Serafina and the Black Cloak - Robert Beatty Page 0,85

perhaps you could take your footmen and go west.” Braeden turned to the dog handlers. “When I put Gidean on Serafina’s scent, he ran straight north, so that’s where we’ll try to pick up her trail.…” Braeden turned in his saddle and pointed in that direction.

And there he stopped.

At that moment, when Serafina knew Braeden would see her, she stepped out of the woods.

Unsure of what he was seeing at first, Braeden lifted his reins, pivoted his horse, and looked out across the lawn toward the trees. His eyes found her, and a smile spread across his face. She could see his relief and happiness.

“Who is that?” Mr. Vanderbilt asked in confusion.

“Is that the girl we’re looking for?” Mrs. Vanderbilt asked.

Everyone turned toward Serafina and looked at her as she stood at the edge of the forest in her torn gown. Today, she wasn’t hiding. For the first time in her life, she was being truly seen, seen by everyone. She stood there and just waited for them to understand what they were seeing. There was amazement in their expressions, not just from the presence of a lone girl standing at the edge of the woods, but also because of what stood beside her—a large, full-grown mountain lion. Serafina’s bare hand lay on the lioness’s neck, touching the animal, holding her. The mountain lion wasn’t just there, but with her, strong and silent at her side.

On her other side stood a black Doberman. Gidean. The dog’s shoulder was gashed and red with blood, but he stood strong and proud with the knowledge that he had fought his battle and won.

Braeden smiled. “I knew you’d find her, boy,” he said under his breath.

When a young lad in a coachman’s jacket stepped out of the woods and stood beside Serafina, expressions of surprise and disbelief and happiness spread across the faces of the search party. Then a young blond girl came out. Then several more children. Soon, a whole group of children stood with her and her two animal companions at the edge of the forest.

For a long moment, no one moved or said a word. No one could believe what they were seeing.

Then the little white dog leapt out of Mr. Rostonov’s arms and ran as fast as its legs would take it. Everyone watched in stunned silence as the dog ran barking across the lawn and leapt joyfully into the arms of a raven-haired girl who laughed and hugged and kissed the little dog with abandon.

“Anastasia!” Mr. Rostonov cried out.

Anastasia Rostonova ran to her papa. They kissed each other on both cheeks, then she threw her arms around him and cried in desperate happiness. The sight of Mr. Rostonov finally reuniting with his long-lost daughter made Serafina want to cheer.

“There’s my boy!” Nolan’s father shouted and pointed. “Come on,” he told the others. “It’s the children! They’re safe! They’re all safe!”

Nolan embraced his father as the other stablemen patted the boy on his back, congratulating him on his safe return, and Serafina could see how pleased Braeden was that Nolan was all right.

Clara Brahms ran to her mother and father and swept her arms around them.

“Oh dear, oh dear, you’re finally here,” Mrs. Brahms cried as she held her little girl. “We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

As the lost children and their parents came together in joyful embrace, Serafina remained standing at the edge of the forest with the lioness. Her mother had been living in the forest for many years, and she was not yet ready to rejoin the world of humans, especially with a den full of new young cubs to care for. My brothers and sisters, Serafina thought, with a smile. She saw her mother staring at the great house, studying the crowd of people and dogs and horses gathered in front of it. Then her mother turned and looked at her. Serafina looked back at her, and she understood what she was thinking. As the lioness nuzzled her, Serafina hugged her, and kissed her, and ran her hands across her powerful shoulders. “I’ll see you soon, Momma,” she said. “I’ll come to the den.” Then the lioness turned to the trees and disappeared into the underbrush.

When Serafina looked toward the estate again, Braeden was riding toward her, and she couldn’t help but take a breath when she saw him coming. He dismounted and dropped the reins. He stood in front of her and looked at her, and for what seemed like a long time, he did