CHINA ROSE by Canham Marsha

Author:Canham, Marsha [Canham, Marsha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Marsha Canham
Published: 2010-07-19T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

China walked past her own door and knocked, instead, on Justin's. She waited an impatient few moments but when there was no answer, she turned the knob and went in.

The room was empty.

Justin was gone. The bloodied linen shirt and coat were in a crumple on the bed but all of his other belongings, meager though they had been, were gone.

Almost gone, that is.

In his haste to gather his things, he must have snatched his journal off the mantel and not noticed that the well-worn miniature of Sir Anthony Cross had fallen onto the floor. China picked it up and wiped a speck of dust from the surface. The gray eyes were staring up at her accusingly, as if he too was blaming her for the way the events had unfolded these past few days. Most of Justin's confrontations with Sir Ranulf had involved her in one way or another. He had earned the cut on his arm through her stupidity, and even when she tried to admit her complicity in the matter, he had cut her off, sacrificing himself...again...in order to protect her honor.

She tucked the miniature into her pocket and went across the hall, flushing with the thought that perhaps he would be there, waiting to speak to her before he left, but again, she was disappointed. A sound drew her to the window and she reached it in time to see him swinging his lean frame into the saddle and spurring his horse across the courtyard.

She pressed her hands flat against the glass pane but he did not look up.

Ten minutes later, dressed in a warm woolen cloak and soft leather boots, China was tiptoeing along the hall toward the servants' staircase. She had used it once, after that first night of fumbling around to find the kitchen, and knew it led to the lower floors with an exit out to the courtyard.

Having managed to leave the house unobserved, she hastened across the cobbled stones toward the stables. She had gone riding on several occasions over the past fortnight, so the groomsman was not entirely surprised to see her.

"Bit windy out this morning, Miss," he said, touching his brow respectfully. "Looks like a storm brewin' up as well."

China glanced out at the sky. Clouds were gathering overhead, dark and threatening rain.

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