Hoofbeats sounded behind her for a time, but as the countryside flew past herit wasn’t long beforeshe could no longer hear the sounds of pursuit. If there was one good thing on her side, it was that she knew this land like the back of her hand, whereas shehad the feelingthe soldiers did not.
Eventually, she allowed the horse to slow its pace.She closed her eyes, realizingwhat a fool she’d been.Everyone had warned her about returning to Ireland, butshe hadn’t wanted to listen. After today,she had no choice but to admit that what everyone had warnedher about was true.Irelandmight look the samewith itsgreen rollinghillsand landscape dotted with sheep, but the turmoilchurningbeyond thatpeaceful exterior was all too real.
The afternoon was waning, a growing Irish mist falling over the land, by the time Fallon rode over a rise and spied what appeared to be an abandoned barn.She cautiously looked around as she halted the horse’s movements and climbed to the ground. Her legs nearly gave way beneath her at first, for it had been some time since she had ridden for that long.And without much to eat that day, her strength was fading.
She pushed open the large wooden door andcoughed whena cloud of dust was instantly stirred up.Once the air wasclearenough to see,she led the horse inside.She noticed that some hay had been left in one of the stalls, so she led the horse over to it, and after she removed his saddle and bridle,it started to munch greedily.
An old,woolenblanket wastossed over the side of the stall door, and while she didn’t want to imagine what might beinhabiting the fabric, itwould offer her some much neededwarmthfor the chilly autumn night.
Her stomach rumbled with hunger, but shetoldherself that she wouldsoon find sanctuary. Unfortunately, she couldn’t return to Father O’Leary, for notonlywould the soldiers be on the hunt for her,butthe last thing she wanted to do was put him in a dangerous positionby harboring a fugitive.
So, for the time,it appeared she’d gotten her wish.
Shewas on her own.
***
Atticus was in his captain’s quartersthat night, staring out the window when he should have been mapping out his next routeforthe Raven,when the door burst open and Sean strode in with a harried look on his face.“Fallon is missing.”
It took a moment for the burly,first mate’s admission to sink in, but when it did, Atticus could feel the heat risingonthe back of his neck, threatening to consume him and anyone that dared to come near. He walked toward his desk and set his hands on the back of his chair, appearingcalmerthan he felt. “What do you mean, she’smissing?”
Sean’s mouth turned down at the corners. “Father O’Leary came by the pub this morninglooking for me. I had just come downstairs after…” He stopped andcleared his throat. “Well,you get the idea.” He shook his head and returned to the urgent matter at hand. “He said Fallonleft forher grandmother’s cottage, and although he tried to persuade her to stay, she was intent on going.”
Atticusfrowned. “Damned stubborn woman,” he muttered.
“Unfortunately, that’s not all,” Sean added. “The priest also said that twoRoyal Constabularysoldiers were searching the village looking for a woman fitting Fallon’s description.They didn’t appear to be too happyand one of them was riding Father O’Leary’s horse.I immediately went to the O’Malley cottage, but there wasn’t any sign of her.”
Uttering a foul curse, Atticus shoved a hand through his hair, loosening the queue that had held back his hair. It fell across his shoulders, but he didn’teven notice.Hewas angry, but not at Fallon. Never her. He had been a fool to push her away when he claimed it was for herown“safety.”He realized now that thesingleperson hehad beentrying to protectwashimself, while using the Raven as an excuse.
Now his mistakes might have cost him dearly.
If anything happened to her,he would never forgive himself.He should have never let her leave his side.She was theverybreath in his lungs and every beat of his heart. Without her, he couldn’t survive.
Atticusinstantlymoved into action. “We need to gatherthe crewand send themout to make a few discreet inquiries. We have to find her before theConstabularydoes.”
Sean nodded, but he still hesitated. “What about the Raven?”
“I decided that you were right after all.” Atticus regarded the Irishman steadily. “After the bounty the rebels were handed last night, they are aptly armed. Stephens should be landing within the next few weeks, so I shall leave any further conspiracies in his capable hands. It’s time for the Raven to disappear.”
Sean held out a hand and Atticus took it. “I think that’s a wise choice.”
After Atticus had changed into a simple fisherman’s disguise of gray wool trousers, a loose, cambric shirt, and a green cap over his head,heheadedoutfor Carraroewith his first mate. As theyrode,hebrought up a subject that had been concerning him ever since Sean had told him Fallon was gone.“For someone who wassodetermined tobeback home andreunited with Father O’Leary,don’t you find itodd that she decided not tostaywith himlonger?”
“Aye,” Sean murmured. “When I visited O’Leary late last night, he didn’t mention that she was reticent about being there.It was the next morningthat he said she was adamantabout departing—”He stopped abruptly.
Atticus frowned, a ripple of unease snaking its way up his spine. “What?”
“I suppose it could have been possible that she overheard our conversation,” Sean finished reluctantly.
He narrowed his eyes. “And just what, exactly,were you discussing?”
Sean swallowed visibly. “Atticus Clareand the Raven.”
Hescrubbeda hand over his face. “Bloody hell.”
Sean remained silentat his sideuntilthey made it to thelocalpub. There, theyfound the rest ofthe crewand they movedinto asecludedroom that they often used to discuss the Raven’s next move.Normally, a group of sailors never drew much attention, formost ofthe villagerswere fishermen, as well asdevoted to the cause, butthese daysAtticus knew that they were courting dangerevery time they were in port.
As if adding credence to his very thoughts, Atticus instantly went on alert when their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of two men in Royal Irish uniforms.
