Page 20 of Beth: A Regency Romance Novell

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nbsp; The door opened and Ramsey stepped through it.

Beth brought the candlestick down as hard as she could. She missed his head but caught his shoulder. With a bellow he fell to his knees.

Apparently indifferent to Ramsey’s groans, Mr. Nyeland appeared round the door, his brown eyes wide with concern. “Beth! Are you all right?”

She dropped the candlestick and gazed at him wordlessly, swiping away the lock which had tumbled into her eyes. Regaining her wits, she raised the skirts of her crumpled and soiled gown and stumbled over to gaze up at him. “Is it really you, Mr. Nyeland? I’m not seeing things?”

“Best call me Marcus, Beth. You are safe now.” Her knight in shining armor folded her into his arms.

Behind them, Ramsey staggered uneasily to his feet, swerved away, and disappeared down the stairs.

“He’s gone!” Beth clutched Marcus’ lapel not wishing to relinquish her hold on him. She drew in his reassuring masculine scent.

“He’ll be dealt with later. I need to get you home.”

“Ramsey tricked me into coming here. There was a letter…,” Beth gasped.

“You can tell me all of it later, Beth,” Marcus said, his arm around her.

“You can’t trust ’im, sir,” Lilly said, her voice trembling as she came across to them.

Marcus smiled at her. “Who am I to thank for helping Miss Harrismith?”

“This is Lilly,” Beth said. “She’s been wonderful.”

He eased Beth away and raised her chin with a finger to study her face. “Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head.

Thank God! “Do you know why he wanted to force you into marriage?”

Beth shook her head. “He didn’t explain why. I thought he must be mad. I doubt he even liked me very much.”

Marcus’ lips twitched. “I suspect Ramsey anticipated dealing with a wilting flower and not a spirited girl like you, Beth. I am eager to hear more. But we should go. Ramsey has become distracted, but that might not last.”

She nodded. “How did you get inside? Everything is locked.”

“I broke a window.” He took Beth’s arm. “Best we leave now.”

Beth’s knees wobbled as they made their way down the winding stair with Lilly behind them.

“Ramsey was severely shaken after finding a body in a bedchamber,” Marcus said.

“We saw it too.” Beth gave a shudder.

“Go carefully. He’ll stop us if he can,” he cautioned, as they made their way along the passage. “He has too much to lose to let us leave.”

Beth flinched at every door they passed. Thankfully, each one remained closed.

Marcus ushered them toward the main staircase. “Ramsey said the dead woman was his aunt, do you know if that’s true, Lilly?”

“It could be Lady Moncrief’s sister, Agnes,” Lilly said. “Both ladies lived here at one time. But I wasn’t here then, so I’m not sure.”

“It’s a mystery,” Marcus said, “and must remain so for now. I need to get you two ladies safely away from here. But should Ramsey have escaped the house in the coach it presents some difficulty.”

“Why?” Beth asked faintly. She was so dreadfully tired, and now that Marcus was here, so solid and dependable, she just wanted to curl up in his arms and sleep.

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