Ariana wanted to cry but didn’t feel like she deserved to feel so utterly stricken. Dexter was right. This was all her creation. Even though she didn’t deserve it, tears rolled down her cheeks and she let out a fearful moan.
“What’s happened to them? What’s happened to my family?”
Chapter 12
“Finally,” Tilly muttered. She’d been staring out the window through the rain for so long her vision had gone fuzzy. It snapped back into focus as a lone figure on horseback rounded the curve leading up to the front of the house.
“Is it Jeremy?” Kostya asked. He looked up from his desk where he continued to pore over the book, trying to find clues to what Ariana might have done. “He’s a bit early.”
“No, it’s Ashford.” She gripped the window sash, wanting to fling it open and shout at him to hurry. They’d already been at the Scotland estate for three days and he was supposed to meet up with them at the first inn on the road up north. She didn’t think she could be more worried, but the knots that already twisted her stomach tightened further when he never showed up.
“Well, he’s not early at all,” Kostya said dryly, heaving the book shut. He stood and stretched. Tilly could hear the kinks in his back popping from where she stood on the other side of the room, and the sound grated on her already taut nerves. He joined her at the window, pointing to the side lane leading to the back of the house. “He brought another convoy, it seems.”
She tore her gaze from Ashford, weary and slumped over his horse, to see three huge, covered carts teetering along. They were laden with goods, some spilling out from under their tarps. She could spy what looked to be a massive silver candelabra that she hadn’t used in ages and knew was stored in the attic.
“What’s he thinking? We already brought half of what we own.”
“Let’s find out, shall we?”
They met up with a few servants scurrying to greet the lord of the manor and followed along behind them. The butler threw open the front doors just as Ashford slid off his horse in the courtyard. A stable hand appeared from around back and bowed three times before taking the exhausted horse to the barn. Ashford looked both annoyed and amused and Tilly was transported by memory to the first time she’d visited this place with him. They’d barely been on polite terms with each other.
Now she flung herself into his arms, patting him down for possible injuries and planting kisses all over his face.
“You had me sick,” she said, getting swept up in the servant tide as they ushered him out of the rain.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice scratchy.
“Did you ride straight through?” she asked as he wavered when he reached the steps leading into the house. “Goodness, Julian, it’s been raining nonstop. You’re probably going to be ill now.”
She realized she sounded like a harpy, more worried about having to deal with a sick husband than she was for his health. She took a deep breath and hugged him again, staying glued to his side as they made their way into a sitting room.
“I didn’t ride straight through,” he said. He nodded gratefully to a servant who appeared with tea, cakes, and savories. “That was faster than usual,” he said after the harried serving lad bowed out of the room.
“It’s meant for Jeremy,” Kostya said.
Tilly sucked in her breath. She had hoped to ease him into that news. As anxious as she’d been for Ashford to arrive, she could have done with finding out what Jeremy had to say without Ashford there.
“Jeremy Kerr?” Ashford asked, a cake halfway to his mouth. He set it down again with a frown. “Do you think this is a good time for visitors? Certainly we should be putting our time to better use? By the way, has there been word from Thomas yet? He should have reached Castle on Hill by yesterday at latest.”
Tilly moved the cake out of his reach and pressed a ham toastie into his hand. He looked like he hadn’t eaten in days. “Oh, so Thomas’ little excursion isn’t a secret anymore?” she asked sourly.
Ashford sighed. “I know Thomas’ loyalties lie with Farrah, and that Farrah’s loyalties lie with you. You’d think the person who pays their salaries would get a tiny bit, but I figured you’d know within hours of the plan.”
“It’s a dangerous plan,” Tilly said. “How do you suppose getting Thomas and Farrah trapped in another time will help us find Ariana?”
Slumping over his cup of tea, he blew at the steam with a dejected look. “I don’t honestly know, love. Perhaps I thought they might meet with someone who’d seen or heard of her.” He shook off his melancholy posture and raised a brow at her. “And Thomas has been traveling through those portals since he was younger than Ariana. He won’t get stuck anywhere.”
A commotion in the hall caught their attention and Kostya stood. “Looks like Jeremy’s early after all. You fill in Ashford while I go greet him. We’ll stick with what we discussed, yes?”
“Yes,” Tilly said, her stomach knotting again. She stared at the tea tray until Kostya left the room and then cut her eyes to Ashford. He looked at her suspiciously.
“Not just a visit, then?” he asked. “What’s up your sleeve? It seems I’m not the only one with a secret.”
“It wasn’t meant to be a secret,” she told him. “We thought of it on the way up here. We’re going to casually ask after everyone, including Nick. If he’s still in Italy living the good life we set up for him, then at least we won’t have to worry about him being with Ariana.”
“Oh, that’s a rather clever plan. Good thinking.”
“It was
