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her sweetly exuberant spirit reminded him of Livia in her younger years. At the moment, however, the
usual brightness of her expression had been dulled, and her cheeks were bereft of color.
My lord, Daisy murmured, I am relieved that you have returned. There is a& a private matter that is
causing us some concern&
How may I be of service? Marcus asked immediately. A light breeze ruffled through his hair as he bent
his head over hers.
Daisy hardly seemed to know how to explain. It s my sister, she told him tensely. She can t be found
anywhere. The last I saw her was about five hours ago. She left on some errand and wouldn t explain
what it was. When she did not return, I took it upon myself to look for her. And the other
wallflowers that is, Evie and Annabelle they have been searching, too. Lillian is nowhere to be found
in the manor, nor in the gardens. I even walked as far as the wishing well, to see if she d gone there on
some whim. It s not like her to disappear like this. Not without me, at any rate. Perhaps it is too soon to
worry, but& She paused and frowned, as if she were trying to reason herself out of her concern but
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found herself unable. Something is very wrong, my lord. I can feel it.
Marcus kept his face expressionless, though inside he felt a violent stab of worry. His mind busily riffled
through the possible explanations for her absence, from the frivolous to the extreme, and yet nothing
seemed to make sense. Lillian was not a silly fool who might have wandered away from the house and
become lost, nor, despite her love of pranks, would she play this kind of game. Neither did it seem likely
that she had gone visiting somewhere, as she knew no one in the village, and she would not have left the
estate on her own. Was she injured in some way? Had some illness overtaken her?
His heart thundering anxiously, he kept his voice calm as he glanced from Daisy s small face to Evie
Jenner s. Is it possible that she went to the stables and
N-no, my lord, Evie Jenner said. I ve already gone there to ask, and all of the horses are there, and
none of the stable hands have s-seen Lillian today.
Marcus nodded briefly. I ll organize a thorough search of the house and grounds, he said. She ll be
found within the hour.
Seeming comforted by his brusque manner, Daisy let out an unsteady sigh. What can I do?
Tell me more about the errand she went on. Marcus stared intently into her round,
gingerbread-colored eyes. What was your conversation prior to her leaving?
One of the housemaids came to deliver a message to her this morning, and
At what time? Marcus interrupted tersely.
Approximately eight o clock.
Which housemaid?
I don t know, my lord. I could hardly see a thing, as the door was scarcely opened as they spoke. And
the maid wore a mobcap, so I can t even tell you the color of her hair.
During the conversation, they were joined by Hunt and Annabelle.
I ll question the housekeeper and the housemaids, Hunt said.
Good. Filled with an explosive need for action, Marcus muttered, I ll start the grounds search. He
would gather a group of servants and a few male guests, including Lillian s father, to help. Rapidly he
calculated the length of time that Lillian had been absent, and the distance she could have traveled on foot
across relatively rugged terrain. We ll begin with the gardens, and broaden it to a ten-mile radius around
the manor. Catching Hunt s gaze, he jerked his head toward the doors, and they both made to depart.
My lord, came Daisy s anxious voice, delaying him briefly. You will find her, won t you?
Yes, he said without hesitation. And then I m going to strangle her.
That drew a tense smile from Daisy, and she watched him as he strode away.
Marcus s mood progressed from biting frustration to unendurable worry during the lengthening
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afternoon. Thomas Bowman, grimly convinced that his daughter was up to some bit of mischief making,
joined a party of riders who searched the nearby woodland and surrounding meadows, while another
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