26

I came to lying on my back. I was outside on wet grass, and it was still raining. For a moment I simply lay there, letting the wetness seep into my skin. I’d been sick again and the smell of that and the smoke made my head hurt. When I did open my eyes, I was aware of something very light and bright, blazing through the trees.

‘You’re all right. We got you out just in time,’ said a familiar voice, pushing a cup of water into my hand. It was Ruth the maid. ‘Don’t think they’re going to save the house, though.’

I sat up shakily. ‘Is my sister here? Did she get out?’

‘Shh, easy now,’ she said. ‘Your sister got out, yes.’

‘Oh thank goodness!’ The relief set me off coughing again.

‘Here, sip some of this water.’ She took the cup and raised it to my mouth. ‘Miss Stine and Mr Walton weren’t with you, were they? No one can find them anywhere. I can’t bear to think what’s happened.’

I couldn’t bear to, either. But I knew I’d never forget what it felt like to touch a wolf, to sink my fingers into its fur and feel twitching muscle beneath. Nor would I forget the sound of Mr Walton’s screams. Both would haunt me forever.

I took another sip of water. It was best just to think about finding Peg.

‘Where is my sister, then?’ I said, supposing she was out here on the grass somewhere.

‘She’s gone, went quite a while ago,’ said Ruth.

‘Gone? Back to the village?’

She didn’t answer.

‘What’s happened?’ I said. ‘Where’s Peg?’

‘She left with the guests a couple of hours back,’ said Ruth in a nervous rush. ‘Took off in a right hurry they did, and I know I shouldn’t say this for worrying you, but your sister didn’t seem like she wanted to go. It was just after they got the news that Miss Godwin’s father had come looking for her. Asked Mr Cox’s son to drive them all the way to the coast so they could catch an early boat to France and then on to Switzerland. I heard them say they were taking Peg with them …’

‘To the Villa Diodati,’ I murmured. Despite everything that faraway-sounding name had stuck in my head.

And with it came a terrifying thought.

Of Peg strapped to a chair just like I’d been, wires fixed to her head. Of Miss Godwin almost delirious with the hope Miss Stine had given her.

Was this why they’d taken her?

Did they want Miss Stine’s experiment to work so much that they were willing to practise it themselves on Peg? They’d been happy enough to watch Miss Stine work on me, and desperate enough to take a child against her wishes.

And now I was too late to save her.

Or was I? Ruth was saying something about muddy roads. ‘They’ll be lucky if they make that early boat after all this rain.’

I scrambled to my feet. If I reached the coast by daybreak, I might just be able to get to Peg before she and Miss Godwin’s party set sail for the Continent.

*

Yet by the time I arrived in Sweepfield, so too had news of the fire. The streets were as busy as day and full of talk.

‘The whole of Eden Court is alight, with little chance of saving it,’ someone said.

‘Aye, ’tis terrible!’ said another. ‘All that furniture and silver. ’Tis worth more than this village put together.’

‘I heard they can’t find that Walton chap, the scientist.’

No one mentioned Miss Stine. But then, why would they? They probably didn’t know she existed.

‘Pardon me, but my sister’s missing,’ I interrupted. ‘I need to go after her. Can any of you help me reach the coast?’

I didn’t think they’d heard me. So I tried again. ‘Can anyone take me to the coast, please? I beg of you.’

‘We know your sister’s missing, Lizzie Appleby, and that your da’s gone off to fetch her back,’ one of the speakers said. ‘Now go on home and leave it to him. Everyone here’s busy with the fire tonight.’

I began to panic. ‘But she got snatched by those people at Eden Court and now they’ve gone off in a carriage to catch a boat!’

‘Listen to her. She’s not right in the head, she in’t,’ another person said, meaning me. ‘And fancy being outside in a filthy nightgown.’

Coming as I had from the fire, I’d forgotten what a state I must look. I wrapped my arms around myself to try and hide the worst of it. I’d grown cold too. The rain had stopped now, but the night air was very cool.

‘You must help me, please!’ I cried.

‘Go home, miss,’ the first voice said again. It was obvious these people weren’t going to offer any assistance.

I went further on, past the village green and the church, and the turning for Mill Lane. Folks stood in doorways gossiping. There were sounds of horses being saddled and buckets gathered up. Plenty of help was on offer for Eden Court, so it seemed.

‘Is anyone travelling to the coast?’ I asked, stopping everyone I could. ‘I need to follow our Peg. She was taken in a carriage from Eden Court earlier tonight.’

‘Planned that well then, didn’t she, to get out just before the fire,’ said a woman from her doorstep.

I stared in the direction of her voice. ‘She isn’t responsible, if that’s what you mean.’

‘No course she in’t. Like she weren’t responsible for those animals going missing, neither.’

‘But she isn’t! She’s done nothing wrong!’

‘Aye, so you’ve said,’ the woman said, and shut her door on me.

I stood, reeling. And though I tried very hard not to cry or to scream, I was right on the verge of doing both.

So this was what it had come to. Peg was being blamed – we as a family were being blamed. From now on every time bad luck befell Sweepfield it would be our doing. Never mind fate or the stars or pure and simple bad weather. It was all down to those Applebys, whose mother always did have too much to say for herself and got what she deserved in the end.

‘Lizzie? What are you doing down there?’

I looked up. ‘Mercy? Is that you?’

‘Of course it’s me, you idiot!’

Without realising it, I’d walked as far as the bakery. Some feet above my head, Mercy leant out of her bedchamber window. I was so glad that tears rolled down my cheeks.

‘What the heck’s happened to you?’ she gasped. ‘You look dreadful!’

‘Never mind that now,’ I said. ‘Listen, I need your help. Some people have snatched Peg and I have to go after her.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Mercy said. The window shut as she disappeared inside.

‘No, Mercy! Wait!’ I cried.

The window opened again. ‘What is it?’

‘Look, this is proper serious. I need to get to the coast by morning.’

‘The coast? Blimey, Lizzie, what’s going on?’

I didn’t know where to start, so I kept it simple.

‘Peg’s been taken by a Mr Shelley and a Miss Godwin who were staying at Eden Court. They’re catching a boat across the Channel first thing. If I’m to get Peg back then I need to leave Sweepfield tonight.’

‘So I can’t come with you?’

Dear Mercy.

It was a struggle not to accept her offer. Her eyes would be a great help, her company even more so. Yet this was a grim, ugly business. It didn’t seem right to drag her into it, especially when she had responsibilities of her own.

‘Your mam needs you here in the shop,’ I said. ‘And it’ll be easier to hitch a ride if there’s just one of us. Fingers crossed I’ll be back in a day or two.’

There was the chance I’d not be, though, not if I didn’t make the boat. I’d go all the way to Switzerland if I had to. I wouldn’t come back without Peg. I think Mercy guessed as much, too.

‘All right,’ she said after a long pause. ‘Wait there a minute.’ A moment of quiet, then she was back at the window. ‘Here, put these on.’

Something soft fell beside me on the cobbles. Then a heavier thud – thud. Feeling around, I found a clean dress, a shawl that smelled of baking and Mercy’s old clogs.

‘Thank you.’ I dragged the clothes on quick and felt better for it. ‘If my da comes back before me, tell him where I’ve gone.’

‘I will. Good luck, Lizzie. Your mam would be proud of you.’

I smiled. ‘Thank you.’ Then, out of nowhere, I remembered Isaac. ‘Have you seen Isaac Blake today?’

‘Huh! Why’d I want to see him?’ she said, suddenly sulky.

‘Have you seen him?’ I repeated.

‘He came to the shop this morning when we were really busy. Kept coming back and all so Mam told him to clear off. He’s been here tonight too, chucking stones at my window. Said he needed to talk to me urgently. I thought you were him again, to be honest.’

It was a relief to hear Isaac was back in the village and not still stuck somewhere inside that burning house. I’d hoped he’d come to Mercy to raise the alarm, or at least tell her about me disappearing from the barn where he’d left me. And as it sounded like he’d tried, he might still be willing to help.

‘Don’t think too badly of him, Mercy,’ I said. ‘He’s a decent sort really.’

‘What d’you mean? I thought you hated him?’

‘I’ve seen a better side to him today. And he’s still proper daft about you, you know.’

After saying my goodbyes to Mercy, I hurried down the street. I just hoped I could find my way to Isaac’s farm. Not twenty yards further on, I came across two men having a heated debate.

‘Not likely! Not on these roads. It’s a good thirty miles to the coast from here. You’ll never make it by morning!’

‘I have to make it, sir. Otherwise my daughter’s ship will have sailed and my mission to find her will have been in vain.’

This second speaker didn’t sound local. From what he was saying, it soon became clear who he was.

‘Then you’d do better keeping a closer eye on her in the first place, wouldn’t you? Daughters are going missing left, right and flipping centre round here these days.’

‘So you won’t help me, then?’

‘How can I? You’ll need a carthorse to get through this mud.’

‘And who might have one of those around here?’

I knew the answer; I was seeking the same thing myself.

Clearing my throat, I tapped what I hoped was the right man’s arm.

‘If you’re Mr Godwin and your daughter is called Mary, then I reckon I can be of assistance to you.’

And Mr Godwin, with his eyes that worked, would definitely be of help to me.