A Refuge at Highland Hall (34 page)

“Are Kate and Jon awake yet?” Penny asked. “I'm longing to see the babies again.”

“I don't think so. Mrs. Dalton said to wake you first and let them rest a little longer.” Lydia took the dress off the hanger and laid it over the chair.

“It's amazing to think of Kate being the mother of twins.”

“Yes, it is.” Lydia helped Penny slip her nightgown over her head.

Penny glanced toward the window. “I think I'll go down to the garden and pick a bouquet of flowers for Kate before breakfast.”

“I'm sure she'd like that.” Lydia helped Penny finish dressing, then fixed her hair in a simple style. “Will there be anything else, miss?”

“No, that's all I need.” Penny took her blue shawl from the drawer and followed Lydia out the door.

Lydia glanced at her watch, then continued down the hall at a quick pace. The family and staff would gather in the great hall in less than thirty minutes, and she still had to wake Dr. Jon and Mrs. Kate, then check on the children and make sure they were dressed and ready for the day.

She released a deep breath. It would be a busy morning, but at least her mind was at ease, and there were no more secrets between her and Miss Penny.

M
isty fog greeted Penny as she stepped out the front door and walked around the side of the house to take the path toward the garden. She would have to hurry if she was going to have enough time to pick a bouquet and take it up to Kate before the family gathered at nine.

It was so good to have William and Jon home with them. It would be comforting to hear William read Scripture and pray for the family and staff. She wasn't sure how long he and Jon could stay, but at least they'd been able to come home to see the babies and spend some time with the family.

She pushed open the door to the garden tool room and crossed to the potting bench. A crate filled with hand tools sat on the floor to the right. She searched through it and took out a pair of clippers.

A scraping sound came from the storage room, followed by a loud
thud.
She turned and listened. Was an animal trapped in there?

She glanced over her shoulder. The outside door to the tool room had been closed when she came in, but what if one of the cats from the stable yard had wandered in when it was open yesterday and been trapped inside overnight with no food or water? Poor thing! She hurried over and pulled the door partly open.

A small window in the far corner shed dim light in the storage room. Sacks of fertilizer were stacked next to several wooden barrels on the right side of the room. Shelves filled with cans and boxes lined the wall on the opposite side. Two old wheelbarrows were parked in front of the shelves, and a broken wooden chair sat beneath the window.

She pushed the door open all the way and stepped inside. “Here, kitty, kitty.” She scanned the room but didn't see a cat. Bending low, she looked under the shelf.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and clamped a rough hand over her mouth.

Panic shot through her, and she tried to wrestle free.

“Settle down, and you won't get hurt!” The man's voice was low and threatening, and he spoke with a slight accent.

She tried to turn her head and force out a scream, but his large hand clamped down tighter, covering her mouth and nose.

“See this knife?” He forced her head down, and the metal flashed as he turned the knife in his hand. “I'll use it if I have to.”

Terror raced through her, turning her knees to jelly.

“If you want to live, listen very carefully. I'm going to lower my hand, and you're going to be very quiet. Do you understand?”

She nodded. He dropped his hand, and she gasped in a breath.

Gripping her arms with both hands, he forced her to turn around and face him.

A shock wave jolted Penny. She'd seen this man before. He was one of the German prisoners who worked in the fields. Lydia's story of the planned prison escape rushed through her mind. “Are you Marius?”

His eyes flashed. “No, that fool wouldn't come with me.”

She pulled in a breath, trying to slow her racing heart. This was no time to show fear. If she wanted to gain the upper hand, it would take courage. She lifted her chin. “Who are you?”

“Never mind. I want a horse, and you're going to get one for me.”

“No!” She took a step back.

He lunged toward her, grabbed her arm, and flashed the knife. “You'll do as I say!”

She clenched her jaw. Her only chance to get away was to make him believe she intended to cooperate. “All right.”

He motioned toward the door with his chin. “Take me to the stables.”

Penny's mind spun. How could she distract him? Would anyone hear her if she screamed?

He loosened his hold on her arm as he reached for the door. This was her chance. She jerked away and banged into a stack of pots, sending them crashing to the floor.

He growled and lunged toward her with the knife. Pain pierced her upper arm, and she cried out. He grabbed hold of her again and shook her shoulder. “See what you've done!”

She wrapped her hand over her wounded arm, and warm, sticky blood coated her fingers. Tremors hit her legs, and her thoughts swirled.

“Let's go!” He pushed her out the door. “Take me to the stables, now!”

Penny's heart sank, and she led her captor down the path and out the wooden door on the far side of the garden.

Alex strolled into the great hall replaying his conversation with William, hope and new possibilities filling his mind. He could hardly wait to see Penny.

He and William walked over and stood in front of the fireplace to wait for the family. Several members of the staff lined up by the stairs. Mr. Lawrence stood at the head of the line with Mrs. Dalton beside him. Next came the footman, several housemaids, and the kitchen staff.

Chatter and footsteps sounded in the upper gallery. Julia came down the stairs with Dr. and Mrs. Foster, Sarah, Helen, Lydia, and the whole troop of children. Julia smiled at William and took her place beside him. The other adults and children took their places, forming a line. Lydia and Helen joined the staff across the hall.

The clock chimed nine. William turned to Julia. “Shall we wait for Jon and Penny?”

“Jon is staying upstairs with Kate this morning. I haven't seen Penny.” She looked across the hall. “Lydia, did you wake Miss Penny this morning?”

“Yes, m'lady. I helped her dress just after eight.” Lydia glanced toward the front door. “She said she was going to the garden and pick some flowers for Mrs. Kate. Maybe she's upstairs with her now.”

Julia frowned slightly. “I just checked on Kate before I came down. Penny wasn't with her.”

A prickle of unease traveled through Alex. It wasn't like Penny to miss the morning gathering.

“I suppose we'll go ahead, then.” William took the Bible from under his arm. “This morning I'll be reading from Psalm Ninety-One.” He flipped through the pages, then began reading. “ ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the
L
ORD,
He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.' ”

Footsteps sounded on the servants' stairs, and the door opened. Mr. McTavish stepped into the great hall. “Excuse me, sir, but I need to speak to you.”

“Come in.” William motioned him forward.

“There's been an escape from the prison camp.”

Lydia gasped and grabbed Helen's arm. Mrs. Dalton pursed her lips and sent her a stern look.

“Not to worry.” Mr. McTavish glanced Lydia's way, then turned back to William. “The prison-camp commander sent out search parties earlier this morning. He asked me to inform you that two guards have been assigned to patrol the estate.”

William nodded, concern shadowing his eyes.

“How many men escaped?” Lydia asked in a hushed, trembling voice.

“Just one. Schultz is his name, Siegfried Schultz. He was one of the fellows who worked here in the gardens.”

Alex tensed. He didn't like the sound of that. He turned to William. “I want to find Penny and make sure she's all right. I'll go outside and check the gardens.”

Andrew stepped forward. “I want to go with Alex.”

“So do we!” Donald, Tom, and Jack circled around Alex.

William closed the Bible. “I don't think Alex needs—”

“It's all right, sir. I could use four strong lads right now.” With the help of the boys, he could make a thorough search of the gardens.

“Very well.” William placed his hand on Andrew's shoulder, then looked at the other boys. “Stay together, and listen to Lieutenant Goodwin. This is no time for games or to wander off on your own. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” the boys' answers echoed around the group.

William looked across at the housekeeper. “Mrs. Dalton, will you and the maids search the house for Miss Penny?”

“Yes, sir.” The housekeeper and maids scurried off.

“Come with me.” Alex led the boys out the front door, and they set off around the side of the house. “Keep your eyes open.”

The boys hurried along, scanning the lawns and parkland as they strode down the path with Alex.

Had Penny simply lost track of time, or had something else happened? He set his jaw and quickened his pace, praying he'd find her in the garden and be able to put everyone's mind at ease.

He passed under the archway and followed the gravel path. Brick walls enclosed the garden on three sides, with the greenhouse creating the fourth wall. The plants and flowers were no more than three or four feet high, giving Alex a clear view of the entire area.

One sweeping gaze told him Penny was not there.

“Maybe she's in the greenhouse.” Andrew pointed to the long glass building on their left.

“Let's check.” Alex hustled down the path, with the boys close behind. They quickly searched the length of the greenhouse, looking under the shelves and out the rear door, but there was no sign of Penny.

Alex stepped out of the greenhouse and scanned the garden once more. All was quiet. Nothing seemed amiss, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

“Let's look on the terraces and west lawn.” Alex followed the path and passed under the archway. He glanced to the right—

A door stood slightly ajar.

He turned to Andrew. “What's in here?”

“Garden tools.”

Alex pushed open the door, and his breath hitched in his chest. Several broken pots lay shattered on the floor.

Andrew stepped up behind him. “That's not right.”

Alex's gaze darted around the room as he stepped inside. Large tools hung neatly on the wall, and smaller hand tools filled a few crates on the floor. Everything seemed to be in order except for the broken clay pots and a pair of garden clippers left on the potting bench.

“Look!” Donald stepped past Andrew and Alex. He knelt and touched a dark, wet spot on the floor. When he lifted his hand, the end of his finger was stained red.

Fearful questions tumbled through Alex's mind. Had a gardener cut his hand trying to clean up the broken pots, or had something more sinister happened here? “Let's head back to the house.”

“But we've got to find Penny.” Andrew's wide-eyed gaze darted around the room.

“She's not here. Let's go.” Alex ushered the boys out the door and hustled them down the path, trying to make sense of what he'd seen.

Was that Penny's blood on the floor?

He clenched his jaw and kept moving. They rounded the corner of the house, and he spotted Julia and her father standing outside the front door. Alex told the boys to wait by the steps, and he joined Julia and Dr. Foster. “Did you find Penny in the house?”

Julia shook her head, lines creasing her forehead. “No. They've looked everywhere.”

“There's no sign of her in the garden or the greenhouse, but we found blood on the floor in the tool room.”

“Blood?” Julia's eyes widened, and she darted a glance at her father.

“Not a lot, but it's fresh.” Alex kept his voice calm, but his mind and heart raced ahead. “Would anyone else be working in the tool room at this time of morning?”

“I don't believe so. Not yet.”

“We need to alert the authorities.” Dr. Foster's serious tone matched his expression.

Alex nodded and turned to Julia. “Where is William?”

“He went with Mr. McTavish to search the south parkland.” Julia looked in that direction.

Alex followed her gaze, but he didn't see the men. There was no time to waste. No matter whose blood was spilled on the tool-room floor, Penny was missing, and there was a dangerous man on the loose. “I'll search the area east of the house and check the stables.”

Dr. Foster nodded. “Jon and I can take a look north of the house, and then search west out to the road.”