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“Victoria, wake up!”
She slowly stirred herself and sat up, blinking. “What? What is it?” she asked, pushing her hair out of her eyes.
“It’s nearly sundown. We should already be nearly back by now—we must hurry!” He wriggled out from beneath her and began gathering their scattered clothing, tossing articles to her from across the room and cursing the cold. “Hurry!” It was unpleasantly frigid in the little hut, a sure sign the weather outdoors was turning unfriendly.
She looked at the clothes, then at him, not moving. “What does it matter? The damage is done, is it not? Why rush back now?”
“I’d rather not have search parties sent out looking for us. A few hours is enough to accomplish our goal, but if we are gone the night, there’ll be hell to pay with your father.”
Soft laughter issued from her bent head. “What makes you think he’ll be any less upset if we return now than if we do so in the morning?”
He faced her. “Trust me, Victoria. Being gone a few hours means something could’ve happened. Plausible deniability allows people the luxury of speculation and preserves your honor. Being gone all night means something most assuredly did happen.”
“Why should I care?” she answered with a shrug. “We’ll be wed either way.”
“Your father will care, Victoria. It isn’t just your honor at stake, but his, and your family’s.”
Nodding solemnly, she began to dress.
He didn’t tell her that if winter decided to rear its ugly head with one last snowstorm, they might be trapped for days with next to no provisions and a very limited supply of firewood. As such, he took several of the woolen blankets and set them to the side. “Just in case,” he told her.
Dressing quickly, he went to check on the horses—and cursed as he opened the door. His instincts had been correct; the clouds he’d seen this morning had carried through on their threat of snow. Every surface wore a thin, glittering blanket of white. And though it seemed the storm had momentarily let up, more snow was now beginning to sift down from above.
The flakes were tiny, a sure indication that it would continue through the night.
When he returned to fetch her, Victoria paused in the doorway with a soft smile. He did, as well, imprinting their cozy little haven on the canvas of his memory. It would likely be the last time either of them saw the place.
The dying rays of a pale sunset peeked from beneath the lowering clouds, giving only scant light as they rode. It would not last much longer. Julius cast Victoria a worried glance. “Do you think we can make it back?”
“Primero knows the way,” she assured him, pulling a blanket over her head like a shawl and pinning it with her broach.
“It’s not too deep,” she said as they cleared the lip of the little dell. “They can still run, and once we reach the wood we’ll have the trees to shield us from any fresh fall.” She leaned forward and pressed her knees.
Primero sprang away, leaving him no choice but to follow.
The lazily drifting flakes brushed against their faces as they galloped swiftly across the hilltops, picking through the shallow valleys and leaping the low stone walls that riddled the wold.
The snow began falling in earnest just as the dark line of the wood appeared in the deepening dusk.
The fugitive lovers rode straight into the stables unhindered, encountering only Charlie, who gave them a saucy grin.
“Has no one inquired regarding our whereabouts?” Victoria asked him, looking at all the horses still in their stalls.
Julius understood her confusion. These stables should have been empty. Search parties should have been sent out hours ago to scour the countryside for them.
“No, m’lady,” answered the boy. “Been a right commotion up at the ’ouse, though. I ’eared yor sister’s gone an’ taken ill.”
Without a word, Victoria took off running.
Julius followed behind her.
The first maid they encountered knew nothing. Victoria ran to her sister’s room, only to find it unoccupied.
“Where do you suppose she is?” he asked her, keeping his voice low.
“I’ve no idea, unless she’s in one of the downstairs rooms,” she answered, a panicked look in her eyes. “What in heaven’s name could have happened? Where is she?”
Closing the door, they went back out into the hall just as another maid was leaving one of the guest rooms.
