“She’s not worth dying for, child,” he said, his voice cool and practical, and she hated him. “And I’m afraid it’s too late. ”
He spoke the truth. The burning house collapsed in on itself, and her mother’s voice was shut off, gone completely, and she heard Lydia’s sobs.
She tore herself away from him, going in search of her sister. Lydia was kneeling in the snow by Nanny Maude, and she’d covered her face, weeping. Elinor knelt beside her, putting her arms around her, holding her tight. There were tears on her own face, she realized with surprise. She’d given up on her mother long ago, and the King of Hell was right, she wasn’t worth dying for. Even at the end she’d rejected her, and yet still Elinor wept.
He had moved to stand over them, and she ignored him, hugging her sister more tightly.
Jacobs appeared out of the shadows, white runnels of tears against the soot-dark face. “We need to get Nanny someplace,” he said in a voice choked with pain or the fire. Or both. “She needs a doctor. ”
“Put her in my coach,” Rohan said, his orders crisp and clear, and Elinor wanted to pull away from Lydia and scream at him. She had no choice. Lydia’s grief was more important than her rage. “We’ll have my cousin come to check on her,” Rohan said. He moved away from her, wisely, and raised his voice. “Reading, why don’t you see to Miss Lydia. I’m sure she’d appreciate your strong arm. She needs to get out of the snow and into the carriage before she freezes to death. ”
Elinor considered holding on to her, but Charles Reading had appeared out of the darkness and Lydia went to him, letting him fold her into his arms, leaving Elinor alone on her knees in the snow. Alone with Rohan.
“You can’t stay there all night,” he said.
“You let her die. ”
“I kept you alive. You can get up on your own or I can carry you, whichever you prefer, but I expect you’d rather have me keep my hands to myself,” he said in a weary voice. “Make up your mind. I’m cold, and I’ve ruined another pair of shoes. You really are wreaking havoc on my wardrobe. ”
She forced her head to turn, to look up at him, and she didn’t disguise the fury in her eyes. She was awash with pain, and there was nowhere else she could direct it but at her cool nemesis.
He looked down at her, and his smile was crooked. “But how charming,” he murmured. “You despise me. Feel free to, poppet, but I’m getting you out of the snow and into my carriage now, before my feet turn to icicles. ” He held out a hand to her, waiting for her to take it.
She didn’t want to touch him. She wanted to curl up in a ball and weep, but Lydia was waiting for her. She put her foot out, expecting to rise gracefully, but the pain in her feet was excruciating, and her legs wouldn’t hold her.
He caught her before she fell, and scooped her up into his arms again, carrying her toward the waiting coach. He dumped her in, unceremoniously, and Lydia reached for her, pulling her onto the seat beside her.
Rohan closed the door behind them, remaining outside the crowded carriage. And a moment later they were off, leaving him behind, standing alone in the snow beside the still-burning grave of their poor, lost mother.
15
Elinor fell back against the tufted seat of the carriage, too shaken to move. The carriage was made for four, and with the five of them crammed in
tightly there was scarcely room to breathe. There were tiny silver candles in each corner, encased in glass holders, and they shed enough light that Elinor could see Nanny looking very bad indeed.
She wanted to throw her hands over her face and scream, she wanted to hide and weep. She could do no such thing. This was her family, what was left of them, and she was needed. She straightened her back.
“How is Nanny Maude, Jacobs?” she asked, her voice rough from the smoke she’d inhaled. “Was she burned?”
Jacobs shook his head. “The shock, more like. And the smoke. She’s an old lady—this will be the death of her—”
“It will be no such thing!” she said sharply. “His lordship’s cousin is a doctor, and I expect he’ll be waiting for us as soon as we get there. ” Get where? she asked herself. Though she knew the answer.
“She’s not breathing too well,” Jacobs said gloomily. His voice broke. “Her ladyship’s gone, and now Nanny Maude…”
“Stop it!” Elinor said. “We’re not going to lose Nanny Maude. ” She turned to Lydia and froze. Perched on the very edge of the narrow seat, Charles Reading held her in his arms, and she was sobbing quietly into the elegant shoulder of his coat, one hand clutching the fabric in a fist.
Elinor reached for her, to pull her away, and then her eyes met Reading’s, and she froze, in shock. She’d never seen such naked pain, naked longing, in anyone’s eyes. She hadn’t even known such depth of emotion existed. He was holding Lydia so tenderly, her curls tucked beneath his chin, and he was murmuring comforting words to her. Words Lydia needed to hear, words that Elinor didn’t have, not then.
She could sort that out in the morning. At the moment she couldn’t begrudge her baby sister any comfort she could find, no matter how unsuitable it might be. Reading was a member of the Heavenly Host, a libertine and a reprobate. He was no fit match for Lydia, but at that moment she couldn’t bring herself to care. Let her take what comfort she could.
Author: Anne Stuart
“Do you know where we’re going, Mr. Reading?” she asked politely.
He cleared his voice. “I believe we’re heading to Lord Rohan’s town house. It’s quite close, and Dr. de Giverney should be waiting for us when we get there. I know this is not what you want, but if you would accept it for the time being…”
“I have no choice,” she said wearily. “Where else can we go?” The coach was well-sprung, and she was able to slide off the seat and kneel by Nanny Maude, taking one limp hand in hers. Her breathing was labored, and Elinor glanced into Jacobs’s grim face. “She’s going to be fine,” she said fiercely. “We all are. ”