Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

D aniel scanned the terrace for the third time, still not seeing Eliza. Where could she have gone? He'd only been caught in a conversation for a few moments, before he'd been able to get away and follow her outside. But she wasn't outside. Was it possible that she'd come back to the ballroom without him noticing? His back had been to the door for a few moments as he conversed with yet another acquaintance.

He reentered the ballroom and scanned the crowd, but there was no sign of her. He needed to clear the air between them.

He found Adam and Emily. "Have you seen Miss Montrose anywhere?"

"Not recently," Emily said. "She was dancing not too long ago, but her partners are dancing with others now."

Daniel breathed out a sigh of frustration. "Hosting a ball is tedious. I'm forced to talk with and socialize with dozens of people I do not wish to. And the one person I have been waiting to dance with all evening is missing."

"I would say that your mood has nothing to do with the setting and everything to do with the company."

"What do you mean?"

Emily smiled knowingly. "In plain terms, you cannot find Eliza, and therefore, the rest of your evening is colored by that fact. If she were here right now, talking with you or dancing with you, you would be content as a lark; and I daresay, your mindset would shift and you would be willing to throw a ball each and every night if it meant that she was next to you." Emily raised her eyebrows, daring him to challenge her.

Daniel smiled and turned to Adam. "Your wife is very perceptive and accurate, isn't she?"

Adam laughed. "She has the accuracy of a hawk. I would never presume to disagree with her assessments when it comes to matters of the heart."

"What shall I do then?"

"There is nothing for it but to find her," Emily said. "Then you must ask her to dance with you."

"I tried that already. She just rejected me when I asked her to dance."

Emily blinked. "That cannot be. I am sure she wishes to dance with you."

Daniel ran a hand through his hair. "I intend to change her mind, but I have to find her first. I believe I am at fault for something. And I wish to clear the air. I just didn't have time."

Emily nodded. "I will go and check the withdrawing rooms. She's likely there."

The three of them headed out the ballroom doors, and Adam and Daniel waited a little removed from the withdrawing rooms while Emily went inside.

Adam watched his friend with a ponderous expression. "What happened?"

Daniel lowered his voice. "Somehow, Miss Montrose knows that I had extra dancing lessons with your wife. I think that may have offended her."

"How did she find out?"

Before Daniel could answer, Emily came out of the withdrawing rooms.

"Any luck?" Daniel asked Emily when she was closer to them.

Emily shook her head. "I didn't want to draw attention to her presence or lack thereof, so I didn't ask anyone particularly if they had seen her, only asked if there were others who had been in the withdrawing rooms in the last several minutes. I do not think she's been in there."

Daniel nodded. "I will check other rooms."

Adam looked at his wife. "Emily, did you tell Eliza about your dance lessons with Daniel?"

Emily's eyes widened. "Of course I wouldn't do such a thing." She looked at Daniel. "I haven't breathed a word to her about it. I promise."

Daniel nodded. "I believe you, but I have no idea how she found out. I do not know precisely why that should have any bearing, but it may be the reason that she did not accept my offer to dance."

"I see," Emily said. She scanned the hallway.

"I am going to check the rest of the open rooms up here."

"What about your duties as a host?" Emily asked.

Daniel smiled. "You are the hostess, and you and Adam will do a great job. Right now, I need to find Eliza."

"The supper dance will be starting soon."

Daniel nodded. "With any luck, I will be back in time for the supper dance."

Daniel spent the next quarter of an hour searching all the open rooms in the house. He also checked the library, his study, and a few of the smaller drawing rooms that were not opened to the public.

He went back out to the terrace and quickly returned inside.

Rain pounded and a few couples hurried in from outside, being caught in the garden when it began to rain. Daniel ushered them in, surprised that anyone was still outside. The summer storm had come up quickly. No doubt it would pass before his guests made their way home. He'd already planned to make sure that his carriage was readied to take Miss Montrose home when she left. Walking home after a dinner was one thing, but the damp earth and mud would likely ruin a ball gown and dancing slippers.

He came back into the ballroom just as the supper dance ended, and Adam and Emily led the procession to the dining room. Two rooms were set up to eat, and this worked to Daniel's advantage because he wouldn't be missed.

As he walked with Adam and Emily into the dining room, Adam asked, "Any luck?"

Daniel shook his head. "I am out of ideas."

Adam kept his voice low. "She must be somewhere. She couldn't have gone home in this weather."

"It is possible that she left before the storm started," Emily said.

The first course came, and Daniel walked through one dining room to the other, making an appearance, and then he hurried to go and give instructions to a servant to check on Miss Montrose at her cottage. He didn't like the feeling of waiting and doing nothing. If it were up to him, he would have checked on her personally, instead of sending a servant. But he saw the wisdom in waiting for news. If she was indeed there, he could let his worries rest, at least until he could apologize in person to her tomorrow.

Daniel waited in the privacy of his study while he waited for the news. Soon, a servant came in with a bow.

"What is your news?" Daniel asked, trying not to sound demanding.

"Miss Montrose is not at home. "

He raised his eyebrows. This was not what he wished to hear at all. "Are you quite sure? Perhaps her housekeeper was only saying that. Sometimes housekeepers are not always accurate about their whereabouts of their masters."

The servant shook his head. "Talmage is the one who went. He's down at the kitchens warming himself by the fire, and you can go and get the full report from him. But he told me to relay to you that Miss Montrose's housekeeper was most distressed to learn that she was missing. She checked all the rooms, and there was no sign of her. Talmage also went out in the rain and looked through her garden, but he couldn't find her."

"Thank you very much. And please give Talmage my thanks as well."

The servant bowed and then left the room.

A panic rose inside Daniel's chest. Where could she be? He had taken comfort in the idea that his servant would relay news that Miss Montrose was safe at home during this storm. But now … now he sensed that there was something wrong. She was not inside the manor, and she had not arrived home.

A knock sounded on the door. It was Adam. "How are you doing?"

"I still don't know where she is," Daniel said, telling Adam all the information his servant had just given him.

"Is it possible she went home with another guest?" Adam asked .

"She and Lady Margaret are close," Daniel said. "Perhaps she left with her. I have not seen her recently."

"She was at the dinner table, and once she finished her meal, she headed for the card room." Adam scratched his chin. "Is it possible she has fallen asleep on a settee, tired from the exhaustion of the week?"

"I searched all the rooms thoroughly," Daniel said. "I fear something is wrong. It is not like her to disappear. Had she made it home, I wouldn't question her whereabouts or her leaving a party early, but she is under my care when she's at my estate."

Another knock at the door came. It was Emily. "What is the news?"

Adam shook his head. "He hasn't found her yet. She was not at home."

Emily's eyes widened. "How can I help?"

Daniel smiled. "I need you to take care of the other guests, and be the best hostess you can be. I fear I will need to commandeer your husband. I believe we should start searching outside."

Emily nodded. "I will endeavor to keep everything running. You will have no need to worry about any of that. But, it would be strange if you left the ball from the terrace during such a storm. It would arouse suspicions."

Daniel nodded. "You are right. We will go through the kitchen doors."

"Stay indoors," Adam said.

Emily smiled. "I do not need such instruction. I will be staying in until everything outside has dried sufficiently." She walked with her husband and Daniel out into the hall, splitting from them when they approached the stairs.

Once they were down the main staircase, Daniel sent a footman to retrieve hats and coats for him and Adam. Then Daniel led Adam through the servants' stairs. "Come, this is a much faster way down." Daniel took a lantern from the kitchen, then headed out through the small side door.

Rain slammed into Daniel, the force of it drenching him to the bone and smothering the flickering lantern in his hand. The candle inside sputtered out, leaving him in darkness. With a frustrated growl, he turned back to the door and set the soaked lantern down inside the house. His heart hammered in his chest, a frantic rhythm that mirrored the storm outside.

"I'm afraid we won't be able to see much without a lantern," Adam shouted over the roaring wind, his voice tight with concern.

"True," Daniel replied, his voice just as tense, "but if it won't stay lit, it's of no use to us."

The storm was ferocious, but Daniel's fear for Eliza gnawed at him, far worse than the storm raging around them. "I hope she isn't out here. This weather is dreadful," Adam said, squinting into the downpour.

Daniel's stomach twisted at the thought. He prayed she was safe indoors somewhere, but he couldn't shake the image of her last hasty retreat to the terrace. "The last I saw her, she was heading out. I haven't seen her since."

The idea that she was somewhere out in the storm, alone and hurt, made his pulse race. He surged into the rain again, his heart pounding harder than the wind that whipped against his face. "We have to keep looking."

The rain was relentless, blinding them as it lashed against their faces. The wind howled like a creature in pain, swallowing their words whole. It was futile to call for her; even if she could hear, her response would be lost in the fury of the storm. But still, Daniel's chest tightened with each step they took across the grounds.

They searched the area near the house, every minute that passed only fueling Daniel's dread. "There's no sign of her," Adam said, his voice barely audible above the storm. "Perhaps she found shelter elsewhere."

Daniel's eyes scanned the dimly lit grounds. His clothes clung to him, the cold sinking deep into his bones. "We haven't searched the gardens yet," he said, his words more determined now, more desperate.

"Surely, she wouldn't stay in this weather."

"Unless she was injured," Daniel said, the thought filling him with dread.

"Let's keep looking then," Adam said.

A flash of lightning illuminated the sky and the grounds. Daniel took in as much of the area as he could. There was no sign of her. Thunder crashed around them, and Daniel moved farther into the gardens. The rain made it difficult to see, but the lightning helped as he followed the stone path that wound through the gardens. The wind whipped at his face as the rain pelted down relentlessly. Daniel squinted, trying to make out the path ahead, when a faint cry caught his attention.

A flash of lightning split the sky, and for a brief moment, the grounds were illuminated in a harsh white glow. Daniel caught a flash of Eliza's light blue gown contrasting on the path in front of him. His heart leapt into his throat when he thought he saw a figure.

Then thunder crashed, loud and violent, rattling through his chest. Daniel pushed forward, barely able to make out the path. The stone beneath his boots was slick, and the wind whipped at his face, but he kept moving, driven by the urgency burning inside him.

Daniel darted toward the figure huddled under a bush.

"Eliza?" Daniel's heart surged with hope.

The storm answered him with another crack of thunder, but Daniel didn't stop. Lightning flashed again, and there—just ahead—was the unmistakable blue of her gown. She was huddled beneath a bush, drenched and trembling, her body small and fragile against the violence of the storm.

He ran toward her. Questions ran through his mind to ask, but not one of them would stay on his lips. His chest ached with relief and panic all at once as he knelt beside her. Her face was pale, her hair plastered to her cheeks by the rain. Her eyes met his, filled with pain and exhaustion.

"My ankle," she whispered weakly, her voice barely audible. "I twisted it. I can't walk."

His heart clenched at the sight of her, vulnerable and cold. He took her hands, feeling the raw, cold skin beneath his fingertips. She winced, and he glanced down at her bloodied palms. "You're hurt."

"I ... I pulled myself up from the beach after I fell," she murmured, her words coming in faint gasps. "I was trying to get home."

Daniel's chest tightened. How long had she been out here, suffering alone? He couldn't bear the thought. "If you'll allow me, I'll carry you," he said, his voice as gentle as he could manage through his own rising panic.

She nodded slightly, her body trembling in the cold.

Without hesitation, he scooped her into his arms. She was shivering violently, her body limp from the cold and exhaustion. The wind lashed at them both, but he held her close, his arms protective as he pressed her against his chest. Her head rested against him, and he could feel the rapid beat of her pulse against his skin. To attempt to take her to her house by way of the beach would be dangerous. "With your permission, I will bring you back to my house," he said. "I should not attempt to take you to yours in this rain."

She nodded slightly against his chest, and then her body went limp .

"Adam, run ahead to the house, and have cook prepare tea and a warm bed. She's freezing. I will follow presently."

Adam ran without delay, and Daniel moved as quickly as he could, cradling Eliza as if she might shatter. He didn't want to jostle her. The path felt endless, the storm unrelenting. Rain stung his face, and the weight of her in his arms was a reminder of how fragile life could be. Each step sent another wave of urgency through him.

He pressed a kiss to her temple. Her skin was cold. "Eliza," he whispered, glancing down at her pale face. Her eyes were closed, her breaths shallow. "Stay with me. Just stay with me. We are almost there."

When he finally reached the kitchen door, both Adam and Emily were waiting, their faces full of concern.

"Your guests will depart when the rain lets up," Emily said quickly, her eyes darting between Daniel and Eliza. "I've already sent for the doctor. Tea is being readied as we speak."

"Thank you." Daniel nodded, his throat tight. "I'll take her upstairs."

He carried her up the narrow servants' staircase to a warm guest bedroom near Emily's. Her body remained limp in his arms, and every second that passed without her waking tore at him. How long had she been out there, exposed to the elements? How long had she been suffering alone?

Emily was on his heels. "I will help to change her into dry clothes. I've already spoken with the doctor. He has left to retrieve his bag and should be back soon. While I'm helping her change, you should go and see your guests out so that no one knows that anything is amiss."

"I do not wish to leave her as she is."

"I understand that." Emily nodded. "But you cannot do anything for her right now. Come back after your guests are gone."

"Very well," Daniel said. He hurried to his own room to change out of his wet things. He put on a similar dress coat and then saw to his guests. As quickly and fiercely as the storm started, it abated within another quarter of an hour, and Daniel saw to his guests until they departed.

When the last of the guests were gone, and the doctor had arrived, Daniel rushed up to Eliza's room. He knocked on the closed door, and Adam opened the door, allowing him to enter.

"The doctor was just making an assessment," Adam said.

"What have you learned so far?"

"Not much," Adam said. "The abrasions on her hands are not severe. Her ankle is most likely only twisted, not broken."

Eliza groaned, but her eyes remained closed.

"What can I do?" Daniel asked.

The doctor turned to him. "She has been exposed to some extreme elements tonight, and it is difficult to say for how long. She needs rest. I should be able to assess her ankle much better in a day or two when it is not as swollen as it is now. Someone should stay close by and monitor her temperature. Send for me at once if she develops a fever."

"Thank you, doctor," Daniel said, his hands trembling slightly.

"I will return and check on her to see how she is doing."

Daniel showed the doctor out, then he returned to Eliza's room. He stood at her bedside, watching the faint rise and fall of the covers as she breathed.

Emily placed a hand on his shoulder. "You should rest, Daniel. There's nothing more you can do tonight."

He shook his head. "I can't. Not while she's like this."

Emily opened her mouth to say more, but Daniel cut her off. "I doubt I shall be able to sleep knowing that she is unwell."

Emily gave him a soft smile, understanding in her eyes. "A maid is staying up with her as well. I shall return in the morning to see how she is."

"Thank you, Emily," Daniel said.

Daniel barely registered Emily's departure. He sat by Eliza's bedside, staring at her pale face, willing her to wake. The quiet of the room was a stark contrast to the raging storm they'd experienced. Now, all Daniel could hear was the sound of her soft breathing.

His chest ached, his thoughts swirling with fear and guilt. If he had found her sooner ... if he hadn't let her walk out alone ... He rubbed a hand over his face, feeling the weight of it all press down on him. His own nightmares seemed far away now, eclipsed by the real fear of losing her.

He did not know exactly how he could help, but he knew that his nightmares would be worse if he didn't stay to see her through this moment.

He leaned forward, brushing a stray lock of wet hair from her forehead. "I'll stay with you," he whispered softly. No more nightmares. Only this—only her.