Ned sighed. This was, after all, innocent young Cecilia, who had never gone more than a few hours from her aunt’s guidance. Her big eyes gazing at him with hurt made him want to cringe apologetically. “Yes, I trust you,” he said, smiling.
Lady Armitage made a snorting noise, but when they glanced at her she waved a hand beneath her nose. “Don’t mind me. Allergies.”
Ned sighed again and shook his head, then turned to lead a cautious way through the woods. Cecilia came close behind him, not at all smirking, followed by Lady Armitage. The old lady stepped on one twig and then, at a frown from Ned, became as silent as a rogue.
“I can’t believe you don’t know about your aunt and Morvath,” Ned whispered to Cecilia.
“Know what?” she asked again.
“I’ll tell you later.”
After about fifteen minutes, the woods gave way to a bare field. The moon had passed behind a cloud, leaving the world heavy with darkness. They could see only the barest shapes of field, hedges, woods, and about five hundred feet away an innocent farmhouse hunched beside a few trees, light in one window, smoke rising from its chimney.
“No abbey,” Ned whispered.
“That’s strange,” Cecilia whispered in reply. “I was so sure it would be here.”
“Why?”
“Perhaps just wishful thinking. But Aunty Army did have me convinced.”
“Hmm.” He turned back to the old lady and stopped, suddenly cold.
“Shit.”
“Captain!” Cecilia scolded. “You should not speak like that in the presence of ladies.”
“Lady,” he corrected.
“What?”
“Lady. Your Aunty Army is gone.”
“Nonsense.” Cecilia turned also, and her breath caught. “Aunty?” she called, but there was no reply. Lady Armitage had vanished.
Ned drew his gun. “We’re in trouble.”
“She must have tripped.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“Sir!”
“She’s set us up.”
“But there’s nothing here. Besides, Aunty Army wouldn’t betray me to Morvath. She must have got lost in the darkness.”
“Only if you’re speaking metaphorically.” He indicated skyward, and Cecilia looked up to see Armitage House flying rather lopsidedly toward the eastern horizon.
“How rude,” she said. “Never mind. We shall continue searching for the abbey.”
“No, we shall steal that farmhouse and get out of here fast.”
Cecilia frowned. “But—”
“Two of us on foot with only a pistol each will be no match for an entire abbey filled with cannons, armed servants, and a captive fleet of battlehouses.”
“I also have a razor-sharp hairpin.”
