“And nothing. It is not for me to say.”
“Interesting,” Cody said softly, musing on the reason for Brandon’s reticence.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He was glad Brandon did not choose to look in his direction, else his grin would have been a dead giveaway of his thoughts. It intrigued him more than a little that his brother had made Shannon’s acquaintance before he met Rory. It meant something, he was sure of it. He pocketed the pouch. “How long have you known Shannon’s identity?”
“Only since this afternoon. You have only to listen to her speak to realize she is not Rory.” And see a certain softness in her eyes that Aurora never had, or watch an innocent smile tug at her lips. He did not mention these things. “I was not very kind to her,” he added as a distant afterthought.
“I can imagine,” muttered Cody. “You were rather unapproachable today. I suppose Shannon is the explanation.”
Brandon shrugged. “I do not know how to deal with her.”
“Surely she’s given you a way out,” Cody goaded. “Let her go, Bran. It would seem it’s what she wanted.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Clara asked me to bring her back.”
“Oh. Then by all means you must find her.”
“Yes.”
“It’s as simple as that.”
“No. Yes! It’s as simple as that.” He scowled. “Leave it, Cody. Exercise your eyes instead of your mouth.”
Cody was not so foxed that he missed the threat in Brandon’s words, but he was unconcerned. Whistling softly, he applied himself to locating the mysterious Shannon Kilmartin.
They had covered more than a mile before Cody spoke again. “What makes you sure she’s come this way?”
“I’m not. But I doubt if she’d venture taking a skiff.”
“I suppose not. She seems to have difficulty with water. How long has she been missing?”
“I’m not certain. Clara found her gone when she sneaked into her room. That was not long before you came home. Shannon was in her chamber when I went to bed, because I heard Martha coaxing her to take a headache powder. She can’t have more than a few hours start on us, she’s on foot, and there is only one road.”
“But two directions.”
“This is the way to Williamsburg and Jamestown.”
“You and I know that,” Cody pointed out with irrefutable logic. “Even Aurora knows that. But does Shannon?”
Brandon pulled up the reins. “Damn!”
“Exactly. If we don’t come upon her in this next mile, then I suggest we backtrack.”
Brandon agreed, not even suggesting they split up. For reasons he was unwilling to examine too closely, he wanted to find Shannon himself. They rode a little farther than a mile before they turned around because Brandon did not want to abandon the route too quickly. The return to the folly was done with speed, and Brandon saw light, much to his dismay, coming from a number of rooms. He waited at the end of the drive while Cody rode up to the house to discover the reason for the late night activity.
“She hasn’t come back, Bran,” Cody said when he returned to his brother’s side. “Clara’s up. She woke Addie and told her what happened. Addie went for Martha. Seems everyone knows about it now, but they don’t know what they think they know, if you take my meaning.”
“I’m trying not to,” Brandon said with a trace of disgust. “I thought I left Clara soundly asleep. I suppose she’s talking about her new mama.”
“So that’s what she was going on about,” Cody said with sudden realization. “I’m afraid I couldn’t make her out. Poor poppet. She’s sobbing as if her heart is breaking. Don’t worry. There’s plenty of comfort going around.” He hesitated. “Does that mean she knows about Rory and Shannon?”
“I know she suspects something. Let’s go. You take the lantern for a while.”
