Page 19 of No Ordinary Lady

“It will be, of course,” Granny promised.

Marian scrunched up her nose at the odd formality of his tone. That didn’t match the passionate laughing man she’d spent the night with. Danny had seemed more impulsive and friendlier away from here. Far warmer, too. Perhaps it was his family’s choice to be that way.

She peeked out again in time to see Danny steer the old woman out the door by the elbow.

The old lady would be gone any moment, and then Marian would finally be alone with Danny again. She smoothed her hair as best she could and then chided herself for being vain about her appearance. Clearly, he intended to marry someone far more perfect than Marian had ever seen.

Now she’d seen Danny at home among his family, she saw the mistake she’d made, assuming they had anything in common. He was no carefree man who would ever flaunt society rules to do as he pleased. And tonight was the night when he was supposed to charm a proper young woman. The ring was always meant for his bride.

But she still had the ring in her possession, in her hand. She just needed to pass it over, put it directly in his palm, and go on her merry way again.

Marian squared her shoulders and prepared to step out from behind the curtain and complete her reason for coming here.

But suddenly there was some sort of commotion, and when she looked out, the old lady was lying prone on the floor, Danny bent over her.

He shook the old lady by the shoulder, and then shook her again, “Gran. Granny. Granny!”

The old woman had taken some sort of turn and didn’t immediately answer him. She moaned, and that led to Danny’s renewed cries for her to wake up.

Marian had to get out of this room, and now, before anyone heard his cries of distress!

It was also clear that she had lost the chance to be alone with Danny, thanks to the old lady’s turn. She placed the ring down on the cushion of the nearest chair and scurried for the back door as fast as her legs could carry her.

But once at the door, she was beset by concern. She really ought to wait and speak to Danny, about the matter of the ring and his granny. She fled back to the curtain to hide behind again as Danny’s voice became louder and utterly panicked now.

Servants would come soon to investigate the disturbance.

She could be discovered if she stayed too close to the commotion.

And a servant might find the ring before he did…

And if they were dishonest, they might not give it to him.

Marian darted out, snatched back the ring from the cushion and clutched it against her breast. But then the old lady roused enough to moan.

However, it sounded like go go.

Marian peeked in her direction—and their eyes met, hers and Granny’s.

The old lady seemed utterly unsurprised that a woman was hiding behind a curtain, and it was curious she wasn’t raising any alarm, either.

The lady waved her hand about in the air behind Danny’s back as he tried to sit her up, large gestures that seemed to urge Marian to flee into the long gallery.

“I’m taking you upstairs,” Danny announced, preparing to lift the old woman in his arms.

“No,” she protested, refusing his assistance. “I’m alright. I’m fine right here. Go. Go.”

“Are you sure?”

“Indeed, yes. Fit as a fiddle in just a moment. Go.”

“Granny, you just fainted and you’re sitting on the floor,” Danny exclaimed, trying to capture her still waving hands. “I’m not going to leave you. Did you hit your head when you fell? This is hardly dignified.”

“Oh, oh. Well, that’s nothing new,” Granny told him as Marian took a few tentative steps toward the hall, even while keeping an eye on them both.

Granny slowly nodded as Marian took another step toward the hall.

Danny didn’t seem to notice and sat back on his heels. “How often are you fainting?”