Molly fluttered her thick golden eyelashes. ‘I realise now what I’ve been missing all these years. Maybe I wasn’t cut out to be a nursemaid after all. I told Daisy yesterday afternoon, and she was very good about it. She even gave me this outfit because it doesn’t fit her any more. Do you think it suits me?’

In spite of everything, Judy chuckled. Molly was irrepressible. She managed to turn every situation to suit herself, but she did it with such charm that her faults went unnoticed. ‘You look lovely, as always.’

Molly’s smile faded. ‘Here am I, thinking of myself as usual, and all the time you were being held prisoner by Jay Tattersall. Why did he abduct you? Was it romantic? Does he want to marry you and make you his fourth wife, or would it be his fifth wife? I’ve lost count.’

‘Certainly not! Jay is a dangerous man.’

‘Surely not dangerous? Ma told me all about the way he treated Daisy, but that doesn’t make him a villain.’

‘You don’t understand. Jay intended to blackmail Rob into selling him the estate, using me as his hostage, but I ran away. I was lost and that’s how I ended up here.’ Judy brushed her tousled hair back from her forehead. ‘I must speak to Rob as soon as possible.’

Molly frowned. ‘Well, here’s the thing. I talked it over with Jack, and—’

‘You did what?’ Judy stared at her in dismay. ‘Are you mad? Of course he’s on his brother’s side. Anyway, I thought Jack was on board the Lazy Jane and about to set sail for Australia.’

‘Don’t shout at me, Judy.’ Molly’s baby-blue eyes filled with tears, and her lips pursed in a pout.

‘Blame me, not Molly.’ Jack strode into the room followed by Adeline.

‘I tried to stop him,’ Adeline said apologetically. ‘He told me that he’s Jay’s brother, but I don’t think he means you harm, Judy.’

‘That’s right.’ Jack perched on the edge of Judy’s bed. ‘You know me well enough, Judy. I never meant to hurt you. The abduction was Jay’s idea and I was totally against it, which is why I came ashore and went straight to the Crooked Billet. I had hoped to stop him before he did anything rash, but I arrived too late.’

‘You didn’t plan it with him?’ Judy gave him a searching look. She knew Jack well enough to judge whether or not he was telling the truth.

He met her gaze with an apologetic smile. ‘I should have warned you that Jay might do something stupid, but I had no idea that he would go so far. Believe me, Judy.’

‘I do. But what happens now? Where is Jay?’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t know.’

‘Didn’t you put two and two together and come to the conclusion that his disappearance coincided with Judy’s?’ Adeline demanded crossly. ‘What a silly pair you are, to be sure.’

‘Of course I did, Miss Dorning.’ Jack’s smile would have melted ice and his tone was pure honey. Judy had seen it all before and she remained unimpressed. Jack was like a little boy who knew exactly how to handle an irate parent.