“Do you think she’d put something in your drink?” Rory asked.
“Yes, I’m certain that was what she was doing. And then I overheard her discussing me with someone. She said we did not have a great deal of money, but as we were a family of only three, there would be no complications in taking it.”
“Good Lord.” Aunt Bea looked upset.
“Continue with your story, Jackson.”
“I confronted her, demanded to know what she was about, clearly not a good move on my part, and she had some of her men tie me to that bed.”
“What an evil woman,” Aunt Bea said.
“And on that note, I believe now is an excellent time to inform you of why we have called,” Lord Ellsworth said. “My brother and I would like to extend an invitation to you all. We would love the pleasure of your company over the next few weeks at my estate, Greystone. It will be good for Jackson to leave London, and I believe all of you, considering the threats that woman has thrown about. This will give us time to get these scoundrels locked away.”
Shock held Ivy speechless.
“By jove, that’s extremely generous of you, my lord,” Jackson said.
“No… I mean, thank you, but we are fine here.” Ivy found her voice.
“I believe this is for the best, Miss Redfern,” the earl said. “We cannot be sure it is safe for you to stay in London until this ugly business is dealt with.”
“Oh, I think we will be just fine.”
“How can you say that, Ivy, after what Jackson has just said!” Aunt Bea cried.
“They were just threats, I’m sure—”
“The threat is real, Ivy,” Rory interrupted her. “It’s my belief that the owner of the place where Jackson was held has powerful men she can call upon to aid her in escaping justice. They would do whatever it took to protect her, and as any complaint we make will include Jackson as a witness, I believe removing him and you all from London at this time is the only course of action open.”
“Oh, but—”
“Then surely we must go!” Aunt Bea declared. “I could not sleep knowing there is a threat to my nephew.”
“We don’t—”
“We will leave as soon as we can.” Jackson cut her words off.
“Oh, yes. As soon as possible,” Aunt Bea added, sealing Ivy’s fate.
She was to spend time with Rory at his family home. How would she cope? And this alone was the sole reason she did not want to travel to Greystone, which told her she was being selfish. Her family’s safety was at stake, and all she could think about was herself.
“Excellent. We shall depart for Greystone in two days,” Rory said. “We have a spare carriage you can use.”
“We can hire our own carriage,” Ivy said. Really, she had her pride, and they could afford that at least.
“But as we are not using ours, there is no point,” Rory added with a polite smile that had her wanting to smack it from his face. “I believe it is badly sprung, if that will make you feel better.” Everyone but Ivy laughed.
“And now we must take tea and discuss the details further. Will you come down to the parlor, gentlemen, as I’m sure Jackson wishes some rest?” Aunt Bea said.
Everyone filed out, leaving Ivy and her brother.
“Are you sure you want this, Jackson?” Ivy touched the hand that lay on the bed.
“It’s for the best, and Rory is right. My actions may have brought danger down on all of us, and I could not live with myself were anything to happen to you or Aunt Bea.”
He was exhausted. The dark smudges beneath his eyes told her that.
“Very well. Now you need rest.” She kissed his cheek. “I love you.”
“And I you, Ivy. I’m so very pleased you are determined.”
She laughed. “Just remember that I will always find you, no matter what you are up to.”
His eyes were drooping as she left the room, but what made her heart light was the smile on his lips. Closing the door softly, Ivy rested her palm on the wood. He was safe.
“He will recover.”
She found Rory waiting for her at the top of the stairs.
“Yes, he will. But I fear that he may have nightmares for some time yet.”
“It is likely, but Jackson is a strong, sensible man. He will come about.”
Ivy stopped a few feet from where he stood.
“Just because he is strong and sensible does not mean he will not suffer.” She felt the irrational need to argue with him.
Her life was no longer under her own control. This man had wrestled it from her, and she was scared, off-balance, and not herself.
“No, it does not necessarily equate, but with support from those who love him, and time, he will recover.”
“I’m not sure he should be leaving London so soon. The journey may—”
“Don’t fight this, Ivy. It is important that you leave London and soon. You are intelligent enough to know this. Especially as before we came here, we visited Bow Street and told them everything that had transpired at Le Plaisir.”
“I should have come with you.”
“And yet it is done, and I had believed you would want to stay with your brother today.” The words were reasonable, and yet she felt anything but.
Where was her calm? Where was the rational person Ivy had always been?
“Those in charge of the investigation know where we will all be should they require us.”
“You told them we were going to Greystone without first asking?”
“You are coming to Greystone in two days, Ivy, so stop fighting me. There is danger for your family if you stay, so stop thinking of how you feel and think of them.”
It was a direct hit, and he was right. So why was she fighting this?
The reason, of course, was standing a few feet from her.
“The carriage will arrive in two days, and you will be in it when it leaves London if I have to put you in there myself.”
“I don’t like to be ordered about, Mr. Haddon. I will do as you say because you are right, my family needs to leave London with some expediency, but that does not mean I will take continuous direction from you.”
“Ivy?” He moved closer. So close that all she would have to do was fall forward and she’d be pressed to his chest again.
“What?”
“Stop fighting me.” He slid a large palm around her back and pulled her close, then he was kissing her again. She felt every inch of his chest pressed to hers. His other hand cupped her cheek, and his fingers seared into her skin. She lost all rational thought save one: she wanted this with him.
“At least now I know how to keep you quiet,” he whispered words against her lips.
“I don’t understand this.”
“You will” was all he said before he took her hand in his and led her down the stairs.
She walked because she’d been doing so for most of her life and it wasn’t very taxing, but her head swirled with thoughts. What did “you will” mean? And why did those two words fill her with hope and excitement?
Chapter Thirteen
The weather was cold with the promise of snow in the air as Rory made his way to the Redfern townhouse. His family was leaving shortly and would meet them at the inn where they would spend the night before journeying together to Greystone tomorrow. He had decided to travel with Ivy, Jackson, and their aunt, to ensure they reached it safely.