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She swallowed as her cheeks turned pink.

But was she simply being humble, or was she truly ashamed of how she looked? Jack's heart dropped into his stomach at the thought.

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen! Oh, what was he thinking? Who wouldn't be pleased with someone so lovely, who'd travelled all this way without a lick of correspondence between them? Not only that, but who would be willing to marry a man with nothing but an old photograph and the word of the mail-order bride service as to his character? He sure he wouldn't if he had been a bride!

Suddenly his lawman's instincts kicked in and he found himself once again sitting in the chair next to the bed, his body leaning toward her as his mind ran wild with questions. Jack had to follow his gut on something.

"Miss Jones, might I be the first to say I think you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, so please don't think I'm disappointed in that regard. But I do have to ask … are you running from something?"

Ianto froze. No! She couldn't tell him! What would he do if he found out she'd spent most of her life in an orphanage? That she'd barely gotten out of Cardiff? That had she stayed, she'd be good for nothing more than …

She turned her face away as tears stung the back of her eyes.

How could she tell him? Of course she was running – running from a life of slavery and servitude to men who would use her up in a matter of years and cast her aside like a piece of garbage. And she wasn't the only one.

What of the others, the girls soon to come of age who also faced the horrors of leaving the safe confines of the orphanage?

Would Ms. Hartman be able to get them away in time as well?

Large fingers gently touched her chin and pulled her head around to face him. His own face was an expressionless mask, unreadable. But when her first tear finally fell, it was met with a compassion she had never seen in any man's eyes.

He let go of her chin and gently brushed the tear away.

"I guess this answers my question," he whispered as he stood. He put the marriage contract into the satchel, placed the bag back on the floor by the dresser, and slowly turned to her. "I'll make what arrangements I have to, and as soon as Owen says you're ready, I'll come for you."

Ianto could only stare as her entire body went numb.

He was going to send her back. Oh, good God, no!

He looked about, then chuckled to himself. "Guess I done left my hat and coat in the kitchen. I'll let Francine know what's going on. You rest now."

He smiled and left the room.

Ianto shook her head. Oh, no! No, no, no, no! She couldn't go back – Adam would be on her quicker than flies on sugar! And when he got a hold of her he'd never let go! He'd make sure that once he had her entrenched into the life he planned for her there would be no escape.

She stifled a sob as she heard muffled voices from down the hall and then listened to the front door as it opened and closed. She quickly looked to the window, the golden light of sunset nearly gone now, and watched as Jack Harkness strolled down the front walk, through the gate, and out of sight.

Oh, please, Gods! I can't leave! I can't go back!" What would she do?

Where could she go? One thing was for certain: until her foot healed, she wasn't going anywhere.

Perhaps that was it! Maybe so long as her foot was injured he couldn't send her back!

Ianto's shoulders slumped. Who was she kidding? She couldn't fake her injury to stay. No, that wouldn't do at all. Think, Ianto, think!

She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths … then suddenly smiled. Of course! She'd make plans of her own - either to stay on in

Heaven or go someplace close by where she could find a job and earn the money it had cost Mr. Harkness to bring her out west in the first place. It was, after all, the logical thing to do.

She took one more breath to calm down before she smiled with relief. Surely Mr. Harkness would understand her dilemma and cooperate, wouldn't he?

Or wait – was Ms. Hartman to reimburse him based upon her return to Cardiff? Good Lord, what if that was how it worked?

She had seen something in the marriage contract like that … but her head was so fuzzy at the moment she couldn't remember the exact wording.

Her eyes suddenly fixed on the satchel next to the dresser.

How was she going to get over there to check? She looked to her foot beneath the light blanket that covered her. To move meant pain, and she didn't want to risk further injury. She turned her head toward the door. Wasn't there someone else in the house with her? Francine, was it? Perhaps she could get it for her?

Ianto let her body fall back against the pillows, suddenly too tired to think about it further. She'd call the woman in and have her fetch it for her, yes, but first she wanted to close her eyes against the pain in her foot for a moment. After she rested she'd tackle the task at hand …

But before she could so much as think about what she would do if the contract did indeed state she had to go back, sleep took her from all her troubles and pain once more.