Beyond a Doubt - By Felicia Rogers Page 0,57

for several minutes. When they drew apart Bryce said, “I love ye.” Tears coursed down her face and he wiped them away. “I would never have realized it had I not been drownin’ in the river and ye hadn’t come to my rescue.”

Lucy remained silent, the tears now a steady stream.

“Why don’t ye rest while I fix something to eat and prepare ye a room?”

Lucy nodded.

The rest of the afternoon Bryce worked. Happily he cooked, cleaned, and prepared a safe place for Lucy to sleep. At least Bryce figured it was safe. The men had not returned in a few days. Hopefully they assumed what they sought wasn’t here. Little did they know it had been under their noses the entire time.

They enjoyed dinner in silence. Lucy didn’t comment on his simple cooking skills, or anything else. During the entire meal, Bryce stared at Lucy’s flushed face.

When the meal ended, Bryce led Lucy to her room, opened her door, and enjoyed her gasp of surprise. The room was tidy. The covers on her bed were soft and inviting. Yet still she said nothing.

After leaving her to rest, Bryce returned to his own room. Turning down the coverlet, Bryce crawled between the cool covers. Once settled, he realized Lucy hadn’t uttered one word all afternoon.

Chapter Forty-Six

Olga and Max tiptoed around each other all day. Max was still angry. They waited to see if she had been right. Gustav had followed the young Fraulein with hopefulness. No word had come yet.

“Where is he? We’ve been waiting all day.”

With knitting in her hands, and not looking up, Olga responded, “Patience, Max.”

“Olga, how can I be patient!”

Olga didn’t answer, and she glanced out the window for any sign of her brother’s coming. The midday meal came and went and still no Gustav. As the evening sun descended, a knock happened upon the door. Max reached the entrance first. She hung back, hiding.

“Guten tag. I mean, hullo?”

“Good evening, sir,” said a small child outside the entry, ignoring the accidental slip into Max’s native tongue.

“Good evening,” repeated Max. Olga peered around the corner. With the greeting reciprocated, the young lad passed over a slip of paper, tipped his hat, and scampered off.

Olga stared at Max as he unfolded the paper. When he finished reading, Max glanced at her. The paper fluttered to the ground as Max said, “Gustav is gone.”

****

The waves pushed the small boat to and fro. Lucy grasped the rail and held it tightly between her white fingers. Water sprayed and splashed up the sides, washing over her face. Anyone watching wouldn’t be able to find where the tears ended and the spray began. Couples moved aside as they passed her sobbing frame. She didn’t try to stifle the flow of tears as crying kept many curious souls at bay.

Bryce had done so much, too much. The man had his whole life ahead of him. Her life had already been determined; her destiny was to save people from death. After she contacted the Admiral, there would surely be another Joshua, and the whole process would begin again. There was always someone in danger.

As Lucy peered longingly across the Channel, she felt someone watching her. She turned to see a man with a piece of straw between his teeth. He appeared to casually glance at her then shifted his gaze to the disappearing English coast.

This was her first trip across the Channel alone, so she was already nervous. The way that man tried to hide that he was watching her added to her fear, and Lucy tightened her cloak about her. Moving ever so slightly, she joined a group of fellow travelers. Within a few steps, Lucy blended with them, accepted without question.

The group moved en masse and Lucy stayed with them. The man trailed behind them. Lucy smiled and pretended not to notice. She discreetly watched her follower for the entire journey.

The boat arrived at the French harbor and as the passengers disembarked, Lucy hurried off, constantly looking over her shoulder. The man following her kept up with her, even though she increased her pace. She acquired a carriage almost immediately, faring well as a lone woman traveling to Caen. She took a quick glance back at the man, who looked stunned as he watched her ride away.

Leaning her head against the padded cushion, she tried to relax. Each time her mind eased, thoughts of what she’d left behind haunted her.

Bryce had been sound asleep, snoring innocently.

With trepidation, she’d slunk into his room and