Just then, a bell from outside started ringing loudly and people were shouting in panic. Immediately, she smelled smoke. Gavin must have smelled it too, because he rushed toward the window.
High-pitched voices from the corridor echoed through the manor.Fire!The stable was on fire!
Chapter Ten
Gavin couldn’t rememberever being so panicked before as he rushed outside. Flames and smoke rose high in the sky from the back part of the stable.What is going on?But this was no time to ask questions. He needed to get the horses to safety.
Some of the servants must have had the same idea, because they were bringing out some of the animals. Gavin ran into the smoke-filled barn. He could hear horses still neighing. Using his arm, he covered his nose and mouth and listened for the frightened creatures. He opened stalls, and the horses ran out, heading toward the front of the stable. Toward the back of the stable, the smoke was thicker and blacker.
Every minute he was inside, it became harder to breathe. But he wouldn’t leave until he knew the horses were safe. Finally, he stumbled toward the front of the stable, relieved that all the animals were out.
Immediately, he saw Priscilla. She stood in a line with the other servants as they passed the buckets filled with water from the well to the fire. Other servants ran with a bucket in each hand. The water splashed over the sides as they headed for the fire.
Coughing, Gavin tried to regain his breath as he inhaled the fresher air. But he couldn’t stay idle for long. He quickly joined in the group of men who rushed from the stream with buckets full of water to dump on the burning structure.
*
How much timeit really took to put the fire out, he wasn’t certain, but it felt like hours. Exhaustion had settled in every limb of his body. He sat on the ground and stared at the charred wood at the back of the stable. How could this have happened? Stables didn’t usually burn, especially since his grandmother had responsible servants. None of this made sense.
He would send for the constable. Perhaps he would be able to figure out how the fire started.
Sighing in defeat, he turned his head and peered toward the others. Priscilla stood out. Her black hair hung around her shoulders in disarray, and her gown was as dirty as everyone’s clothing. A small smile tugged on his lips. Although she was probably in pain because of her sprained ankle, she was still willing to help them put out the fire. Indeed, she was one amazing woman.
Slowly, everyone headed back into the house. His grandmother would be very upset and would need to know more details. He wished he had more information to give her.
He trudged back toward the house. The first thing on his agenda would be to send a messenger to the constable. The second thing he would do was get cleaned up. And the third…
He needed to finish his conversation with Priscilla.
Another smile pulled on the corners of his weary mouth and his heart softened. She actually thought he was going to marry someone else. Why hadn’t she realized he was talking about them? She had mentioned it before they returned to the manor, so why had it slipped her mind? And he was certain she didn’t think their kiss was real.
Should he tell her? As much as he wanted to, he still didn’t think now was a good time. But she must havesomefeelings for him. Why would she have kissed him the way she had, and whenhe was trying—unsuccessfully—to propose and she believed he was going to marry someone else, she actually had tears in her eyes.
He hastened his step toward his bedchambers. He couldn’t get cleaned up quickly enough.
When he made it to his room, his valet already had a bath waiting. Gavin quickly wrote a missive to the constable and gave it to Stewart to find someone to deliver it.
Within minutes, Gavin was undressed and bathing. He prayed the servants had prepared Priscilla’s bath, too. He didn’t think he could wait much longer to finish their talk.
An hour later, dressed in clean black trousers, a white shirt and cravat, and dark gray waistcoat and jacket, he paced the floor in the corridor, waiting for her to come down the grand stairs. In his mind, he prepared himself for what he could say that would let her know thatshewas the woman he needed to marry. He prayed she would understand and accept it well.
“Gavin?”
His grandmother’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he stopped pacing. She sat in her rollerchair just inside the parlor. He stepped toward her, trying not to let her see his concern. He couldn’t have her worrying, too.
“Tell me about the fire,” she said sternly.
“I wish I knew. I have sent a summons for the constable, and I pray he will be able to find something. But the servants couldn’t tell me what happened. One minute they were feeding the horses, and the next, the back wall was on fire.”
Grams blew out a frustrated breath and shook her head. “Something is amiss. I can feel it in my bones.”
He felt the same, but he didn’t want her to suspect someone was trying to hurt him and ruin his life. “You don’t believe this was accidental?”
“Not at all.”
He folded his arms and nodded. “It does seem that way. All of your servants are devoted to you, and so I don’t think they would do anything to harm you or your property.”
She arched a gray eyebrow. “But Gavin, this is no longer my property. It is yours.”
