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“Then you must take it Or what’s left of it You must leave now, since they will take you on the morrow, and I fear for your safety - your very life - should you go with them”

Isobel closed her eyes as the e of the short, florid faced, elderlylasciviously over her the last time they had unfortunately crossed paths, was si married to such a creature, and subjected to God knohat, left her quaking in fear

“Miss, hurry up!” Kitty’s abrupt shake of her shoulders snapped her out of her daze

“Oh yes, Kitty,” Isobel whispered, fighting the clawing panic that threatened to overwhelo now”

Isobel watched as Kitty hurried to the linen closet and began to pull out the few scraps of clothing her uncle had allowed her to keep Everything had been used repeatedly since her arrival at the house several weeks earlier and were soiled beyond redemption, but they were all she had

Giving herself a stern an to sift through the assere pile of cloth “I can’t take these! I have no way of carrying the”

Isobel deliberately blanked out the gnawing doubt that continued to grow, and defiantly sat down on the edge of the bed, tugging on her only walking boots swiftly

“Miss, I have relatives in Coniston up in the Lakes They will not be able to keep you for long, but they will be able to give you somewhere waret yourself there However best you can”

Isobel could hear the doubt in Kitty’s voice, but chose to remain silent

“You tell them Kitty sent you, all will be well Ask for Annie, she is my cousin She works at Winheld Hall”

“Right, Winheld Hall in Coniston,” Isobel whispered softly with a tiny shake of her head The words swa, and she considered the enormity of the task before her She had never even been allowed out

on her own unchaperoned before, and yet here she was discussing with her ht, with nothing more than a few coins in her pocket and a handful of clothes on her back

“Here take these”

Isobel looked down the leather pouch of coins thrust into her pals Kitty; I can’t take these!”

“Please Miss! When you are safe, you et out of here” Kitty didn’t bother to inform her mistress of the rest of the manservant’s vile boasts about the exact nature of the future that lay in store for her, as the wife of a profligate ga the startled gasp froer woman

Isobel looked down at the torn strips of stockings Kitty was holding out to her Although she understood that it was the only way she could ensure Kitty would not be punished for helping her, Isobel couldn’t prevent the surge of horror she felt at the thought of inflicting pain upon another person

“If Rupert does punish you Kitty, and throws you out on your ear, you must make your oay to Coniston I shall await you there Do you have enough funds yourself?”

“Don’t you worry about et myself there,” Kitty’s eyes shone defiantly in the darkness “Just ht” The stern tone of her voice clearly re her ht She took a seat on the rickety wooden chair in the centre of the room, and waited while Isobel quickly tied the makeshift straps to Kitty’s wrists