Thebrotherstook care of the wagon, leavingto cart it back to the village,whileMr. Hopper walked over to her, where she continued to stare at the ghostly shell before her with a cold chill traveling through her body. Although the fire was upsetting enough, for she had a good idea of who might have been responsible for the excitement, she was more concerned that Ridge hadn’t returned yet.
Nevertheless, Herb put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Why don’t we get you inside?”
She didn’t want to leave this spot until Ridge returned, but since darkness was quickly following, she admitted that it wouldn’t be the most prudent idea to remain out in the open.Sowith no small amount of reluctance,she allowed the porter to escort her insideto the safety of the castle.
They went upstairs,where he knocked on Claudia’s door. There, Mrs. Hopper and her ladies’ maid both cried out in relief that they were both unharmed. Isabella was glad to see that Claudia was awake and looked much improved since that morning. There was heightened color to her cheeks,and she was more confident on her feet.
“Where’s Mr. Claymoore?” Mrs. Hopper asked.
After Herb explained what had taken place,and where Ridge was,she shook her head. “My heavens. Another attack.”
“It would appear so,” her husband agreed grimly.
A noise turned their attention toward the walkway,where Ridge was coming toward them. Isabella had to reach out and steady herself, the relief upon seeing him alivea great consolation.
“I lost the bastard,” hegrowled.
“No doubt he will return again,” Mr. Hopper said quietly.
And again, and again, and again, until he gets what he wants,Isabella silently added. She exhaled,long and slow. She hated the thought of putting all these people in danger, and yet, at the same time, she certainly didn’t relish the idea of giving herself over to Simon and relocating to France, facing God only knew what sort of fate she’d have to endure.
Butshe wasn’t sure how much more of this all-consuming guilt she could take. What made her so special that she must be guarded so carefully? Granted, Ridge had told her at the onset that she was imperative in luring Simon in, but after two assaults against the castle without anything to be gained as yet, surely she was nothing more than fodder at this point?
She’d run off with Simon once. Perhaps it was time she did it again, in order to save the people who had come to mean so much to her.
Including Mr. Claymoore.
But how did one go about getting a message toasmugglerwho was in hiding?
Mr. Hopper’s words from long ago clicked something in her brain. He’d mentioned Sandown Castle, that it was uninhabitable and left for ruins. Mrs. Hopper had told her Ridge had combed the countryside in search of Simon, but if the viscount was indeed a French spy, then she had to imagine that he was smarter than to be caught out amongst the public for a long period of time where he had the risk of being recognized. He certainly wouldn’t be spending much of his time at a rural inn, when the most logical place was to hide in plain sight.
“Lady Isabella?” She turned at the sound of Mrs. Hopper’s voice.Shewore a concerned expression on her face. Apparently, it wasn’t the first time she’dcalledher name.
“I’m sorry. I was woolgathering.”
“Of course. It’s been a rather strenuous evening for all of us. But we still need to eat. Why don’t you come downstairs and grab a bite of supper?”
Isabella smiled. She realized she was going to miss this older couple when she left the castle. “Thank you, Mrs. Hopper. I shall.”
If nothing else, she would need the extra fortification for her midnight rendezvous.
***
Later that night, Isabella pulled the dark hood of her cloak over her hair as sheeasedopen the door of her chambers. She paused, but when nothing met her ears, such as Ridge’s deep voice demanding to know what the hell she was doing, Isabellamade haste taking care to be as quiet as possible. Oncedown the stairsand into the kitchens,she cautiously opened the door into the gardens.
Thenshe was outsidein the bracing night air.She leaned against the stone at her back and closed her eyes to still the pounding her of her heart. She had no idea that intrigue could be so fortifying. While she wasn’t looking forward to what was to come, she had to admit that everything Ridge had told her about being an agent for the Crown was rather heady now that shewasembarking on her own perilous adventure.
Isabella pulled her cloak more securely around her as she kept close to the castle walls and sprinted toward the rear of the grounds, past the ruined shedwith itsashes still smoldering, and beyond, where thefarthest exit lay.
The moment her hand touched the handle of the gate, she feared she would hear a sterncommandbehind her—butagain,there was nothing.
Before hercourage could falter, Isabelladrewa deep breath and pushed forward.
The night washeavy withsilence, thefewsounds being the occasional whisper of the waves coming ashoreand a brief rustle of the wind. Isabella kept to the coastline, using the moon as her guide to see,and hastened toward the ruins, which lay about an hour to the north.
Her footsteps falteredbutonce, but she didn’t stop until the fortress came into view. While DealCastle was the most impressive of the three “Castles of the Downs,” in Kent, Sandown was similar to Walmer in structural appearance.But while the gray stone edifice where she had been staying was still quite impressive, the decay of Sandstone was rather heart wrenching. She imagined that,when it was first built, standingamong theotherthree in close proximity to one another, it had also been a fearsome sight for the enemy to behold.
Isabella swallowed, fearing that she wouldn’t see her beloved country for some time if she surrenderedto Simon, but while men had their pride and honor, so did women, and she refused to allow any further harm to come to Walmer Castle and its current occupants. She would do what she must to ensure their welfare.
