Forrest arrived in the kitchen with Zach to find Mr. Winston with a large wedge of bread and jam in his hand and Hogan and Mrs. Wood talking to him.
“Oh, Mr. Howarth. You must do something!” the cook cried as he arrived. “It’s Miss Knight’s brother, Adam.”
“What has happened, Mr. Winston?”
“He’s disappeared, Mr. Howarth.”
“How has a boy who uses sticks to aid him walking disappeared?”
“Me and Mr. Zwart took him downstairs, as he asked to sit outside on the doorstep and draw. We went back upstairs to do a few things, and when we returned, he’d gone. His drawing things were still there.”
“Mr. Winston, why are you here?”
Forrest turned and found Ruby behind him. He started toward her, the dread on her face having him reaching for her.
“Ruby—”
“Adam? Has something happened to my brother?”
She let him wrap an arm around her shoulder.
“Yes. He has gone missing from your home.”
“Dear Lord.”
“We will get him back, Ruby.”
“No.” She turned her eyes to his. “Don’t you see, this is my fault. He told me this would happen.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
“Why is Adam’s disappearance your fault, Ruby?” Forrest asked her.
“Release me. I must go and look for him.”
“We will go and look for him.”
“Bring Mr. Winston, Zach,” Forrest said, turning Ruby around and heading back up the stairs.
“I need to leave. I need to find Adam!”
“We are going to find him now. But I need to collect a few things, and you need your bonnet and coat.”
When they reached the top of the stairs, she turned on him, pulling from his grip.
“To hell with that, I am going to find my brother. Come, Mr. Winston!”
Forrest grabbed her again, shackling his hand around her wrist.
“Weare going to find him.”
He dragged her to his office, where he grabbed his money pouch out of the top drawer.
“Release me!” She was frantic now; the shock of learning her brother had gone missing had passed and she wanted to get out there and find him.
“Your best chance of finding him is with our help. A woman with an elderly man will not cover as much ground as you can with the help of me and my cousins, Ruby. Think rationally.”
“Adam.” The name was torn from her lips.
