way, but it must be important to the quest if Laodamia has written about it. No, you must go, Hastings. And keep your wits about you and the childrenclose. I do see Madame Lafitte and her daughter being found, but the path before you is fraught with danger. So please be careful. And Eva of course will come to stay with me while you are all away. I also must insist that you allow me to invite the lovely Madam Dimbleby to my flat for the duration of her recovery, the poor dear. To have gone through such suffering these last few days! I shall make special arrangements for her to travel in my own railcar, where she will be well tended on the trip to London.”
Ian couldn’t help smiling at the smug look on Theo’s face when Lady Arbuthnot said all that, but Carl looked depressed about leaving Eva behind, and that made Ian a bit less amused.
As they were taking their leave, Thatcher came into the parlor and handed the earl his port pass. “You’ll have to leave before the next shipment arrives from France,” he said. “Four a.m.”
The earl took the pass and thanked Thatcher. He then looked at Ian and said, “We’ll meet here at half past three, Ian. Make sure everyone is packed and ready to depart, and please, tell Jaaved to get some rest tonight. Even though he has assured me that he has piloted many a boat in his own land and that he is a most capable sailor, I’ve much to teach him about the rigging and navigation to Le Havre.”
When they arrived back at the keep, they were all astonished by the number of wounded soldiers now filling the dozens and dozens of cots in the front half of the orphanage. Nurses and doctors hurried about and the keep no longer looked or seemed like a home for children; it seemed like afull-fledged hospital. As they made their way through the throng to the stairs, they were all shocked when they nearly bumped right into Madam Dimbleby.
“Madam!” Ian gasped when he saw her. “You’re up and about!”
The frail woman offered him the faintest of smiles. “Dr. Lineberry insisted I attempt a few paces today,” she said weakly. “I agreed, but I’m still quite angry at him for not allowing me to attend Gertie’s funeral.” Madam began to tear up at the mention of her cousin, and Ian took her hand and lent her some support. “There, there,” he said gently, motioning to Theo and Carl to go on up ahead of him. “Let’s walk you back to your bed, shall we? And I’ll personally tell the good doctor that you followed his instructions to the letter.”
But when Ian had led the way back to Madam’s room, he discovered it filling up quickly with the wounded. “Oh, my,” said Madam Dimbleby, pulling her robe closer about her.
Ian grimaced. These men certainly needed the space, but this was, after all, Madam Dimbleby’s room. He nearly put his foot down, but then he thought of the kind Lady Arbuthnot’s invitation and he decided there was no better time than the present.
Slowly and carefully he worked the headmistress over to a chair near the door, told her he’d be back straightaway, and dashed out to find Landis. Once he’d told the groundskeeper his predicament, Landis agreed to get out his bicycle and make haste to Castle Dover.
Within a half hour a car from the earl’s fleet had arrivedand Ian was helping the frail woman into the motorcar with a small satchel of her belongings. “Eva will be with you to keep you company at Lady Arbuthnot’s,” he told her. “And don’t worry about us. We’ll be well enough.”
Ian’s throat tightened when he saw Madam’s lower lip tremble. She looked up at him with sad eyes. “Was the funeral beautiful, Ian?”
Ian swallowed past the large lump in his throat. “It was indeed, ma’am. Madam Scargill would have been most pleased.”
He stepped away then and closed the door, wishing never to see that look on Madam Dimbleby’s face again.
ACROSS THE WATER TO SAVE TWO SOULS
I an felt as if he had just closed his eyes when he
Ian couldn’t help smiling at the smug look on Theo’s face when Lady Arbuthnot said all that, but Carl looked depressed about leaving Eva behind, and that made Ian a bit less amused.
As they were taking their leave, Thatcher came into the parlor and handed the earl his port pass. “You’ll have to leave before the next shipment arrives from France,” he said. “Four a.m.”
The earl took the pass and thanked Thatcher. He then looked at Ian and said, “We’ll meet here at half past three, Ian. Make sure everyone is packed and ready to depart, and please, tell Jaaved to get some rest tonight. Even though he has assured me that he has piloted many a boat in his own land and that he is a most capable sailor, I’ve much to teach him about the rigging and navigation to Le Havre.”
When they arrived back at the keep, they were all astonished by the number of wounded soldiers now filling the dozens and dozens of cots in the front half of the orphanage. Nurses and doctors hurried about and the keep no longer looked or seemed like a home for children; it seemed like afull-fledged hospital. As they made their way through the throng to the stairs, they were all shocked when they nearly bumped right into Madam Dimbleby.
“Madam!” Ian gasped when he saw her. “You’re up and about!”
The frail woman offered him the faintest of smiles. “Dr. Lineberry insisted I attempt a few paces today,” she said weakly. “I agreed, but I’m still quite angry at him for not allowing me to attend Gertie’s funeral.” Madam began to tear up at the mention of her cousin, and Ian took her hand and lent her some support. “There, there,” he said gently, motioning to Theo and Carl to go on up ahead of him. “Let’s walk you back to your bed, shall we? And I’ll personally tell the good doctor that you followed his instructions to the letter.”
But when Ian had led the way back to Madam’s room, he discovered it filling up quickly with the wounded. “Oh, my,” said Madam Dimbleby, pulling her robe closer about her.
Ian grimaced. These men certainly needed the space, but this was, after all, Madam Dimbleby’s room. He nearly put his foot down, but then he thought of the kind Lady Arbuthnot’s invitation and he decided there was no better time than the present.
Slowly and carefully he worked the headmistress over to a chair near the door, told her he’d be back straightaway, and dashed out to find Landis. Once he’d told the groundskeeper his predicament, Landis agreed to get out his bicycle and make haste to Castle Dover.
Within a half hour a car from the earl’s fleet had arrivedand Ian was helping the frail woman into the motorcar with a small satchel of her belongings. “Eva will be with you to keep you company at Lady Arbuthnot’s,” he told her. “And don’t worry about us. We’ll be well enough.”
Ian’s throat tightened when he saw Madam’s lower lip tremble. She looked up at him with sad eyes. “Was the funeral beautiful, Ian?”
Ian swallowed past the large lump in his throat. “It was indeed, ma’am. Madam Scargill would have been most pleased.”
He stepped away then and closed the door, wishing never to see that look on Madam Dimbleby’s face again.
ACROSS THE WATER TO SAVE TWO SOULS
I an felt as if he had just closed his eyes when he
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