Married By Christmas

‘Indeed? As long as that? You surprise me, sir.’

‘Now you are teasing me, Miss Horne.’

‘Yes, I am—do you mind?’

‘Mind?’ Hal smiled oddly. If he were to tell her what was in his mind at that moment, she might be shocked. ‘It delights me, Miss Horne. It seems that you are full of surprises. But we are at the library and I shall leave you here for the moment.’

Jo gave him her hand. He raised it to his lips to kiss it. Her heart raced, and she turned away, her cheeks flushing to go into the library.

Jo walked home swiftly afterwards. The day had fled again, and she would be back only just in time to change for tea.

Chapter Three

The next few days were busy ones for Jo, because she suddenly found that she was in demand; taken up by Chloe, she had been noticed by several indulgent mamas who thought that she was a pleasant girl and no threat to their prettier daughters. It meant that she was invited to go walking and shopping, and to take tea, sometimes with Lady Wainwright and sometimes without her. She particularly enjoyed her debating society and being able to visit the library whenever she wished, but Ellen was still the friend she liked the best.

However, Jo found that every part of her day was spoken for and it was not until the following Thursday when she received a note from Ellen that she managed to slip away to visit her.

‘Oh, Jo,’ Ellen said as soon as she had admitted her to the house, ‘I am so glad that you came today. I have had a letter from my mama. She says that my father has had agents searching for me since my letter reached her. Apparently, he was able to discover that it had been sent from Bath and then it was an easy matter to trace where I was living. She says that he has asked her to write and tell me to return. He is prepared to give me a home, providing I behave properly in future.’

Jo was stunned for she had never expected this. ‘How could he have discovered where the letter was sent from?’ she asked. ‘You did not give her your address?’

‘No, of course not,’ Ellen said. ‘The letter was franked when I took it to the receiving office. I suppose it must have carried the word Bath or some such thing in the official stamp…and my father sent his agents to look for me here.’ She gave a little sob of despair. ‘What shall I do? If I write and refuse, he may come here himself and force me to return home.’

‘Would that be such a terrible thing?’ Jo wrinkled her brow.

‘Yes, it would, because my father is so very strict, Jo. You have no idea how unkind he can be when he wishes.’ Ellen’s face was pale, her eyes anxious. ‘Mama would not be unkind, but she dare not stand up to him, and he says that I am not married in the eyes of God. He believes that I lived in sin with Matt, and that my child is a bastard. I know that he would not let me keep it and shame him. He would hide me somehow until the baby was born, and then give my child away to some worthy person to care for. I should never be allowed to see my baby. It would be like living in prison after the life I have led here and with Matt. I was so happy then. I cannot bear to return to my old life.’

‘Oh, that is too cruel!’ Jo said and looked at her in horror. ‘Is he really so very unfeeling, Ellen?’

‘Yes. It is the reason I did not go home after Matt died. I would rather scrub floors than live in his house again!’

‘Then you must not,’ Jo said. ‘You must go away somewhere that he cannot find you. I am sorry, Ellen. I should never have persuaded you to write to your mama. I did not think that he could trace it back to you so easily.’

‘Nor did I—but I suppose I should have known that it might be possible.’ Ellen looked anxious. ‘I think I must go away, but I am not sure where—and it is so difficult. I have a piece of work that will not be finished until Monday, and I must finish it, for I shall need whatever money I have to support myself. I have done well here and it may not be as easy to find work elsewhere. If I spoke to Hal, he might have some idea of where I could best find a refuge, and if he took me in his curricle it would be much better, because I cannot afford to spend money on travelling.’