Page 104 of Bound to the Heartless Duke
Before she could even answer the question or solve the puzzle in her mind, a flicker of movement to her left made her spin.
Her heart pounded.
Alright, that is definitely something.
Was it one of the servants? But it would be out of the ordinary because servants hardly ventured to this part of the estate except when invited.
She turned back around, but there was no one in sight.
“Mrs Gunther?” she called, looking around.
As she fixed her gaze on the marble statue of Demeter, a step sounded beside her. This time, she moved fast, spinning into a low crouch, her fists clenched. But she still couldn’t see anyone.
At this point, she decided to turn back and run. She could sense danger already. But just then, she heard the sound of crunching gravel.
Whoever or whatever it was wasn’t hiding anymore.
“Who’s there?” she demanded, her voice firmer, more urgent.
Still, she was met with silence.
Alright, this is eerie.
Lily backed away, ready to bolt, but her heel caught on the edge of the stone path. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something dark between two edges.
It was certainly the figure of a man.
She instinctively reached for a knitting needle she had casually stuck into the pocket of her coat. She raised it in front of her, as though it would turn into a dagger or something.
“I’m not afraid to use this,” she warned, though her voice cracked, betraying her fear.
The figure paused at that.
Lily continued backing away, slowly. When she turned to run away, a calloused hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her back.
She screamed, struggling hard as she jabbed her elbow at the figure blindly. But her attacks were only met with the air. She tried her best to break free, and for a moment, she almost did.
But when she turned around, it was too late.
Pain splintered across the back of her skull as something hard landed on her head, causing the world to spin.
She caught a glimpse of a dark coat, the smell of tobacco and damp wool, before everything went black.
When Magnus returned home that evening, the first thing he noticed was the quietness. Not the quiet of a well-run household, but the quiet that chafed at him when his wife was out of sight.
He found Mrs. Gunther in the hall, her face pale.
“Where is Her Grace? I can’t find her,” he questioned, his voice strained.
“She went for a walk in the garden not an hour ago,” the housekeeper breathed, wringing her hands. “No one has seen her since.”
That was enough for Magnus. He strode past her through the open doors, his boots clicking loudly on the path.
“Lily!” His voice echoed off the stone walls, but there was no answer.
He ventured deeper into the garden until he finally reached the fountain.
Something white caught his eye. It was a crumpled piece of paper.
