Straightening up, he caught Andrew’s eye. For the first time, Nora saw a sheaf of paper, neatly tied up with a strip of string, tucked under the man’s arm.
Reports. Reports on attacks. Is there any information on Margaret?
That seemed likely. After all, he’d mentioned a list of hostages. It was a long shot, but it wassomething.
A clue, and only on me second day here,Nora thought, heart thumping.
Andrew and Theo disappeared, deep in conversation. With a jolt, she realized that they were taking the reports to Creighton’s room now.
When they return, I’ll excuse meself. I’ll go to his room and see what I can find in those reports.
That was tricky, of course, but searching for information in this place was never going to be easy.
Clearing her throat, Nora glanced around, surreptitiously eyeing the faces of the others. She half-expected to find Creighton staring accusingly at her. The man’s stare was direct enough to read a person’s thoughts. But no, he was staring into spaceinstead, brows knitted, lost in some unpleasant thought of his own.
Beside him, Marcus and Dallas were deep in conversation. Dallas had his back to Nora and appeared to have forgotten about her existence entirely.
Laurie was simply eating her breakfast, swinging her legs, and humming to herself.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, and she heard Theo’s voice. They were back, then. Clearing her throat, Nora carefully pushed back her seat.
“I’m sorry to leave the table so soon,” she announced, as casually as she could. “But I’m feelin’ a wee bit ill. Do excuse me.”
Creighton grunt in response, not looking up. Dallas said something polite. Marcus said nothing at all. It was the closest thing to permission she was going to get, not that she had any intention of waiting for permission.
Clearing her throat again, Nora got to her feet, sweeping out of the feasting hall with as much calmness and dignity as she could manage.
“Nay need to show me the way, lads,” she said grandly, as she passed Theo and Andrew. “I ken where I am goin’.”
They didn’t argue, and in a handful of steps, she had turned a corner and was out of sight of them all. Allowing herself a quick exhale of relief, Nora lifted her skirts and scuttled on down the hallway.
Shedidremember the way back to her room, but then came the business of sneaking into Creighton’s room. Since their chambers were interlocked, there was no need to guess which door was his. She curled her fingers around the brass handle—still warm, probably from Theo or Andrew’s hands—and steeled herself.
Here goes nothin’.
“What are ye doin’?”
With a squeak of alarm, Nora whipped back her hand, spinning around.
Laurie stood there, eyeing her with mild interest.
“I was just… going to me room,” Nora gasped.
Laurie blinked. “That’s nae yer room. That’s Creighton’s room.”
She gulped. “Oh? Is it? I hadnae… I hadnae actually noticed. Silly me, eh?”
“Aye, silly ye,” Laurie agreed. “Creighton’s rooms are all a mess, anyway. He has lots of little rooms, cupboards, trunks, and whatnot where he keeps his papers. It’s amess. Ye cannae find anythin’ in there.”
Nora imagined a pile of papers waiting for her behind the door, and her heart sank. How much time would be needed to sort through all of that to find the reports Theo and Andrew had just left there? More time than she had.
Should I take a risk?
Swallowing, Nora took a step forward.
“Can ye keep a secret, Laurie?”
The little girl tilted her head. “Depends on the secret.”
