Pain flashed through my father’s eyes before he bowed his head. “I am not much of a father when I cannot even go outside to search for my own daughter.”
“Alice adores you. She could never doubt your love.”
He met my gaze briefly before looking away. “I shall be in the study.”
Daniel stepped next to me as our father slipped out the door. “Thank you. I didn’t know how I was going to convince him to stay in.”
“Just find her quickly. If anything happens to her—” I clasped his arm.
Placing a comforting hand over mine, he said, “We’ll find her. Don’t worry. My lord? If you’re ready.” Daniel and Lord Williams hurried out the door.
I left my mother in the parlor and went to ensure a large fire was burning in Alice’s room and water was boiling in the kitchen for her bath before I changed into dry clothes. After that, there was nothing left for me to do except pace around the parlor and strain to see outside the window every time I passed it. My mother sat on the settee, staring at her sewing.
“Margaret, do be still,” she said after a while.
“I can’t. I should be out there looking for her.”
“You should be doing no such thing.” But my mother sounded as though she wished she were outside as well.
A few minutes later, she set down her sewing. “I will be in my room. Summon me the moment she is found.”
“Of course.”
After she left, I sat at the piano, but the thought of even attempting to distract myself reeked of treachery. I arose and searched out the windows for any sign of movement. The seconds turned to minutes, the minutes to quarter hours, then half hours. There was no movement except the rain splattering against the glass.
What if they failed to find her? What if something horrible had happened to her? I turned from the window and walked to the fire. I would not be able to bear life if anything happened to Alice. She was the ray of sunshine and happiness in our family. We would all be pitiful without her.
My thoughts darted back to the lake. Alice had been up to something then. I should have asked her what it was. I should have demanded we see her safely home.
And Lord Williams. . . . He’d stood so close to me, declared openly that it was him I should want. Arrogant man.
I smiled. Only he could be wholly arrogant and incredibly alluring at the same time.
Had he really thought about kissing me?
The idea made my cheeks hot and my lips tingle.
I frowned at my own foolishness. This was not good. I did not find Lord Williams alluring. Or any other complimentary descriptor.
Resuming my stance at the window, I peered into the dark. Enough time had passed for the grounds and gardens to be searched, and perhaps near the lake as well, yet the men had still not returned. I had no idea where they were, where they had gone to look. The storm worsened, the rain pounding against the window like thrown pebbles, the clatter dimmed only by the roaring wind.
Alice’s favorite maid, Mary, entered the room. “Any word? We’re all so anxious.”
“Nothing,” I replied. “I shall be sure to inform you the moment I know anything. Alice’s room is ready for her return?”
“Yes, miss.”
“Thank you,” I said. She curtsied and left.
I resumed pacing. Alice had to be safe. She had to be brought home. No other option was thinkable.
It was frustrating, this waiting. I wished I were with Daniel and Lord Williams and the male servants.
The clock chimed, marking two hours since the men had departed. I fell into a chair. It was the same chair Lord Williams preferred, the one he had begun to occupy every night after dinner. I rubbed my hands along its arms and thought of how my family adored him. Alice especially. She always blushed and smiled whenever he noticed her.
Where was she?
I went to the window once more, forcing my palm wide against the glass, allowing the cold to seep into my skin. There was a lull in the wind and though it was still dark from the storm, I could just make out the trees across the lawn. A boom of thunder made me jump. Then there—that was a light. A man cradling a bundle.
I grabbed one of the blankets that had been set near the fire to warm and ran to the portico.
Lord Williams appeared, Alice curled in his arms. He carried her into the house while I struggled to place the blanket around her.
“I found her huddled beside the boulder,” he said quietly.
“The boulder? She’s so wet. And her skin—it’s so cold. Why was she there?”
He shook his head. “Where should I put her?”
“In her room. This way.”
Alice’s eyes fluttered open. “Margaret?”
“I’m here, Alice. You are going to be all right.” I stroked her cheek, tucking a limp curl behind her ear.
“It didn’t work,” she said, her voice hoarse and shaking.
I placed my palm against the side of her face. We needed to get her warm. “Shh. Don’t talk.”
“I told him about Edward.”
Why was she mentioning this now? “I know, Alice. It’s all right.”
She coughed, then said, “I thought he would leave, like you wanted.”
Foreboding clamped in my chest. “Alice, honey, shh. Lord Williams is going to carry you to your room. You shall soon be warm.”
“He is going to take you away.” Her eyes shimmered and tears mingled with rain slid down her cheeks.
Alice had told Lord Williams about Edward in an attempt to get him to leave—because this morning I had said that was exactly what I wanted. She was wet and shivering and would likely come down with another cold because of me.
“I will never leave you.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead. She slowly closed her eyes again.
Guilt gnawed at me. Alice had waited to ensure her plan had worked rather than return to the house. And instead of seeing Lord Williams pull away, she’d seen him draw nearer. She’d seen him almost kiss me. What must she have thought?
“Her room is this way.”
He followed me up the stairs to my sister’s room. Mary was stoking the fire into a blaze. “Mary, Lord Williams has found Alice. Please inform my mother of her return.” She nodded and raced out the door.
I glanced around. An empty tub was set near the fire, but it would take several minutes to fill it. And Alice would have to be undressed. “On the bed would be best.”
Lord Williams laid her on the bed much more tenderly than Daniel would have and stepped back but didn’t leave. I worked to dry her hair and neck, ignoring his presence.
My mother ran into the room, followed closely by Mary.
“Oh, my darling girl.” My mother fell to her knees next to the bedside and clasped Alice’s hands, bringing them to her cheeks and then kissing them.
Alice opened her eyes. “Mama?”
“You’re safe. Oh, thank heavens you are safe. Mary, help me get her things off.” I reached for her dress, but my mother stopped me. “No, Margaret. Mary and I will attend to her.”
I stepped back in understanding. My mother blamed this on me. Alice would never have been outside but for me. And though my mother didn’t yet know it, Alice had stayed in the rain only because I’d made a scene this morning, so her blame was just.
My mother glanced at Lord Williams. “My lord, I can never thank you enough for rescuing my daughter. Margaret, see to Lord Williams. He will need something to eat and a chair by the fire.”