“Do you suppose the world is coming to an end?” quipped Percy.
Rennie said, “It’s a rather important matter, Mrs. Elton. We—”
“It’s your ladyship, if you please,” Beatrice snapped. “I am the new countess now and I expect to be addressed as such.”
“Uh, well, of course, your ladyship, I apologize. I—”
“Don’t waste your breath, Rennie.” Douglas stood tall and calm, a purposeful ring to his voice. “Listen everyone, and listen carefully.” He nodded to the butler who stood by the door. “You, too, Griggs. You must notify the servants at once.” Douglas scanned the room, locking eyes with each person in turn. “We have come to warn you that every sign indicates Chatfield Court is about to be hit by a tremendous flood. You must head for higher ground immediately.”
A collective sound of gasps filled the room. “Just what do you mean?” asked Beatrice.
“Exactly what I said, madam.” Douglas gave a quick explanation of how the thunderstorm over the canyon had stagnated for hours and not blown away. The waters were undoubtedly building in the narrow canyon, ready to break loose at any moment. “The rain has not let up for hours. If my instinct serves, and I know it does, tons of water are collecting above us. At any moment they could crash down upon Chatfield Court, the village of Sudberry, the entire valley.”
Beatrice laughed with contempt. “Are we not being a bit overdramatic? Good gracious, even if the water got to our door, these walls are made of stone. I cannot imagine Chatfield Court would ever be in any real danger.”
James chimed in. “Quite right, my dear.” In his usual glassy-eyed daze, he had listened quietly. Now he addressed Douglas with a petulant edge to his voice. “Not only is her ladyship correct, but I find it quite disagreeable of you to frighten the ladies this way. After all, we have had floods before. I cannot remember the number of times the River Hulm has overflowed its banks. Once, as I recall, it came halfway up the lawn. Do you remember that, my dear?” He glanced at his wife. “Back in eighteen thirteen or so, but we never thought to go running up the hill, as you suggest, Mister Cartland.”
Rennie frowned. “Lord Lansdown, let me assure you that my good friend here is an expert on the subject and knows whereof he speaks. You would be wise to listen.”
“Just what would you have us do?” Percy’s lips twisted into a cynical smile. “Go racing up the hill in our good clothes in this downpour? Good grief, old fellow, come to your senses.” He and James shared a laugh.
Ignoring Percy, Douglas addressed James. “Must I go through this again? What we have today is more than ‘just another flood.’ Can’t you understand that at any moment a giant wall of water might come crashing down upon us? If you have half a brain in your head, you will get out now, this instant.”
“How dare you,” Beatrice exclaimed. “You have insulted his lordship. I demand you leave at once.”
Douglas didn’t waste a glance at her. “Who’s going and who’s staying?” He looked toward where the butler had been standing by the door, but he was gone. “I trust Griggs has gone to warn the servants. As for the rest of you ...” He looked Beatrice in the eye. “Are you coming?”
“Certainly not.” Beatrice marched to a sofa, sat herself down, and glared defiantly at her unwelcome guest. “If the rest of you want to go scurrying up the hill like frightened rabbits, go ahead, but I shall not be a party to such foolishness.”
“I have ordered the coach brought around for the ladies.” Douglas directed his gaze at James. “You, sir?”
“I agree with my wife.” James sat on the sofa next to Beatrice. “I cannot abide this nonsense. The sooner you leave, the better.”
Percy peered haughtily down his nose at Douglas. “I concur with my parents. May I say, I have never seen such outrageous behavior as you have displayed today, Mister Cartland. I personally believe you belong in Bedlam.”
Douglas turned to Jane’s mother. “I trust you will be coming with us, ma’am.”
Amelia Hart sank into a chair and bowed her head as if in deep thought. A long moment passed. “No, I am staying right here.”
Jane took a deep, sharp breath. “Mama, what are you thinking? Of course you’re coming. You know we can stay with Lord Rennie. He—”
“I am not coming.”
“Why?” Jane fought to keep the panic from her voice.
“Because I’m too old to run. Besides, I, too, think it’s the height of foolishness to go running up the hill in all this rain. Leave if you wish, but as for me, I shall go to my room where I shall wait out the storm in comfort, thank you.”
“No, you must come!” Jane knelt before her mother and gripped her hands. “Please, I’m begging you. You could die if you stay.”
Mama clenched her jaw. “I am not going to budge, so don’t waste your breath. Go without me. I insist.”
Jane knew her mother well enough to know she would never change her mind. She got off her knees and backed away, not sure what to do.
Millicent’s eyes filled with tears. “Mama, are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Then I’m staying, too.” Millicent went to stand beside her mother.
“No, Miss Hart,” Rennie cried. “There’s a flood coming. You are risking your life if you remain here.”
She tossed her head. “It’s my choice. I appreciate your concern, but if my mother is staying, then so am I.”
Jane listened with growing alarm. “Millicent, you know the danger.”
In an anguished voice, Rennie pleaded, “Listen to your sister. You cannot stay here. I will not hear of it!”
“Why, Lord Rennie!” Millicent batted her eyelashes. “I am deeply flattered by your concern. However, it isn’t only that I don’t want to leave my mother. I, too, do not believe any kind of flood could possibly destroy Chatfield Court. Jane, you go ahead. Don’t worry. I shall stay right here with Mama and we shall be fine.”
Leave both her sister and mother behind? The thought tore at Jane’s insides. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, she heard frantic shouts from outside. The door burst open. Griggs rushed in. “The water has broken through on this side of the river! It’s coming up faster than I have ever seen”
Meg stepped in and went to Jane. “Griggs is right, m’lady. The water is almost to the door. We should leave at once.”
“This is your last chance, everyone,” Douglas said.
Beatrice spoke again. “What nonsense. We have had floods like this before and nothing came of it except that the gardeners had a lot of cleaning up to do.” From her place on the sofa, Beatrice folded her arms. With a curt nod of her head, she continued, “These stone walls will protect us. I am not going anywhere and that is that.”
“Then I shall waste no more time trying to persuade you.” Douglas’ gaze swept the room. “Whoever is coming, we must leave at once.”
Granny had sat quietly, intently listening to every word. “Well, I am not going to sit here and drown. I’m coming with you.” Gripping her cane, she struggled to her feet and looked to where James and Beatrice sat on the sofa and Percy stood behind. “If you nincompoops want to stay here and drown, then go ahead.” Her sharp eyes skewered her daughter. “Don’t be a dunce, Amelia. Come along.”
Amelia Hart lifted her chin in defiance. “Go ahead if you like. I shall remain where I am.”
“We must get out of here.” Douglas headed for the door, followed by Granny hobbling on her cane.
Rennie, frowning with distress, again spoke to Millicent. “Please come with us. I cannot bear the thought of leaving you behind.”
“You must, Lord Rennie.” Millicent circled her arm around her mother’s shoulders. “We shall be perfectly fine, I assure you.”
From a distance came a sharp, ominous crack accompanied by a long, muffled sound of thunder. A hard knot formed in Jane’s stomach. It was a strange, ominous sound that seemed to go on and on, as if the gods of the canyon were issuing their final warnin
g.
“Did you hear that, Miss Hart?” Rennie asked.
Millicent shrugged indifferently. “It’s only thunder.”
“That does it, I’ve heard enough.” Rennie strode to where she was standing. With one fell swoop, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.
“Lord Rennie, what are you doing?” Eyes wide with surprise, Millicent kicked her heels and pounded her fists on Rennie’s back. “I am not a sack of potatoes, sir. Put me down.”
“No, I shall not. If you don’t have sense enough to save your own life, then I shall do it for you.” He started for the door, carrying his flailing burden as if it were a squirming lapdog. “You, too, Countess. We must leave.”
Jane hesitated. How could she leave her mother behind? “Mama, please ...”
Amelia returned a reassuring smile. “Just go, dear. When this storm passes, you’ll come back and we’ll all have a big laugh together.”
No sense arguing. Mama had made up her mind and Jane knew nothing would change it. I am stubborn, too, and I’m not going to stay here and drown. “Then I shall see you shortly, Mama. Everything’s bound to be all right.” With a heavy heart, she turned on her heel and followed the others out the door and into the entry hall where they found the front door open wide to the dimness of the late afternoon light. Servants, some carrying what appeared to be their worldly possessions, were fleeing into the driving rain.
“At least Griggs did his duty,” Douglas said to Rennie. “Let’s hope the coach is waiting. We need to get these ladies up the hill.”
They crowded onto the portico. Jane took a quick look around. “I don’t see the coach.”
One of the stable boys came jogging by. “There won’t be a coach,” he called. “Timothy sent all the horses up the hill.”
With an oath, Douglas peered into the rain. “Including our horses, Rennie. They must have followed the others.”
Rennie, still holding tight to Millicent, replied, “My apologies, Miss Hart, but it appears we’re going to have to run for it.”
Douglas called, “Quick everyone, let’s get up the hill!”
Jane took her grandmother’s elbow. The two of them stepped into the driving rain. Never had she seen it come down so hard. It was cold, besides. “We shall need our wraps.”
She turned to go back inside, but Granny gripped her arm. “You will do no such thing, missy. We had bloody hell better get up the hill right now.” She took a shaky step into the downpour, leaning heavily on her cane.
By the time she took another step, Douglas appeared by her side. “You would never make it, Granny.” He scooped her up in his arms, cane and all.
Granny didn’t resist. “Just don’t drop me, young man.” She still hung tightly to her cane.
They had all taken only a few steps when a deafening blast sounded from up the canyon, so loud everyone halted in their tracks to listen. Jane heard terrified cries of, “God save us!” For all she knew, she might have cried out, too. A tremendous roar followed the blast. It was definitely not thunder.
“It’s coming,” Douglas shouted. “Everybody run!”
Jane picked up her skirt and ran for her life up the road that led to Lancaster Hall. She pushed against the heaviest downpour she had ever experienced; the air was so laden with water she could hardly breathe. Everyone ran together, servants and nobility alike. She saw Griggs streak by, legs churning, his dignity left behind. Mrs. Stanhope passed her, too, wide skirts flapping. She heard the hysterical shrieks of a scullery maid as she raced up the hill, followed by Hugh, the young stable boy. Where is Timothy? Jane hoped the old stableman had somehow escaped the deluge.
Directly ahead she saw Rennie set her sister down. Now convinced of the danger, Millicent cast modesty aside as she ran hand-in-hand with Rennie, holding her narrow skirt up around her knees.
Out of the corner of her eye, Jane saw Granny, still in Douglas’ arms, hanging on for dear life. Despite his burden, his strides were so swift and sure Jane could hardly keep up with him. He glanced over at her. “All right?”
“Fine,” she managed to gasp. She glanced to the north and saw the most terrifying sight she had ever seen. A gigantic wall of water had burst from the canyon. At least thirty feet high, it was crashing down upon them at lightning speed, accompanied by a deafening roar, louder than a thousand cannons exploding at the same time.
They were directly in its path.
“Douglas, look, it’s coming,” she screamed.
Without slowing down, Douglas took a quick glance. “Keep running. It’s our only chance.”
She ran on, faster than she’d known possible. Her burning lungs screamed for relief, but the fear of being swept away made her keep up her pace.
The giant wave was almost upon them. Water lapped at her heels, then her knees. Sheer black fright swept through her as it swirled around her waist, dragging her back. “Hold onto me,” Douglas yelled. She grabbed the back of his coat and clung tight as he fought his way forward through the swirling water. Terrified screams came from behind. She could hear them clearly above the hideous roar. Then a sudden silence, and she knew someone had just been swept away, hopelessly caught in the deadly current. She fought on, still clinging to Douglas, with Rennie and Millicent fighting for footing ahead, everyone struggling through the water.
A powerful surge of water hit. She lost her grip. With all her strength, she tried to lunge forward but the relentless force of the water held her tight in its grasp. Once more she struggled against the current. No use. Its overwhelming power kept pulling her backward.
I am going to drown. Nothing can help me. I am done.
A pair of strong hands grabbed her, thrust her forward. Suddenly she was able to grab Douglas’ coat again. Who had helped her? She looked back. Bruta!
“Keep going, madam,” shouted her lady’s maid.
This time she kept a tight hold on Douglas’ coat, hanging on for dear life. She continued on, totally exhausted. Finally, when she was certain she could not take one more step, the water swirled away. Everyone stopped. Jane bent forward, clutching her knees, trying to catch her breath. Others did the same, or lay exhausted on the ground, ignoring the cold and wet.
Douglas set Granny down with care. “There you are, ma’am. Looks as if we will survive.”
For once, Granny had no sharp answer. Instead, she tried to look back down the hill, but by now darkness had fallen. “Can’t see past my nose,” she complained in a troubled voice. “What’s happened to Amelia?”
“We can’t go back now,” Douglas told her gently. “It’s too dark and the water is still too deep.”
“That foolish, foolish daughter of mine.” Granny tried to say more but her voice cracked and she began to shiver.
“We must get her to Rennie’s,” Jane said, putting aside her own fear for her mother.
“Your daughter might be all right,” Douglas said to Granny. “I promise we’ll find out in the morning.”
“At first light,” Jane told him. “ I hate to wait until morning. What if she’s out there somewhere and needs our help?”
“We must wait. There’s nothing more we can do tonight.” Douglas took her arm. “Come along to Rennie’s. Right now we all need to get warm and dry.”
Chapter 19
Jane spent a near-sleepless night worrying over the fate of her mother. Early the next morning, accompanied by Douglas, she started back down the road to Chatfield Court. They left Millicent asleep. Granny wanted to come, but the cold and wet had affected her rheumatism and she could hardly move from her bed.
“Granny, we’ll return as soon as we can and let you know if we’ve found her.” She kept reassuring herself that Mama would be found alive, yet dread filled her heart.
Now, making her way back down the road, the farther they walked, the more shocked she became. The morning light disclosed an unbelievable scene of devastation. The whole landscape was changed. Silt, debris, and broken branches lay in tangled heaps everywhere, making the
road nearly unrecognizable. Trees were stripped bare. Rocks of all sizes lay scattered where none had been before. “Look at that.” Jane pointed to a huge boulder in the middle of the road. “That is amazing. How did it get there?”
Douglas shook his head. “It only goes to show the incredible force of the water.”
What about Chatfield Court? What about Mama? The unanswered questions screamed silently inside her.
When they rounded a bend in the road, Jane’s heart lifted. In the distance, she saw the walls of Chatfield Court. “Thank God, they’re still standing. Mama has to be all right.” She quickened her step, rushing ahead, anxious to see her mother, but the closer she came, the more she realized something was wrong.
“Wait up,” Douglas called when she drew closer. He came up beside her. “Don’t go any farther. Take a close look.”
She did not want to look closer but knew she must. When she did, her joy evaporated. The remnants of Chatfield Court stood open to the elements, the roof completely gone. Yes, the walls still stood, most of them. But one wall had completely crumbled, and the ones remaining stood like ghostly symbols surrounding the gutted remains of a great house in ruins. Jane was standing quietly, trying to comprehend the enormity of the destruction when she heard a familiar voice. “M’lady! Praise the Lord, you’re still alive.” Timothy hobbled up. Despite a bloody gash on his forehead, his face lit in a smile.
“Oh, Timothy, it’s so good to see you.” Jane gave him a hug. “You survived!”
“Just barely, mum. I spent the night in a tree, hanging on for dear life. But I’m grateful I made it through ...” He looked toward the remains of Chatfield Court and his smile faded. “Not everyone did, I fear.”
“Do you know if anyone got out?” Jane asked, half in anticipation, half in dread. “Mister Elton and his wife? Percy? My mother?”
Grim-faced, the old stableman shook his head. “All I know is that water came so fast no one got out if they weren’t warned ahead of time and either ran up the hill or spent the night in a tree like I did. They are saying a lot of people just got swept away, so chances are ...” he shook his head dubiously.
The Last of Lady Lansdown Page 26
