She knew that he was joking to keep her from breaking down.
She gave a shaky little laugh and knew, as he had asked her to do, that she would wait until they were safe inside The Castle.
By the time Harry had summoned two of the servants who could be trusted not to say too much and they had cut the ropes off the Duke and Isa, it was dusk.
There had been a great deal of difficulty in trying to unlock the padlocks to release the chains that encircled their ankles.
As they went back across the garden, Isa was carried by Harry because it was quite impossible for her to walk.
Yet she felt as if there were fireworks flaring in the sky and the whole Castle was emblazoned with light.
But all she could think of was that the Duke was alive and so was she. And for the moment nothing else matter
