Caught in the Storm of a Duke's - Abby Ayles Page 0,16
a promise, and I intend to keep it. We shall find him again, and we shall take him home to his family. It is the very least I can do.”
She paused to draw in a shaky breath. “However, we must find a place to rest soon. I can feel my toes and fingers beginning to grow numb. I am afraid I truly might not be able to move soon.”
Just then, she heard Amy gasp and turned to see what the matter was.
“My lady,” Amy said, looking up at something in the near distance.
Judith turned in that direction, her curiosity getting the better of her. As she did, she too gasped at the sight her eyes beheld.
“I think we might have just found shelter. The Lord does answer prayers!”
“That he does, Amy. That He most certainly does!”
They could not see the house entirely from where they stood. Still, they knew it was there. Just a matter of yards away.
With their strength renewed, they quickened their pace and walked towards what, the closer they drew to the building, appeared be a castle.
Finally, they came to a halt just before the giant gates. They stood there awhile, taking in the sight. An air of ancient grandeur hung about the place, yet at the same time, it felt strangely ominous.
“There is something odd about this place,” Amy whispered.
Judith couldn’t agree more.
The gate was huge, beyond any she had ever laid eyes upon. It was iron wrought, with the name DUNHAM inscribed boldly upon it.
Strong brick walls held it in place, just as tall and seemingly impenetrable as the gate itself.
Save for the gate, the high walls would have made it impossible to see the castle that lay behind. It, too, was massive and built to a design unlike any she was familiar with.
It certainly wasn’t the common architecture of the era; this was different.
“It feels as if it doesn’t belong here. As though it came out of a fairytale,” Judith whispered in return.
“Precisely. My lady, do you suppose our minds have gone mad from the cold, and we are now seeing things that aren’t there?”
For the first time since the storm had crashed upon them the day before, Judith cracked a genuine smile. She turned to Amy and shook her head.
“Your imagination can be wild, Amy. Thankfully, I do not think this … castle is a fantasy. It does look real.”
“It feels eerie. It’s too quiet, as though not a soul lives here. Perhaps we should continue trying to find the village and seek shelter in a less … grand dwelling.”
Amy started to turn, but Judith stopped her, still shivering.
“My feet have gone numb, as well. It is only a matter of time before my entire body joins them. Something tells me whoever lives here, this … Dunham, is perhaps, the lord of this village. Would it not be better to seek hospitality directly from the hands of the one in authority himself? I venture he would be in a better position to help us, do you not?”
She watched Amy struggle with a decision.
“I suppose you are right, my lady. Still, I must say, I do not like the feel of this place one bit.”
Just then, a man appeared by the gate, startling them both.
It took Judith a moment to recover, but her heart continued to beat wildly in her chest.
“Pardon me, ladies. I did not mean to scare you. However, I must ask your business. I see that you have been standing here awhile. Is there someone you wish to see?”
Judith appraised the man, just as he appraised them. He was dressed in fancy clothing from head to toe. Hat, a cane, a ruffled shirt, silk cravat, a dark-blue coat, and hessian boots.
All his clothing was darkly colored save for the shirt he wore. It looked to be pale gray, but it was difficult to tell from a distance.
He was clearly elderly. Judith surmised he might be the butler. No lord would tend his gate himself, and no guard would dress so finely.
Clearing her throat, she tried to straighten her shoulders, summoning up that air of confident authority inherent in her class and social status.
“Good day, kind sir. No, we are not here to see anyone. We do not know who lives here. We are, in fact, lost. We suffered a terrible carriage accident yesterday in the storm, and our driver was killed.” She paused, giving a moment of silence in the dead man’s honor.