“I am capable, but thank you.”
Beatrice left the library and made her way to the front door. She was a little surprised that Jenkins didn’t instantly appear, but he was probably helping Alexander somewhere.
Beatrice opened the wardrobe and reached for her cloak, fastening it around her shoulders before slipping out the front door and setting off to the south, toward town. It was a route she was familiar with, and she knew she could find her way back to the manor, unlike the north, where she had no idea where things were.
She didn’t need to get lost on her first foray out as Lady Dunham.
She made her way toward town slowly, not interested in exerting herself overly, but very interested in thinking through everything that had happened in the past three days.
Had it really only been three days?
How had her life changed so quickly?
She walked for maybe fifteen minutes before the wind began to pick up, and she turned toward the forest to the west, hoping for a little more shelter from the wind.
Dark shadows began to cover the land, and she looked up at the sky. The light cover of clouds that had been there when she left the estate had grown into one massive dark cloud that threatened snow.
The wind picking up had been a warning, and her thoughts had been racing too fast to heed it.
Beatrice turned around and began making her way back to the manor quickly. Could she make it back before the snow started?
She stuck close to the trees, hoping for some protection from the snow as light flakes began to fall.
Until there was a crashing sound in the underbrush, and a dark form that was suspiciously bear-shaped bolted past her.
Her heart beating furiously in her chest, she veered away from the trees.
There was no use in avoiding the snow if she got eaten by a bear.
The snow began to fall faster, and her visibility decreased. Beatrice picked up her pace. If she had been wearing fewer layers, she might have attempted to run. She knew the way back to Eldenwilde, but if the visibility got bad, she didn’t want to miss the estate and get lost.
She had to make it back before the storm got worse.
Chapter fourteen
Alexander
Alexander stared out thewindow, where the snow was coming down harder than it had yet this year, and grimaced. It was going to be a cold night.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to go out in it.
He turned back to his papers and frowned at them. He’d undertaken writing a will when he realized he had no idea what the sorcerer was going to do after he refused to marry the man’s daughter. The task of allocating all his assets was tedious, and he was tired of it.
There was a rap at the door and Jenkins opened it.
“There is a man to see you, my lord,” he said stiffly before a young man in a servant’s outfit pushed his way through the door.
“Hello, my lord, I’m here to see Beatrice,” he said.
“And who are you?” Alexander asked, frowning at the intrusion.
“I’m Dietrich,” he said. “I’m sure Beatrice has told you about me.”
Oh, this was Beatrice’s friend, the one she’d said was likely to come looking for her if he didn’t tell them where she was. “Oh,right,” Alexander said. “She did. Jenkins, would you show him to the library? I believe that’s where she is.”
“She’s not there, my lord,” Jenkins said. “I was thinking perhaps she was here with you.”
A chill ran down Alexander’s spine. “What do you mean she’s not there?” he asked, standing and pushing his chair back forcefully. “She was there. Where did she go?”
