MRS. Thompson and Miss Thompson exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes reflecting equal parts confusion and disbelief. Mrs. Thompson, summoning a surge of courage, stepped forward resolutely, positioning herself as a barrier to Shen Ji Yun's advance. Her voice, steady despite the tension in the air, carried an unspoken warning as she extended a hand to halt him in his tracks.
"Your Grace, pray, what on earth do you think you are doing?"
"Jane! What of Jane?" Shen Ji Yun's voice trembled with urgency, his words spilling out in a flurry as he continued his frantic acting. "I was told—God help me—I was told she was attacked! Is she hurt? Gravely so? Where is she? You must take me to her at once!"
A sudden realization flickered across the faces of both mother and daughter as Shen Ji Yun's words sank in.
"Could it be that you are referring to Mrs. Winslow?" Mrs. Thompson inquired cautiously.
