Mr. West and the Widow by Sophie Barnes

Author:Sophie Barnes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sophie Barnes

It was still dark outside when Colin woke in the morning. Having retired by nine the previous evening when he and his guests had parted ways after dinner, he’d collapsed in a heap on his bed, asleep before his head hit the pillow.

He stretched and lit the oil lamp so he could check the time. It was just after four. If he got up now, he’d be dressed and fed by five, allowing him a decent amount of time to check on the progress made in the treading barn before Mr. Frost and his farmhands met for work.

After plodding across the cool floor to his washstand, he handled his toilette and dressed, then snatched up the oil lamp and headed down to the kitchen where he grabbed a few biscuits from a tin. He ate one and stuffed the rest into his jacket pocket, just so he could tell Victoria that he had eaten breakfast.

The early morning air was crisp when he exited through the service entrance and started toward the barn. Everything was perfectly still. The only sound was the crunch of gravel beneath his feet. Until a small creature of some sort, startled by his approach, scampered away and disappeared into the darkness.

Colin raised his oil lamp to add more light to the path ahead and turned onto the ramp leading to the treading barn’s upper level. He was surprised to find it unlatched and immediately frowned. His friends weren’t the absent-minded sort. They knew better than to leave a door open during the night.

A little disgruntled by the carelessness, Colin entered the barn and felt the cushioning softness beneath his feet before the light from his oil lamp illuminated the space. He glanced down, impressed by the thick layer of wheat spread out on the floor. He’d expected some of the work to be done. His friends had required rest too, so he’d not expected them to work all night. This, however, would have taken at least four hours, he reckoned.

Glad to know there was nothing left for him to do here, he reminded himself to thank them later for easing his burden. Taking a turn of the space, he opened some of the windows to let in fresh morning air and was just coming back around to the door when a sound caught his attention. Stilling, he tilted his head and strained to listen.

It came from below – a dragging sort of noise, as though something were being pulled across the floor. The hour was still early but it did sound as if one of his workers was already busy, in which case Colin would like to go help.

He exited the upper level, shutting the door firmly behind him, and descended the ramp to the gathering room underneath. Upon reaching the door, he pushed it open, knocking it straight into something that blocked it from the opposite side.

Someone gasped.

Colin registered a stunned expression in the dim light and two waving arms. He instinctively reached out, grabbing hold of the woman he’d startled before she lost her footing completely.

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