“Strange fellow,” said the maid. “Didn’t like the air about him. Seemed anxious.”
My heart pounded. An anxious man pushing through the storm at a dangerous pace? And, from the sound of things, one who cared not how his speedy escape might affect others. That had Hollinsby written all over it.
I crossed the room, and the man lifted his brows at my approach.
“Forgive me,” I said. “I could not help but overhear. I’ve been pursuing a man who might fit your description. It is of great importance that I catch him. Where did this incident happen?”
“About two miles from here,” the man offered readily, his expression drawn tight with disgust. “Just before the fork in the road.”
Before the fork? While it was a relief to know I was on the right track, a fork presented a problem. Without an inkling of where Hollinsby intended to go, there was no way for me to know which route he took. The rain fell too heavily, erasing any clues there might have been. If I left now, perhaps I could choose a route and pray to catch him, but what if I chose wrong? It would put me further behind.
Put Adda further from reach.
But sitting here and doing nothing was not an option. I had to try.
“Thank you,” I said, then turned my attention to the maid. “May I request my horse be brought around?”
She blinked, clearly surprised. “But, sir, the weather.”
“Is rotten, but as I said, this is important.”
The maid nodded, then scurried off to see to my request. The man sighed before excusing himself to go clean up. I couldn’t blame him for wishing to get out of those wet clothes.
I waited near the door while Lightning was fetched, and just as the stable boy brought him around, another rider stopped in front of the inn. With the rain pelting my face, it took me a moment to recognize the auburn hair peaking out beneath his hat, but there was no mistaking him once I noted the fire in his eyes. I had cowered under Apsley’s fierce gaze this morning, and it was not an experience I would soon forget.
“Apsley,” I said as he dismounted, mud sloshing beneath his boots. “What are you doing here?”
He stormed over to me and fisted my coat in his hands. Rain dripped over the brim of his hat, and his damp clothing indicated he had ridden for some time in the storm. “My sister—is she with you!”
“What?” I spluttered. “No. No, of course not.”
Apsley’s hold relaxed, but he did not release me. “You are certain she did not follow you?”
Follow me? I tamped down the hope sparking in my chest.
“I…well, I suppose I cannot be certain of it, but what purpose would she have in doing so? She asked not to see me, if you will recall.”
“That may be, but she came to the library demanding to know where you were. When I told her you had left, urgently, she assumed it was related to Hollinsby and mentioned coming to your aid. I talked her out of it…or so I thought. No one has seen her for hours.”
Panic strangled my hope. “Hours?”
“Yes.” He gave me a hard look, as if this were my fault, and released me. Perhaps he was not entirely wrong. Another bout of thunder roared overhead, doing nothing to calm the hard beating in my chest.
Apsley swiped the water from his face. “We’ve searched the house four times over. Servants are scouring the property as we speak, but so far, nothing.”
“But the storm…if she is out in this weather—”
“Then I have great cause to worry.” The muscles in his jaw feathered, and I saw it then. Beneath his fiery frustration with me lay pure concern for his sister’s well-being. Apsley hefted a sigh. “I confess, part of me hoped she had gone after you. At least then I would know she is safe. I don’t agree with what you and my father did, but neither do I believe you would harm her. Not intentionally.”
Hearing him say as much was a boon to my aching soul but did not relieve my growing worry. Prolonged exposure to this sort of weather could cause the healthiest of people to take ill. Annette was strong, but she was not immune. “I will return with you. Help search for her.”
Apsley eyed me carefully. “And what of Hollinsby?”
I glanced down the muddy road. With the rain, I could not see far, the path disappearing into the mist. Somewhere beyond it, Hollinsby rode in his carriage, each second taking him further out of my reach. If I ended my pursuit now, I might never catch him. Might never rescue Adda.
But I could never live with myself if Annette were not found and something terrible happened to her. I could not shake the feeling that I was responsible for her disappearance, and the thought of losing her…
No. I would not.
