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Aunt Sarah shook her head vigorously, sending gray curls bouncing about her face. “There’s no time.”
Before Eleanor could utter another word, her aunt took off. Eleanor paused but a moment before heading in the other direction.
“Where are you going?” Oliver called after her.
She glanced briefly over her shoulder as she stopped to tug off her slippers and hold them in one hand. The flimsy things would be lucky to last the evening as it was, let alone whilst dashing through gardens.
“I’m going to search too,” she said.
If the woman who had stolen Demeter’s dress was here, she had to find her. This might be their only chance.
Oliver caught up with her as she dashed down the grass that followed a path. His shoes crunched on the gravel, making her envious that he should be allowed solid soles and she was stuck with shoes made entirely for decoration and no sturdier than a slip of paper.
“You cannot go alone,” Oliver said. “She could be dangerous.”
“I will be fine.”
Eleanor ignored him and headed toward the fountain circled by box trees. Lanterns were lit intermittently along the pathway but there were many shady spots in the grounds. Far too many places for an intruder to hide. Once she circled the fountain, she opted to head toward the apple grove on the edge of Sir Fairfield’s boundaries.
“Where are we going?”
“Youare going nowhere.” Eleanor clutched her skirts. “I am going to see if the woman is trying to make an escape.” Her breaths came fast against her stays, however Oliver kept pace with her easily. Of course. He was in fine physical shape so it should not have surprised her. “You should not be out here with me,” she reminded him breathlessly.
“It’s a little late for that and I’m not damned well leaving you to hunt down a dangerous woman.”
“We do not know if she’s dangerous,” she protested.
They reached the edge of the apple grove and Eleanor squinted into the darkness. No lanterns or starry nights lit the area and only the occasional rustle and a hoot of an owl hinted at anything in the area.
“Blast. I would have thought this was the perfect place to make an escape.”
“Why here?”
“The trees.” She gestured to them. “You cannot really see but they make for excellent climbing and one can easily escape over the wall here.”
“You sound like you know from experience.” Amusement tinged his voice.
“Well, I have been invited to several dinner parties here,” she admitted.
“Do not tell me you climbed trees and escaped recently.”
“I will not,” she mumbled.
“Good Lord, Ellie, I wish I’d seen that.”
“It was not very dignified,” she admitted, “but it was better than remaining here with some of the ladies who would not leave me alone.”
“You know, you need not run off every time.”
Eleanor twisted to face him, just able to make out his features in the dark now her eyes had adjusted. “That’s very easy for you to say. I doubt you have had any need to run from anything.”
“I run from my mother quite a lot actually.” Oliver’s lips curved. “Perhaps if I make my escape via tree next time, she will not continue to hound me.”
“Hound you?”
“She is desperate for me to find a wife before the Season is out.”
“That makes sense. You are in need of an heir.”
