Page 78 of Betrayal from Beyond
“I haven’t been here without encountering a watchman,” Dalton said. “What does it mean?”
“It means we’d better hurry,” Gyda said grimly.
They left the horses where Dalton had suggested and hunched together in the wood to survey the place.
“No movement at all,” Gyda whispered. “Barely any lights. Is that barn door partway open?”
“Enough of this.” Niall could take no more. Pulling out his own pistol, he pushed out of the covering wood. “The livery said that Petra left in a farm cart. Check the barn. I’m heading for the house.”
A single room was lit, off to the left of the front door. No smoke from any of the chimneys. No other signs of life at all. What if they had gone and taken Kara with them? What if…
He blocked the thought and started to run.
The front door was unlocked. Slipping inside, he stood in the dark to listen. He could hear nothing. He did detect a faint, spicy citrus scent in the air.
As his eyes adjusted to the dimmer light, he could see a small sort of office to the left, a room with a desk, a shelf of books, and stacks of files piled about. Faint light came from the arched door at the back wall. Stepping quietly, he crossed to it. Slowly, silently, he shifted so that he could see into the next room.
“Kara!” Panic was a knife blow to his chest. From the strike emanated a sharp, consuming fear.
She had been tied to a chair. She slumped in it, her head lolling to one side.
“Kara!” Her name ripped out of his throat, rough and jagged. He crossed the room in an instant, shaking her. He didn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe, until he saw the rise and fall of her chest.
“Thank you. Thank you.” It was a whisper to the heavens, to every god, angel, or being that might have had a hand in ensuring she lived.
He pressed his fingers to her neck. Slow. Her heart beat slowly, but steadily. Ignoring the tears that had welled in his eyes, he patted her cheek gently. “Kara? Sweeting, wake up.”
She slept on.
What had been done to her?
He took a moment to look around, spotted a tea service, then the shattered cup on the ground…and a horseshoe?
He squeezed her hand, sure that she would have quite a story to tell. If she would only wake.
He went to take up the teapot. Lifting the lid, he sniffed, but if something had been added, the smell of orange and spice masked it. Going back to her, he lifted her eyelid. Her pupils were constricted. They must have dosed her with laudanum, if he had to guess.
He patted her cheek again, smoothed her hair, gave her shoulders a shake. She did not stir or show any sign of consciousness. How much had they given her?
“Sedwick!” The call came from the front of the house.
“Here!”
Dalton came in. He froze when he spotted Kara. “Is she…?”
“Alive. Drugged.”
The teacher sighed in relief. “The cart is gone. It looks like they have deserted the place, but they left two mounts behind. Why would they do that?”
“I don’t know. Where is Gyda?”
Dalton looked sober. “She found traces of gunpowder. Casks of it. She went to look around in the other outbuildings.”
“I don’t think anyone else is in the house, but will you go through and have a look?”
Nodding, Dalton raised Kara’s pistol. “I’ll look upstairs.”
Niall knelt before Kara to untie her. When he had freed his wife of her bonds, he lifted her and settled her gently on the sofa.
