Page 61 of No Place in Time

Nicholas was quiet for a moment. He set his cup down with deliberate care, his eyes fixed on the table as if choosing his words.

“Has he not found you yet? Yes, my lady, he returned. Months ago. Early summer last, I think it was.”

The room seemed to sway. He was alive. Cecily set the cup down before she dropped it.

“He came back?”

“Yes. He looked half-wild. Asked me how long he’d been gone, what year it was.” Nicholas shook his head. “The lad seemed lost, if I’m honest.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I told him the truth. That you waited for him as long as you could. That you walked to the woods every morning, looking for him.” Nicholas’s voice was gentle. “And then I told him about the man who came in the carriage. The one who took you south.”

Cecily’s throat tightened. “What did he say?”

“He asked where you’d gone. I told him south, Kentward. He left that same day.” Nicholas leaned forward. “He was eager, quite desperate, to find you.”

She had to press her lips together hard to keep from smiling like a fool in front of Master Nicholas. He’d come back. He’d come looking for her. All this time, she thought he’d abandoned her. That he’d left and forgotten her.

“Did he say where he was going?” she asked.

“No, only south. To find you.” Nicholas paused.

“I haven’t seen him since he disappeared,” Cecily said, her eyes burning.

When she rose to leave, she pressed a small purse of coins into Master Nicholas’s hands.

“For everything you did for us,” she said.

Nicholas tried to refuse, but she closed his fingers over the purse.

“Please. It’s not enough, but please take it.”

He nodded, his eyes warm. “He’ll find you, child. I saw his face. Finn won’t stop until he does.”

∞∞∞

The journey back felt shorter. Cecily barely noticed the jolting or the passing landscape. Her mind was too full. The anger she’d been holding onto for so long had simply run out, like a fire with nothing left to burn. Beneath it was something more raw, more painful. Longing. Desperation. And fear.

If he’d been searching for months, where was he now? Why hadn’t he shown up at Malethurst?

Unless something had happened to him. Unless he was hurt, or lost, or—

She couldn’t let herself think it. He was searching for her. That was all that mattered.

∞∞∞

By the time the carriage rolled back through the gates of Malethurst, dusk had fallen. Cecily climbed down, stiff from the long ride.

Uncle Stephen was waiting in the hall.

“Did you see the physician?” he asked. “And all is well?”

“Yes, Uncle. Thank you for arranging it.”

“Good, good.” He smiled. “Julian sent word. He’ll be coming tomorrow to discuss the final arrangements. The banns will be read this Sunday.”

The banns. Three weeks of public announcement before the wedding. After that, there would be no escape.