Cecilia had secured the broken leg as best she could and the young man was dosed on liquor, so for the moment he was sleepy. Cecilia had pressed a small silver flask into Jane’s cloak pocket. ‘A secret supply of brandy I brought for our journey,’ she’d whispered at Jane’s surprised look. ‘You’re going to need it.’ Then she spoke at normal volume. ‘I’ve packed a little food, whatever I could scrounge, that you can eat as you walk.’ Jane looked back over her shoulder and lifted a hand. Everyone left behind followed suit. Sackville had barely said goodbye to any of them. ‘Is he heavy?’ she asked him. He shook his head. ‘He’s like a child for now, but even a child gets heavy after a while.’ ‘We’ll make it.’ ‘This is brave of you, Jane.’ She shrugged. ‘I thought it was what you wanted of me.’ He sent her a troubled look. ‘I would not wish you in any peril. I hope you made your decision freely.’ ‘Of course I did. No one makes me do anything I don’t want to do.’ ‘I’ll keep that in mind,’ he said dryly, and Jane wasn’t sure whether to smile or feel lightly threatened.
