Lady Adalyn (The Saga Of Wolfbridge Manor Book 1), Sahara Kelly [the best e book reader .TXT] 📗

All four stood aghast at the water in front of them.

The bridge remained, but only fish would be using it, since the first few feet on either side were submerged. Ripples showed that the river itself was still moving; in fact every now and again branches could be seen in the centre, swept along by the current that flowed strongly beneath the surface.

Some snagged under the bridge, but were eventually passed on downstream. Adalyn could clearly see their worries were valid, and turned to the men. “I don’t believe we need put up a warning sign,” she looked back at the flooded area. “It speaks for itself. We should make all haste to Old Harry’s place and see if that runoff or whatever it is will work.”

“Anything to stop it from getting worse,” added Evan, his eyes wide. “It’s never ever looked like this.”

“Right then. Let’s go.” Giles turned and hurried back to the carriage, and everyone took that as their cue to move onward.

“You’ve heard of no injuries yet?” Adalyn shot Giles a worried look as she clambered up beside him.

“The worst hit just after dawn,” he replied. “As far as I can determine, last night the road was still passable.” Leaning back he sighed and stared out at the bleak prospect. “Obviously nobody will be able to get near the bridge today, so that worry has been lifted, thank God. And I’m hoping word will spread so that nobody comes this way after dark either. It’s always a risk, but most people are sensible about such things. And the news is probably making the rounds as we speak.”

“Yes. For a bad situation, it apparently happened at the best time, if that makes any sense.”

“It does.”

Silence fell for a while as the land rose a little and their pace declined as it did so. The lanes were now slippery as well as muddy and both carriage wheels and horses’ hooves had to work hard for a grip.

It seemed like days to Adalyn, but in reality was probably no more than an hour or so before they slowed.

She heard Daniel call to Jeremy. “That way?”

The horses turned onto a narrow and rutted pathway as branches and shrubbery smacked against the side of the carriage. They drew to a halt and Adalyn opened the door, jumping out and sinking into sodden turf. She could hear the river running fast somewhere, but couldn’t get her bearings.

“Where is it?” Giles demanded of the others. “Where’s the sluice gate? Or whatever’s holding the river where it is?”

“I don’t know, let me look…” Daniel took off into the undergrowth, followed by Jeremy and Evan.

She surveyed their surroundings. They stood in the centre of what might have been a front garden. There was a pile of rotting timbers further back and several scraggly trees had grown through and around them. This must have been where the original cottage had been built. She could see the little lane quite clearly, but road beyond was hidden. It was private, probably lovely in good weather, and she could understand Old Harry’s desire for peace and tranquillity in his declining years.

But the river would indeed have been a threat.

“Anything?” Giles shouted.

“Not yet,” answered Evan from one direction.

“Nor here,” said Jeremy from another.

Daniel was silent.

“Daniel?” Adalyn called, a shiver of concern running over her spine. “Daniel? Did you find anything?”

More silence… then “Here. Over here.”

She heaved a sigh of relief as she heard his voice and joined Giles as they headed toward the spot it had come from.

Pushing aside two large rhododendrons, Giles let her through and they found themselves on the river bank, looking down at the fierce torrent that was the Wolf river in spate.

“Be careful,” he automatically extended a hand to Adalyn.

“I’m not moving,” she replied firmly.

They were still several feet above the waterline, so flooding here was no danger at the moment, but it was slippery and dropped off very sharply. She meant what she said. Moving would be a bad idea.

But it didn’t stop Daniel, and Jeremy and Evan were soon standing beside him.

“It’s a runoff, all right,” called Jeremy. “Set deep into the bank.” He pointed off to his left. “If we can open this gate, there’ll be a place for some of the river to go…”

“Follow that channel,” ordered Giles. “Stay safe but see if you can find out where it leads. I don’t want to avert one flood and then start another…”

The three moved onward, and Adalyn guessed that they were now off Wolfbridge land. She couldn’t recall who owned this portion of the countryside, or what the landscape looked like. Most likely there were more gentle hills, since the natural curve would take them that way. The trees were just too tall for her to make out what lay on the other side of them.

Impatiently, she waited, while Giles stared both up and downstream.

Finally he spoke. “It looks as though the rain in the hills is every bit as heavy as it is down here. Which explains how bad the flooding is.”

Feeling helpless, she could do nothing but nod, and worry about the other three. They had yet to return.

“Giles,” she spoke his name, more for comfort than anything else. “Will they be all right?”

“Of course,” he answered. “They are simply doing reconnaissance.”

“I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to…”

“Nothing will happen to them, Adalyn,” chided Giles. “Be strong for them. As they are strong for you.”

“I’m trying,” she protested. “But I’ve lost one, albeit temporarily. I cannot but worry for the others.”

He gazed at her as if seeking to read her thoughts. “Indeed.”

Jeremy came back into sight. “Good news. It looks as though this channel feeds down beneath the surface. We followed it as far as we could and off in the distance there’s a small lake between two hills. All farmland.”

“So it’s possible that the water from the runoff spills into that lake?” asked Giles, a