Page 95 of Sacrificing the Untamed Lady Henrietta
“General, I am so glad to have found you,” he gasped, catching his breath.
“Whatever is the matter, My Lord? You look as if you have seen a ghost.”
It is All Hallow’s Eve and the ghosts are rising.If Gerome was the culprit, what had he meant by that? What ghosts were he referring to? It did not make any sense.
Aaron’s gaze turned to Seth. “What areyoudoing here?” His tone was scathing.
“Mr. Booth, tell the General what you told me,” Ewan urged.
“Lord Peterborough’s manservant, Gerome, has led your daughter away from the ball, and I fear he has done so with nefarious intentions,” Seth replied obediently. “I understand from my observations that you have suspected me of foul play, but I have been investigating Gerome. I discovered him at the postal office taking letters that did not belong to him. I knew he was in the employment of Lord Peterborough, and began to suspect that something was amiss with his behavior. I did not wish to come to you until I had suitable evidence, but I fear I ought to have spoken sooner.”
Aaron’s mouth fell open. “Gerome is the villainous wretch who wrote those letters?”
Ewan nodded. “It would appear that we have been hoodwinked—all of us. Henrietta included. She is in danger, General. We do not know where he has taken her, and we do not know why.” He paused. “I received a note from him, regarding ‘rising ghosts.’ I know he spoke of similar in your letter. Do you have any understanding of that?”
Aaron frowned. “I cannot think of anything.”
“Have your men all reported back?” Ewan pressed, knowing they were losing precious seconds.
“I have spoken with Ronscales, as you see, and Davids has gone to receive reports from Wright, Clutterbuck, and Fletcher.”
Hurried footsteps on the gravel made them all turn. Davids was sprinting towards them at full pelt, his eyes wild. He did not stop until he stood before them, his chest heaving with the exertion of the run. Through his gasps, he spoke.
“Clutterbuck has been discovered at the side of the garden path, General,” he wheezed. “He is alive, but he took a nasty knock to the back of the head. Wright is with him, and Fletcher is heading towards the Eastern exit, but I fear the devil may have already escaped us.” Only then did he notice Seth, who stood silently, a slight smirk on his face. Ewan could understand his triumphant expression, for all of this proved his innocence.
“We must go there at once,” Aaron ordered. He took off before anyone could say a word, running towards his daughter. Ewan prayed they would not arrive to find something terrible had happened. Or worse, that she had vanished into thin air, like a specter in the night.
His heart ached as he sprinted after the General and his men, fearing the worst but hoping for a miracle. He could not lose Henrietta now. He had promised to keep her safe, and he had failed in his task.I should not have left her side. I should have remained with her. I should not have strayed from my post.To suffer her loss would break him beyond repair. There would be no recovery from that.
He had contemplated suicide once before. He hoped he would not be forced into that darkness again, from which there was only one possible escape.
* * *
What is the meaning of these ghosts?Aaron thought to himself as they thundered along the Eastern path, heading for the exit. They passed Wright and Clutterbuck at the edge of the nearby forest and paused to explain where they were going. Clutterbuck was awake but dazed, a streak of blood swiped across his temple.
“I did not see who hit me, General,” he apologized, dipping his head in shame.
“Do not worry about that now. Get yourself into the warmth, and we will come and find you later. The man who struck you has taken my daughter, and we must find her before he can bring harm to her,” Aaron explained rapidly, before continuing on down the dimly-lit path.
They pressed on through the gloom, the torchlight from the pathway dwindling into darkness. The moonlight gave them a glow to see by, but they had to be careful not to wander off the path and into the bordering woodland. Owls hooted in the branches, and creatures snuffled in the undergrowth, but Aaron barely paid the noises any attention. Those sounds did not belong to his beloved daughter.
Why is this man doing this? Does he bear some vendetta against Lord Peterborough? Have they squabbled?It did not seem likely, but he could not fathom another reason. No matter how he strived, he could not conjure the face of a ghost in his mind.
Ten minutes later, a bridge came into view. Aaron slowed to a walk, with Ewan, Ronscales, Seth, and Davids coming to a halt beside him. Two figures stood in the center of the bridge, though one seemed to be on the precipice of the masonry, beyond the protection of the balustrade.
“It is Gerome,” Ewan whispered.
“And Henrietta?” Aaron’s eyesight was not what it had once been.
“I believe so, though it is hard to see.”
Aaron nodded. “We must approach with caution. We do not know of his mental state, and he may push her if we are too bold.”
It was too late. Ewan had already shouted. “Stop! Let her go!”
Gerome whirled around, his eyes narrowing.
“Approach steadily, as we have lost the element of surprise,” Aaron warned, Ewan appearing shamefaced. Aaron could tell that his son-in-law had not been able to help the words from tumbling out, and he did not blame him. It was hard to see a loved one in trouble and keep one’s wits intact.
