“I expect Mr.Carver knows them better than both of us.I’ll be safe enough.”He gave her cheek a light caress.“Please, I don’t want to be worrying about you, too.We’ll return shortly.”
Tulip did not like this one bit, but she supposed he was right.
She was not dressed for wading through the marshes, not to mention she had to prepare for this evening’s party.“All right, but stay close to Mr.Carver and do not stray from the path or you’ll sink into the mud and could get stuck.If you feel the ground begin to give way beneath your feet, immediately lie flat and crawl toward firmer ground.”
Alex cast her a soft smile.“I will, Tulip.Thank you for the good advice.”
The tide was beginning to rise, already covering some of the distant sedges and reeds that lined the marshes.Everything would be underwater within the next quarter hour as the water surged.
Tulip watched her husband head off with Mr.Carver.
One of the workmen approached her.“Please, Your Grace.We need to get you away from here now.”
She nodded, for she was only delaying them in getting their rescue equipment.And was this not most important, especially if Alex and Mr.Carver were the ones who would ultimately need rescuing?
She spared a last look at Alex making his way along the marshes.“All right.”
The workers hurriedly escorted her as far as the terrace before all but two headed off toward the barn to stow their tools and grab ropes.The boats were stowed in a shed beside the barn and needed several men to carry each down.
The two men assigned to her remained standing in the garden with their eyes on her while she stood on the terrace in their full view.She was busy peering out toward the salt marshes when Ernfield approached her.“Your Grace,” he said, slightly out of breath and his boots squishing as he climbed the few steps toward her, “I do beg your pardon.Has something happened?”
“Yes,” she replied, wondering why he was not at his post by the front door, “Mrs.Granger was rather upset and ran off in the direction of the marshes.His Grace and Mr.Carver are searching for her now.”
His eyes rounded.“Oh, dear.I had better go help them.”
Tulip glanced in the distance and saw the water level rising dangerously fast.“No, Ernfield,” she said in impulse.“They have it managed.”
“But Your Grace, I know these marshes and can help.Imusthelp.Is it not my responsibility as head butler to protect His Grace?”
She ought to have let him go, but something held her back.Perhaps it was the note of agitation in his voice.This stoic man, who had not shown so much as a glimmer of feeling in the week they had been here, was suddenly awash in it.
Was she sensing worry?Or concern?
In truth, she sensed some anger in him.
Was this not very odd?
Well, she could be wrong.
This entire day was turning out odd.
Besides, she was peeved with Ernfield.
Had he really accused her uncle and Mr.Carver of covering up Elspeth’s disappearance?
Even if he had not, she did not change her mind about allowing him to go to the salt marshes.
Something simply feltoffabout him…or perhaps it was her.But it felt likehim.
Oh, her stupid intuition.
The poor man was probably secretly in love with Mrs.Granger and wanted to help the men find her.
She heard the distant roar of an incoming wave and then another immediately following it that crashed dangerously close to where Alex and Mr.Carver were searching.“Stay here, Ernfield.The tide is already too high.It is bad enough His Grace and Mr.Carver are out there getting soaked and will likely need rescuing.”
Ernfield appeared about to say something to her, but the rest of Mr.Carver’s workers came around the side of the house at just that moment.“See, they are already preparing to help out.Leave them to it, Ernfield.Anyway, should you not be supervising the preparations for tonight’s dinner party?”
“That is Mrs.Granger’s role, Your Grace.I can assure you, the staff is experienced and has it all in hand.Is this rescue not more important?I ought to lend assistance.”
