Lie by Moonlight by Amanda Quick

drift immediately into sleep. She envied them.
    As she had taught herself to do long ago, she forced her thoughts away from the past and concentrated on the future. Circumstances had changed on her tonight. This was certainly not the first time in her life that such a thing had happened. She needed a new plan. As long as she had a plan, she could keep going forward.
    But how was she supposed to incorporate Ambrose Wells into a new scheme? His knowledge of the mysterious Alexander Larkin could prove invaluable. It was clear that he had his own goals in this affair, however. What, exactly, did a private inquiry agent do? Who had hired him? Should she continue to entrust the safety of the girls to his care? And if so, for how long?
    The soft, hoarse cry from the other side of the bed brought her out of her moonlit reverie.
    Hannah sat up suddenly, gasping for air. “No. No, please don’t close the door. Please.”
    Phoebe stirred sleepily. “Miss Glade?”
    “It’s all right. I’m here.” Concordia was already out of bed.
    She moved swiftly around to Hannah’s side, sat down and gathered the nightmare-shocked girl into her arms.
    “Calm yourself, Hannah.”
    “So dark,” Hannah whispered in the disoriented voice of one who is caught between the world of dreams and full wakefulness. “I’ll be good. Please don’t close the door.”
    “Hannah, listen to me.” Concordia patted the girl’s trembling shoulders. “You are not inside the dark place. Look, you can see the moon. There is plenty of light. Shall I open the window?”
    Hannah shuddered. “Miss Glade?”
    “I am right here. So is Phoebe. All is well.”
    “It was the dream,” Hannah mumbled.
    “Yes, I know,” Concordia said. “I expect it was brought on by all the excitement tonight. But you are safe now.”
    “I’m sorry, Miss Glade.” Hannah blotted her eyes with the edge of the sheet. “I didn’t mean to disturb you and Phoebe.”
    “We understand. There is nothing to be concerned about.”
    She continued to soothe and calm Hannah until the girl’s breathing returned to normal.
    Eventually Hannah lay down on the pillows. Concordia rose and went back to the other side of the bed.
    “Miss Glade?” Hannah whispered into the shadows.
    “Yes, dear?”
    “When we get to London, may I send a message to my friend Joan at the Winslow school? I am very concerned about her. She did not respond to any of the letters I wrote while we were at Aldwick Castle.”
    Concordia hesitated, thinking of what Ambrose had said earlier concerning the murderous threat of Alexander Larkin.
    “It may not be wise for any of us to contact anyone for a while, Hannah,” she said gently. “Don’t worry, as soon as it is safe to do so, you may contact Joan.”
    Phoebe shifted on the pillows. “Are we still in great danger, Miss Glade?”
    “We must be careful for a while,” Concordia said, choosing her words. “But we have the assistance of Mr. Wells now and he appears to be extremely competent at dealing with situations such as this.”
    “What sort of situation is this, exactly, Miss Glade?” Phoebe asked, predictably curious.
    I only wish I knew, Concordia thought. “It is somewhat complicated, Phoebe. But we will manage, never fear. Now try to get some sleep.”
    She lay quietly for a long time, listening to the steady, quiet breathing of her companions. When she was certain that Hannah and Phoebe were both asleep again, she closed her eyes.
    . . . And saw Rimpton on his knees, trying to get back to his feet. He still held the gun. There was something very wrong with the back of his head. . . .
    She awakened with a start, aware that her pulse was pounding.
    There was someone in the corridor outside the room. She was not certain what had alerted her, but she could feel the presence on the other side of the closed door.
    Ambrose, she thought. It had to be him.
    About time he came upstairs to bed, she thought. She hoped he hadnot spent the past hour