“What?” Rebecca heard her own voice, high and tight. The poor thing!
“It’s not Daniella I see, but a young man who is leaning over me.” She shook, tears coming to her eyes. “I have no idea who is he is or what he was doing there.”
“Do you think he saved you?”
She shook her head. “Either that or…”
Rebecca’s blood ran cold. Did Laurel really think this young man had something to do with the death of her sister? “Oh, Laurel.”
Laurel held up her hands. “I don’t know anything for certain. Only that I see him, and I need to know more. I can’t live with the knowledge that I don’t know what happened.”
Rebecca swallowed down a lump. “I completely understand.”
“I know you’ve your own life to work out. But with Bennet seeing the queen, I hoped that once your affairs are settled you might be able to help me do some digging into what happened that day. If there is anything to be done.”
Rebecca nodded. There was little chance she could uncover anything new. Well over a decade had passed. But she could certainly try. “Let me think on how we might gain information. I’d love to read all the articles that were printed at the time. It’s a shame I can’t access them.” People loved stories of this nature. Many of the reporters built entire careers on others’ infatuation with such sad cases.
“Oh.” Laurel’s eyes widened. “My grandmother saved them all.” She jumped from the settee. “I know we can’t leave today. But surely, I could write a note to her and send it with a footman asking her to send the book she kept them in to us. It might give us something to look at while we’re all trapped here.” Then she stopped, biting her lip. “If that’s all right.”
“Of course.” Rebecca stood too. “I’d welcome the distraction, truth be told.”
Laurel nodded eagerly. “Thank you. Let me send word to her.” Then she lifted her skirts, starting for the door. “I’ll be back momentarily.”
Rebecca nodded as Laurel raced for the door, leaving her alone in the library.
She sighed.
How much longer until Bennet returned? She had meant what she’d said—she’d welcome any distraction.
She didn’t like to sit idle. She’d much rather be where the action was, and she was glad that Laurel had a problem for her to think on. She wondered how long it would take for the articles to arrive. But in the meantime, she might as well make a list of possible roles the man might have played.
She rose from her seat, crossing to stand in front of the doors. He might have been a bystander. Or he might have helped rescue Laurel, but then what had happened to Daniella?
Could he have played some sinister part?
Daniella had had no enemies. There were no boys who’d fancied her—she was thirteen, so they’d only just begun to show an interest.
Her family had loved her…
Rebecca’s mouth twisted in frustration.
Behind her, she heard the library door open once again and she turned to see a tall, statuesque woman standing in the doorway. Her dark hair was pulled back in a neat but stylish coif, her shoulders straight and her face serious.
Was this Charlotte? Rebecca smiled. Perhaps this woman could shed light on both her own investigation and Laurel’s questioning.
But the woman scowled, her hand fumbling at her side.
Rebecca took a step toward her to ask what was wrong when suddenly, a hand clamped over her mouth.
A knock on her head sent pain exploding through her temple before the room went dark.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Slowly,Rebecca swam up from the darkness. Feeling came back first.
Her feet were scraping along uneven ground. A thick arm held her around the middle and pain radiated through her temple.
She let out a low moan, trying to lift her hand to her face to swipe at her eyes, but her muscles wouldn’t quite work.