She heard Thomas call out to her as she turned on her heel and ran out of the parlour, but she did not wait or turn back. Her heart was in tatters as was her reputation, and not even an arranged marriage to the man she cared for would mend it.
Chapter Eleven.
Thomas found it rather difficult to focus on Dr. Morton while in the back of his mind he was thinking about Rebecca and how she had stormed off to her bedchambers in such an agitated state.
He was aware why she was upset, but he had to say things to her father that needed to be said. He had to put Dr. Morton’s mind at ease that his daughter would not be cast out of society and treated harshly. He had come clean to Dr. Morton, telling him the truth about what happened at the beach, although he had already done so prior. Only this time, he included their kisses, and it seemed as though Dr. Morton respected him more after doing so.
The only option Thomas found credible was to request to marry her, courting her beforehand, of course. He was aware that he had not discussed it with Rebecca, but there had been no time. It had been a very spontaneous decision on Thomas’ part, and it had obviously taken Rebecca by surprise. Not in a good way.
He had expected her to be disturbed, but not as much as she had been. He had felt the need to follow her to her chambers, but Dr. Morton was eager to discuss things in detail with him. Thomas certainly did not wish to disrespect her father, although he feared he may only upset Rebecca further.
“Thomas, I may have underestimated your maturity,” Dr. Morton said as they stepped into the hallway.
“Thank you, Dr. Morton. Your words are appreciated more than you will ever know,” Thomas said and shook Rebecca’s father’s hand. “May I ask one thing?”
“Certainly.”
“Would it be all right if I say good night to Rebecca? I do not wish to leave without doing so.”
“Of course,” Dr. Morton said and called down the hallway for Connie.
The young maidservant that Thomas recognised from the cliff stepped into the hallway.
“Connie, would you be so kind as to fetch Rebecca? She is in her bedchambers,” Dr. Morton said.
“I’m sorry, sir. But I was in Miss Rebecca’s bedchambers a short while ago and she is not there.”
“Please check the rest of the townhouse and tell her to come to the hallway at once.”
“Of course, sir.”
The maid hurried off and Thomas pursed his lips. Perhaps she’d hidden herself between the pages of a book and had lost touch with the world, not hearing her maid calling her. Or perhaps she was not even inside the townhouse at all, but surely that was not possible. Thomas had not heard her exit. Unless...
“She is not inside, sir.”
“Connie, find her, please,” Dr. Morton said with a furrowed brow. “Where on earth could she be?”
“Perhaps search at the cliff’s edge,” Thomas said to the maidservant and she nodded, hastily running to the back of the townhouse.
“How do you know of the cliff’s edge?” the doctor asked.
“Perhaps this is not the time for that question, Doctor,” Thomas said.
“Indeed. You may kindly inform me later.”
They searched around the townhouse, in the small garden, and the area behind the townhouse where the stables and Dr. Morton’s carriage stood, but Rebecca was nowhere to be seen. In the distance they noticed Connie rushing towards them, her cheeks flushed, and her expression frazzled.
“I could not find her, sir. She is not at the cliffs, nor did I see her along the promenade.”
“Did you happen to look at the bottom of the cliffs?” Thomas asked with a lump in his throat.
“How dare you insinuate...” The doctor’s voice trailed, and he shook his head in disgust.
“My sincerest apologies, Dr. Morton. I did not mean to upset you any more than you already are.”
“Excuse, me, sir.”
A small voice came from behind them and they turned around. A young man, not even twenty years of age, approached them and Dr. Morton seemed familiar with him.
“Jonny. Have you seen Rebecca?” Dr. Morton asked.
“No, sir. I have not.”
Filled with disappointment, Dr. Morton’s shoulders slumped, and he turned to Thomas. “Jonny is our stable boy. He tends to the horses of the residents of the townhouses.”
“I did happen to notice that the gelding you keep for pulling your buggy is missing, along with Rebecca’s saddle, sir.”
“The gelding is not safe to ride, especially not for a woman,” Dr. Morton said with a shudder.
“Do not fret, Dr. Morton. I will take the carriage back to Finlay Hall, retrieve my own horse and search for her,” Thomas said.
“Very well, but you must make haste. It will be dark soon, and I do not wish for my daughter to be lost in the dark. She...”
The physician’s voice trailed once more and although he did not complete his sentence, Thomas was well aware what those missing words were.
He grew increasingly worried with every passing moment. The cliffs were a very dangerous place to ride at night, and Thomas had to stop himself from fearing the worst.
He rushed to his carriage and ordered for the driver to make haste, urgently taking him back to Finlay hall as speedily as possible. There was absolutely no time to waste.
As the horse galloped at full speed, Thomas’s jaw clenched as he realised that he truly cared for Rebecca, even more deeply than he had initially thought. He had felt obligated to court her to save her reputation, but now he recognised that he would wish to court her, no matter what. He simply wished to be with her, and ultimately marry her.
Truth be told—there was absolutely no point in denying it any longer—he was in love with Rebecca. This realisation hit him hard, and he knew that he would
