Chapter 59
Harper closed the book. Her head was pounding. The headache that had subsided earlier was back with a fury. Outside, Harper could hear the wind screaming around the manor. She checked her phone to see an alert from the GeoRata app:
Waves in excess of twenty feet in open water at the following coordinates
Harper texted Murphy:
All good down there?
The ellipses blinked an incoming reply:
Lady Bell sent out the alert, Einar got Hedy and Sven, we’re good for now. Sheriff is setting up storm shelters at the meeting hall and clinic.
Harper set the phone down. There was an urgency hanging in the air.
Suddenly she heard a splintering crash from below and a high-pitched scream.
Harper jumped to her feet and ran down the library steps to the main floor.
Scattered papers covered Nora Grey’s table, but the room was empty.
Harper ran down the hallway on legs numb from inactivity.
In the foyer, the cats had retreated to the grand stairway as shattered glass covered the dark wood floor.
A staff girl stood among them, her face frozen with shock.
A tree branch jutted through one of the stained-glass side panels on the front door.
Brightly colored shards were sprayed around the floor, catching the light from the sconces.
An exhausted and bedraggled looking Anna stood in the open doorway, the wind screaming behind her.
She quickly entered the space, followed by Carl, the young man whom Harper had met on her very first night at Bell. She closed the door behind her.
“Well, hells,” Anna said in a flat voice. “Carl, get this branch out of here; there’s plywood sheets in the shop, we need to patch this fast.” She looked at Harper. “Like what we’ve done with the place?”
Harper was interrupted by Lady Bell running in from the kitchen, followed by Nigel.
“Anyone hurt?” she said with urgency.
Harper shook her head. “I’m fine. Anna?”
“No injuries except to the glass.” Anna surveyed the damage. “It’s a hot mess out there. We’ll get it patched and cleaned up.”
Lady Bell nodded. “Let me know what you need.” And she retreated back to the kitchen with Nigel following. The staff girl came running with dustpans and brooms. Harper took one from her hands and started sweeping up the brightly colored glass.
“Oh, Harper, you don’t have …” the girl started, and Harper waved her silent.
“I want to. Let me help. Especially before one of these guys gets glass in a paw.”
The girl nodded and looked at the huddled mass of felines on the stairs. Together they swept the space as Anna and Carl pulled the tree limb free and patched the break with a slab of plywood. Thirty minutes later, they all stood staring at each other, the cats milling around their ankles.
“Coffee,” Harper said.
“I wish,” Anna replied, and looked at Carl. “Radio grounds crew and get them to the east wing garden, we need to reinforce the netting on the orchard. This is way stronger than we planned for.” She looked at Harper. “You good?”
Harper nodded. “Anything I can do?”
Anna shook her head. “I have a whole crew running mad around here, just don’t go climbing any trees.”
Harper felt a flush creep up from her neck, and she swallowed hard, trying to contain her embarrassment. Anna regarded her with soft amusement. “You wear your insides on your outside, Harper Hafdóttir.”
“You’ve been practicing,” Harper replied, meeting her gaze.
“Maybe.” Anna gave her one last look and turned to Carl, who was watching the both of them with a suppressed grin. “Go, work,” she said with mock frustration. She turned to Harper. “Later.”
Harper waved as they disappeared out the door.
She found the kitchen empty, but the coffee was fresh and waiting.
Harper poured herself a mug and stirred in sugar.
Her mind was swirling. She didn’t know why, but she needed to finish the story in front of her.
The storm was forcing her to do so. The words waiting on the wind outside.
She drank the coffee as she stood at the window watching the wind and rain.
She set the cup to the sink and returned to the library.