Page 110 of Waking Roslyn

The captain gave a satisfied nod. “An excellent plan. Best of luck to you.”

He walked quickly away, leaving Thomas and me standing there in the dimming light. I took a single breath to give me courage and then turned toward the stables. “Come along,” I said, trusting he’d follow me.

“Where are we going?”

“To get my horse.”

He snorted. “I gathered as much. Where are we going after that?”

I looked around to be sure no one else was close by before answering. “Do you know where the Earl of Malladon lives?”

“Of course. Everyone does.”

“Good, then I assume you know where Ravenna lives as well?”

“Course.”

“Which estate is closer?”

“Ravenna is just over the hill.” He pointed to the south.

“Wonderful.” The less time it took to travel, the better. Roslyn’s time was limited.

“What are we doing?”

I looked over at him. “Are you all right with bending a few laws?”

He shrugged. “Course.”

I smiled. His easy manner reminded me of Ansel. “We’re going to trespass on the earls’ properties and see if we can’t get a glimpse of that man you saw.”

“And if we do?”

“Then I’m going to try very hard not to maim the man then and there, and then we’ll come back here and you can report that you know who that man works for, and that should give the king’s men enough of a reason to storm the place and arrest the earl.”

***

As much as I reveled in the chance to go and do something, my first attempt was a complete failure. We found Ravenna’s estate. We snuck onto the grounds. We watched. But if the man who had delivered the roses was employed there, he never came out where we could see him. It was incredibly discouraging. I hated failing and wasn’t used to it. In my small life, I had tried a fair number of things. I’d fought and won a few important battles. But this was different. It was so much bigger and more important, and I was failing.

It was well past midnight. The Ravenna grounds had been completely still and quiet for hours and Thomas had nodded off twice by the time I gave up. I would have stayed all night if I weren’t so anxious to get back to Roslyn.

All was quiet upon our return, and the night watchman informed us that nothing had changed. Then he turned to Thomas. “Captain Sterling has told me you might be able to assist us. We’ll pay you well for your time if you’d be willing to continue helping John here over the next couple days.”

Thomas agreed readily, and then I convinced him to take my bunk and get some sleep.

“You’re not going to sleep?” he asked, looking dead on his feet.

I shook my head. “I have work to do.”

At least, I wished I had work to do. I wished for something more than the prospect of more agonizing waiting.

I returned to Roslyn’s room and found her parents in much the same position as I’d left them—their eyes red-rimmed and tormented.

They stayed by her side for several hours after I returned, but when the doctor came to check on her the second time and told them that still nothing had changed, he encouraged them to sleep. There was still another full day of potential waiting, and they should rest while she was still breathing steadily.

As they were leaving the room, the duchess turned to the physician. “Doctor. Is there still reason to hope?” She would have looked stoic if not for the tremble in her chin.

“Yes, Your Grace. Every reason. If the sun sets on the morrow and she still hasn’t woken, I will ask you to prepare yourselves for the worst. Until then, give her time.”