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Surely he’d noticed her predicament. She glanced over the hedge, pursed her lips at the sight of Garrison staring at her, and then understood.
    She could view only the doctor’s upper chest over the hedge. Her pinned arms had been out of sight from Landon’s view. She groaned. She could understand his ire. He’d been betrayed before. His first wife died giving birth to another man’s child. Landon himself had once told her he wasn’t “the marrying kind.”
    She expelled an annoyed breath. Well, this issue could be solved with a simple, civil conversation. As soon as Garrison was gone or occupied, she’d slip out and head straight to the Desire and speak with Landon. She clenched her jaw and straightened her shoulders. He’d listen to her if she first had to clobber him over the head and tie him to a chair to say her piece.
    She headed for the door and stomped past the doctor. He grabbed her arm, and the glare she gave him should have frozen him solid. “If you touch me again, I will chop off your hand with a hatchet.”
    Eyes widening, he lowered his arm and took a couple of steps back. He opened his mouth to say something, but she was already flying down the hall and up the stairs to her room.
    Slaney was closing the lid on her trunk when she entered. “Did ye square things away with Dr. Garrison?”
    “I don’t think so. Things are worse, actually. He seems to think we are still to be married.” Keelan grabbed her quill and a piece of parchment. “And Captain Hart seems to believe so too.”
    “What?” Slaney stepped back as if slapped. “Why in the world—”
    “Our course is set,” Keelan answered swiftly. “The livery carriage Daniel summoned should be here. We must leave now.”

    Keelan signed the letter to her uncle stating her plans, saying good-bye and left it on the dressing table. She grabbed her reticule and bonnet and slipped down the servant staircase; the aroma of toasted pecans and raisin scones wafted up the passageway. She would miss Ruth, the soft, brown kitchen slave who loved cooking and all things spicy-hot. Under Ruth’s tutelage, Keelan could cook and also dress meat and fish, and prepare a good many household remedies from removing rust stains to making lard candles.
    The women quietly exited the back door and made their way to the side street where the carriage waited. Her uncle and aunt were hopefully still at the luncheon. Thankfully, there was no sign of the doctor.  
    Daniel helped both women step into the carriage. As she settled herself on the seat, the sound of running feet and a shout drew her attention. To her horror, Uncle Jared was running up to the carriage. Dr. Garrison was close behind him.  
    When her uncle took in the trunks strapped to the back and the three of them, his expression darkened. “What is the meaning of this?”  
    “Please, Uncle Jared. Allow me to explain—”
    “Garrison has explained everything to me. I forbid you to leave on this fool’s journey.” He stuck his head into the carriage. “Have you forgotten why you and your father fled England? Someone has a serious vendetta against our family. Your mother, aunt and uncle were all murdered within weeks of each other. In addition, our country is but a hair’s breadth away from a full scale war and I’ll not permit you to endanger your life by attempting a return to England now.”
    “But Uncle,” she couldn’t explain her reasoning about Garrison while the doctor stood there. She needed to calmly explain her suspicions to him in private. Instead, she gave the only lame excuse to pop into her mind. “Captain Hart said a passenger ship would be able to make it safely from Boston.”
    Uncle Jared’s expression darkened further. “I don’t give a damn about what Hart said. I made a promise to your father that I would make sure you’re safely married, and so I shall.”  
    Keelan reached out and grasped her uncle’s arm. “I made a promise to him, too. He made me give him my