The Secret of Hollyfield House, Jude Bayton [books for 20 year olds txt] 📗

my legs and move us in the direction of the shore. It was exhausting. I prayed for enough strength to get back to dry land.

I worked hard, but our progress was poor. My strength slowly began ebbing away, and it was not long until the exertion of it all took a toll. My legs had turned to lead. The arm I had crooked around Evergreen’s shoulders became numb, and my fingers could barely grasp the side of the boat. My head pounded from where she had clobbered me with the oar, and I felt as though I could be violently sick.

What should I do? If I let Evergreen loose, I could try and get back into the boat. But the girl was still out cold, and I knew should she go under, I would not have the energy left to save her from drowning.

How much time passed, I do not know? But I hung on, hopeful to see another boat. Yet none were forthcoming for it was still too early for recreational sailors and too late for fishermen to be out. But suddenly I was aware of a faint voice in the distance. Was someone calling my name? Was I delirious? I had been soundly hit in the head, after all.

I heard it again, and this time I looked around and all but cried with joy. It was another boat! In it were Victor and Dominic, frantically rowing to reach us. I tried to call out to them but could not find the breath. My grip on the side of the boat loosened, my head spun, and all the fight left my body.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“HOW DO YOU FEEL?” DOMINIC sat by my bed, holding my hand, concern etched across his furrowed brow. I was surprised to see him, but he said he had slept downstairs on the sofa in the parlour. That explained why his hair looked as though something had tried to nest in it.

“I am well. Please stop worrying.” The doctor had pronounced me fit enough to return to my uncle’s house last evening. Victor had offered his home, but I wanted nothing more than to leave Hollyfield.

Uncle Jasper had flown into a panic at the sight of me, but dear Mrs Stackpoole stepped in as nurse and shooed him away. I was plied with warm drinks and soft food. Under doctor’s orders I was to be kept awake for the next eight hours to ensure I would not fall asleep and never awaken. I did not understand exactly why, but it was something to do with where I had taken the blow to my head. After such time, I would be out of any danger.

In the middle of the night, Mrs Stackpoole had finally stopped talking, turned out my lamp and told me I could now rest. I had fallen into a deep and exhausted sleep and not woken until mid-afternoon at the sound of Dominic and Mrs Stackpoole entering my chamber.

I pulled myself up into a sitting position. Mrs Stackpoole wrapped a shawl around my shoulders for propriety’s sake, declaring my door must remain open as she discretely withdrew.

“Oh, my head throbs,” I complained. “Evergreen is surprisingly strong at wielding an oar.” I gave a weak laugh.

“’Tis not funny.” Dominic chastised. “She could have killed you. Thank goodness you are a strong and intelligent woman. Any other would have dropped into a dead faint, fallen out of the boat, and drowned. I am immensely proud of you putting up a good fight. I’d warrant Evergreen had not expected that.”

“I did warn her I was a Devonshire girl,” I said smugly. “My grandfather was a fisherman, and I spent much of my childhood on his boat.” I thought for a moment. “I did not ask you earlier, but when you rescued me, how did you know I was in danger? Your timing was impeccable.”

“That was all down to Jasper. Victor and I were in the village when your uncle and Mrs Stackpoole spotted us. Jasper asked your whereabouts and had you returned home. Victor did not know what the professor alluded to. When Jasper explained the LaVelle carriage had come to collect you with a message from Victor himself, he denied sending the request and it was then your uncle realised something underhanded must have occurred.”

“That was lucky indeed.” I wondered how I should have fared if they had not arrived in the nick of time. “Where is Evergreen now?”

“At a women’s gaol in Preston—they have declared her quite mad. I believe she has been declining for several years. But it will all be determined later. Do not worry, Jilly.” He could tell I was sympathetic, though she deserved none of it. “Evergreen is Victor LaVelle’s daughter, and he will not allow her to be mistreated.” His eyes darkened. “Unlike Billy, she will not face the gallows—though why her mental state is excused while his was not, seems unfair.”

“How is Billy?”

The smile returned to his face. “Ecstatic. He understands he will be coming home. We do but wait for the pardon to be signed by the magistrate, sometime later this evening. He will be back on the farm tomorrow.”

I sighed. Billy would be free once more. Thank goodness everything had turned out so well for the brothers. “You will be glad to have him home again, I think.” I squeezed Dominic’s hand.

He leaned over and kissed me gently on the lips. When I opened my eyes, it was to look into his.

Dominic smiled. “You are safe and, once my brother is back at the farm, I shall never want for anything again.”

WITHIN A FEW DAYS, I WAS CLOSE to feeling more like myself once again. I was careful, for if I did too much, my head would begin aching. This would diminish as the swelling subsided, Uncle Jasper said, repeating the physician’s words. Until then, I was not allowed to work.

Dominic came to visit every day but had yet to bring Billy. He wanted to wait until I