Page 34 of What the Heart Knows

She could only pray. When she stepped inside the stable complete silence greeted her.

Of course, all the grooms will be helping Brookbank for fear of losing their jobs.

A soft nicker came from a far stall.

Meg found a lantern. In its dim light, she saw that only one horse remained in the stable. The oldest, least able nag her father owned. She sighed.

I’ll make do.

As quickly and quietly as she could manage, she saddled the nag and led it from the stable. The horse was small enough she did not need a mounting block. Once settled, she pointed the horse away from Sea Grange, in what she hoped was the direction of the front gates and the road to freedom.

She could see nothing in the fret’s thick air. No one could see her. ’Twas a fair trade. How far to Fenwick on Sea? Impossible to know in this fog. Fortunately, the road between Sea Grange and the village was relatively straight. All she had to do was stay on the road.

***

Their plan succeeded beyond expectations. Every smuggler save one was arrested. Two smugglers were injured.

Brookbank escaped in the confusion of battle. Kit, occupied with defending against two attackers, saw the cur run away toward the shoreline.

Kit pursued at the first opportunity, casting a quick word to the officer in charge.

On the shore, he found a picket line of pack animals. Splashes sounded behind him. Kit whipped around. A mounted figure disappeared into the fog aiming for the mainland coast.

Has to be Brookbank.

Jerking loose the lead line of the nearest horse, Kit mounted, despite the pack saddle, and lashed the beast into motion. Awkwardly balanced, and riding in thick fog, Kit risked death for himself and his mount. Brookbank was too dangerous to allow time for safety measures. If the man was headed for Sea Grange, he might harm Meg. Kit drove his horse toward the Fenneman home.

Pray heaven, I get there in time.

As a cautionary measure, Reid, George Brewster and six dragoons were stationed at various entry points to Sea Grange. However, they’d not counted on this fog. With minimal caution, Brookbank could approach the manor unseen, take Meg, and flee before anyone was aware.

Heaven must have been watching, for Kit burst from the tree line bordering Sea Grange’s lawn. He urged his mount to greater speed. Hoofbeats filled Kit’s ears.

“Who goes there?”

“Halt or I’ll shoot.”

Warnings echoed, directionless in the fog.

Kit rode on until the black shape of Sea Grange loomed before him.

A pistol fired, so close the flash blinded him.

The horse reared.

Poorly balanced, Kit fell, and all air left his chest. The horse ran off.

“If you live, identify yourself,” his cousin said.

Without air, Kit could only croak unintelligible sounds.

“George, bring that lantern,” Reid ordered

In moments, light glowed solid against the dense mist. Kit saw boots and legs emerging from yellowed fog.

“Kit?”

With a strangled wheeze, Kit finally sucked in air.