“I checked his room! His bed hadn’t been slept in! Please, we have to—”

“Maybe he’s in the library,” Ophelia said desperately, though her voice warbled and a tear leaked down one cheek.

“No!” Harriet cried, her heart pounding painfully. Please God, she had to find him. She had to.

“Look!” Sophia said, tightening her hold on Harriet. “Someone is coming! Maybe they can help.”

They all turned and there, riding down the driveway was Mr. Gower. He pulled up at the sight of the fire. Then he turned and looked at them, meeting Harriet’s gaze for a long moment.

She could feel his superior smirk all the way from here.

“I daresay he saw the flames from his house,” Ophelia said. “It’s only over the ridge.”

“He can help find St. John,” Derrick said, turning as if to go to the banker. But before Derrick could take two steps, the banker turned and left, walking his horse calmly back down the lane.

Derrick halted, his hands in fists. “That cowardly bastard!”

Harriet broke from Sophia’s side and caught Derrick’s arm. “We’ll have to do this ourselves. Come, Derrick. Sophia, give me your blanket.”

Sophia unwrapped the blanket from her shoulders. “What are you going to—”

Harriet whisked the blanket into her arms and ran to the trough by the railing. She tossed the blanket into the cold water and pushed it all the way under. Then she picked it up and wrapped it around her, shivering as the cold water soaked her night rail to the skin.

Derrick grabbed her arm, Stephen and Mother followed behind him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Stephen demanded, almost shouting over the crackle of the fire.

“I have to help. He was stacking the wool, he’d have to be near the door and—”

“Harriet, we can’t let you do anything foolhardy,” Mother said, coughing as a thick billow of smoke covered them.

Derrick nodded grimly. “We’ll stop you if we have to.”

“Oh for the love oh—When have I ever been foolhardy? Look at the barn! The fire’s mainly on one side. If we go now, we can find him. If we wait, the smoke will get too thick.”

Derrick hesitated, then glanced inquiringly at Stephen. “She’s right. We could possibly—”

“No. It’s madness. I can’t allow—”

“It isn’t your choice.” Harriet tightened the blanket about her and turned to the barn.

Mother moved to stand before her. “Dear, just listen—”

Harriet quickly stepped around her and ran.

Behind her, Derrick cursed, but then yanked off his coat and plunged it into the trough.

Harriet didn’t wait. Holding the edge of the wet blanket over her mouth, she ducked low and went though the barn door.

Smoke billowed around her, stinging her eyes and sucking the breath from her lungs. Where was he? She crouched in the doorway, trying to get her bearings and remember where he was when she’d left him.

The smoke thickened, the fire cracked and popped overhead, a live creature, devouring the ancient wood as if starved. It roared with the throaty growl of a hungry bear.