‘Enough!’ Maria put up her hand. ‘It was very naughty of you to be listening, Nicholas, and you must say no more about it. Eavesdroppers will never hear any good of themselves.’ She turned her attention to her sister. ‘Good evening, Zelah. Did you get very wet walking home? I had hoped Major Coale or his sister would have the goodness to send you home in the carriage.’
‘I slipped away without telling them.’ Zelah recalled the shouts and laughter coming from the drawing room when she had crossed the empty hall. She raised her chin a little. ‘It was never part of the agreement that the major should provide a carriage for me.’
‘It was never part of the agreement that you should catch a chill,’ retorted Maria. ‘But never mind, it is done now and you are here safe. Mr Lerryn has sent word that he is resuming his journey to Bristol so we shall be able to enjoy a quiet family dinner together.’
Zelah uttered up a silent prayer. Dominic had assured her that she was safe from Timothy Lerryn, but it was still a relief to know he had quit Lesserton. It was one less problem to worry her.
When Zelah arrived at Rooks Tower the next morning her spirits were as leaden as the overcast sky. Two more weeks, three at the most, and she would be finished here. The library was just as she had left it, no sign that the major had been there to check her progress. She had the lowering suspicion that he was avoiding her.
She had not been working long before Sally Hensley burst into the room, saying impetuously, ‘Oh good, you are here! I have come to say goodbye!’
‘G-goodbye?’ Zelah rose from her seat and was immediately enveloped in a scented embrace.
‘Yes! I had planned to stay another two weeks at least, but I have today had a letter from my darling husband! Ben is well, and in England, and on his way to our house at Fellbridge. He may already be there, because his letter went to Markham and they have sent it on to me. I must go home immediately. I only hope this rain does not slow my journey. Oh, I cannot wait to see him again.’
‘Yes, yes, of course. I am very happy for you.’ Zelah barely had time to murmur her words before she was caught up again in another fierce hug.
‘Thank you. I count you very much my friend now and I am very sorry to be leaving, but I shall write to you at West Barton—’
‘I—I doubt I shall be there for much longer. My work here is almost finished. I hope to hear soon about the post in Bath.’
Sally regarded her for a moment, as if she would protest, but in the end she merely nodded. ‘Very well, but if you take it you must let me know where you are. I do not want to lose touch with you now.’
Then, like a whirlwind, Sally was gone, leaving only silence and the faintest hint of perfume behind her.
Zelah resumed her seat and picked up her pen. It was unlikely they would ever meet again. Sally would be preoccupied with her husband for the next few weeks and by the time she was able to think about her new friend, Zelah hoped to be far away from Exmoor.
The rain persisted well into the afternoon, but about five o’clock there was a break in the weather. The sky was still a thick grey blanket, but Zelah decided she should set off for West Barton before there was another shower. She was just crossing the hall when she heard her name. Dominic was standing in the doorway of his study.
‘Perhaps you will grant me a few minutes of your time before you go?’
‘Yes, of course.’
He stood aside and allowed her to enter. The hearth was empty although the smell of wood smoke lingered in the air. There was a large desk by the window and two glass-fronted cupboards that housed the estate’s papers. Everything was orderly, businesslike, as was the major’s tone when he spoke.
‘You have done an excellent job, organising my library. You are to be congratulated.’
‘Thank you, sir. The catalogue of titles is almost complete, I shall begin the final section tomorrow—’
‘That will not be necessary.’
She frowned. ‘I do not understand you.’
He turned on his heel and walked across to the window. ‘You have done enough, thank you. I will arrange for your final payment to be made. It will be brought to West Barton tomorrow.’
She blinked. ‘You do not wish me to return to Rooks Tower?’
‘That is correct.’
‘But I have not finished!’
‘You have done enough.’
She clutched her hands together. ‘Are you—are you dissatisfied with me, with my work?’
‘I have already said that is not the case.’
‘But that does not make sense. It will take only a few more weeks—’
‘No!’ He swung back. ‘Don’t you understand? I am trying to protect your reputation. While my sister was here, there was a modicum of propriety, but now—’
‘You never worried about that before.’
‘That was an error. I should never have allowed you to work here.’
‘You invited me to come here,’ she retorted, anger beginning to mount.
‘I know. It was wrong of me. I admit it.’
Beneath Zelah’s annoyance was another emotion. Panic. He was sending her away. She would never see him again.
‘Please,’ she said quietly. ‘Let me finish what I have started. If you are anxious for my reputation, I could have a maid in the library at all times—let Hannah attend me!’
‘No. My mind is made up. This will be the last time you come to Rooks Tower.’
Her eyes searched his face, but his eyes were shuttered, withdrawn. He would not be moved.
The rumble of voices filtered through the door, but she barely noticed.
‘Then will you not shake hands with me?’ He looked as if her outstretched hand was a poisoned chalice and a strangled cry was wrenched from her. ‘I thought we were friends!’
The stony look fled. ‘Friends. We could never be that.’ He reached for her. ‘Zelah—’ He broke off as the door opened and Reginald burst in.
‘Coale—and Zelah. Thank God. Have you seen Nicky?’
Chapter Fifteen
Dominic’s hands fell. He stared uncomprehending at Reginald Buckland, who had stormed into his study without so much as a knock. Then he saw the look of strain in the other man’s face and he said sharply, ‘What is it?’
‘My son. He has gone missing. Because of the rain I sent my man to collect him from Netherby’s house today, but the boy had already gone. The other boys said he had set off for home, but my man did not pass him on the road. I thought he might have come here.’
‘I have not seen him, but he could have gone straight to the kitchens.’ Dominic strode out of the room and barked an order, sending a footman scurrying away. A few minutes later he returned and Dominic went back to the study, frowning.
‘No one has seen him. Could he have stopped off with friends?’
Reginald shook his head. ‘I have checked that. I beg your pardon, if he is not here then I must get back...’
‘Yes, let us get home with all speed,’ said Zelah quickly.
‘Wait.’ Dominic caught Reginald’s sleeve. ‘You are on horseback?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then we will follow in my curricle.’ He glanced at Zelah’s pale face. ‘I know it is a greater distance, but it will be almost as quick as walking and will leave you in a better state to support Mrs Buckland.’
His heart lurched. She looked utterly bewildered, and little wonder. A few moments’ earlier he had been telling her he wanted nothing more to do with her.
He sent Reginald on his way and ordered his curricle to be brought round. When he returned to the study Zelah was still standing in the middle of the floor, clasping and unclasping her hands. He pushed her gently into a chair.
‘Try not to worry, Nicky might well be home by now.’
‘Yes, yes, of course.’
The curricle was soon at the door and Dominic drove his horses hard, praying that they would not meet anything in the narrow lanes. He stopped only once, to drop his groom off in Lesserton, with instructions to make enquiries at the local inns. Then it was off again at a breakneck pace. A swift glance showed him that Zelah was hanging on to the side of the carriage with one hand, the other clamped firmly over her bonnet. ‘My apologies for the bumpy ride, ma’am.’