Beyond a Doubt - By Felicia Rogers Page 0,58
laid the prepared note upon the unoccupied pillow. She had scrawled out a hastily written letter in an effort to explain her actions.
Lucy yearned for Bryce’s understanding. As the scenery passed by, she breathed deeply. Right about now Bryce would be waking to an empty house. Would he ever understand why she ran away? Would he ever forgive her?
****
No doubt the woman took pride in the merry goose chase she’d led him on. Imagine leaving by horse in the wee morning hours and traveling all the way to Portsmouth. Why, several times the young lady had come within a hair’s breadth of breaking her neck. She followed no known paths, but seemed to create her own way.
They’d reached the town in record time. Gustav had followed her onto the boat. The crossing was his least favorite thing to do. The sway of the boat made him sick, and most of the time he spent the entire trip leaning over the rails. But not so with this excursion.
The focus of this trip, to watch Lucille Lombard, kept him occupied. Not only did the woman fit the accounts of L.L., but her behavior after Olga’s revelation had been erratic and suspicious.
Bile rose in his throat as the waves shifted. He clutched the railing, his hands white with tension. The young lady moved away and joined a large crowd. Gustav wasn’t fooled. To put her suspicions to rest, he moved farther back but not out of sight. He found a place to sit and rested.
His behind ached from the hours of riding. Imagine taking a boat across the Channel at this hour? The moon lit the way. Hopefully the captain of the vessel could read the stars and his instruments, or they could be thrown off course and land at the wrong destination. Her bravery despite this possibility testified to the fact that Miss Lombard fit the description of their spy.
He needed a way to approach her and gain her trust. Little did she know they needed each other. They were on the same side. Fear and hiding for so long kept her wary of everyone.
When the boat approached Caen, France, Gustav was determined to reach the woman and tell her his identity. But he was too late.
She fled the boat as soon as it touched land. He found himself running along behind her hackney. With no way to find where she went and no way to catch up, Gustav realized they were doomed.
****
Morning dawned. Bryce jumped from the bed. Today he would declare his intentions and demand a response. No more of this dancing around each other.
With breakfast prepared and placed on a tray, Bryce carried the items toward Lucy’s room. The first step in the hallway alerted him. Something was wrong. The house was too quiet. Every footfall echoed. Every breath taken came back to him as if in a hollow room.
Tray balanced, Bryce continued. He glanced into the open doorways, which revealed ransacked rooms in need of repair. Lucy hadn’t been in the house long enough to even pick-up her scattered clothing.
He found it harder to breathe as he edged closer to Lucy’s room. The bedroom door was open. From the hallway he saw the empty bed. Her cloak was gone. The blue silk bag that held the fan no longer sat on the side table. The tray slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor.
A vague memory filtered through his mind. He remembered the touch of a warm hand and a familiar scent drifting over him while he’d slept.
Bryce rushed back to his bedroom and spotted the piece of paper. How had he missed seeing it this morning? His fingers trembled as he grasped it. He unfolded it carefully until it opened completely. He lit a candle for extra light and illuminated the scrawled words.
Bryce,
Thank you for your continual assistance but this is not your fight. You never agreed to rescue anyone, but I did. You must understand that my life will never change. I must complete my mission. I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Feel free to return to Scotland and become a sheep farmer with Crissy by your side. I’ve come to realize I’m not who you need. Keep safe. You will forever remain in my heart and prayers…
Lucy
The air in the room suddenly felt thick. The paper drifted to the floor as Bryce punched his fist into the bedroom wall, and winced in pain.
“Blast it all!”
Uncommon anger