It was Hollinsby’s study that I wished most to explore, but I began my search belowstairs. While the empty stables were a good indicator that the place was abandoned, I wanted further confirmation before digging through the man’s personal space. So, I quietly crept down the stairs and peeked into the rooms, my heart beating so loudly I feared that, if anyone were here, they would be apprised of my presence long before I saw them.
With each room I found vacant, my confidence grew. The silence was almost deafening. I had never been in a house this quiet. Not even the ruins at Kenwick could compete with the lack of sound.
A floorboard squeaked beneath my boots as if in direct protest to my thoughts. From within a room at the end of a long corridor, the loud crash of a tin echoed straight into my heart. My chest constricted, and I waited without breath for someone to appear. I was not as alone as I suspected.
When no further noises emanated from within, I slowly continued down the corridor. Why had I not thought to grab my pistol before leaving Kenwick? The item lay in my bedchamber, which did me little good now.
I leaned my back against the wall and carefully peeked inside the room. It was a larder, one that still had the scatterings of food strewn across its counters. The remnants of half-chopped vegetables remained, yet more evidence of the quick departure by both master and servants. A single tin pot rested on the ground, too far from where its counterparts sat on the shelf to believe it had merely fallen off on its own.
I took a step inside, my eyes searching the space, my muscles tight. A rattle near the back wall drew my attention, and between two barrels I could just make out the fabric of a worn coat and a head of shaggy hair. The tightness in my body eased at once, and I sighed with relief.
“Lucas, you may come out,” I said.
Several beats of silence passed before Lucas lifted enough to peer over the barrels. His eyes landed on me, and a mix of emotion twisted his features. He stood up fully, and his gaze hardened as he took me in. “What do ye want?”
I was momentarily taken aback by the hostility in his tone…until I remembered. I had made this boy promises—promises I had forgotten in my hasty pursuit of Hollinsby. Was he aware of my departure? If so, I could not blame him for the coldness in his voice.
“What are you doing here, Lucas?” I asked softly.
“What’s it to ye?” He stepped out from behind the barrels, his arms crossed. “This isn’t yer house, so why should ye care why I’m here?”
“Well, you startled me, truth be told. As you said, this is not my house. I should not be here either.”
Lucas nibbled at his lip, seeming to consider this point. I had offered him a vulnerability on my part, and that display of trust softened his scowl. “Adda is gone.”
“I know.”
“Are ye here to look for evidence?”
“I am.”
“Ye be looking in the wrong place, then,” he stated in a way that voiced just how unimpressed he was with my detective skills. “Why would Hollinsby hide anything in here?”
I chuckled. “Too true. I came here first to make sure the house was truly empty.”
“Oh.” He studied me for a moment. “Ye left to go after him. That’s what the butler at the castle told me.”
“You came to see me?”
He nodded, a hint of frustration still lingering in his expression.
“Did you find something?” I prodded when he said nothing more.
Lucas averted his gaze, and a spark of hope lit within me. But it didn’t matter, not if Lucas was hesitant to give up the information. Surely, he was justified in that hesitation. I had, in a manner, betrayed him. Leaving without a word must have appeared to be an attempt to back out of our agreement, or at the very least, suggested how little I valued it.
“You haven’t told me why you are here,” I said gently.
His brows tightened. “I didn’t steal anything except food. Since everyone left in a hurry, I thought maybe they left behind food, too. Been here every day collecting what I can.”
For his family. The boy carried the weight of so much on his shoulders, and I had not helped matters.
I heaved a sigh. “Forgive me, Lucas. I should have sent you word before now. I admit, I became so caught up in catching Hollinsby, among other things, that I had forgotten about my promise. But I assure you, the moment I remembered, I would have rectified my error. I would have sent for you—for your family—as soon as I was able.”
He still didn’t look at me, at least not more than a passing glance. I still noted his intrigue, though.
“Does that mean ye are going back to yer estate now?” he asked. “That ye didn’t catch Hollinsby?”
“I did not catch him. Something urgent brought me back to Kenwick, and I’m afraid Hollinsby got away. For now, I will remain here, but I do hope to return home soon. I would be honored if your family joined me.”
