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Gabriel thumped the roof hard. “Hurry the horses, will you?” he yelled at the driver, not that it helped. They were going as fast as they could.
Evie nervously clutched the ginger root in her hands, frantically looking out the window. When they were close enough, Gabriel opened the door and jumped out of the vehicle. Evie followed, barely waiting for him to catch her. Gabriel took out the handkerchief and handed it to her.
“Cover your mouth and nose,” he said and did the same with his own piece of linen.
They ran toward the house, only to see that people were standing by the building with empty buckets, helplessly watching the residence burn.
An elderly man limped toward them, his face black with soot. Evie dashed to him and took his hands in hers.
“Oh, Mr. Cromwell! Thank God you’re all right. Is anybody hurt?” she asked.
“Not badly, Your Grace,” he said, his voice scratchy. “The cook has been burned the most as she is the one who noted the fire and started putting it out.”
“How did it happen?” Gabriel interjected.
Mr. Cromwell studied him wearily. “It began in the kitchen. I do not know for certain; probably something caught fire when the cook started the breakfast.”
Gabriel raised a brow, unconvinced. The entire building was taken up by smoke; even the third floor seemed to be on fire. Would an innocent breakfast fire spread so vast in such a short period of time?
“Is everybody safely out?” Evie asked the old man.
“It looks that way, my lady.”
Evie raised her gaze to the burning building, a solitary tear running down her cheek.
Gabriel took Evie by her arms and turned her to him. “I shall go ask around about the details of the fire and make certain that nobody got trapped inside the house. But I need you to move farther away from the site. I don’t want you breathing in the smoke.”
Evie didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at him; her glassy gaze was concentrated upon the building.
“Do you understand what I am saying?” Gabriel shook her lightly.
“Grandpa’s ledgers,” Evie whispered to herself. “His letters, the portrait.”
“Evie, none of that is important anymore. Look at me!”
She finally turned and regarded him as if she did not realize he was even there.
“You need to leave. Go back to the carriage, take as many people with you as you can, and stay in the village.”
Evie licked her lips and nodded.
“Good.” Gabriel let go of her arms and beckoned Mr. Cromwell to follow him.
He hadn’t gone far, though, when he saw Evie dashing toward the house. He blinked stupidly for a moment before running after her. What in the devil was she thinking? She made it to the entrance of the side door and even stepped inside the house before he got to her. Gabriel collided with Evie’s back as she stopped dead just inside the threshold.
The smoke was so thick that Gabriel couldn’t see an inch beyond his nose. Gabriel grabbed her by the waist and forced her out.
“No! Let go of me!” Evie attempted to wriggle out of his hold. Gabriel bent and lifted her into his arms, then walked resolutely toward the carriage. When he reached it, he unceremoniously deposited her onto the ground.
“Are you out of your mind?” he yelled.
Evie stood, coughing and wiping at her tears.
“What in the devil are you thinking running into a burning building?” Gabriel cried, his voice getting hoarse.
“My grandfather’s things! The paintings, th-the letters! His work—” She started sobbing. “I can’t leave them to burn.”
“They are not worth your life.”
Evie pushed mightily at his chest. “I’ve lost everything! Don’t you understand? My parents are dead. My grandfather is gone. Everyone who ever loved me”—she hiccupped—”and now my home! Every piece of memorabilia left from my family was moved here when the Montbrooks took over! And now it will all burn. I have nothing!” She kept pushing at him as she sobbed. Her hair tumbled out of her pins, her face was black with soot, her cheeks tear-streaked. “I have no one!”
Gabriel trapped her arms between them and hugged her tightly. She fought to free herself from his embrace, still beating at his chest, chanting over and over again that she had lost everything. He held her close to his heart as she wailed and cried, not paying any heed that her servants were all watching them, surprised to see their mistress so out of sorts.
Finally, her strength gave out, and she went limp in Gabriel’s arms, her tiny body occasionally trembling from grief. Gabriel held her close, murmuring soothing nothings in her ear while all the remnants of Evie’s happy life burned and crumbled before his eyes.
