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“This is a bad business,” the doctor said while I marvelled silently at his ability for understatement. “Sergeant Ross, you and your men may leave us now. Miss Varga will assist me.”
I asked Porter to send hot water, soap and towels up so that I could at least wash Eleanor’s face and my own. Doctor Munroe examined Eleanor thoroughly, pausing to allow me to use my right hand to bathe her face and neck. Livid bruises stood out on her slender throat, and I bit my lip at the memory of how they came to be there.
“Her skull is not broken,” the doctor pronounced at last. “I believe that her symptoms are a result of the severe shock she has sustained. I have known her since she was a baby, and Eleanor here has never been very strong. Sadly, I predict her recovery may be a long one. Now, let me have a look at that wrist, Miss Varga.” Long, painful minutes later, I was feeling rather woozy. My injured arm reposed in a sling, and I had drunk an evil-tasting draught that the doctor assured me would help with the pain. I sent for Eleanor’s maid and gave her instructions to bathe her mistress and dress her in a clean nightdress. There seemed to be little more I could do for her then, so I accompanied the doctor downstairs, where I noticed, with real gratitude, that Porter had set out tea and cakes in the parlour. Although I managed to make desultory conversation with the doctor during this repast, my eyes swivelled constantly toward the door and my ears remained alert for the sound of footsteps.
Pale beams of twilight were beginning to streak the sky by the time the search parties returned to the house. Cad shook his head gravely at my look of enquiry, and I poured tea for him and Tynan while Doctor Munroe gave them details of Eleanor’s condition. Inspector Miller grouped his men together and discussed the areas they had covered in their search for Eddie and Lucy. The road was guarded so it seemed unlikely that he had left the Athal peninsula. Porter and I carried refreshments over to the little group of police officers.
“Tell me again what you heard, if you please, Mr Porter,” the inspector asked.
“There was a commotion in the parlour, sir. Mr Edward was shouting and her ladyship was answering in her usual calm way. Then it went quiet and I did not think there was any cause for concern. It was only when Mr Cad arrived that we discovered the signs of a struggle.”
“Did you hear anything of what was said?” Inspector Miller urged.
Porter looked offended. “I am not an eavesdropper, sir,” he said with great dignity.
“Good God, man! Your mistress’s life may be at stake here!”
“It would be as well to tell the inspector if you did hear anything, Porter,” I said gently.
“Well, I can’t see as how it would be important, miss, but I heard Mister Edward say to her ladyship that it was time to write ‘the end’ at the bottom of the page.”
I drew a sharp inward breath. “I know where he has taken her,” I said to Inspector Miller.
* * *
Dogs howled with excitement and strained at their leashes, mist rising in panting plumes from their open mouths. Servants held their lanterns high above our heads on poles so that a soft, golden glow illuminated the whole cliff top. Darkness was beginning to fall in earnest as, decorum abandoned, I held my skirts up above my ankles and raced ahead of the group, leading the search party along the familiar path. The ground was iron hard and remnants of greying snow clung tenuously to the grass. Even in the desperation of my current mission, I half expected to see the sculpted muscles and flaring nostrils of an ebony stallion as its rider’s hand reached down for me. My heart thudded in time with the questions that burned through my mind. Would we find them? And what would we find?
“This is a lot of time-wasting nonsense, sir.” I heard Sergeant Ross mutter impatiently to the inspector. “My men have been this way several times already.”
After what seemed an age but was in fact only minutes, we reached the arrowhead point where, heart in mouth, I had watched Eddie vault over the edge. “Hold the lanterns aloft here,” I called breathlessly, and Cad gave the order for the servants to come forward.
I knelt on the edge of the cliff and leaned over into the abyss, but I could see nothing. “Hold the lanterns out over the edge.” I stretched even farther and caught a glimpse of Lucy’s gown fluttering in the breeze as she crouched low on the narrow ledge at the exact point where Eddie had talked to me about stepping out into oblivion. She was alone.
