“Keep Trick happy for me, Jane.” Adalyn wasn’t sure where those words came from, but they seemed appropriate. “He needs your comfort right now. And I cannot visit him as much as I’d like.”
“But, m’Lady, he’s one of yours…”
“One ofours,” Adalyn corrected. “And we care for him as we care for each other.”
Jane’s eyes filled with tears and she stared out the window, hiding her emotions. Looking at her, a sudden realisation swept over Adalyn.
Jane had fallen in love with Trick.
It wasn’t surprising, given that the man had charm enough for a dozen, but was this wise? She did not want to see the girl hurt—she’d had enough pain in her life already. Trick had spoken highly of her, and yet he’d shown no reticence in kissing and caressing Adalyn.
She sighed. It was too much to ponder at this moment with other things pressing for her attention.
She pushed it to the back of her mind, to be drawn out and considered at a later time.
The continuing rain slowed the return journey, and when they reached the Wolf river bridge Adalyn frowned. “I believe the river has risen since I crossed it earlier today,” she commented.
“’Tis possible, Ma’am,” agreed Jane, looking out her side of the carriage. “Ma always says the rain storms in the hills makes the water rise, but I have to think that what we’re getting now isn’t helping…”
It was now an angry and roiling torrent of water, assaulting the banks and foaming downstream; Adalyn wondered how much rain it took to cause such a violent change in an ordinarily calm body of water.
However, the bridge seemed sound, and they crossed over, happy to be nearing the Manor. Jane was deposited at the Barnsley front door, with many thanks from her and a yelled blessing and wave from Mrs. B.
Adalyn scurried into Wolfbridge, very happy to be home and utterly tired of the heavy rain. “Where is everyone?”
Jeremy entered the hall and helped her off with her coat. “Daniel and Giles are out.”
“In this weather? Good lord,” Adalyn freed a lock of hair from the back of her bonnet.
“Daniel has gone to the farms and then the river,” Jeremy’s face clearly showed his concern. “You must have seen how high the water is rising.”
She nodded. “Both Jane and I mentioned that when we drove over it. Is there really a danger of it overflowing its banks?”
“Yes, my Lady,” he answered. “Yes, it’s a real danger.”
“What can we do? Wait…” she hurried into the Rose room and pulled out the map of Wolfbridge. “Show me.”
Together they bent over the large sheet, and Jeremy’s fingers traced the river. “Here’s the bridge, and here we are. The Manor house is on a bit of a rise, so we’re not at risk unless there is a flood of biblical proportions…” He shot her a quick glance. “Nobody haseverseen that happen.”
“Well, that’s one worry off my mind.” She stared at the markings. “But here…” her finger pointed at the dwellings near the river road. “These are farms, yes? Mrs. B. Is at the top of the street, but these others…”
“Yes, Adalyn. Those are at great risk if the river floods.”
“They aren’t exactly on the bank…” She worried her bottom lip as she tried to comprehend the danger.
“No, but these markings here…” he pointed out some lines, “this is how flat the land is. Over here, you can see how the hills are marked.”
She blinked, then traced the river as it emerged from the hills down past Wolfbridge land and on to its final destination—the sea. “The land doesn’t rise very much, does it?”
Jeremy shook his head. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Has it flooded before?”
“A couple of times, yes. Once after some heavy spring snows, I think. Not since I’ve been here though. A lot depends on when the rain stops up in the hills. If it stops there first, then we can all breathe a sigh of relief since the river won’t get any higher. But if it keeps raining up there, then that water will add to what we already have and swell the torrent over its banks.”
“And the bridge?”
“We can only hope it doesn’t fail…”
