Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
The housekeeper nodded in reluctant agreement. “She could have…but…sir, nobody saw her go.”
* * *
“Well, she has to be somewhere!” Arthur said irritably.
* * *
“Ye-yes Your Grace.”
* * *
He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “Alright, let us all fan out. Look for any sign of what could have become of her. Do you remember what she was wearing?”
* * *
“She was wearing a cornflower blue gown with white flowers upon it.”
* * *
“Very well. Let us look for her.”
* * *
His servants scattered at once and he began to sift through the burnt furniture, looking for a sign. Anything that might indicate where she might have gone.
* * *
“Your Grace?”
* * *
He turned to see Anson peering anxiously at him. “Yes?”
* * *
“Oughtn’t we to inform the Ravens?”
* * *
Arthur sighed. “I suppose we must. I do not know how I will deliver this ill news. It would be better if we had something definite to tell them.” He turned away to hide the prick of tears from his eyes. He was holding on desperately to the hope that Janice had gone home or was simply somewhere else. Were he to contact the Ravens and she was not at home…then he would have to contend with the possibility that she’d been hurt here.
* * *
“Let us look a bit more and see if we might find a definitive answer.”
* * *
They searched for another two hours, turning over every stick of furniture. At the end of that time, all that Arthur knew for sure was that she was not in the Dower house. In a way, it was a relief because if her body was not here, she must be in one piece.
* * *
He sighed, turning to a footman. “Fetch my horse. I will ride for Somerton House.”
* * *
He went as slowly as he could, delaying the inevitable. But eventually, he turned into the Raven family house. The sun was just setting as he did so. He knocked on the door and stood back, waiting.
* * *
The sound of hooves had him turning in surprise, to see a man, in the uniform of his family crest, riding down the courtyard towards him. He frowned, stepping towards him. “What are you doing here?”
* * *
“Your Grace, you have received a letter. It was delivered by one of the village boys. He claimed a man gave it to him. That it's urgent and it pertains to Lady Janice.”
* * *
His frown deepened and he held out his hand for it. The footman put the letter in his hand.
* * *
He ripped it open, reading frantically.
* * *
“What is going on?”
* * *
He jumped, turning to see Lady Emily staring at him from the doorway.
* * *
“Your Grace, what are you doing here?”
* * *
“I come with ill news I am afraid.”
* * *
She frowned, looking past him. “Where is my sister?”
* * *
He sighed. “That is the news I am here about.”
* * *
Her face fell. “What’s happened to her?”
* * *
With a look of resignation, he passed her the note. She read it out loud.
* * *
Your Grace.
* * *
I trust this missive finds you well. You took something that belongs to us and so we have taken something that you love. We meant to burn her to a crisp but she managed to escape before we could. A spirited one she is. You’d do your best to get her back before we get tired and kill her. Give back what you owe and we will give her back.
* * *
She stared at him, mouth agape, face pale, hands shaking. “Do you know who these people are?”
* * *
Arthur thought about all the debts he had. It could be any one of them. But somehow he did not see noblemen resorting to crass abduction and property damage without at least conversing with him first. He shook his head. “I do not know.”
* * *
“Then how will you know what to give them?” she squeaked in horror.
* * *
He drew a deep shaky breath, turning away from her to hide the bleakness in his eyes. “I shall simply offer them everything. Whatever it takes to get her back to me.”
* * *
“You’d best come in. The others will need to know.” Emily tugged at his arm, pulling him into the house.
* * *
He turned and followed her inside, the footman riding off home once more.
She didn’t recognize the place where she was tied up but she knew it was a cottage. Perhaps it was close by. Her hands were tied painfully behind her back, to a pole in the middle of the room in front of the empty fireplace. The room was devoid of furniture aside from an old broken-down bench next to the window. The ashes in the fireplace told her that it had been some time since a fire was lit therein.