Running to Stone House, Faith reached the backside and cowered under the overhang. From what she had seen during the lightening flash it was one story and not overly large, and to weather such storms for over a hundred years, it had to have been solidly built. Slowly, she edged from the back of the house to the southern side which seemed more protected from the wind. She continued along the wall, passed a window that was securely boarded from the inside, and paused at the front corner.
Another flash brightened the sky and gave her a momentary glimpse of the front of the house which faced the sea. Again, she was amazed at how solid the house remained after so many years. She was standing at the edge of a low stone porch that, except for rotted railing, appeared intact. Rather than step onto the porch through a gap in the disintegrated wood, she returned to the shelter afforded by the southern wall. When there was a break in the storm she slipped through the gap and rushed to the front door. As she had expected it was locked. The storm raged anew and another flash revealed that the railing on the northern side was new. Obviously, someone was restoring the porch, but that didn't help her now. She noted a window beside the door that was also boarded. The wind's ferocity picked up and lightening flashed multiple times in succession.
Faith hurried back to the shelter on the southern side and huddled there. Over the next hour she shivered with cold, but stayed crouched in the best location available. And while she shivered she berated herself for her naivety of coastal squalls. She would never make that mistake again.
The air darkened even more and that's when she began to actually fear for her safety. Was she in the midst of a hurricane? The storm grew louder and surprisingly she thought she heard the voice of a child calling out, "Rex!" Was it only the wind? Was it her imagination?
She jumped to her feet and ran from the shelter of the building toward the edge of the bluff looking for a child. She squinted into the dim light and waited for the lightening to flash again. When it did she saw nothing other than an empty bluff and waves raging beyond the promontory. Rain pelted her face. She turned to search the land behind her and screamed as a dark shape rushed forward.
Faith started to run but then struggled against powerful arms holding her prisoner. She kicked, yelled, and fought with strength garnered from an adrenaline rush before she honed in on a voice. "Faith, stop it! It's Baxter! I'm trying to help you!"
Baxter? Her assailant was Baxter? She stopped struggling and allowed him to draw her to the safety of the porch. He stepped away from her. "I've got a blanket in my backpack for you."
Faith felt weak with relief knowing that she'd been found and sagged against the stones of the house. She closed her eyes and a moment later felt a blanket being spread over her shoulders. She reached to pull it tightly around her and opened her eyes to see Baxter squatting low enough so that he could look directly into her face. His concern made her wince.
"What are you doing out in the storm? And why were you on the bluff in such weather? If one of the guests hadn't seen you headed toward the forest and become concerned when you didn't return, you might have been stuck outside for hours."
Faith replied weakly, "Thank you." Baxter leaned closer and she said louder, "Thank you! I had no idea the weather could become this terrible in such a short time." Then she remembered the child's voice. "I thought I heard a child calling for someone named Rex. That's why I was on the bluff. I was looking for the child. Did you hear anything? Do you think we should search?"
Baxter suddenly straightened and Faith glanced up. His expression had morphed from concern to what looked like anger.
She repeated, "Did you hear anyone?"
"No. There's no one."
Lightening flashed and Faith jumped. As thunder rocked the ground, Baxter clasped her arm and called above the storm, "We need to get inside the house." He pulled her toward the front door and reached into his rain slicker pocket for a key. After a couple of twists of the doorknob it opened.