His eyes accustomed to the paler moonlight. Rothendale House loomed on his left, the white stone walls reflecting the light. He dismounted, leading his horse to the fence, and looping the reins around a wrought-iron fence-post.
“Just a minute, old chap,” he reassured him.
His heart was pounding and he knocked urgently at the door. The butler answered immediately.
“Good evening,” he began. “My lord, you...”
“Is it her?” a voice yelled from the hallway behind the butler, interrupting him. Nicholas stiffened. It was Lord Rothendale.
“No, my lord,” the butler called back.”It’s Lord Blackburne.”
“Blackburne! Thank Heavens!” Lord Rothendale rushed up.
“Has he found her?” Lady Rothendale demanded. She was wrapped in a shawl and pale faced. Her eyes were wide and worried. Nicholas swallowed hard.
“No, my lord. My lady.” He bowed low. “I had hoped she was at home. I was informed by my grandfather’s retainer that she’d hired a coach and come home.”
His heart started thudding and he felt abruptly sick. Where was she?
“We thought she was with you!” Lord Rothendale started shouting.
“I thought she was with you!” Nicholas shouted back, horror making him unable to think clearly. She might have taken a Hackney coach and been abducted. She could be on her way to the Barbary coast by tomorrow morning, to be sold into slavery. This was his fault. She’d seen him in the garden, believed what it was only logical to believe, and run.
“Where is she?” Lady Rothendale shouted. “Her reputation! What will people say?”
“This is not about her alone,” Lord Rothendale snapped, making Nicholas blink. “It’s our reputation too. Even worse.”
“Worse?” Lady Rothendale demanded. “It’s worse for a young lady to lose her reputation!”
“Will you both stop arguing?” Nicholas yelled, as Lord Rothendale drew in a breath to shout her down. “This is not about her reputation at all.”
“No?” Lady Rothendale frowned.
“No,” Nicholas insisted. “She could be in danger. She could be abducted. She could be killed.”
Lord and Lady Rothendale stared at him, appalled. Lady Rothendale started to sob. Lord Rothendale put a hand on her shoulder, glaring at Nicholas.
“You needn’t scare her,” he demanded.
“I didn’t mean to,” Nicholas said solemnly. “We need to try and find her.”
He saw Lady Rothendale pause, shocked for a moment from her sobs. Then she nodded.
“He’s right.”
“Where did the butler say she’d gone?” Lord Rothendale demanded. “Did he see the coach? Could he tell us anything about it?”
“I doubt it,” Nicholas said tiredly. All he wanted to do was ride away and search for Bernadette. He wasn’t learning anything from these two. “We need to inform the Watch. We need more people looking for her.”
“Good idea...I’ll do that,” Lord Rothendale replied. Nicholas breathed out.
“Thank you.” Finally, her parents were taking matters seriously. It was a relief to have them helping him as well. They were efficient when they actually tried to help.
“Will you come in and sit down?” Lady Rothendale asked, as Lord Rothendale barged off, her voice shaking. “It’s cold outside.”
Nicholas realized distantly that they were standing in the hallway and none of them were properly dressed. He nodded.
“Yes, my lady.”
