He caught her with hands on her arms and a worried, distracted smile. “Sorry. We woke you.”

“It doesn’t matter.” He looked as tired as she still felt, with circles under his eyes and hair as wild as her own. And he had on only shirtsleeves and trousers, no waistcoat or jacket. Unusual for him. “Has she slipped out again?”

“I was about to take another turn through the Abbey Gardens. I already did so once, but perhaps too quickly. I could have missed her somewhere.”

“I’ll come with you.” She turned back into her room to grab her purple shawl, not giving him the chance to refuse her company.

He didn’t try anyway, just stood there waiting for her, hands on his hips and gaze unfocused. “She doesn’t usually slip out so early, other than on Wednesdays lately, to see the races.”

“Could she think it’s Wednesday? Perhaps she’s confused by Mabena and me being here.” She swung the shawl into place and flipped her braid outside it.

“It’s possible. We’ll check the beach too.” He took her hand—not placing it on his forearm as he’d done before but weaving their fingers together. Like last night.

They hadn’t spoken of the kiss. There’d been too much else to fret over. But it had been thoughts of that, not the gunman or pirate treasure or poor Mabena’s injury or the feud with Casek Wearne, that had lulled her to sleep a few short hours ago. She’d half expected morning to bring with it a return to My lady and proper distance between them.

This was promising though.

He led her out a rear door, into his garden, which she’d yet to properly explore. And now certainly wasn’t the time, other than for a careful check of all the corners and hidden nooks to make sure they were empty of grandmothers. From there, they hurried to the Abbey Gardens and the side entrance that was unlocked.

He said nothing. Didn’t shout for Mamm-wynn. Perhaps because he was keenly aware of the sleepy silence of the rest of Tresco, as she was. Perhaps because the cool, misty morning air seemed to forbid any loud noises. Perhaps because he knew the moment he shouted for her outside, all his neighbors would join in the hunt, and he wanted to reserve that for if and when it became imperative.

Libby’s heart squeezed a bit more with each step, each glance that didn’t reveal Mamm-wynn. It had seemed harmless enough the other times she’d found the lady away from where she should be. But this early there was no one to keep a watchful eye on her and steer her back toward home. What if her steps faltered and she slipped? Fell? Injured herself?