Chapter 45
The sunshine is gone from my life...in more ways than one.
~From the journal of the Marquis of Aylesbury—April 1893
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Fiona cried out asshe heard the shots.They seemed to sing a sickening refrain through the canopied oaks, pealing like a death toll.The thunder of hoof beats faded away, and even the wind stilled as if to hear the ghastly melody.
Again and again they rang out until the leaves hanging over them were atremble, but they might have been steady as a rock compared to her heart.Horror-struck with dread, she clung to Connor’s arm as she yelled to her brother.“Hurry, Colin!For God’s sake, hurry!”
Colin’s jaw was set determinedly as he whipped up the horses, and then he was pulling the bellowing animals to a halt behind the phaeton she and Harry had stolen from the streets of Aylesbury a lifetime before.
One last shot rang out.Echoing.
Connor was out of the carriage and running toward the gatehouse before the reverberation faded.Fiona rushed to follow.“Nay,” he yelled back.“Stay back!”But he must have known such a command would be useless.“Colin, hold her!”
Then he was gone into the gatehouse as Colin caught her around the waist and lifted her off her feet.
They watched the door, but no one came out.
No sound emerged.
With renewed energy, she kicked nothing but air and clawed at her brother’s hands, crying for Colin to let her go, but he held fast.“Let me go!”
“Blossom, shush,” he whispered in her ear.
Seconds...no!An eternity later, Connor appeared at the door, and she stilled.
Alone.
Come on, Harry, she inwardly begged, staring at the empty portal.Come out.Come out.Please.
Colin’s hold eased, but she clung to his hands as Connor met her eyes somberly.God, her brother was never so solemn!But there was genuine regret in his eyes.“Blossom...”
She shook her head in denial and looked back at the door.
