“No matter.” I shrugged. “The work is done and the plot foiled, for none but a fool would persist when word was out.”

There was a long and terrible quiet. I already knew what Byram was going to say when he spoke.

“Mr. Catesby vows to go ahead with the plan,” he said. “He swears that none will stop him.”

I stared at him. I could not believe I had heard a’right, for his words seemed arrant nonsense.

“I beg your pardon,” I said. “I thought you said...” My voice trailed away. “How can this possibly be?” I realized that I was about to cry. The tears swelled and dropped onto my lap. I could not see for them; all I could think was that I had played my final card and lost the game, that God had forsaken me and my family, that Robert must surely be mad. The pain was so strong that I almost cried out in anguish.

“Come, madam.” Byram knew that I would not want him to see my weakness. His hand was on my arm; with gruff gentleness he raised me to my feet. “You are overwrought and need your rest. Who knows how matters will play out? You have done your best. It is in God’s hands now.”

“Yes,” I said. I looked at him. Poor dear Byram. He knew as well as I what would happen now. I straightened my back and rubbed a hand across my eyes.

“I do not believe that London agrees with me,” I said. “I miss Robbie so very much. At first light we shall return to Northamptonshire. See to it, Byram. Take us home to Ashby.”

Twenty-Three

Lucy

Lucy woke in Finn’s arms. It was blissful if she discounted the fact that she was covered in cuts and bruises. The barn was silent and peaceful, and Lucy was possessed with such a deep sense of well-being that for a moment she felt scared; was she confusing her own emotions once again with Catherine’s love for Robert? It was frightening that the two seemed to merge so easily. She had known Finn for such a short time and it felt as though she should in some way resist this feeling and yet she didn’t want to.

She turned her head against his shoulder and saw that Finn was awake and watching her. Everything, from the gentleness with which he had held her and not woken her, to the way that the golden stubble shadowed his jaw, to the line of his cheek and the smile she could see lurking in his eyes as he looked at her... Everything about him made her feel quite helplessly happy inside and she didn’t want to fight it.

“What are you thinking?” Finn asked.

“I was thinking I need to ring Verity to apologize for writing off her car,” Lucy said. “And then there’s Persis to tackle, and the insurance company and the police to talk to...”

“Romantic,” Finn said.

“I was also thinking,” Lucy said, in a rush, “that I’m not sure whether the feelings I have for you are my own or are influenced by Catherine’s for Robert. I dreamed about you, you see,” she went on, aware that she wasn’t sounding particularly coherent, “when I was first possessed by Catherine and she and Robert were together...”