The Duke drew in his breath.
He could not imagine any man who was not the worst kind of brute beating anything so small and fragile.
Alysia was as beautiful as a flower just coming into bloom.
Quite suddenly he knew what he must do.
He rose to his feet and put out his hand to help Alysia to hers.
“Now you – understand,” she said, “are you – leaving me?”
“On the contrary,” the Duke said. “I am going on my way and you are coming with me!”
She looked at him in surprise.
“C-coming – with – you?”
“I have a long way to walk. At the end of it, I know of an elderly lady who will be delighted to have you with her and that will give us time to consider the options for what you can do in the future.”
He was thinking of his grandmother, who lived in The Dower House on his estate.
She was gr
