led to another set of narrow stairs leading up to the next floor, as well as down. More than likely, the servants used these back stairs.
“Irene, are you up there?” He waited, but there was no reply, so he ran up to check the next floor.
A dry, dusty smell greeted him as he opened the door to the upper hallway. There were no blackout curtains on the windows, which led him to believe these rooms were not used by Jon’s family or servants. They didn’t have a large staff, so perhaps these rooms weren’t needed.
He made a quick check of the six empty bedrooms, but Irene wasn’t there. He descended the stairs, walked past Irene’s room once more, then continued down to the main floor. Where would a little girl hide to feel safe?
He checked the dining room and drawing room, but there was no sign of her. Finally, he strode into the library. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and the glow of the fireplace shed light on a good portion of the room. “Irene, are you in here?”
A sniffle sounded off to his left.
He swung around and shone the torchlight in that direction. A little girl with blond curly hair peeked out from behind the settee. Her eyes looked red from crying, and her chin wobbled as she sucked on two fingers, but she seemed to be all right.
He blew out a deep breath and stepped toward her. “I’m so glad I found you.”
She pulled back, obviously frightened by seeing a man she didn’t know.
He slowed and knelt in front of her. “It’s all right. Dr. and Mrs. Foster sent me to look for you. They’re down in the cellar.” He held out his hand.
She pulled out her fingers and hiccupped. “I want Lydia.”
He wasn’t sure who Lydia was, but everyone in the house was in the servants’ hall. “Come on, let’s go find her.”
Irene slowly reached out and took his hand. She wrapped her warm little fingers around his, and his heart melted like butter over a flame. Thankfulness flooded through him.
With the torchlight beam shining on their path, they walked out of the library.
“I found her!” Alex called as he carried Irene down the servants’ stairs.
Jon stepped out of the servants’ hall and held a lantern high. Kate, Penny, and the children rushed out to the hallway. Penny sent him a warm smile, admiration shining in her eyes.
“Irene!” The younger servant with the cheerful, round face hurried forward and scooped the child out of his arms and into a tight hug. “I’ve been so worried about you.”
Irene flung her arms around the woman’s neck.
So…this must be Lydia.
The maid pulled back and looked the girl over. “Are you all right?”
Irene sniffed and nodded. “The big mirror fell off the wall and broke.”
“Did it hurt you?” Lydia asked.
Irene shook her head.
“Come with me.” Lydia carried Irene into the servants’ hall.
Penny moved to Alex’s side. “You were gone so long. I was worried.”
He searched her upturned face, and pleasant warmth flowed through him.
“Where did you find her?”
“In the library.” He gave a little chuckle and shook his head. “I searched her room and the upper floors first, but she wasn’t there. I finally found her, peeking out from behind the settee. She looked like a little fairy with her blond curls and rosy cheeks.”
Penny laid her hand on his arm. “Thank you, Alex. I’m grateful. We all are.”
His chest swelled as he soaked in her words…like a thirsty soul who’d finally been given a drink of water after a long hike through the desert.
The guns at Woolwich boomed in the distance once more, and they both turned toward the sound.
There was greater danger ahead than a lost child. They faced a strong and skillful enemy who was determined to destroy them. It would take tremendous effort and sacrifice on all their parts to defend their country and win this war.
He looked at Penny, and determination rose in his heart. He would protect her and all those who were counting on him…
No matter the
“Irene, are you up there?” He waited, but there was no reply, so he ran up to check the next floor.
A dry, dusty smell greeted him as he opened the door to the upper hallway. There were no blackout curtains on the windows, which led him to believe these rooms were not used by Jon’s family or servants. They didn’t have a large staff, so perhaps these rooms weren’t needed.
He made a quick check of the six empty bedrooms, but Irene wasn’t there. He descended the stairs, walked past Irene’s room once more, then continued down to the main floor. Where would a little girl hide to feel safe?
He checked the dining room and drawing room, but there was no sign of her. Finally, he strode into the library. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and the glow of the fireplace shed light on a good portion of the room. “Irene, are you in here?”
A sniffle sounded off to his left.
He swung around and shone the torchlight in that direction. A little girl with blond curly hair peeked out from behind the settee. Her eyes looked red from crying, and her chin wobbled as she sucked on two fingers, but she seemed to be all right.
He blew out a deep breath and stepped toward her. “I’m so glad I found you.”
She pulled back, obviously frightened by seeing a man she didn’t know.
He slowed and knelt in front of her. “It’s all right. Dr. and Mrs. Foster sent me to look for you. They’re down in the cellar.” He held out his hand.
She pulled out her fingers and hiccupped. “I want Lydia.”
He wasn’t sure who Lydia was, but everyone in the house was in the servants’ hall. “Come on, let’s go find her.”
Irene slowly reached out and took his hand. She wrapped her warm little fingers around his, and his heart melted like butter over a flame. Thankfulness flooded through him.
With the torchlight beam shining on their path, they walked out of the library.
“I found her!” Alex called as he carried Irene down the servants’ stairs.
Jon stepped out of the servants’ hall and held a lantern high. Kate, Penny, and the children rushed out to the hallway. Penny sent him a warm smile, admiration shining in her eyes.
“Irene!” The younger servant with the cheerful, round face hurried forward and scooped the child out of his arms and into a tight hug. “I’ve been so worried about you.”
Irene flung her arms around the woman’s neck.
So…this must be Lydia.
The maid pulled back and looked the girl over. “Are you all right?”
Irene sniffed and nodded. “The big mirror fell off the wall and broke.”
“Did it hurt you?” Lydia asked.
Irene shook her head.
“Come with me.” Lydia carried Irene into the servants’ hall.
Penny moved to Alex’s side. “You were gone so long. I was worried.”
He searched her upturned face, and pleasant warmth flowed through him.
“Where did you find her?”
“In the library.” He gave a little chuckle and shook his head. “I searched her room and the upper floors first, but she wasn’t there. I finally found her, peeking out from behind the settee. She looked like a little fairy with her blond curls and rosy cheeks.”
Penny laid her hand on his arm. “Thank you, Alex. I’m grateful. We all are.”
His chest swelled as he soaked in her words…like a thirsty soul who’d finally been given a drink of water after a long hike through the desert.
The guns at Woolwich boomed in the distance once more, and they both turned toward the sound.
There was greater danger ahead than a lost child. They faced a strong and skillful enemy who was determined to destroy them. It would take tremendous effort and sacrifice on all their parts to defend their country and win this war.
He looked at Penny, and determination rose in his heart. He would protect her and all those who were counting on him…
No matter the
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