The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson (grave mercy .TXT) 📕

The sound of a scuffle drew my attention to the corner of the room where I caught a flash of white. “What was that?”

Seline followed me to the far side of the bed where I leaned down to peek beneath the bedside table. There in the shadowshid a snowy white cat. Carefully I reached underneath the table and was rewarded with a touch of soft, velvet fur. The cathesitated at first, but soon enough she allowed me to scoop her into my arms.

I turned to Seline, cradling the animal. “What a darling.”

Seline waved her arms in the air as I approached. “Get that curst thing away from me. I cannot tolerate animals. Mama banishedthe beast from the house, but she keeps finding her way back inside, if for no other reason than to terrorize me.”

The cat nestled her head against my shoulder, a low purr vibrating against my chest.

Seline seemed to shiver as she backed away. “Hugh should have known I would hate it when he gifted her to me last year.” Hervoice lightened. “You remember Hugh, don’t you? He lives on an estate just to the south.”

Certainly I remembered Hugh. She’d mentioned him as a possible suitor for me just moments ago—one of the less picky ones.He’d also been a staple at our pretend garden parties. It seemed he hadn’t lost the affection he’d acquired the day he andSeline spent at the river. “Is he still a good friend of yours?”

“A silly one, but a friend nonetheless.”

There was an edge to her voice that had seemed to grow over the course of the conversation. She wandered to the window again, this time thrusting back the drapes. She fell motionless for a split second, and then her mouth fell open.

“Oh my goodness. He must have returned sooner than I thought.”

She was breathless as she spun back against the wall. “What shall I do? He’ll hear about Miles and everything I’ve plannedwill be lost.” She narrowed her eyes. “Unless . . .”

I laid the cat on the bed. “Unless what? He who?”

She pressed her hands to her cheeks, her gaze darting around the room. “It might work. It just might work.” She stalked overand grasped my shoulders. “Stay here, and you must tell no one you’ve seen me this evening. Do you understand?”

I glanced at the darkened window. “Why? What do you mean to do at this hour? Who are you talking about returning home?”

“I cannot say at present, but I believe it will prove just the thing.” She snapped her fingers. “Quickly, have you a blackcloak in your wardrobe?”

“A cloak? Never tell me you mean to leave the house.”

“All right, I won’t tell you.” She scampered to the looking glass, her fingers wild in her hair as she tugged and pulled eacherrant strand back into place.

I stood helplessly in the center of the rug, holding my hands out in front of me. “Seline?”

She glanced over her shoulder, a sly smile across her face. “So do you have the cloak or not?”

“I do in my trunk, but I cannot let you leave the house, not like this.”

“Don’t be such a prude. It’s not like I haven’t gone out at night alone before. I know full well what I’m doing.” She laughed. “Besides, I haven’t much of a reputation left to protect.” Then her face changed, and she crossed her arms. “Listen, I do not dare risk a return to my room, and the back stairs are so wonderfully close to yours. Either you give me the cloak or I’ll fish it from your trunk myself. I’m running out of time.”

She knelt on the floor and swung open the trunk’s lid. Caught up in a misguided desire to help my friend, I found myself kneelingbeside her, pawing through my things. I was forced to remove several garments before locating the long black cloak I hadn’tused in years.

She grasped it from my hand. “Charity, you are the dearest dear. I shall never forget your kindness. I promise to find youthe perfect husband soon enough. You’ll see.” She touched my cheek, pushed to her feet, then slung the cloak over her shoulders,flipping the hood over her golden hair. She fumbled with the collar. “What’s this?”

“Oh, that’s my brooch.”

“It’s pretty.” She fastened it beneath her chin.

“Please be careful with it. It was my grandmother’s. She had one of my grandfather’s favorite collar jewels fashioned intoit.”

“You needn’t worry. I’ll take good care of it.” She flashed me a smile. “If everything goes according to plan, my whole lifechanges tonight. Mama will be so pleased. She’ll regret the day she ever called me an ungrateful wretch.” She seemed almostweightless as she bounded to the door.

“Please.” My stomach clenched, and all at once I couldn’t let her leave. I grabbed her arm. “I don’t care how many times you’vegone out alone. A lady should never do so, particularly at night. You could be assaulted or worse.”

“Don’t be absurd, not in East Whitloe. You’ve been reading too many novels.”

An ache swelled in the back of my throat. If only it was just the novels. I went on, miserably aware of the pain seeping intomy words. “Please, you don’t understand.”

She wriggled out of my grasp, a coy bend to her shrug. “Besides, I won’t even be alone.”

I stood breathless as she hesitated at the door for one final statement. “Wish me luck. I won’t be long.”

I didn’t even have a chance to reply before the door closed and the room fell empty around me, the casement clock tickingaway an uncomfortable silence. I stood like that for several seconds, trying to make sense of why Seline had darted from myroom, before returning to the open drapes.

What had Seline seen through the darkness that set her off? I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, scanning the moonlitgarden and the west lawn beyond.

Twinkling on the horizon, at the jagged tip of a nearby hill, something did catch my eye. A light, wavering in the eveningbreeze like a solitary ember fanned to