from Scotland Yard, Eggleston.” Val indicated with a wave of his hand that they should follow Eversham’s instructions. “In this house, he can do as he likes.”
The guests murmured among themselves and were turning to go back into the drawing room when Eversham thought to do a head count. “Where is Mr. Thompson?”
Miss Barton turned back. “I haven’t seen him all afternoon. I thought perhaps he’d taken ill.” Her cheeks colored as she spoke. It was obvious that she’d developed a tender spot for Thompson.
Eversham thanked her, and when the rest of the guests were asked, none of them could account for the missing man either.
Once they were on their way upstairs again, Valentine said, “Perhaps she got an impulse to go for a walk?”
“No.” Caro’s earlier agitation had calmed somewhat. “Kate was quite firm about remaining indoors because you’d asked her to, Eversham.”
In this instance, Eversham thought with a sinking feeling, telling Katherine to remain at Thornfield may have put her in greater danger than if she’d left.
“What do you know about Thompson?” he asked Valentine as they neared the attics. “You said before that you met him in London?”
“Yes.” Val opened the door to the upper room. “I met him at my club. He’d expressed an interest in visiting the Lakes sometime before and I thought he’d make an interesting addition to the party.”
“But you don’t know anything about his family?” Eversham pressed. He thought about the young man’s hair, which was shot through with the same red highlights he’d seen in what remained of Reverend Hale’s natural color.
“No, nothing,” Val said as they stepped into the attics. “I didn’t think I needed to. We were introduced by mutual friends.”
“I think we may have found the missing Mr. Bastian Hale.” Eversham pushed past the other two to scan the room for any trace of Katherine.
“Dear God.” Caro’s voice betrayed every fear that Eversham felt. “Do you really think it’s him?”
“We’ve been wondering all day where he was.” Val clenched his fists. “And this whole time he’s been right here under our noses posing as Reeve Thompson.”
“He helped me search for Ludwig,” Caro said, coming to a stop in the middle of the attic floor. “I told him where she was. I said we were searching the attics and he disappeared.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Val told her. “It’s my fault for inviting him here in the first place. I should have known better than to invite a relative stranger into my home. And now Kate is in danger because of it.”
While they talked, Eversham moved to the corner of the attic where he recognized some of the crates and trunks from the folly. His eyes lit on the trunk Kate had hurt her finger on and had to look away before the ache of the memory could assail him. He didn’t have time for sentiment now. He had to think clearly so that he could find her.
“Look.” Val strode forward and handed him a page. “It was attached with this to the wall.”
Valentine held up a small knife. Eversham cursed.
He looked at the page and saw it was one of Philbrick’s poems, The Maze.
“Is there a maze on this property?” he asked, his anxiety for Katherine growing by the minute.
“We saw it on our way to the folly.” Caro took the note from Val before returning it. “It’s mostly grown over now.”
“There are ways to get in if you know where to look,” Valentine said, handing the note back to Eversham. “Come, I’ll take you.”
This man and his sister had already killed multiple times. They’d kidnapped Katherine to set a trap for him. He had no intention of letting her, or anyone else, get hurt because of him.
“Give me the knife.” When Val handed it over, Eversham asked, “Do you have any weapons of your own in the house?”
“Any number of them in the gun room for hunting,” the other man answered.
They were already striding out of the attics and into the hallway when Caro called out. “Wait! I have an idea.”
Biting back impatience, Eversham turned, gesturing for her to hurry up.
“Bastian isn’t stupid,” Caro said. “The entire time we’ve been searching for him, he’s been right under our noses. If you go barging in demanding he hand over Kate, he’ll be ready for you.”
“I don’t care,” Eversham said. “All that matters is getting her away from him alive and in one piece.”
“Think, Eversham. You need to do something to put him off balance.”
“What do you have in mind,