“I think your bed is ruined,” Daniel said wryly as they straightened from rolling George up in the blanket.

Richard glanced to the bed. The mattress was swollen with water and likely to grow more so as the remaining ice melted. Not that he particularly wanted to sleep on a mattress his dead brother had occupied anyway.

They lifted George up together, each taking an end of the blanket and then moved quickly to the door with their burden. Richard then set down his end to open the door, only to discover it was locked.

“Probably to keep the servants out,” Daniel suggested quietly.

Richard grunted and glanced to a second door on the adjacent wall, this one leading to Christiana’s room, he suspected. Hopefully it wouldn’t be locked. He picked up his end again and nodded toward the door. “That way.”

Daniel immediately began to back across the room. Both of them sighed with relief when he set down his end, tried the doorknob and it turned. He then started to push the door open wide, but stopped abruptly and instead pulled it closed.

“What is it?”

“There’s a woman sleeping in a chair by the fire,” Daniel hissed.

Richard hesitated and then eased the end of George he was holding to the floor and moved over to ease the door open and look for himself. Sure enough, a middle-aged woman was slumped in a chair by the fire, snoring softly. Probably Christiana’s lady’s maid, Richard thought. Grimacing, he eased the door closed and briefly leaned his forehead against it.

“What do we do now?” Daniel asked.

Richard straightened and turned back to his blanket-wrapped brother. Bending, he caught the stiff body around the waist and lifted him. He then straightened, hefting George a little higher against his chest so that his feet didn’t hit the floor.

“Are you going to be able to carry him like that?” Daniel asked in a concerned whisper.

“I’ve been working a farm the last year, Daniel, I’ll be fine. And this will be faster than the two of us dragging him about. If we’re quick and quiet we should get through the room without waking the maid.” Richard wasn’t sure that was true, but he was hoping. Fortunately, Daniel didn’t argue the point, but helped him lift George even higher until he clasped him around the upper legs just below his bottom. It left Richard’s legs free to move without bumping into George every step. Once he was sure he had a good grip on George, he said, “You’ll have to get the doors.”

Daniel nodded and moved to the door to the connecting bedroom again. He eased it open just enough to peer inside, then apparently finding the maid still sleeping, he pulled it wide and gestured for him to hurry.

Richard took a deep breath and started forward at once with his burden. He didn’t breathe again, however, until they’d crossed the room and Daniel opened the door and ushered him out into the hall.