In spite of her best attempts to thwart it, panic began to build. She kept her gaze locked on the road and lengthened her stride as far as she could, but still didn’t seem to be going fast enough.
Rain began to fall around her and swiftly increased to a steady deluge that soaked her from head to foot within minutes. But she didn’t pay it any attention. She was focused firmly on the distant thuds she could practically feel. It was ridiculous. Nobody could feel someone walking behind her, but some inner sense of preservation warned her that she was no longer alone.
Run, run, run, her mind screamed at her.
She couldn’t, though, because of the basket in her hand. It was full, and she couldn’t afford to drop her things. Still, she increased her pace as fast as she was able until she was half-running, half-trotting along. Her breath came out in harsh pants, but she refused to ease her hurried gait.
She wished Ben was there with her. He would be the voice of reason at a time like this. Heaven only knew where he was now. He probably wouldn’t even be back at the house. Not if he had his colleague to meet again.
“Ben, where are you?” she asked aloud. “Marcus?”
The skies darkened further until visibility became difficult.
Suddenly, the flurry of movement behind Jess captured her attention. Her gasp was loud as she caught sight of a cloaked figure leave the woods, and hurry across the road. The hood tugged up over the person’s head covered the features, and the long, billowing fabric protected their frame from identification. But she had seen enough of the sinister sight to last her a lifetime. She didn’t care who they were, or what they were doing out on an afternoon like this.
Everything was screaming at her to get out of there – and fast.
Horrified at the macabre sight the person crossing the road made, she spun around and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Thoughts about the people Marcus was in the village to capture flickered through her mind, swiftly followed by the sinister threat of Carruthers and Lloyd. The very idea of running into any of them drew her thoughts to Mr Grant’s suspected demise.
Suddenly, her sodden boots and the pelting rain that brought goose bumps to her chilled skin paled into insignificance. Nothing mattered except being able to get inside where it was safe. Tears began to fall, and were swept along by the relentless fury of the rainwater, but she didn’t care. Not even her sobs reached her ears. She was blind to everything but the desperate need to reach home safely.
“What the Hell?” Marcus gasped when he caught sight of her running down the street toward home, her face twisted with fear.
He immediately bolted out of the store at the side of the house and raced toward her.
“What is it? What’s happened?” Marcus demanded. He grabbed her shoulders to steady her when she barrelled into him, and glared over her shoulder at the darkened road, but couldn’t see anything wrong.
“S-s-someone is f-following me,” she gasped tearfully.
Marcus released her and raced out onto the road just in time to catch sight of a hooded figure disappear back into the woods on the opposite side of the road. He contemplated going after them but suspected they would be long gone by the time he got there, or well hidden.
Cursing his stupidity for allowing her out on her own in the first place, Marcus returned to Jess. He slid a supportive arm around her. His gaze scoured her for visible signs of injury. The fear was evident in the visible shakes that wracked through her, but she was otherwise unharmed.
When the rain began to increase its pounding fury, Marcus swung her high into his arms and strode toward the house. Once inside, he kicked the door closed and locked it behind them before he strode up the stairs with her still in his arms.
“Ben?” He yelled.
Within seconds, Ben was at the bottom of the stairs. He gasped at the sight of Jess, but Marcus stopped him following them.
“Go and warm some milk for her. She is frozen. Keep an eye out of the window. There is someone lurking out there in a black cloak.”
“Have they hurt her?” Ben demanded with a dark scowl.
Marcus shook his head but couldn’t be sure until he had checked for himself. All sorts of things were running through his mind, but he forced his attention to staying calm. It was damned difficult, though. He had never stopped to think about just how much he needed Jess in his life. The mere prospect of her not being there had left him deeply tormented.
Inside what was now their bedroom, Marcus deposited her on her feet beside the bed. Yanking down the covers down, he began to undress her with brisk efficiency.
“Let’s get you warmed up,” he murmured even though she had yet to speak.
Jess didn’t protest when he hauled her sodden dress over her shoulders and stripped every ounce of clothing off her. She stood before him immodestly and clung to him when he tugged a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around her. When she continued to shiver, he chaffed her arms in an attempt to get some warmth back into them, but it was of little use.
“D-d-did you see them?” she asked, her eyes pleading him to confirm that someone had been following; that it hadn’t been her imagination running away with her.
“Yes, I saw the cloaked figure. I just didn’t see wh
o it was,” Marcus replied. “Try not to worry about it. A lot of people are hurrying home in weather like this. I expect Ben will be back soon. Until then, let me light this fire. You get into bed. It’s important we get you warm.”
He left her standing beside the bed staring at him, and knelt down to light the fire. Once it was roaring away heartily, he turned toward her.