Page 118 of Miss Vincent’s Vow

“That’s not a good idea, madam. You should stay here.”

Mrs Timms laid a restraining hand on her arm, but Cassandra was not about to be put off. She shook off the well-meaning servant’s hold and rushed out the door.

The smell of smoke assailed her nostrils as soon as she walked outside, but she was undeterred. She hurried around the corner and turned toward Jethro’s warehouse, where a ghastly sight met her eyes. The Quay was full of people, staring up at the most terrifying spectacle she had ever seen.

One of the buildings on the harbourside was on fire. Flames licked up the walls, and as she watched, they spread to the roof, spurting up into the air.

Men were passing buckets of water in a chain and throwing them on the conflagration in an effort to put it out. An engine was pumping water from the harbour and shooting it as high as it could over the burning structure.

Cassandra’s heart went cold as she realised which building was alight. Jethro’s warehouse—and he was inside.

With an agonised gasp, she lifted her skirts and ran toward the fire.

No one would know Jethro was there. She had to save him.

Cassandra tried to reach the door of the warehouse, but a sturdy pair of arms pulled her away. She looked up into the soot-covered face of her butler, Rowson.

“You can’t go in, Mrs Hunt,” he said. “The building’s about to collapse.”

“But I must—Jethro’s inside—”

“I’m sorry, madam. If the master’s in there, it’s too late.”

Cassandra refused to believe him. It couldn’t be too late.

“You should return to the house, Mrs Hunt,” said Rowson. “I need to return to the line. Help get this fire under control.”

“Not while there’s a chance my husband is still alive.” Cassandra put her shoulders back. She would not give in to despair. “Let’s get this fire out.”

Rowson did not try to dissuade her as she took her place next to him in the line of men, passing buckets of water from the harbour to the blazing warehouse.

Her arms ached as she passed bucket after bucket toward the fire, but she would not stop. All the while, she prayed. Please, God. Don’t let Jethro die.

Suddenly there was a loud cracking noise, and a shout went up. Everyone backed away from the building as the roof of the warehouse caved in with a tremendous crash, shaking the ground beneath her feet.

Cassandra’s breathing was coming so fast she thought she might pass out. If Jethro was inside, he could not have survived. He must be…

No. She wouldn’t let herself think about it. She would not go home yet. That meant she had given up hope. Hugging her arms around her middle, she stood her ground as silent tears streamed down her face, unable to take her gaze from the charred ruins in front of her.

A ripple of sound passed through the crowd. What were they saying?

A man exchanged a few words with Rowson, who hesitated, and then turned to address her in a low voice. “They’ve found a body, madam.”

A searing pain shot through Cassandra as the last flicker of hope was extinguished. She felt as if a part of her had been ripped out, leaving a gaping hole. The thought of a life without Jethro was unbearable.

In silence, she let the butler take her arm and support her stumbling steps as he led her back to the house.

How had she been so blind? She wasn’t sure just when she had fallen in love with her husband, but she loved him now—so very much—that it hurt, and he would never know.

If only the fire had taken her, too, so she wouldn’t have to deal with this burning pain inside that she feared would never go out.

Chapter 63

Cassandra was woken by a commotion in the hall. She didn’t know how long she had sat in the drawing room, staring into an empty future with an aching heart, before exhaustion had overcome her, and she had sunk into a restless sleep.

But now she was awake and braced herself to deal with the aftermath of the fire. She hoped she wouldn’t be required to identify the body. The thought of seeing her husband’s charred remains was more than she could bear.

She staggered to her feet and pulled her shoulders back. She had faced adversity before, and she would face it again. With God’s help, she would survive.