Love Comes Blindly (book 5) (The Fielding Brothers Saga) by Marie Higgins

have.”
    “Thank you, Reverend Mother.”
    As Madeline and the other woman left the soldiers to stand guard, Madeline glanced out the windows as they passed. A handful of soldiers were standing outside the Abbey.
    “Reverend Mother? What do you think they are all doing here?”
    “It’s not for our ken, my child. If God wants us to know, we will.”
    Madeline sighed heavily. Sometimes the older woman’s words were very confusing. Of course, when Madeline’s head was full of fog as it’d been lately, it’s no wonder she felt so perplexed.
    When she reached the bottom level, she noticed the doctor by Gregg’s cot, examining his eyes. Lord Drake sat on the edge of his bed, his expression beamed as he watched the doctor. Madeline’s heart sank once again. Gregg would see her clearly any day now…and then the truth would be revealed.
    She turned away from them and hurried down another long hallway, trying to sort out these disturbing thoughts and emotions that she’d had since seeing Gregg again. As she headed toward the back of the large and spacious building, she slowed her footsteps. Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm herself. She tried to get a grip on her emotions so she could think this through. The only way to make Gregg stop trying to kiss her was to tell him the truth. Yet, they’d grown so close lately, she didn’t want to lose that bond, either.
    She stopped and pressed her head against the nearest wall. God, help me! She wanted Gregg to like her when he finally saw her for the first time. She wanted his heart to be softened because of the kindness she’d shown him—and she hoped he’d see the different woman she’d become.
    Muffled voices from a nearby room pulled her out of her thoughts. Good grief! Couldn’t she find peace anywhere in this place? She was not in the mood to be sociable. But the voices weren’t just anyone…they were men.
    More soldiers, perhaps? What were they doing down here?
    She stepped closer to the door and listened. The door was cracked open enough for her to lean her ear next to the opening.
    “We must break the prisoners out. They will not be cared for properly unless we take them.”
    She sucked in her breath, afraid to even breathe. The man had a Russian accent.
    “We cannot break them out tonight. The doctor’ll be here soon tae treat them.” The second man was from Scotland, she could tell.
    “I don’t trust these doctors. They are not on our side.”
    “We have no other choice. If we break them out tonight, they will die.”
    Madeline’s heartbeat quickened and pounded hard against her ribs. She needed to do something. Fast. Inform the other soldiers—or anyone.
    “If they die, the soldiers will die as well,” the Russian said.
    Russian spies! She gasped. Yes, that must be it.
    “Did ya hear that?” The Scottish man’s voice rose. “Do ya think someone is listenin ’?”
    Panicked, she jerked away from the door and scanned for a place to hide. Around the corner and under the stairs was the only place. There was a small door with a cubby to hide in.
    Quickly, she rushed to the spot on quiet feet, opened the door, and slid inside. Holding her breath, she prayed they had not heard her.
    Footsteps pounded on the floor, but instead of coming her way, they retreated. She let out a relieved breath. Thank you, God. But she wasn’t out of danger yet. If she didn’t somehow stop these men from breaking the prisoners out, other people who were in the Abbey might be harmed as well. The Sisters were her family now. Madeline must protect them. And Gregg… She sighed. She must protect him as well since he couldn’t rely on his eyesight just yet.
    There was only one person she could trust with this information, but in order to deliver him the message, she must sneak out. It’d been several months since she had to do this, and she prayed God would guide her once again.
    * * * *
    Two more days passed and the prisoners were still under lock and key. As far as