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instinctively.
    ‘I…was forced,’ Emily told her, cheeks pale, eyes dark with remembered horror. ‘He was not my lover—but he held me down as he raped me, and, later, I knew that I would bear his child.’
    ‘My dear,’ Amelia cried. ‘It is shocking that men can be so vile. Please tell me what happened then.’
    ‘My father never believed that it was not my fault, but I swear to you that I am innocent of duplicity in this.’ Emily’s eyes brimmed with tears, though shedid not weep. ‘If this makes me unacceptable as your companion…’
    ‘No, do not think it.’ Amelia smiled at her. ‘What you have told me makes me more determined to give you a home. You will live with me, meet my friends and learn to be happy again, my dear.’
    ‘You are so very kind…’
    ‘I know what it is to have a broken heart, Emily.’ She shook her head as the young woman raised her brows. ‘Put your shame behind you, my dear. I absolve you of blame.’
    If only Emily had been able to put her shame and unhappiness behind her! Amelia knew that she still had days when she was deeply unhappy.
    She must do something to help her companion. For some time now Amelia had been considering the idea of trying to find Emily’s child. The babe had been taken from her at birth and she did not even know where her daughter was. If she could be told that the little girl was well and healthy, living happily with her foster parents, perhaps this deep ache inside her might ease.
    Amelia had hesitated because she did not wish to cause her companion more pain, but to see Emily unhappy even when she was in company was hard to bear.
    Instead of brooding on her own problems, she would think about Emily. Surely there must be a way of finding the child?
    Having changed into a fresh gown, Amelia prepared to go down and join Emily. She would saynothing to her for the moment, but after Christmas she would see what could be done.
    Alone in his bedchamber, Gerard paced the floor. It seemed he was caught between a rock and a hard place—if he spoke to Amelia and she accepted his offer of marriage, it might place her in danger. Yet if her brother did plan her death in order to inherit her fortune, she needed protection. If she married, she would no longer be at the mercy of her grasping relatives.
    He was aware of a burning need to protect her. Amelia was his, the love of his life. He could not give her up because of an obscure threat. He would make every effort to keep her safe. It would probably be best to let her know he believed she might be in some danger, but he was sure that she was safe enough for the moment. Harry would alert his servants to be on the lookout for strangers, and by the time she was ready to leave Pendleton he would have measures in place for her protection. He would summon the men he had used once before.
    He could at least do this for the woman he loved, though he was still undecided whether to speak to her of marriage. Did he have the right? Amelia was still beautiful, a woman of fortune and charm and she must be much sought after. He had heard whispers, her name linked with various gentlemen, but nothing seemed to come of the rumours. Gerard had no idea whether she had received offers. If she had, she had turned them down—why? Was she suspiciousof the motives behind every proposal that came her way? Did she imagine that no one could love her for herself? Surely not! And yet if her brother had been browbeating her because of her fortune, it would not be surprising if she thought others interested only in her wealth.
    Gerard decided that he would tell no one else of his suspicions until Christmas was over, because he wanted it to be a happy time for Amelia and his daughter. He certainly did not wish to cast a shadow over the festivities for Susannah and her guests.
    ‘Susannah asked me to help with the younger children,’ Emily said to Amelia as they went downstairs together that afternoon. ‘She thinks that they will need help