An icy coldness gripped her at the thought of losing her sisters. It couldn’t happen—she refused to even think of it. She stared at the flames, a thousand prayers rising up for their safety.
“Stay here while I find out.” Beatrice took Juliette’s hand and put Amelia in her care. “Watch over your sister.”
As soon as their mother left, Amelia started crying. Though her sister was sixteen and prone to dramatics, in this instance, she had reason to fear. “Toria’s still in the house. I just know it. I don’t want her to die.”
“She won’t die.” Juliette held her sister tight, trying to soothe her, though she silently feared Amelia was right about Victoria. “They’ll bring her out, if she’s still there. Though I don’t think she would stay inside a burning house.” Even as she said the words, she wasn’t convinced. Her sister’s fears were deeply rooted, and Juliette had never once seen Victoria walk outside in the five years they’d been here.
“They’ll find her,” she promised. But she kept searching for a glimpse of her sister.Someone find her, please.
There was an eerie silence, as the crofters passed their buckets down the line to the burning rooms. Though they fought bravely, Juliette suspected it was a losing battle to save the house. The stone exterior might remain, but the inside was crumbling apart.
Horses approached, and at last, the riders returned. The duke wasted no time in dismounting from his horse, racing inside the burning house when he learned that his wife was still inside. Juliette was horror-struck, afraid that both of them would die in the conflagration.
Dr. Fraser pushed his way through the people, his eyes searching until they rested upon her. The remainder of the crowd seemed to disappear until there was only him. His dark hair was rumpled, his eyes drinking in the sight of her. Though he didn’t move any closer, she sensed his unspoken words.
You’re all right?
Yes, I’m all right.
Thank God.
Juliette forced herself not to move forward, to let the distance remain between them. But she was so glad to see that he’d returned unharmed. It was a visible relief, though she couldn’t let go of the worry for her sisters.
Dr. Fraser gave an almost imperceptible nod, fading back among the others until he took his place with the crofters. He rolled up his sleeves and aided them in fighting the fire while Juliette held back, praying that someone would find her sisters.
An invisible weight lifted from her shoulders when Margaret joined them at last. Her sister’s hair was rumpled, her face flushed, but in her arms, she held a cloth bundle. Juliette recognized it as the garments Victoria had been sewing—hundreds of pounds’ worth of silk and satin. Their eldest sister had taken it upon herself to begin selling corsets and chemises in December, and the profits had been staggering. Though Margaret had balked at the idea, at least she’d had enough sense to salvage their raw materials.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” she murmured as Margaret embraced them both. Though her older sister gave no explanations about where she’d been, she pointed off in the distance. “Mr. Sinclair is hitching up the coach for us. He’s taking us somewhere safe for the night, since we can’t”—her voice broke off as she glanced back at the burning house—“sleep here.”
“But what about Toria and Mother?” Amelia looked appalled at the idea of leaving them.
“Mother is safe, and His Grace is bringing Toria out,” Margaret said. “We’ll wait beside the coach until they’re both with us.”
Amelia balked. “I don’t want to leave until we know she’s all right.”
Juliette took her sister’s hand, guiding her away from the house while Margaret led them toward the waiting coach. “It’s safer. The men will put out the fire, you’ll see.”
Again Amelia hesitated, her eyes upon the conflagration. “I don’t want her to die,” she whispered. “It’s her wedding day, Juliette. It was supposed to be her happiest day.”
A lump gathered in Juliette’s throat, but she nodded. “Don’t be afraid. His Grace will find her. I know he will.”
Mr. Sinclair stood near the edge of the glen, helping Margaret inside the coach before he returned to the crofters. On horseback, he urged the women and children to move south, away from the burning house.
The three sisters huddled together in the coach, all of them silent as the waiting dragged onward. Their footman, Mr. MacKinloch, arrived to drive them, and Juliette stared outside as Dr. Fraser continued helping Mr. Sinclair and the other crofters as they fought to put out the fire. The blaze was still going, and at last, the duke appeared. His arm was around Victoria as he guided her outside, away from the fire and toward a snowdrift.
Juliette let out a slow breath of air, so grateful to see her sister alive. Within moments, their mother returned, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“She’s safe,” Beatrice pronounced, climbing inside the coach. From the expression on her face, she seemed to have aged ten years in that last hour. “Both of them are unharmed.” She pressed her fingers to her temples, as if to steady her nerves.
“Will they go with us?” Amelia ventured.
Beatrice shook her head. “There’s not enough room in the coach. His Grace will look after her. We’re going to his house at Eiloch Hill. I believe they will meet us there.” Their footman closed the door to their coach and began the journey south.
The horses struggled through the drifts, making Juliette wonder if a sleigh would have been easier. Many times, they had to stop along the way, but none of them spoke. It was strange to think that their house was now gone, when only a few hours ago, they had been helping their sister dress for her wedding.
Juliette stared outside the window, worried about Dr. Fraser. He’d taken command, guiding the crofters south to the duke’s land. But where was he now? It would be an hour or more before he’d reach Eiloch Hill, especially if he was keeping pace with those who were walking. It was freezing outside, and she couldn’t stop thinking of him.
There was no sense to the feelings muddled inside. She shouldn’t be letting her mind wander with thoughts ofhim. But when he’d rushed through the crowd of people, he’d been looking for her. She couldn’t pretend that she wasn’t relieved to see that he was all right.
