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They were at the door when Eleanor stopped. Nathan turned to her.
“Eleanor?”
“Can you smell that?”
“What?”
Nathan sniffed the air. There was a strange smell. It hadn’t been there a moment ago. It was a smell that Nathan was familiar with. He had come across it often on the battlefield.
Burning wood, and the sound of crackling.
Urging Eleanor to lean on the doorframe, Nathan hurried to the top of the stairs and saw the fire, right across the front door. One of his footmen was on the floor, unmoving with flames licking close by him.
Their way out was blocked.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The house was on fire? Eleanor’s head was still spinning. The relief that she could breathe properly again was now gone as she breathed in the acrid smoke from the fire.
What was Leyton doing? Surely, he wouldn’t set the house on fire? Eleanor didn’t know what to think anymore.
Nathan let out a low curse and hurried back to her.
“Our way out is blocked,” he said grimly. He took Eleanor’s arm. “Tell me you’ll be able to move quickly.”
“As well as I can.” Eleanor eased herself off the doorframe and took a moment to steady herself. “Just get me out of here.”
Nathan stared at her. Then he cupped her face and kissed her, pressing his forehead to hers for a moment before pulling away and taking her hand.
“Come on. There has to be some back stairs.”
Eleanor did her best to keep up, almost tripping over her own feet as Nathan hurried to the end of the hallway. Sure enough, there were more stairs for the servants, the stairwell refreshingly cooler than the main house, although when Eleanor pressed a hand to the stone wall, she could feel the heat coming through. How far had the fire gotten through the house?
Leyton had gone too far.
Still holding onto her hand, Nathan got them to the ground floor and out the side door. Eleanor gasped as the cool evening air hit her like a slap in the face. People were beginning to gather, and Eleanor recognized one of Nathan’s footmen sitting on the curb with an old man sporting a snowy white beard to match his hair. The old man was shaking.
Releasing her hand, Nathan hurried over. The footman jumped to his feet.
“Captain!”
“Where’s Lord Reading, Stewart?”
“He was chasing Mr. Leyton. I saw them leave as I was bringing the butler out.” Stewart indicated the man huddled on the curb. “Reeve and Knowles were following him. I don’t know where Bailey is.”
“I do.” Nathan said grimly. He began to shrug out of his coat, retrieving his handkerchief before handing his coat to Stewart. “Look after Lady Eleanor. I’m going back to get Bailey. He’s still inside.”
“What?” Stewart’s face went white. “I swear, I didn’t know…”
“Just make sure Lady Eleanor doesn’t come back in.” Nathan turned back to the house. “The fire could take hold any moment.”
Just as he spoke, there was a huge whoosh and people screamed as two of the lower windows shattered, raining glass onto everyone. Eleanor didn’t see how it could take any further hold, not with the flames coming out of the window and the smoke billowing upwards.
Wait, was Nathan thinking…?
“What are you doing?”
Nathan glanced at her. Then he flashed her a wink and a grim smile. “Be good.”
