He heard her sigh as he pulled her back onto the walkway but as they started to reach the outskirts of Bracknell, she stopped and looked ahead at the glowing sky. “Oh, no! Something’s on fire!”
“What the devil?” he asked as the lady quickly took flight, pulling away from him to run toward the fire. “Violet! Wait!”
Gideon quickly caught up with the lady even as a bell began to toll and the town folk began to fill the streets, calling outfire!As they rounded a corner, Violet cried out in anguish and turned into Gideon’s arms. A one-story house was completely engulfed, the outline of its frame barely visible through the orange flames. The lady was crying so hard that it was harshly apparent to Gideon that the burning structure had once been her home.
It wasn’t long before every able-bodied male had turned up to help in any way they could, Violet’s father and brother included. But it was the silent exchange between Gideon and Owen that formed a pact between the two men to protect Violet as he continued to hold her. Owen nodded and then ran off to assist with the fire.
Men began to fill the area to form a brigade with buckets of water to quench the fire so it wouldn’t spread. Though the fire wasn’t difficult to put out, it was easily apparent that there wouldn’t be anything left to save. Violet refused to leave until the last of the flames had been extinguished.
When she finally raised her tear-filled eyes to him, her words caused him to panic. “I’m beginning to believe this wasn’t an accident.”
“Let’s be thankful you weren’t inside,” Gideon replied, holding her hand and rubbing his thumb gently over her glove. “I’m concerned because we know Dawkes was in the vicinity. You mentioned your carriage wheel broke on your way home.”
She nodded. “If it had shattered earlier as we had rounded a bend in the road, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.” He watched her shudder.
“Why is that?” he asked, afraid to hear her answer.
“I heard the drivers talking as they thanked God we didn’t end up dying in a deep ravine. We were very lucky.”
Gideon frowned. “First your carriage wheel, break-ins, and destruction of your window at the apothecary, that note, and now your house is on fire… this isn’t just bad luck, Violet. This is someone out to prove something that might cost you your life.”
“Do you think the major had something to do with the incidents?” she asked as she stepped closer into his side.
“It’s very possible but it might be hard to prove unless we somehow find substantial evidence.” She shivered and whether that was from the cold night air, shock, or that possibly someone wanted to killher, were all a possibility. “I don’t want you to worry about Major Dawkes anymore. I’m here now and will protect you.”
“But who will protect you? The major has something against you, too, if I need to remind you of the injuries that happened that night at the Lyon’s Den.”
“I can take care of myself. It’s you I’m most worried about.” Gideon shook his head.
“My knight in shining armor riding once again to my rescue,” she said softly. “No wonder I deemed you Sir Knight. You fit the description.”
“I suppose my armor might be a bit rusty and in need of some shining but I’ll take the compliment all the same,” he said hugging her close. “Let’s get you to your parents’ house where I know you’ll be safe after this ordeal.”
Once she was in the protective care of her mother, Gideon bid her a good night and made a decision. The Boar’s Head would be too far to keep a close watch on his lady. In the morning, he would get a room at the Raven or the Black Lion before meeting with her father. There was no way he would waste any more time traveling between towns if his lady was in any danger.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The silence inthe front parlor of her parents’ house was deafening. Violet could barely manage to drink her tea after last night’s ordeal. When Gideon had brought her home, her mother had pulled her into her embrace and refused to let go once Gideon had explained what had happened.
Worse, her tiny house was gone, along with all her things and especially, her sense of safety and wellbeing. It might not have been much, but the place had still been hers. Someone was trying to kill her. That in itself caused Violet’s hands to tremble in fear. Why would someone have such a grudge against her when all she ever did was try to help her community?
No one in Bracknell would be so cruel. Violet was certain of that and once again Cosmo Dawkes came to mind as a possible culprit. But as Gideon had mentioned last night, there was no proof and until there was, she couldn’t go to the local constable and accuse him of the crimes. Everything would only be circumstantial and perhaps she was just overreacting. She hadn’t seen the major in Bracknell, after all, only in the coaching inn outside of London.
She did her best to shake off the feeling of gloom thatoverwhelmed her but considering everything she owned had gone up in flames last night, that was difficult to do. She glanced toward the front door, waiting for a certain handsome gentleman to enter after coming here and asking for a private word with her father. They had stepped outside to leave the women to their tea. Violet could only assume what they were talking about and a slight crack of happiness slipped through her sorrow. Gideon seemed to do that to her and she was content that she had made the decision to finally forgive the man and give them a chance.
“Drink your tea, dearest, before it grows cold,” her mother prompted as she pushed a plate of tiny cakes in Violet’s direction.
She raised her eyes to her mother and couldn’t mistake the worry etched on her features along with her red-rimmed eyes. She, too, had been crying. If she had gone home any earlier, Violet might have been caught in the fire and wouldn’t now be sitting here with her mother. She did as she was bid and took a sip of her tea but refused the treats. She didn’t think she would manage to swallow even one of the sweet confections no matter how much they were her favorites.
“I’ll be fine, Mother,” she finally replied as she glanced back toward the entrance to the house.
“You say that but from everything you all have been keeping from me until last night, how am I to know this?” she asked with a sob as she pulled out a handkerchief she had in her sleeve and dabbed at her eyes. “Why did everyone keep me in the dark about the break-ins, for instance? If I had known, you would never have been allowed to continue living alone on the outskirts of town.”
“Which is exactly why I didn’t want to worry you. Besides, I needed to confirm with Owen that some of the incidents weren’t just accidents.”
“Leaving open doors at the apothecary where thieves could steal your goods? We’ve never had that happen in the past. Why would you think your brother would overlook closing the front or back doors?”
She gave a shrug. “I know that now, but I had to ask him all the same. Now we are perfectly aware that something wrong is afoot.”
