She pursed her lips. “Are ye going to tell me what’s wrong, or shall I guess?”
Thomas didn’t look at her. “Nothing is wrong.”
Tabitha sighed heavily, the way she did when he was being particularly stubborn. It was the sort of sigh a long-suffering parent might give to a rebellious child.
“Something is obviously wrong. Ye have not been yourself these past few days.” She hesitated, considering her next words. “Did ye not enjoy the party with the healer’s apprentice.”
Thomas felt his spine stiffen at the mention of Emma, even directly, and knew that Tabitha wouldn’t have missed it.
“I have much work to do, Tabitha. If ye have nothing good to say, then…” he trailed off, hearing the sound of shuffling, uneven footsteps.
He knew who it was before the gentle tap came at the door.
Thomas got to his feet, moving to the door. He opened it, and sure enough, there stood Delphine, leaning on a cane.
“Delphine, is everything all right?” he asked, surprised.
Delphine was paler than usual, a faint sheen of sweat standing out on her papery skin. Her breath was coming hard, and she leaned heavily on her cane.
“I cannot find Emma,” she gasped. “I sent her out for herbs hours ago, and she is not yet back. She ought to have been back by now.”
Thomas glanced over at Tabitha. “Is it not possible she’s lost track of time?”
Delphine shook her head firmly. “I sent her out no later than nine o’clock. It’s close to four now. There is no chance she’d take so long, not unless something has happened to her. I’ve been out searching for her. I checked all the usual places where we go for supplies, but there was no sign of her. I don’t know what to do.”
“We must get up a search party,” he said firmly. “Tabitha, can you organize people to search? There’s a place I think she might be, although it’s a bit of a stretch. I’ll start there.”
Tabitha gave a brief nod. “Ye can count on me, Me Laird.”
“What about me? What shall I do?” Delphine asked eagerly.
Thomas laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Ye can go back to your chambers and rest.”
“Rest? When that poor lass is out there, unaccounted for? I think not.”
“Delphine, please. Emma may return quietly and not realize that we are looking for her. There’s no use ye wearing out your strength, not when there are plenty of people to search. I know it’s hard, but ye must do your duty. What if people need a healer?”
Delphine’s shoulders sagged at this, but she nodded.
“Aye, Me Laird, ye are right.”
She turned around and shuffled off the way she came, leaving Tabitha and Thomas alone.
“Hurry, Tabitha, it’s not like Delphine to worry,” he said.
Tabitha nodded. “And where are ye going, then?”
“To the Sinner,” he said grimly.
The Sinnerwas quiet at this time of day. The laborers hadn’t yet finished toiling, and only a few hardened drunks and old men were in the pub.
Thomas pushed open the door, still out of breath from his long, hard ride. There’d been no sign of Emma and the man she’d met up on the hill. It looked different in daylight, somehow. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting. Had he thought he wouldsee them together, hand in hand, conveniently silhouetted against the pale gray sky?
Stupid, really.
It was the first possibility that had occurred to him, that Emma might have eloped with whoever that man was.
But what if he was wrong?
