"I...I don't know. It's all so awful. Everyone will think the worst of me."

"More than one person has told me that you speak highly of Mr. Berry. Why would you do that after having been so abominably treated by him?"

"He threatened me, Lady Ashton. Told me that if I ever said a word against him, he'd hurt me again. I saw him from a distance a few times in the park and wondered if he was watching me. I was scared."

I considered a number of scenarios. It would be best, perhaps, to get her out of London, to someplace where no one knew her. I could send her to Ashton Hall, but that might cause problems for her later with Philip's family. It would not, after all, be my home forever. "Would you like to work at Mr. Hargreaves's estate? I'm certain I can arrange for you to have a position there. We'll tell everyone that your husband died. No one need ever know about this, Molly."

"You would do that for me?"

"I only wish I could do more. Clean up your face, then go back inside and give your notice. You're coming home with me." I watched her walk away from me and heard a tap on the carriage window.

"Nice work, Emily. Will you let me in?"

Waters and the footmen dropped down immediately and surrounded my visitor. "It's all right," I said. "He's a friend." I opened the door.

"Rescuing a despondent maid from ruin. It is difficult not to adore you more with every passing moment. You may be nearly as romantic as I."

"Sebastian, I know who you are."

"Congratulations," he said. His hat was pulled so far down that it was difficult to see his face. He handed me a velvet bag. "I've no use for paste." He slipped away before I could even mention his mother's Bible. I followed him as best I could, calling after him to stop. He paid me no heed. My footmen joined in the chase, but he managed to elude all of us. Molly returned in the midst of the confusion, and Waters sat her next to him on his perch above the horses. She seemed content there, so I let her ride with him back to Berkeley Square.

Alone again, I opened Sebastian's bag, finding, as expected, the false diamond necklace along with a note.



Bitter waves of Love, and restless gutsy Jealousies and wintry sea of revellings, whither am I borne?