as she coughed and spluttered from the effects of the water.

"What the...?" she stammered as her coughing fit subsided. She sat on the bed, wiping her face and pushing the hair that had escaped from her bun, out of her face.

"Ah, the princess awakes. Welcome my dear, I advise you not to scream, the landlord won't be alarmed. I have already told him there may be unpleasantness when you come around, you being so p.r.o.ne to hysterics." George said, his voice laced with a menace that Elizabeth had never detected before.

"I'm the only sane person in this room." Elizabeth snapped. Terrified she may be, but she was still prepared to stand up for herself.

"That's as may be, but we are in charge now, and there is nothing more you can do. I'm quite happy that you didn't give your cousin the money when my sister first asked. If you had, we would not be here and I must say, although I was not looking for a wife, I am rapidly coming around to the idea." George looked up and down Elizabeth's body as he said his words.

Elizabeth moved higher up the bed and tried to cover herself, as the water had made her dress far too transparent for her comfort.

"Now, now, don't be shy," George said, moving to the edge of the bed. "It's time we got to know each other better, a lot better."

"No!" Elizabeth shouted and lunged to the opposite side of the bed. George grabbed at her dress, and she heard a rip as the fabric gave way, but she still pulled away.

Elizabeth's hopes surged as her feet touched the floor, but she was sent reeling back across the bed when Miranda slapped her hard across the face. Elizabeth gasped and tears stung her eyes. She wiped her hand across her mouth and saw blood on her hand.

"Why Miranda?" She asked, the fight knocked out of her for the moment.

"Why not?" Miranda snarled, all resemblance to a doll completely vanished.

Those two words seemed to deflate Elizabeth. She could have understood if Miranda had hated her out of envy, or that she disliked her as a person, but those words showed she was dealing with at least one person who was slightly mad. George took the opportunity to drag Elizabeth back onto the bed. Elizabeth's dress was torn, almost to her thighs, but she did not seem to notice. She had resigned herself to the inevitable. She may have been able to escape one of them, but both working together and with no way to appeal to either, she knew she was defeated.

"That's better," George leered, noticing her lack of fight. He laid her on her back and knelt between her legs. "I didn't want my sister here, but in case you decide to make a fuss again I think it's best if she stays."

Elizabeth stared at him, horror in her eyes as he started to unb.u.t.ton the fall front on his trousers. Thoughts raced through her mind of all the times she had imagined being with Michael and being loved, of how she had hoped that they would one day be together, joined as two people in love should be. Instead, she was in some dubious inn, with people who hated her, and wanted her alive purely for her money. She had never felt so alone in her life.

George paused and in the lull of his movement, Elizabeth realised there was the sound of footsteps on the stairs, lots of footsteps.

"Michael!" Elizabeth screamed with all her might before George flung himself on her, covering her mouth with his hand.

"Quiet, you stupid b.i.t.c.h. It's too late, you are already ruined!" he snarled.

The door burst open and although Elizabeth could only turn her head a little way because of George's hold, she saw Michael's bulk filling the doorway. The look in his eyes she had never seen in a human being before, but had seen it in an animal, it was the look that entered an animal's eyes before it killed.

The room went very still and silent, a silence which Michael broke. "If you have hurt her in any way, you will die in this room. Now, very slowly, move away from the bed."

The words had been said so quietly, but with so much menace that Elizabeth felt the shiver that travelled through George. The occupants of the room stilled until a look pa.s.sed between George and Miranda, and then he moved away from Elizabeth and stood next to the bed.

"Charles, remove Elizabeth from this room." Michael said as quietly as before, never taking his eyes off George and Miranda.

Charles moved into the room and over to the bed, where he wrapped a blanket around Elizabeth's shoulders and helped her off the bed. His actions stirred Miranda into life, and she flew at Elizabeth.

"The money is ours! She is ruined! I will make sure everyone knows she is soiled goods! Every person I know will be told that she has been ruined! She will never be able to show her face in public again!" she screamed, while trying to lash out.

Charles stepped in front of Elizabeth and pushed Miranda away. She toppled backwards, falling over a chair. Herbert, who had up until now remained outside the doorway, ran into the room to Miranda's side.

"My dear, it is over." he crooned, trying to help her up.

"I knew you couldn't be relied on!" Miranda spat at her long-suffering husband.

"We will find another way." Herbert soothed.

"There is no other way, you stupid man! We need her money!" Miranda snapped at him.

Michael interrupted what had the potential of becoming an argument between husband and wife. "Charles, take her to the carriage and wait for me there."

Elizabeth let herself be led to the door, but as she reached Michael's side, she touched his arm. "Please come with us." she said quietly.

"I will, but I have business here first." he replied softly, hardly looking at her.

"I don't want you to get hurt." Elizabeth pleaded, suddenly tears springing into her eyes.

"I won't be the one being hurt today," Michael said. "Charles, wait in the carriage for me." He commanded.

Elizabeth was led out of the room, firmly but gently, and taken down the stairs. She pulled the blanket tighter around herself, suddenly feeling vulnerable because of her torn, wet clothing. Charles kept his arm around her back, supporting her the whole way. She was led into the yard and placed in Herbert's carriage. Charles climbed in beside her and closed the door.

"Please go back to him." Elizabeth whispered, hugging the blanket around her body.

"He will not thank me for leaving you here." Charles replied, but he did appear to be torn between wanting to stay with Elizabeth, and returning to the inn.

"I will be safe here. I promise not to return to the inn, but he is outnumbered, please help him!" Elizabeth pleaded, all pretence at keeping her feelings hidden gone in the fear that Michael needed help.

Charles nodded and stepped out of the carriage, but as he turned to close the door, and before he had time to move, the sound of a gunshot rang out from the inn.

Colour drained from the faces of both Charles and Elizabeth as they realised the direction the shot had come from. They looked at each other in horror.

"No!" Elizabeth shouted, throwing herself at the door, trying to get out and being hindered by the blanket.

"Miss Rufford! No!" Charles shouted, blocking her way. "You must stay here. I will go and see what has happened."

"If he, if he....." Elizabeth could not finish the sentence; she could not seem to breathe.

"I will return as quickly as I can, but I need you to stay here." Charles said firmly and only moved from the doorway when Elizabeth nodded in defeat.

Charles ran across the courtyard and Elizabeth slumped into her seat. She had thought being in a world that did not allow her to be with Michael would be too much to bear, but she had never once contemplated a world that he was no longer a part of. If he had been killed, it would be her fault. She cursed that she had not seen that George and Miranda were planning something, that she had not been on her guard, and Michael could be dead because of it.

It seemed like an eternity before she heard footsteps approach the carriage, but she could not move. She heard m.u.f.fled voices and closed her eyes; it could only mean bad news. She did not open her eyes when the door open and she felt someone getting into the carriage, she did not want to be told that he was dead.

"Elizabeth?" came a concerned whisper.

Elizabeth opened her eyes wide, Michael was sat before her, looking dishevelled and with a bruised cheek, but alive. "You're safe." were the only words that she could utter before the tears flowed and sobs overtook her.

Michael smiled and gathered Elizabeth into his arms. "Come now, I didn't think news of my survival would cause you to be so upset." he teased gently, his heart easing a little from the vice-like pressure it had been under since the terror had started.

Elizabeth tried to laugh, hiccupped and started to cry again. After many minutes had pa.s.sed she lifted her head from his shoulder, but still held onto him, because she never wanted to let go of him again. "I thought you had been shot! What happened?"

"I decided to issue my own punishment on George," Michael started, not wanting to upset Elizabeth further, but knowing that she would need to know what had gone on. "He did fight back," he smiled a little, pointing to his bruised cheek. "I was quite pleased, it gave me the excuse to really punish him. What I had not antic.i.p.ated was that he would be armed."

Michael paused at Elizabeth's sharp intake of breath. "Shh, there's nothing to worry about. We fought some more, my aim was to try and disarm him at this point, but he had primed the gun. Herbert saw what was happening and moved in front of Miranda, probably the only brave thing he has ever done. When the gun went off, Herbert took the full force of the blast. I'm sorry Elizabeth; your cousin did not survive."

Elizabeth stared at Michael. She did not wish anyone dead, but after today she could not feel any sympathy for her cousin. He had only played a minor role in the nightmare, but he had gone along with the scheme without any thought for her. She was sorry that it had come to that, but she would not mourn him. "Miranda and George?" She asked.

"Miranda became hysterical with George, not for the loss of her husband, but the fact that his death meant that she had nothing. Without Herbert she is reduced to being a widow who has many debts. I have left Charles to send for the local magistrate. I was going to let them go and try to survive with the debt, but while they roam the streets I would never feel that you were safe." Michael pulled Elizabeth closer and kissed the top of her head. "It's over now. They can't harm you now."

Elizabeth snuggled into him and sighed with relief. She was close to Michael and there was no danger. It was not long before she fell asleep, the drug was still in her body, and the emotion of the day had completely drained her. Only the security of having Michael's arms around her allowed her to relax, knowing it was over and she was protected.

The sedate pace of the journey back allowed Michael to go over the events of the day. The feeling of panic and dread came back as he mulled it over in minute detail. There were too many 'what ifs' at the moment for him to be able to relax. If Herbert had not sent them to the correct inn, they would never have found her, thank G.o.d he had directed them straight there. His coachman was in line to receive a huge bonus from his employer, he had driven as fast as the vehicle could stand and probably faster, to try and recover some of the ground they had to gain.

When they had reached the inn George's carriage was still in the yard, it was not a busy inn, George had not wanted to make things any more difficult by meeting people pa.s.sing through who might have known one of their group. Michael and Charles had burst into the inn and demanded to be told which room they were in. They had already been halfway up the stairs before the innkeeper had had time to respond, and reached the top of the stairs to be faced with numerous doors. Every second counted, but the pause allowed him to hear Elizabeth scream out his name.

The sound of her voice, the panic, fear and desperation had made him angrier than he had ever been in his life. He had to get to her. Charles had turned to the sound but Michael had already reached the door and kicked it in, the door bursting open as if there was no lock in existence. The scene he was met with almost made him stagger. Elizabeth on the bed, her dress ripped, legs apart, with George lying across her. At that moment Michael knew he could kill, but something inside had managed to hold him back in order to get Elizabeth to safety.

Her concern for his welfare had touched his very core, and he knew that after today, he had to tell her how he felt. He could not let her marry someone who would not cherish her, or love her as he did, but before that he had needed to deal with her relatives.

George had put up only a small fight; he was too rotund to be a fighter, especially against a man as angry as Michael. He had also presumed that once he produced his gun there would no longer be any reason to fight; he had thought that the sight of the gun would stop Michael in his tracks. The gun had caused Michael to falter for about five seconds, before he continued the battle. He was out to seek revenge for Elizabeth, and a gun was not going to stop him. When the gun had gone off, Michael and George had separated, wondering if it was the other who had been shot, but Herbert's slumped body had told its own story. Michael thought that even though he had only a short acquaintance with Herbert, it was probably the best outcome for the man. He would not have imagined Herbert coping well with being brought in front of a magistrate.

Miranda had soon shown that her feelings were purely selfish. She did not mourn the pa.s.sing of her husband, only mourning the loss of his income and had turned her anger on George. The innkeeper had seemed trustworthy enough to stay with the pair until Charles took over. A boy had been sent to inform the magistrate.

Once the fight was over, Michael had to get to Elizabeth to check that she had not been hurt. He knew she had not been ruined, but even the fact that she had been in such a situation would need careful handling. For her to have been in such a situation could scar her for life, Michael was determined that the bright eyed woman that he loved would return.

Chapter 18.

The pair returned to London along with Miss Fairfield within a couple of days of the incident. Michael wanted to take Elizabeth away from her estate, not forever, but until she got some of the bloom back into her cheeks. It was ironic, he thought as they journeyed back, taking someone to London to improve their health, most people ran away from London to do that.

They had discussed everything that had happened, and Elizabeth had finally agreed that Violet should know the full story, and Michael had written his sister a long letter in advance of their arrival.

Elizabeth was quieter than she normally was on a journey, her natural enthusiasm a little subdued. She felt a lot older on her return to London, and it felt as if a long time had pa.s.sed since she had travelled with Miss Fairfield in her purple and orange outfit. She could never have imagined even half of what had happened. Life changing events had taken place, and this trip would continue that theme for her. Even though the events involving Miranda and George were horrific, she had to give Lord Halkyn a final decision.

In her heart there was only one man that she wanted to marry, but although he cared for her, he had made it quite clear that he was her guardian and he was too honourable to do anything else. It did not make sense to Elizabeth, but at least he had admitted to his feelings for her. She would never forget the kisses they had shared in the top field for as long as she lived.

Before the journey to Yorkshire she had been sure that she would refuse Lord Halkyn, but after recent events, there was more to consider. She had puzzled over what her final decision should be. Trying to dwell on that, rather than what had happened with George. Each time she thought of those moments in the inn, she felt physically sick about how close she had come to being completely ruined. It did worry her a little that the thought of Michael knowing she was ruined had affected her more than anything else. She had not wanted to live without the chance that she would ultimately be with Michael. Thoughts such as those troubled her even more when thinking of Lord Halkyn, but she had to consider what he could offer her. She felt vulnerable and alone.

She was welcomed into Violet's home like a long lost child, and she felt loved and cosseted within a few minutes of her arrival. Michael had left soon after to settle into his own home, leaving Elizabeth in his sister's capable hands.

After a few days they had returned to a similar routine to when she had first arrived in London. A ride with Michael in the morning, visits with Violet and then attending some entertainment in the evening. She begged to be excused from the larger gatherings, to which Violet agreed.

"I understand why you want to ease yourself back into society, my dear," Violet said with compa.s.sion. "But I don't think many knew your cousin or his family, and I doubt they would expect you to be in mourning."

Elizabeth smiled slightly, "I'm afraid I want to avoid society, but it has nothing to do with Herbert. I have my own selfish reasons."

"You do have not a selfish bone in your body. What is troubling you? It's been obvious something is unsettling you and I didn't think it was all connected with what happened in Yorkshire." Violet said gently.

"I need to speak to Lord Halkyn and I suppose I have been trying to work out exactly what to say."

"Ah yes, I'd forgotten about that," Violet said. She had hoped that Michael would have come to his senses in Yorkshire. She had not accounted for the attack on Elizabeth though and had to accept defeat when hoping that her brother would declare himself. "Have you made your decision?"

"I have, but if you don't mind I feel it only fair to inform him of my decision first." Elizabeth replied.

"Of course, my dear." Violet replied, having to be satisfied with Elizabeth's response.

Michael had remained convinced that he should declare himself to Elizabeth. The events in Yorkshire had shown him that he could not face a life without her. He still had nightmares about seeing her on the bed, with George poised between her legs. He shuddered every time a 'what if' thought entered his mind and it reinforced his determination to let her know his true feelings. He would tell her about the madness, but they could put in place some agreement that when he started to show signs, he could be locked away, for her safety and his. The thought of being locked away terrified him, but he would agree to it, if it meant he could have the time with Elizabeth while he was still sane. He comforted himself by thinking that at least he would not be in his right mind when he had to be separated from her.

He decided to speak to her before they went riding. It was the time of day that they would be less likely to be interrupted, Violet and Edward never came downstairs too early. The nerves built as he approached Violet's home, it was not every day that he tried to persuade someone to marry him, at the same time of informing them that their time together would be limited.

He wandered into the morning room to wait for Elizabeth. He paced the room as he waited, first time marriage proposals were nerve racking. At least Elizabeth did not keep him waiting for long; he heard her hurrying down the stairs. She entered the room, dressed in a deep red riding habit, which had complex patterns of black braiding on the sleeves and across the front.

"Good morning Michael," Elizabeth said pleasantly. "I hope you are ready for a good ride, I feel the need to burn some energy today."

Michael smiled, her natural energy was returning as he had hoped. "I am always ready to challenge you to a good horse ride, I don't give up as easily as the friends with whom you used to race, but I thought we could talk before we began."

"Yes, of course, if you wish," Elizabeth responded easily. "Oh, before I forget, I need to see Lord Halkyn, I promised I would seek him out on my return and I've been very remiss. The man probably thinks I am a flighty miss, and I'd hate him to have such a low opinion of me. Do you know if he is still in town?"

If Michael had received a kick to the stomach, it would have been less painful. Halkyn. He had completely forgotten, or ignored the fact that she was considering an offer from him. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He is in town I believe. Have you business with him?"

"Yes, I've been doing a lot of thinking and it is time I started being more decisive. After what happened, I've decided that sitting around, and dwelling on things for too long does nothing but confuse matters. It is time I started sorting myself out once and for all." She smiled at Michael, in her usual mischievous way. "Now, what do you want to talk to me about, have I erred again?"

Michael tried to smile, she was adorable and he had lost her. She was seeking out Lord Halkyn and looking happy about it, which could mean only one thing. Michael cursed himself silently, the one time he had decided that he was going to act; he had left it too late. He shook himself, he had only himself to blame.