Winterberry Fire: A Silver Foxes of Westminster Novella (Winterberry Park Book 2)(16)

Tim had no time to waste. He had to get out of the house and loop around to the bedroom window so that he could help Ada climb out to safety, and he couldn’t let the Winterberry footman know that she was there as he did. Judging by the way the man was scanning the room, he was looking for someone anyhow.

“It’s all right,” Tim said, striding toward the man. “I received my reply to the message I had you deliver yesterday.” He reached the footman and shook his hand heartily. “Thank you so much for your assistance.”

“Wha—” The footman blinked as his hand was shook. “You’re welcome?”

“I’m much obliged,” Tim said. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment to get to.”

“Well, all right.” The footman smiled, cheerful, but dim. “I’m meeting someone here myself.” He blinked. “Oh, you know her. It’s—”

“Sorry,” Tim interrupted him. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I simply can’t.”

Tim darted toward the door and out into the waning evening light. He made sure to shut the door behind him, then looked for the best way to loop around the side of the house to the bedroom. There would be a window, he was sure, and with luck, he could open it and help Ada sneak out.

He made it two steps away from the door before none other than Alice Jones burst out from behind a shrub into his path.

“I was so hoping I’d arrive before you did,” she said with a gasp. “But that doesn’t matter. We’re together at last.” Her eyes shone with an ardent glow, and her cheeks were flushed bright pink.

“Alice?” Tim was so surprised that he had no clue what to say. He glanced up and down the lane, praying that no one was nearby to witness the odd encounter.

“I heard you speaking in code,” she went on, grasping the lapels of his coat and fawning over him. “Such a clever way to speak, and so romantic. I knew exactly what you meant, though, and I’m here. I’m yours.”

Tim raised his arms and did his best to wriggle away from the mad girl’s grasp. “Code? Oh, I—”

“I’m ready,” she went on, sighing and reaching for him again. Tim dodged out of her way, but that didn’t deter her. “I’m ready to go to the ends of the earth for you. I’d gladly do whatever it is you require of me, even—” She lowered her eyes and peeked up at him with a look so heated it sent a chill straight to his heart. “—naughty things.”

“Oh…well…I….” He glanced around again, more desperate this time. The girl had obviously lost her mind. She had a frantic look about her that had his skin crawling. If it had been up to him, he would have set her straight with a stern lecture and bolted for the hills. But Ada was in the process of trying to escape the cottage so that the footman wouldn’t see her. He couldn’t let her job hang in jeopardy because some schoolgirl had a crush on him.

“What’s wrong, my love?” Alice asked, advancing on him once more and confirming his suspicions about the crush.

“Erm….”

“I understand,” she said with a sudden gasp, leaping back. “We must be discreet.” She glanced up and down the path that ran in front of the cottage, a knowing smile forming on her lips. “I’m good at sneaking. I sneak out of my father’s house all the time. I know exactly what to do.”

“You, uh, do?” Tim winced, glancing over his shoulder to see if Ada had climbed out the bedroom window yet.

“Yes.” Alice clasped her hands over her heart. “Oh, it’s so romantic. We’ll sneak around to the back of the cottage and go in that way. Then you can do whatever you want with me.” She sighed.

Tim gulped. “Alright.” He grimaced. “You go around that way, and I’ll go this way.”

It was a weak and ridiculous diversion, but Alice’s eyes lit up. “All right. I’ll see you inside.”

She picked up her skirts and jaunted off around the right side of the cottage.

Tim adjusted his collar, which suddenly felt too tight, and tromped through the overgrown garden on the left side.

Only, when he reached the bank of windows that looked through to the bedroom, they were all shut tight. Worry gnawed at him. Ada must have had trouble opening them. She must still be in the bedroom. He would have to figure out a way to pry open one of the windows from the outside so that he could climb in and rescue her.



Tad wasn’t exactly sure what was going on. The last thing he’d expected when he left to meet Ada at the cottage was to see the schoolteacher instead. Not that he minded. Mr. Turnbridge was a jolly chap. He certainly knew a thing or two more than Tad knew. But that didn’t explain where Ada was. He’d seen her leaving the house. He’d thought he’d caught a glimpse of her nearing the cottage while he was still at the other end of the river path.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the handkerchief his mam had sent him, dabbing at the sweat on his forehead that he’d worked up while hurrying to make it to the cottage on time. There had to be an explanation. Ada couldn’t have vanished into thin air, and she was much too old for the fairies to steal her away.

Handkerchief still in hand, he walked to the bedroom door. Halfway there, a rose sitting on the table by the sofa caught his eye.