The Lady's Second-Chance Suitor by Scott, Regina (christmas read aloud txt) 📗

listen. Thehouse had gone silent, as if everything had suddenly fallen asleep. Was thestorm over, then? Or merely gathering strength before pounding the promontoryanew?

Donner opened the door again, now fully dressed. So was theolder baron at his side.

“Donner tells me we may have trouble,” Lord Featherstonesaid as they stepped out into the corridor. “How might I be of assistance?”

“Smugglers may be coming in,” Rob advised. “Though it’s possiblethe storm drove them off course from some other landing along the coast, andthey’ll return to it instead.”

“But you suspect they intend to land at the Lodge,” Donnersaid, as if hoping that would be the case.

Rob nodded. “And be warned that I am unsure of my footman,Bascom. He may be involved. We must rely only on ourselves.”

Together, they moved down the corridor for the stairs. Thelamplight cast a golden glow, but a dozen brigands could have been hiding inthe shadows. Donner kept glancing around as if he feared as much.

“I’d like to check each external door and the windows on theground floor,” Rob told his tense companions. “Then we’ll watch from the greenwithdrawing room to see what that ship does.”

“Should we notify the authorities?” Lord Featherstone asked asthey started down the stairs.

Donner cast Rob a look and shook his head. He needn’t haveworried that Rob was about to betray the fellow’s doubts concerning themagistrate.

“I fear no one could come to our aid in the middle of thisstorm,” he told them both. “Nor could my staff reach the village safely torequest assistance. We must defend ourselves, if itcomes to that.”

They reached the entry hall without seeing another soul. Robrattled the latches on the front door.

“Locked,” he reported. “The other entrances are on the lowerlevel.”

Donner and the baron followed as he continued down thestairs for the ground floor. Where was Bascom? Surelyhe hadn’t gone outside in the storm to signal the ship. Yet why hadn’t hechecked in with Rob again? Didn’t he hear Rob and his companions wanderingabout? It was as if he, Donner, and Lord Featherstone were the only people inall the sprawling manor house.

They reached the ground floor and the dining room. A singlecandle still burned, leaving most of the long room nothing but a hollow ofdarkness.

“I latched the doors to the rear yard myself after they blewopen at dinner,” Rob said. “But we’d be remiss not to confirm they’re stillsecured.”

“Allow me.” Donner pushed past Rob to head down the table. Athump and a muffled oath told him the intelligence agent had collided withsomething in the dark. Then he heard the latches clicking.

“Locked,” Donner called. “But I can see a bit of yardthrough the glass. You’re right—tree limbs and debris everywhere. Wait.Someone’s out there!”

Rob seized one of the silver candelabra from the table andweighed it in his hand. “That ought to dent a head nicely.”

“Indeed,” Lord Featherstone said, taking up the othercandelabra in one hand and the lit candle in the other. Together, they advancedtoward the door. Rob raised the candelabra like a club and nodded to Donner, whoflung open the door, splashing rain all about.

“Who’s there?” Rob demanded. “Show yourself.”

His watchman, Mr. Chalder, stepped into the light, wrinkled faceslick with water. Rain streamed down from the cap on his head and darkened theshoulders of his wool coat. It gleamed on his boots where the black leatherwasn’t crusted with mud and leaves.

“Sorry, my lord,” he said, lowering his head as if ashamedas water dripped from his lips. “It’s not a fit night for man nor beast, but Ithought I should do my duty.”

Rob lowered the silver. “I applaud you for your tenacity.Why don’t you come inside for now?”

Again, he bobbed his head. “Thank you, my lord.”

Feeling foolish, Rob ducked back into the dining room.Donner, Lord Featherstone, and Chalder followed.

“The fire in the kitchen should only be banked,” Rob advisedthe watchman, tipping his head toward the servant’s door to the kitchenaddition. “Stoke it up, and dry yourself off. Ifanyone gives you trouble, tell them to find me. And make sure the kitchen dooris secured.”

“Yes, my lord.” He shuffled over to the door and disappeareddown the short corridor.

Rob and Lord Featherstone returned the candelabra to theirplaces on the long table, then retreated with Donner to the withdrawing roomoverlooking the Channel, stopping only long enough to retrieve a spyglass fromthe study. For the next few hours, the three of them took turns peering out, asthe view turned from black to a smudged grey with a rising moon. The last ofthe storm scurried across the sea toward France. The trees stopped theirfrantic dancing. All grew still again.

Donner drew in a deep breath and lowered the glass to handit to Rob. “It seems the Lodge will survive, my lord.”

“In some shape,” Lord Featherstone agreed, standing by the window and gazing down at the debris-cluttered yard.

“I’ll have to see to the east wing,” Rob acknowledged,squinting through the eyepiece. The waves came into view, still choppy andcapped in silver in the moonlight. They splashed against the bow of the sailingship that had appeared around the headland.

Was someone heading for his pier after all?

Chapter Seventeen

Hester wasn’t sure she’d slept. Onemoment she was lying beside her mother, listening to the wind, and the next shewas opening her eyes to stillness. Slipping out from under the covers, she paddedto the window.

“Oh, is it morning?” her mother asked from the bed.

Hester pulled open the drapes and cracked the shutters.Moonlight picked out trees canted and toppled. “Not yet. I’m sorry fordisturbing you.”

She turned to find her mother sitting up in the bed. “Atleast that horrid storm is over. This is a very finebed, but I prefer my own, and I’m sure you’re eager to see Rebecca.”

“I am,” Hester admitted, coming back to her. “It must beclose to dawn. Would you mind getting dressed now so we can leave as soon asthe carriage is ready?”

Her mother agreed, and they lit a lamp and helped each otherback into their gowns from the night before. The maid had draped them over achest, so there were only a few wrinkles.

“Best we can do under such trying