Chapter Text
Alexander stood at the study window, watching the black storm clouds rolling in. The storm would be here in minutes. He was glad for the rain, as it had been an extremely dry fall and the grounds were in dire need of moisture. Until he heard a voice behind him.
“Mr. Colbourne! It’s Miss Leonora. She is nowhere to be found!”
Alexander froze for a moment, hoping he was dreaming and could wake himself. The last time he heard those words, only a few months prior, his daughter had run away. He turned toward the door to see Mrs. Wheatley, and Augusta behind her, both with grave looks on their faces.
“Gone? In this weather?” His voice trembled from the sudden surge of fear.
“No one has seen her since luncheon. We’ve looked everywhere and there is no trace in the house.”
“Where could she have gone? Did she say anything to you, Augusta?”
She shook her head. “I… I don’t know. Nothing really. We’ve barely argued at all this week.”
“Augusta, you must think!” Colbourne pried gently. “What happened between you recently? Anything out of the ordinary? Anything at all?”
“Perhaps…” She hesitated, then shook her head again. “It’s not possible…”
“Tell me.” Alexander inadvertently growled his response, though he was trying his best not to lose patience with his niece.
“When we went to the beach, she said she saw Miss Heywood in a carriage.. I told her she just imagined it.”
Alexander felt a twinge in his heart at the sound of her name. “Was it her?”
“I don’t know…I was reading and just ignored her.” She wiped a tear away with the back of her hand.
Alexander’s heart dropped as he realized it was his fault. Again. “She asked me at bedtime last night if we could go see Miss Heywood and I said we wouldn’t be seeing her anymore. But if Miss Heywood is in town again…”
His eyes flashed with fear. “Leo must have gone anyway.”
Mrs. Wheatley gasped. “Then you have not a moment to lose, sir!”
Alexander grabbed his coat off the back of his chair and ran between them out into the hall.
Augusta called after him, “What should we do, Uncle?”
“Watch for her in case she comes back!”
As he sprinted out to the stables, he already felt the pinpricks of rain on his skin. His heart pounded so hard his hands shook as he saddled Hannibal. The two set off like lightning, Hannibal understanding his master’s urgency as though they were one.
Alexander searched the horizon frantically as he rode, looking for any sign of his daughter. Water began to puddle across the unwelcoming terrain, the extended drought preventing it from penetrating the soil. If he didn’t hurry, the rain would wash out the path and flood the low ground. He prayed Leo made it to town safely.