The Vanishing at Loxby Manor, Abigail Wilson [best value ebook reader .TXT] 📗

for a bit, and then quite suddenly she told me she meant to leave the house. I tried to stop her, but . . .”

Mrs. Cavanagh’s eyes narrowed as a flush lit her cheeks. “What do you mean . . . left the house? At night, my gel? Are youmad?”

“I assure you, I am quite lucid. When Seline came to my room, she was terribly distraught about what happened earlier today.”My throat felt suddenly dry. “I-I’m at a loss as to where she intended to go, only there was this light we saw out my windowand she decided—”

“You mean to tell me she left the house alone?” She fanned her face with her hand. “Oh, dear me, I’m feeling faint.” She glanced around madly before collapsing into a chair. “Avery must be sent for at once.”

She twisted her hands together as if washing them in the air. “You don’t think she went to see him, do you? No, no, she would not do such a thing to me, not after everything.” She tugged on her ear as if it might sootheher nerves as she rocked back and forth in her chair. “Avery’s the only one who can possibly keep this wretched scandal atbay. I only hope he’s returned from town.”

I lifted my voice. “He has.”

Her focus snapped to me, and I realized a bit too late how such an admission must sound. I stumbled over my next words. “Ionly know because I saw him just moments ago in the hall, walking to his room, I assume.”

She cast a rather daring look at my nightgown, and I added quickly, “Good heavens, I didn’t allow him to see me like this.I made certain of that.”

She jerked the bell pull, her hand quivering in the firelight. “Well, at any rate, he must be sent for at once.” Her fingerslingered on the embroidered rope for a moment as she stared into the shadows of the room. She gave it a quick tug, then slowlyshe turned to face me, her green eyes narrow, her jaw set. “I suppose Seline told you all.”

It was difficult to find my voice, trapped as I was in her piercing gaze. “She told me about Miles Lacy if that is what youmean.”

Mrs. Cavanagh crunched forward, dipping her chin into her chest. “And I can only hope you realize how important discretionis at such a moment.”

“Certainly.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as I knelt beside her. “Seline has always been one of my dearest friends.I would never say anything to hurt her or anyone else in this family.”

She lowered her eyelids. “That is good to hear.” She curled her icy fingers around my hand. “Tell me, did Seline say anything that might help us ascertain where she meant to go this evening? I can only assume it was to see that horrid stable boy.”

“As I said before, we saw a strange light in the valley through my bedchamber window. It must have meant something to her.”

“I see. Another liaison perhaps.”

A knock sounded at the door and Mrs. Cavanagh nearly jumped out of her skin. Her voice erupted from between her narrow lips.“Come.”

An elderly woman in a dark blue dress sidled through the open door. “Yes, ma’am. You rang?”

“Harriet.” Mrs. Cavanagh’s voice turned distant. “Summon Avery to my sitting area at once.”

The dark color of the maid’s clothes sparked a memory. “Oh!” I squeezed Mrs. Cavanagh’s hand. “There was something else.”

Mrs. Cavanagh’s arm shot up, silencing me with a flick of her wrist until the maid had left and the door was sealed. Thenshe gave me a hard smile. “My dear Miss Halliwell. You do understand what I mean about discretion, don’t you? The last thingthis family needs is for my lady’s maid to catch wind that Seline has left the house.”

I covered my mouth. “I didn’t think.”

“No, you didn’t.” She pursed her lips. “Well, go on. What were you about to tell me?”

“I don’t know what it means, but Seline was determined to borrow my black cloak before she left.”

Mrs. Cavanagh stared at me for a moment, then twitched a nervous laugh. “Well, of course she would need a cloak. There’s adecided nip in the air tonight.” Then she stood. “If that is all the information you have for me at present, I shall leaveyou for my sitting room. Avery shall be waiting for me, and I daresay you must be missing your bed.”

Her voice softened a bit as she took my arm. “And don’t worry your pretty head, my dear. You’ve done all you can do tonight. Avery and I will see that everything is hushed up and Seline is returned to her room as quickly as possible. We will all speak again in the morning.” A sharp nod. “Good evening, Miss Halliwell.”

I paused for a moment, considering whether I should tell her about the second set of footsteps, but they were so very odd,I might very well have imagined them. Goodness knows I had done so before.

Mrs. Cavanagh swung open her bedchamber door and waited as I passed through it, confusion heavy on my heart. However, I haltedone step into the hall as Mrs. Cavanagh’s maid flew around the far corner, a note gripped in her hand.

Her face was pale, her arm stiff as she strangled out, “Mrs. Cavanagh! Mrs. Cavanagh!”

Mrs. Cavanagh thrust the door wide and the rush of wind ruffled the paper in the maid’s hand. “What is it?”

The maid shook her head like a baby bird, thrusting out the note in one fell swoop. “I passed by Seline’s room and found herdoor open. This note was on her bed.”

Mrs. Cavanagh snatched the letter from her maid’s hand and angled it into the light. Her countenance shifted as she poredover every last word, her face transitioning from the harried look she’d worn since I knocked on her door to a pale grimace.She lowered the note, her whole body shaking in response.

I moved to support her arm, my own fear and curiosity extinguishing any qualms I had in addressing her. “What does it say?Where is she?”

The note fell to the carpet. “Seline’s set off