They did not even let them play games.Emily remembered that neither of the men had known how to play charades. How rigid must their house have been? She pictured long, dark corridors,devoid of children’s laughter and felt something inside her break.
She was so lost in thought, that she stopped paying attention to what she was doing. The mist had been thicker, and as it cleared, Emily realised that she had drifted dangerously close to the edge of the ravine. She tried to correct the horse abruptly, not thinking clearly. She might have been able to soothe the creature, if her movement had not startled a nearby bird from its nest.
The horse let out a shriek and reared upwards. Emily let out her own scream, desperately clinging to the creature. She was dimly aware of shouting, and then the horse was galloping away. Panic took hold of her, driving any sane thought from her mind.
“Help!”
Chapter Twelve
“Help!” Miss Pembleton’s scream seemed to pierce Luke’s heart.
“I should never have allowed this.” Luke cursed and wheeled his horse around.
He had decided to remain a little apart from the main hunt, wanting to be able to keep an eye on his brother and Miss Pembleton. He had not wanted to encroach on their time, but nor had he felt entirely comfortable not being appraised of their whereabouts.
When the mist had thickened, he had lost sight of them for a moment, and in that moment, everything had gone wrong.
“If something has happened to her, I shall never forgive myself.” Luke urged his horse towards the last place he had seen Miss Pembleton and Rodger.
“Miss Pembleton! Rodger! Are you all right?” Luke called.
There was no answer. He heard more yelling.Was that her? Is it an echo?He shook his head, straining his ears and his eyes as he made his way towards his brother.
The mist was clearing, thankfully, and soon he found himself beside his slack-jawed brother. There was no sign of Miss Pembleton.
“What happened? Where is she?” Luke demanded.
Luke glanced around, hoping to see some sign of the woman. His heart thundered against his chest so hard he thought it would burst from it. Rodger was stammering something, but Luke could scarcely hear it over the rush of blood in his ears.
I must be calm. Calm.“What happened?” Luke took a steadying breath, trying to slow his pounding heart with a deep breath.
“I- we- I-… There was a bird.” Rodger gestured lamely.
“A bird?” Luke frowned.
“She was too close to the ravine, and then a bird flew out. Her horse… it startled.” Rodger shook his head, white as a ghost. “And then she- I- I- I did not know what to do. Her horse, it just started running.”
“Which way did she go?” Luke searched for signs of her, straining to catch perhaps even a hint of her black hair, of her horse even.
“I am not sure I cannot… It all happened so fast.” Rodger’s voice was high and Luke could hear the panic in it.
“Help!” The cry came again. He strained his ears. The sound of hunting and the faintness of the cries meant it was hard to pinpoint the direction Miss Pembleton’s horse had carried her.It is good I was not in the thick of things, I would not have known anything untoward had happened.
“I need you to think. Which way did she go?” Luke forced himself to sound calm, gritting his teeth with the effort.
“I- I- I.”
“Breathe, brother. Breathe and think. We need to find her and time is of the essence.” Luke met his brother’s panicked expression, and schooled his own features into one of icy detachment.
“That way.” Rodger pointed and Luke’s heart sank. The forest was thicker for a moment, and then led into a wide expanse.She could be anywhere.
“Well, with any luck she will not have gone too far.” Luke muttered, even as images of Miss Pembleton’s horse falling and –Do not think of it. Do not.
“What if something terrible has happened to her?” Rodger’s voice was thin and panicked.
“It will have if we do not find her.” Luke shot back.
“Then we must go after her.”
