Robbie was amazed at the story Eve had to tell. “So the owner merely stood by and watched as his cur attacked Colin. Fortunately, someone came by carrying a board and smacked the dog on the head. Only then did he release his hold on Colin’s face.”
“What reason did the man give for not intervening? Surely he could see how Colin was suffering.”
“That’s what was so troubling. He swore at the man who hit his dog, lifted it into his arms, and hurried away. He didn’t even stop to acknowledge Colin’s wounds. And,” she added, “to make things worse, Gavin’s mentor, Professor Baker, stood by and did absolutely nothing to help.”
Robbie glanced at the window; wind blew the birches, their leaves flailing in the air like drunken butterflies. “What a terrible story. And to think he can be so calm with my pup racing around the house. That has amazed me from the time I learned how he’d gotten the scar that he isn’t afraid of dogs.”
“Colin doesn’t let things bother him for long. He’s awfully patient, even with himself. I think the only time he got truly upset over the whole ordeal was when he couldn’t save the bairn.”
“My husband is a very patient man as well. He can be naïve, although I think everything that has happened since Birdie perched on our doorstep has made him realize people can do bad things.”
Eve nodded. “Even I could see that Faith was not a good woman. I watched her face; her expression could change from deviousness to concern to adoration in seconds. Whatever the situation called for.”
“And now that woman is an accomplice in Alice’s kidnapping.” Robbie stood and paced, rubbing her arms with her hands.
“We have to hope that although she has many bad qualities, harming a child isn’t one of them.”
Robbie strode to the window; leaves continued to blow from the trees. Autumn was coming with a vengeance. “I wish we would hear some word from Gavin and Colin. Any news at all; I can barely stand not knowing something is happening.”
• • •
It was late in the day by the time Gavin and Colin sought out the doctor, only to learn that there wasn’t one in Crathie. A merchant selling wood carvings told them they may find one in Braemar, which was more than ten kilometers away.
Again, as before, they arrived in a village too late to learn anything and had to find an inn and rest their mounts.
As they sat in the pub next to the inn, they were quiet.
“What are you thinking?” Colin asked.
“I’m trying not to think at all,” Gavin replied. “As each day passes, my hopes for finding Alice dwindle, and I can’t imagine going home to Erskine House and telling Robbie we have failed.”
Colin clapped him on the shoulder. “We haven’t failed yet. Yes, I had thought my doctor acquaintance was in Crathie, but let’s not give up hope. Braemar gives us another chance at finding them.”
“What if they haven’t even been this way? What if they’re long gone, perhaps even out of Scotland?”
“I doubt they could have gotten all that far. And as far as I know, neither has much money. Anyway, it’s too early; we’ve only been searching a few days.” He clapped Gavin on the shoulder again. “Chin up, my friend. Chin up.”
“All right, let’s say we find them—”
“We will,” Colin interrupted.
“When we find them, what will we do with the two of them?”
On a sarcastic smile, Colin answered, “Well, we can’t wrap them in a sack and toss them in the river like unwanted kittens.”
“They can’t go unpunished,” Gavin murmured, sensing that even Robbie would want them to suffer a little for what they’ve done.
“Let’s find them first,” Colin suggested.
• • •
Faith hurried into the apartment; the door slammed soundly behind her. “Hurry up,” she said to Birdie. “We’re getting out of here.”
Birdie sat up. “Where’s Adrianna?”
“She’s safe, all right?”
Birdie felt an odd pressure in her chest. “We can’t just leave her here…can we?”
Faith was throwing things into a satchel. “What did you think we could do? She’s too ill to travel, and it’s not safe for the two of us to be found, and don’t think they aren’t searching for us.”
“But…” Birdie stood and glanced around the room, too befuddled to move. “But what could they do to us? We did nothing wrong.”
Faith tossed her a cynical smile. “Does the word ‘kidnapping’ mean anything to you?”
“But the mother gave Adrianna to me. How can I be charged with kidnapping my own property?”
Faith tossed Birdie her traveling bag. “Pack up.”
Slowly Birdie began folding items into her bag. “It isn’t fair.”
Faith put all of the babe’s things into the crib, then shoved it into a corner. “This was ridiculous from the onset. I don’t know what made me think we could do it. Maybe I just wanted to get back at Gavin and your sister, and this was the perfect way.” She tossed some clothing for Birdie to pack. “I certainly didn’t think things through, and of course, I don’t think you ever do.” After a moment, she added, “Revenge is not as sweet as they say it is.”
Realization slowly entered Birdie’s mind. “But they won’t do anything to us, will they?”
“Whatever they do, it won’t be a slap on the wrist, Birdie. And if the babe doesn’t survive…”
“Doesn’t survive?” Birdie was suddenly alarmed and alert. “You said she was safe. You said.”
“Yes, yes, she was alive when I left her. But if she doesn’t survive, they could say we killed her. Or at least that her death is on our hands.”
Birdie’s knees buckled, and she nearly fell to the floor. “Oh my God. What have we done?”
Impatient, Faith shoved Birdie’s clothes into her bag. “Someone is waiting to take us to Crathie, where we can catch a ride to—anywhere.”
Birdie still appeared to be in shock.
“Birdie, get yourself together or I’ll bloody leave you here!”
Preoccupied with fear, Birdie mechanically put on her coat, picked up her valise, and followed Faith out the door.