Part 21 (1/2)

Slowly, carefully, she told Hugo about being raped, threatened, told that her mother and Dulcie would be killed if she talked, and then being left alone in the woods. She went on to explain how Genevra, the Romany girl, had found her much later and had helped her through the woods back to Cavendon Hall.

Pausing for breath, Daphne sat back in the chair, and looked deeply into his face. She saw that he was shocked and horrified, and she believed he was about to question her. But he didn't.

Instead, Hugo reached out, took hold of her hands, held them in his. ”My darling, my poor darling, what a horrendous thing to happen to you. Thank G.o.d you are alive. Men like that frequently have murderous intent. I'm so sorry this happened to you, of all women. Why, you're just an innocent girl.”

He drew away, gazed into her eyes. ”I will look after you, keep you safe. And this is certainly not an impediment to our marriage. You are innocent, you are the victim.”

He rose, pulled her to her feet, and without saying another word he brought her into his arms and held her close to him, murmuring soothing words. He couldn't bear to think what she had gone through, and his heart went out to her. At this moment he loved her more than ever. He was impressed by her immense courage, her integrity in wanting him to know about the horrific attack she had suffered. He cringed inside when he thought of this pure and inexperienced seventeen-year-old girl being brutally raped. It was unconscionable.

Moving away from him, looking into his worried face, Daphne said softly, ”Thank you, Hugo, thank you for saying that.”

”Who did this to you, Daphne?” he asked, his eyes narrowing. ”And what about your father? What did Charles say? Didn't he go after him? Have him apprehended by the police?”

”I didn't see the man's face at first, because he had a scarf wrapped around it. But after he'd, well ... when he had finished with me, I reached up and pulled it off. I was stunned.” She took a deep breath, and finished in a low voice. ”I was staring into the face of my childhood friend, Julian Torbett.”

”My G.o.d, how appalling of him! The wicked, evil man. He must be from the Torbett family of Havers Lodge?”

”Yes, he is.”

”What happened to him? What did your father do?” he asked in a harsh voice.

Daphne sat down again, and so did Hugo. Unable to resist, he took hold of her hand once more, as if never to let it go.

”Remember, he'd threatened me, frightened me, because of Dulcie and Mama. I didn't dare say a word to Papa. And then Julian actually had the nerve to come around with his fiancee, Madge Courtney, to go riding a week later. I had no choice but to agree, under the circ.u.mstances. My father and DeLacy rode with us, and I was safe, of course. Something strange happened, Hugo; rifle shots went off in the fields, his horse was spooked, and bolted. Julian was thrown. He was unconscious when he was taken to Harrogate Hospital and he never regained consciousness. He died that night.”

Hugo drew closer, reached up, and gently turned her face to his. He looked deeply into those marvelous blue eyes, and said in a sympathetic voice, ”You didn't tell Charles, did you? You kept the rape from your parents. That's true, isn't it?”

”What was the point of telling them? Especially when Julian Torbett had been killed in a freak riding accident.”

Hugo simply nodded, leaned back in the chair, and kept her hand in his. He was afraid to let go of her, and his love for her surged through him.

There was silence for a few moments; they were both lost in their own thoughts. Finally, it was Daphne who spoke.

She said, ”Mrs. Alice knew. You see, she saw me come into the bedroom corridor, and grabbed me at once. She hurried me into my bedroom, before DeLacy and Ceci could question me. They were there and I was somewhat bedraggled. My jacket was torn and dirty. Mrs. Alice helped me to get through the ordeal.”

”She would do that. She was my childhood friend, you know, and thoughtful, caring. I'm glad she knew, and that she helped you. That makes me feel a bit better, Daphne.”

”She told me something important. Mrs. Alice said I should trust no one in this house, meaning Cavendon. Only my parents and the Swanns. Tell no one, trust no one, she said. And I haven't told anyone, and I don't trust anyone, except Mama and Papa. And the Swanns, and you, Hugo. I trust you with my life.”

He was touched by her words, and her faith in him. This gave him hope for a future with her. Before he could say anything, Daphne leaned into him, and kissed him on the cheek. ”Thank you,” she said. ”Thank you for being you, and what you are.”

”Daphne, I'm at a loss for words. I think you are enormously brave, and grown-up beyond your years. You amaze me.”

”There is something else I must tell you, Hugo, and then I'm finished with my sad tales.”

”My darling Daphne, I'll listen to everything you have to say, sad or otherwise, and be happy to do so for the rest of my life.”

”There is an impediment to a marriage between us,” she insisted.

Puzzlement flickered in his blue eyes, and he gave her a curious look. ”Still talking about impediments, are we?”

”Yes.” Straightening in the chair, she gave him a pointed look. ”I'm pregnant, Hugo. I was raped and made pregnant.”

That he was stunned by this revelation was apparent; he gaped at her stupefied, speechless for a moment and reeling from her words. It was a million-to-one chance she was raped on her father's land, and a million-to-one chance that the b.a.s.t.a.r.d had made her pregnant. He wished Torbett was alive. He would kill him.

After a moment, Hugo asked, ”How on earth have you been able to stand all this? To bear it, Daphne? You must have gone through h.e.l.l, been worried to death. What a burden for you to carry.”

”It was, it is. But Mrs. Alice and Miss Charlotte have been most supportive, and take care of me.”

”Charles and Felicity do know about this, don't they? You have told your parents you're pregnant, haven't you?”

”I had to, and Miss Charlotte was helpful, she spoke to them first. Naturally, they have been loving and caring, and Mama and Papa know it was not my fault.”

”Why do you say it's an impediment to our marriage?”

”Because I'm pregnant with another man's child.”

”A man who brutally raped you, ruined your life, in a sense, just like that!” He snapped his thumb and second finger together. ”I'm not going to let this situation ruin your life. Or mine. I'm going to give you a wonderful life, if you'll let me.”

She did not answer him, just sat there looking extremely worried.

Hugo said, ”Do you think I can stop loving you just like that? In an instant? Because you've told me something terrible, told me about a brutal attack on you? How can I possibly fall out of love? Actually, Daphne, your honesty, truthfulness, and sense of honor have made me love you all the more. From the moment I met you I was in love with you, and I've never stopped thinking about you since. If you marry me, you will make my life complete. It will give me such happiness to be your husband. And believe me, I'll keep you safe from harm. Always. For the rest of your life.”

”But what about the baby? Would you want me to give it up? Give it away? Because I'm not certain I could do that.”

Hugo sat back in the chair and closed his eyes, a familiar sadness flowing through him. A great sigh escaped. After a long moment, he opened his eyes and looked across at her. He half smiled.

”Do you see this man sitting here? He was a child once, a child who was given away, banished from the father he loved, from the family he loved, from the home he had been born into, and loved. He was sent away from the country he loved. He was carelessly dismissed, sent to a place he didn't know, to people he had never met. Thrown away like a piece of rubbish. Do you think that this man, who was once that child, would let the woman he loves more than anyone else in the world give her baby away? Never, not in a million years. Daphne, the baby you are carrying is an Ingham, and I'm an Ingham, as well as a Stanton. And I'll be d.a.m.ned if I'll allow anyone else but us to bring up your child.”

Later, as they walked up the hill back to the house, Hugo suddenly asked, ”What will you do, Daphne, if you don't marry me?”

Daphne answered at once. ”Charlotte came up with a plan to get me through the coming months.”

”What kind of plan?” He stopped walking and turned to look at her, obviously somewhat puzzled.

Daphne immediately told him all about Charlotte's idea, giving him all the details.

He listened attentively, and when she had finished, he remarked, ”It's a good plan, but it will be hard. You know that, don't you?”

”Yes, I do, but if I set my mind to it, I can do anything.”

Hugo smiled at her, and said lightly, almost offhandedly, ”But you'd have much more fun if you were married to me.”

Thirty-six.