Alaric nodded. “Yes.”
“Who?” Mrs. Danvers looked utterly nonplussed.
“Mrs. Langley is really Miss Marina Ashcroft. A former lover of my father’s.” Alaric’s lip curled at the last word. “She tried to poison me and has now absconded.”
“With Oliver.” Catherine felt the room sway around her and shook her head, forcing her attention back to the present.
Mrs. Danvers gasped and clutched at her chest.
“We do not know that she has him.” Catherine saw Alaric’s fingers twitch before he clasped his hands behind his back. “Mrs. Danvers, send runners to every farm and cottage within five miles, warning them that a dangerous thief is on the loose. Give them Mrs. Langley’s description. Tell them to let everyone know that I will give ten guineas to anyone who provides information that might lead to her capture. There is a thirty-guinea reward for anyone who captures and brings her to me.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” Mrs. Danvers nodded.
“Tell the rest of the servants what has happened and that their priority is to find Oliver.” Alaric’s voice was a command, andCatherine could see the stiffness in his muscles. “I do not care about dinner, cleaning the house, anything. I want everyone looking for Oliver.”
“I will see that no stone is unturned, Your Grace.” Mrs. Danvers curtsied.
Catherine watched the woman go, the lead in her stomach solidifying. She felt Alaric move closer to her and looked up to see him reaching toward her, his eyes gentle.
“What if we cannot find them?” Catherine felt a lump form in her throat.
“I do not think she has Oliver. The state of her room indicates her departure was unplanned. Speed was the priority, and I suspect it will remain so.” She felt him gently squeeze her shoulder. “If she has taken him, it will be hard to move quickly. She would have Oliver, Daisy, and her belongings. That would slow her down significantly.”
“We should check the stables. There is every chance she could have taken them on horseback.” Catherine began to walk down the corridor, and Alaric fell into step beside her.
“I do not think it likely she would have managed Oliver and Daisy and her luggage on horseback, but she may have attempted to steal a carriage. At any rate, once I have spoken to the stablemaster, we will have a better idea of how far she could have gotten.”
“Alaric, you are supposed to be resting.”
“Would you be able to rest if you were me? He may not be my son, but he is my family.” An unreadable look flitted across Alaric’s face. “I will find him, Catherine. I swear it.”
“We will look for him together.” Catherine continued before he could object. “Two pairs of eyes will be better than one, and I am not about to let you out of my sight. If you collapse, it might be hours before anyone finds you.”
Alaric’s jaw worked, but he did not argue. “Very well. We shall look for him on the way to the stables. With any luck, he is hiding nearby.”
Catherine nodded, and as they emerged into the gardens, she yelled, “Oliver! Oliver, where are you?”
Several birds startled themselves out of a nearby tree, but Catherine did not care. She did not run even though every part of her roared at her to sprint.If I run, I might miss a sign of him.Beside her, Alaric moved like a wolf stalking his prey.
“Oliver!” his voice boomed out, hoarse but still powerful. “Daisy! Here, girl!”
There was no response except for the fluttering of birds’ wings as they soared into the sky. Catherine felt an invisible hand tighten around her heart, like a vice gripping her chest.
She has taken him. I know it.
“Oliver!” Alaric roared again, the muscles of his neck so taut that Catherine could see his veins. “Oliver!”
“Please, darling, come back! You are not in trouble!” Catherine shouted, unable to keep her voice from breaking. “Oliver!”
They continued to call for him as they searched along the paths to the stables. When they reached them, Catherine searched the area while Alaric spoke with the stablemaster.
She was lifting the lid of one of the feed barrels when she heard a sound behind her. She whirled around to see Alaric standing in the doorway.
“There are no horses missing, nor any carriages. It seems Miss Ashcroft has left on foot.” Alaric’s eyes darkened.
Catherine’s heart leapt. “Then there is still a chance we can find her.”
“There is.” Alaric massaged his scar. “I would ask the kennel master to send the hounds to find her, but if she has Oliver, there is a chance he might be hurt in the attempt.”
