Page 10 of Dared By a Lyon
She shook her head, her eyes reflecting the worry that he, too, was feeling, for it was almost three years ago on a similar night when a tragedy killed half their family.
Without speaking, they left the study and made their way downstairs.
They arrived in the foyer just as their butler, Higgins, opened the front door. But a heavy gust of wind suddenly caught it and slammed it against the wall. Higgins caught the door in his usual unflappable manner and held it open. “Welcome to Ravenswood Manor. How may we be of help?”
Two young women stood in the doorway, both bedraggled and covered in mud.
“Thank goodness someone is at home,” the younger, dark-headed woman said in a melodious voice. “Kind sir, we are in dire need of assistance. Our carriage overturned in the storm and slid down a steep hill a few miles down the road. We managed to escape with the horses and make it here, but our driver requires medical attention.”
My God, it happened again,Gabriel thought. Well, this time, he would do everything in his power to help this young woman and her servants. “I am Lord Gabriel Dawson, the Earl of Ravensthorpe, and this is my mother, Lady Elsa Dawson, the Countess of Ravensthorpe,” he said, stepping forward. “Please, come in, and let us be of assistance.”
The young woman turned toward him, and his breath hitched as he beheld her face.Exquisite… Even completely drenched and covered in mud, she was a beauty. Those eyes… He’d never seen eyes that shade of blue. Nay, not blue…but violet. And they were mesmerizing. Gabriel felt an overwhelming urge to take her in his arms, to protect her.
“Thank you, my lord, my lady,” she said breathlessly with a curtsy. “My name is Miss Elizabeth Vickers, and this is Alice, my maid. We were on our way to a house party being given by Mrs. Dove-Lyon near Bath when our horses were spooked by the storm, causing our driver to lose his hold on the reins.”
Gabriel could tell by her accent that she was not English, but American. “Higgins, please see to the driver and send one of your men to fetch Dr. Baker.”
“Yes, my lord,” the butler said, turning to the two footmen who were standing at the ready and giving them instructions.
“Miss Vickers, will you and your maid come warm yourself by the fire?” Gabriel’s mother said with a kind smile, gesturing to the drawing room down the hall.
“Thank you, my lady,” Miss Vickers said in that soft, melodious voice. She glanced at Gabriel and seemed to hesitate. Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip, and he once again felt the overwhelming urge to sweep her up in his arms. “Except I should not leave our driver,” she added, “for he is but a child of fourteen.”
“Your driver isfourteen?” Gabriel said.
Miss Vickers blushed, her expression one of distress. “I promise, we had no idea when we departed. His father was supposed to drive us…” Her voice faded, and she looked as though she were about to burst into tears. “Please, can you help him, my lord?”
“Of course we will help him,” he said just as the footmen carried the boy inside. “Please do not worry—we’ll see to everything.”
“Thank you, my lord,” she breathed, and he wished he could carry her into the drawing room himself and set her in front of the fire…
“My lady, shall I go with them?” Alice asked.
Just as Miss Vickers was about to reply, Mrs. Flinters, their housekeeper, bustled up to them. “My lord, my lady,” she said.
“Mrs. Flinters, this is Miss Elizabeth Vickers and her maid, Alice. Can you have the blue room readied? Miss Vickers, her maid, and their driver have been in a carriage accident and will be staying with us for a while,” the countess said.
“Of course, my lady.” The housekeeper smiled and directed the maid to follow her. “Come with me, child.”
Alice looked at Miss Vickers, who gave her an encouraging nod to go with Mrs. Flinters.
Gabriel knew that between Higgins and Flinters, they would do what needed to be done with their usual efficiency and kindness.
“Please, Miss Vickers, come warm yourself by the fire, and we’ll see you to your room soon,” his mother said in a gentle voice, taking the young woman by the hand and drawing her along.
Miss Vickers glanced at him over her shoulder, as though looking to him for guidance.
Something shifted inside his chest. Something he’d never felt before. “We’ll take care of everything, Miss Vickers. Please do not worry. You are safe.”
She nodded, and her lips curved up in a grateful smile. She regarded him a moment more with those luminous violet eyes. “Thank you, my lord,” she whispered, then turned to go with his mother.
He blew out a deep breath, as though he’d been holding it. Perhaps he had.
Gabriel turned to Higgins. “Let’s see about this carriage…”
Chapter Four
Ashlyn marveled atthe beauty of the bedchamber. It was both soothing and inviting, with furnishings in white birch and coordinating fabrics in shades and patterns of blues, whites, and yellows. Lovely blue-and-white damask wallpaper covered the walls, and coordinating white-and-blue silk curtains covered the windows. A matching counterpane and canopy in blue damask covered the bed. A hearth, crafted with white stone, provided a lovely focal point for the room, and two overstuffed chairs, both covered in yellow-and-white damask, sat in front of it. Compared to the stuffy, stilted furnishings of her room at the hotel, this room made her feel welcome, at home.
