Her Saving Grace Read Free Page A

her away, she realised, either to someone on the street, or the good doctor, who might have seen the light emanating from under the door.
    She blew out the oil lamp and placed it on a table as she ran t o the windows, but she hadn’t placed it well enough and the lamp fell, the fount and glass chimney shattering as they hit the tiled floor.
    She didn’t dare turn to look and as she climbed up onto the bench table by the window and undid the latch, the door burst open, clattering against the wall.
    “You there, halt!”
    She didn’t, instead she flung the window wide and scrambled through. For one heart stopping moment, she thought that she had been grabbed, but she jumped anyway and the tension gave way as her coat tore, having only been caught on the latch stay. She landed awkwardly on her left side, her shoulder jarring painfully. Her hat came loose but she crammed it back on even as she got up to run.
    She ran to the end of the street, then slowed to a walk so as not to appear suspicious. She kept her head down as she walked and with each step, she expected to hear the sound of a whistle but to her eternal gratitude, none came. She made it back to the house, entering through the servants’ entrance at the rear. She didn’t need to worry too much about waking the staff; the driver was sleeping over the stable, the caretaker and his wife were elderly and sound sleepers, and Lilly already knew that her mistress was up to no good.
    The caretaker and housekeeper were the only full time employee s at this house, since no one lived here anymore. Maintaining and cleaning the house were their only duties usually, but the housekeeper could stretch to cooking simple meals for visitors.
    The townhouse was a decent size for a professional family but not massive, as some were. As such, and with dust sheets protecting the surfaces and furniture in most rooms, it didn’t need an awful lot of day to day upkeep.
    Damaris made her way to the main staircase, since it was carpeted and would be quieter, and she wasn’t at all surprised to realise that Lilly was sitting by her fireplace, dressed in her nightgown and clearly agitated. She jumped as her mistress entered.
    “Oh, thank the Lord, you’re all right.” She let out a long breath.
    “I’m fine,” Damaris assured the other woman. She didn’t mention the pain in her shoulder from falling from the window. “Now go to bed; it’s gone two in the morning and we have had a long journey.”
    Lilly nodded and got to her feet. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
    “I think so,” she said, her voice filling with emotion. “It’s him.”
    “Oh, my dear.” She took her employer in her arms and held her as Damaris finally began to cry. “There there,” she crooned. “It will be all right.”
    “No , it won’t.”
    “But it’s better to have an answer, isn’t it?”
    “I suppose it is.” Damaris pulled away and wiped at her eyes. “I thought that knowing would be a relief but…”
    “Hush, this is only natural, child. These things take time, as well you know.”
    Damaris nodded and did her best to reign in her emotions. “Thank you, now go to bed.”
    Lilly ga ve her a gentle smile. “I will, if you will also.”
    “I will, Lilly, I’ll change now.”
    “Very well. Good night.”
    Damaris went into her dressing room, where Lilly had laid out her things, and chan ged into her nightshirt. She sat at her dressing table to brush out her hair and Lilly came in, as suspected, to check that she was preparing for bed.
    “Good night again, love. Come and wake me if you need to.”
    Damaris smiled, as memories of Lilly saying this very thing to her when she was a child surfaced. “Thank you, Lilly.”
    She left but Damaris continued brushing her hair, giving it 100 strokes, to be sure that the other woman wouldn’t return. When she didn’t, Damaris made her way downstairs and into her father’s study, where she began composing a letter, which she would ask