Free Lord of the Abbey by K. R. Richards Page B

seen.”
     
    Micah turned to Lady Rowena, “Lady Rowena, can you see Harry from where you stand?” He stepped far back from the window to allow Rowena an unobstructed view.
     
    “ I can barely see him from this angle, sir. Due to his dark coat, the grayness of the overcast day, and the mullioned windows I can honestly say I don’t think I would notice him standing there unless I was looking for him or he moved quite abruptly.” Rowena now understood why Harry sent for Lord Wincanton. He turned out to be an exceedingly helpful addition to their party. Even if he was a trifle unique in character.
     
    Micah nodded. “Precisely what I thought.”
     
    “ Are you saying that someone watched as we were in the library earlier, Micah?” Frances queried, remembering that he preferred to be called by the familiar.
     
    “ I cannot say for certain, Lady Sperring. But I do think it to be a possibility. At the very least, someone was in here and heard you coming when you came to retrieve the books, or was watching from outside when someone came into the room. The dropped copy of The History of the Dulacs of Glastonbury suggests the thief was in a hurry and had no time to retrieve the dropped book.”
     
    “ Oh my!” A worried frown darkened her face.
     
    Rowena placed her arm around Frances’ shoulders. “Don’t worry, Aunt Frances. Hanford said the window shall be fixed well before dinner. He assured me the locks on all the ground floor windows shall be checked.”
     
    “ Are we finished, Micah?” The irritation was apparent in Harry’s voice coming from outside, where he still stood beyond the window. His presence was entirely forgotten by all in the library.
     
    “ Oh, Harry! Of course. Thank You. By all means go, get on with your search,” Micah dismissed Harry with a quick hand gesture. He turned back to Rowena, her aunt, and Sir John. “Shall we return to the drawing room? I think that perhaps Lady Sperring could do with some tea. She looks a trifle pale.”
     
    “ I think I desire something a little stronger than tea!” Frances declared.
     

Chapter Four
    The surgeon advised that Seth would recover quickly from his ordeal, though he sported a large purple egg on his forehead along with a jagged cut which did have to be stitched. Rowena checked on him while they waited for Doctor Price to arrive. The lad did not see the face of his attacker. The description Seth gave was a man wearing a brown coat and wide-brimmed, brown hat. He could not say anything of the man’s face, for chasing him as he was, he saw only the coat. The wide-brimmed hat covered the man’s face even when the thief turned his head.
     
    Charlie, who turned out to be Charles Inwood, Viscount Silverley, found nothing amiss inside the rest of the house. Harry and Lyon found nothing except some additional footprints in a patch of mud near the stone wall at the rear of the garden.
     
    The servants were questioned with the help of Charlie. Another of Harry Bellingham and Lyon Ravenscroft’s Society members, Charlie was visiting Micah when the message from Harry arrived at Horethorne Hall in Templecombe. Charlie jumped at the chance to join Micah on his journey to Glastonbury.
     
    With all of the excitement going on at Stonedown, the search for a secret chamber was postponed until the following day.
     
    Harry Bellingham volunteered to stay as a guest at Stonedown for the evening to make certain the ladies were safe. His wish was for them to feel safe and protected so they might enjoy a good night’s sleep. Of course, Sir John first volunteered to stay with the ladies at the Manor.
     
    Rowena noticed that the white-haired, elderly Sir John looked vastly relieved when Harry volunteered to stay also. Sir John looked to be as weary as her aunt.
     
    At dusk, they bid Lyon, Micah, and Charlie good night. Frances invited them to stay for the evening meal, but the men declined.
     
    The trio of gentlemen returned to Abbey Grange to sup and