“That was lucky.”

He suddenly realised what would have happened to Honora if she had not been able to convince Kate that she was married to a rich man.

He was well aware how many pretty young girls from the country disappeared in London when they arrived seeking work in respectable households.

By lies and other devious means they were enticed or kidnapped into bawdy houses after which there was no escape.

“Do you know what the place is where you were taken?” he enquired.

There was a little pause before Honora said in a faltering tone,

“I thought it – must have been – a kind of – playhouse.”

The Duke was surprised.

“Why should you think that?”

“There were – two girls there – and they were – painted as if they were – going on the stage – and – ”

She paused.

“Go on.”

“While one of them was talking to me a gentleman, who she said was Lord Roxton, shouted for her.”

“Roxton?” the Duke said sharply. “Did he see you?”

“No.”

The Duke gave a sigh of relief before he asked,

“And you thought he had come to see a play?”

“I heard him shout, ‘I want Elsie! She gives a better performance than any of you!’”

The Duke was silent.

He found it incredible that anyone who had been in the brothel where he had found Honora would not be aware what it was or the reason why the women were painted and dressed as Kate had been.

Then the indignity of knowing that his wife could have been at the mercy of such people and he had been forced to pay an exorbitant sum to get her back made his rage sweep over him again uncontrollably and he said angrily,

“I find it hard to believe that anybody could be such a fool!”

As he spoke, the horses came to a standstill outside Tynemouth House.

The footman jumped down from the box and, as he opened the door of the carriage, the Duke saw that James was still standing waiting at the front door.

He alighted and, as Honora followed him, he remembered to offer her his hand.

He, however, let go of her hand as soon as they reached the steps and hurried up them into the hall, leaving her to follow him.

Because his last remark brought the tears to her eyes, she found it difficult to find the way.

Then, as she stepped into the hall, she felt as if the staircase ahead of her and the lighted chandeliers over her head began to swim dizzily around her.

She stood indecisive, unable to move any further and put out her hand to feel blindly for something to hold on to.

She heard James exclaim,

“Is Your Grace all right?”

Then the floor seemed to rise up and cover her as somebody saved her from reaching the ground.

Then there was only darkness.

*

The Duke, carrying Honora upstairs, was aware of how light she was and, as he looked down at her closed eyes and her head turned against his shoulder, he could see the vivid red mark left by Kate’s hand.