Chapter 9

"Miras!" James rushed into the room.

Alec followed close behind him, wailing after his father. Siobhan was trailing after, attempting to grab hold of the boy. Alec, upon seeing the woman lying on the sofa, clapped his mouth shut and stopped dead in his tracks, causing Siobhan to bump into him. He gasped and looked around at his father, Mary and Robert. He turned to Miras and gave her a funny look. Then he fled from the room dodging Siobhan's arm in turn.

James could hear his son trip on the stairs as he hastily made his way up them. He turned to the two staff members before him, "Mary, Robert, what has happened to her?"

"Mmmm"

The four of them looked at the woman lying on the sofa. She brought her hand toward her mouth and let a huge yawn escape her lips. As she turned her head to them, her hair slipped and covered half of her face.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "Oh my, what on earth happened? Where I am?" She looked at James. "James? What is going on?"

James crouched next to her and took her hand, "My lady, I was just inquiring to that myself." He looked to the two members of his staff, "Robert, Mary, tell me what is going on?"

"Sir," Robert bowed his head to his master and then towards the woman on the sofa. "My Lady, Samuel, the stable boy came to get me earlier this morning. He found a carriage overturned just beyond the gate. We found the lady inside Sir and brought her up to the house, I was just telling Mary what happened when you walked in Sir."

"You should have sent for me at once" James whispered.

"Oh my, is that what happened?" Miras sat up on the edge of the sofa. She looked as James, still crouched next to her, "I remember the ride here. I left yesterday. The driver said we should stop but I decided to keep going through the night so I could sleep in a bed."

Miras put her hand under James' chin and pulled his face an inch towards hers. "James, darling, you know how much I adore sleeping in a bed." She moved her hand and placed in on top of James' knee.

"As I got closer to your estate here, I fell asleep. I woke wide awake a few times but it was like I couldn't stay awake. I hadn't realized I had fallen asleep until I opened my eyes. I remember having these horrible nightmares. It was awful! It was almost like I was going in and out of consciousness. I had no control."

Miras took her hand from James' knee and placed it over her chest. "You know how I must always be in control, James." Miras looked at James and batted her eyelashes. "It is my vice."

"Truly Miras," James blushed. "Your only vice must be your agreeable nature."

Miras turned her face from his. Her cheeks flushed a dazzling shade of pink.

Mary and Robert, seeing her face completely, both let out a short burst of air. The woman was stunning. She had thick, dark chestnut colored hair that framed her pale heart shaped face. She had large brown eyes that were lined with long thick lashes. She had a slender nose that led to a full set of lips. Her top lip appeared two shades lighter than her bottom pouted lip. When she smiled at James they saw a brilliant set of white teeth.

Miras turned to face James again; the look on her face was pure sadness. Mary and Robert both took a step toward the woman, she had a way of making you want to go to her and comfort her, but they stopped as James rose from his crouch and positioned himself next to her on the sofa. He took her hand in his and began caressing it softly.

"James," Miras whispered. "When I heard of Marion's death I was in complete shock. I couldn't believe it when I heard what happened. I can't believe it has taken me this long to visit you. Of course, I wanted to give you time enough to grieve and I also needed to mourn."

"Marion was such a remarkable woman. We were so fond of each other. She was a few years older than me when my mother and I came to stay with her and her family so many years ago. But she was always so kind to me and always treated me as a sister. I am so very sad that I was not able to visit once more before her death. I will miss her so much." Miras raised her slender hand and with a single finger, wiped a tear from under her eye.

James removed his handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to the woman before him.

Mary looked to Siobhan and Robert; Mary nodded her head towards the door. The three of them made their way from the room.

Robert looked at Mary, "I am going to go check on Samuel and I have some things I need to take care of."

Siobhan nodded to Mary, "I am going to check on Alec, he didn't seem right. Crying all last night and this morning and then his reaction to Mrs. Satta, he has me worried."

Robert nodded, "I am worried about him too, I heard him last night he gave me such a headache, and I stayed out longer than I should have because of it. If I had gotten to bed on time last night I probably would have gotten to Mrs. Satta a lot quicker than for Samuel to have found her. I do hope she will be alright. She gave me quite a scare. It isn't often you find someone incapacitated at the front gate..."

Mary spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, "Except for the time with the undertaker after Mrs. Clifford's death..." Her voice trailed off.

Robert and Mary exchanged wide eyed looks. "I am going to make a run into town Mary; I may not be home in time for supper."

"Oh Siobhan!" Mary whispered, "You don't think..."