Chapter One #3
Before them stretched a quiet meadow, the grass waving softly in a gentle breeze. The forest was directly across from them. He smiled down at her before urging his horse into a canter. She followed but soon passed him, which he let her.
“How far into the forest is his hideaway?” she asked.
Will looked ahead at a path leading into the wooded area. “It’s a good piece. That’s why it’s hard to find.”
She pointed up at the sky. At a distance, the sky was rapidly changing to dark gray. “I think we should save it for another day.”
Will peered up at the changing sky and nodded. “You’re right. A storm must be coming in. We should get back to the manor before we get soaked.”
“If you go to the left, doesn’t the meadow end up near the stables?” she asked.
“Yes.” A rumbling sound came from deep within him as he chuckled. “I forget you and Jane spend a lot of time together, so you know the estate fairly well.”
She smiled broadly and she turned her gelding and began to coax him into a quick trot. Will sat there and let her get a good headstart before urging his mount forward. He heard her giggle as he came closer, making her own mount go faster.
Soon the stables were within sight, their familiar outlines promising shelter from the coming storm.
Will quickly found a groom and told him to meet them at the kitchen door.
He was beginning to feel drops of rain and knew if they walked from here they’d be soaked by the time they arrived at the house.
He helped Margaret down before handing a young boy both horses, telling him a groom was on the way.
They ducked into the kitchen, the smells overwhelming, before he realized they hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Will asked Cook to fix something easy for them and to have it delivered to the breakfast room.
“I really should change, Will,” Margaret said as he led her into the small dining room.
“You can do it after.” He grinned. “Besides, I rather like that color on you.”
They had barely sat down at the table when Jane popped her head in. “You made it back before the storm,” she said. “Where did you go?”
“We were going to go to the beach, but the tide was in. So, Will took me to the lake with the ruined house.”
“Will, you took her to that depressing place?” Jane asked, a horrified look on her face.
He began to say something, but Margaret answered first. “I asked him to, and I didn’t find it depressing. Sad, perhaps, but not anything more.” She eyed Will, remembering she wasn’t to let on Will had told her the entire story of the house and their father’s disappearance.
Lunch consisted of a plate of roasted chicken, crusty bread, cheese, and some fruits. A pot of freshly brewed tea accompanied the meal.
“It’s a pity there isn’t an easier way to get to the house,” Jane said, adding, “Swimming really isn’t an option unless you’re a strong swimmer. Will doesn’t know how to swim and doesn’t like being in deep water.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Will interjected.
“What’s not true?” Jane asked. “The part of you being afraid of deep water or not being able to swim well?”
Margaret glanced at Will from across the table. “I would think the two go hand in hand. If you can’t swim strongly, of course you would be afraid of deep water.”
Jane nodded. “That’s an excellent observation, isn’t it, Will?”
“I think we need to change the subject,” he replied without looking up from his food.
The subject was quickly changed as Jane and Margaret began to prattle on about the afternoon’s activities now that a storm appeared to be arriving for the remainder of the day.
A few moments later, after finishing his lunch, Will rose from his chair. “If you ladies will excuse me, I have some things that need my attention in my study.” He bent over and grabbed two pieces of cheddar before walking out.
Margaret and Jane had been so involved in their conversation they scarcely heard Will leave.
Once he arrived at his study, he sat down at his desk and began reading a letter from his solicitor received yesterday. He wanted to reread it once again to make sure he’d read it right. He scanned the letter first and then began reading it in depth.
Did he dare tell anyone about this? Everyone, from his mother to Jane and Nick, had settled back into life and he didn’t feel that right now he should upset everything they knew.
If he found this to be more than a possibility, he would call a family meeting.
Until then, he’d keep it to himself. His next move would be to reply to Tyler Smyth, his solicitor, and have him look into the matter without involving anyone else in the family.
After writing a letter to Smyth, Will stood and took the letter from the lawyer to the fire and threw it in to destroy it.
The less information that existed in this house the better.
He didn’t want either of his siblings to run upon it by chance or, in Nick’s case, deliberately.
His younger brother loved to snoop in places he shouldn’t.
He then walked over to his sideboard and poured himself a whiskey from one of the decanters. He drank it in one gulp, poured another, and went back to his desk. He called a footman, and the letter soon left his hands and was on its way to London.