Chapter 197
The study felt heavy with unspoken promises, but Graham’s resolve
was steady. This place, this life, had been his father’s legacy, and now
it was his to uphold. And for Isla, it was his duty to ensure that
Thornfield Manor remained a place she could always call home.
The knock at the study door startled Graham from his thoughts.
“Master Graham?” Edwin’s familiar voice carried a tone of urgency.
“Come in,” Graham said, already on edge. “What is it?”
Edwin entered, his expression grim, followed by Maggie, who looked
as though she might collapse under the weight of her worry. Before
Graham could ask, Maggie blurted out, her voice trembling, “We can’t
find Isla.” Tears welled in the older woman’s eyes, her hands
clutching a handkerchief as though it were her lifeline.
“Poor girl,” Maggie continued, her voice breaking. “God knows what’s
going on in her little head. She’s been so quiet, so withdrawn since
Master Robert’s passing. I don’t think she can take this grief, Master
Graham. He was her world, her only family after her mother passed.
Now, she’s all alone. I’m terrified she might do something…
something rash.” Maggie’s voice cracked, her tears spilling over. “We
don’t know where she’s gone, and I fear the worst.”
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Chapter 197
Graham’s heart dropped. Isla’s unusual behavior the day before-
slipping away from the church, walking miles alone, barely eating-
flashed through his mind. Something was deeply wrong, and now she
was missing. A thread of dread curled tightly around his chest.
“Edwin,” Graham said sharply, rising from his chair. His voice carried
a calm authority, but inside, his thoughts were racing. “Take out the
car. We’re going to look for her. She can’t have gone far.”
Edwin nodded and turned to leave, but Maggie caught Graham’s arm.
“Please, Master Graham,” she whispered, her eyes pleading. “Find her.
She’s just a child in so many ways, even if she won’t admit it.”
“I will,” Graham promised, the weight of her words sinking into him.
As he stepped outside, Vanessa was waiting in the garden. She turned
to him with a bright smile, twirling a strand of her perfectly styled
hair. “Oh, Graham, are you finished? Can we go see the horses now?
You promised you’d teach me to ride today,” she said with a playful
giggle.
Her lightheartedness grated against his raw nerves. “No time,” he
said curtly, brushing past her. “Isla’s missing. Edwin and I are going
to look for her.” He didn’t wait to see her reaction as he headed for
the car.
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The drive through town was tense, silence filling the vehicle save for
Edwin’s occasional questions to passersby. They checked the park,
where Isla often sat to sketch, and the pond where she used to watch
the ducks as a child. They stopped at the home of one of her few
friends, but no one had seen her. Graham knocked on neighbors‘
doors, asking if anyone had noticed a young woman wandering by, but
each response left him more frustrated.
By the time they circled back toward the creek, the sense of unease
gnawing at Graham had grown into full–fledged fear. The afternoon
sun climbed higher, casting long shadows across the ground as they
scanned the familiar landscape for any sign of her. Edwin, usually
unshakable, suggested hesitantly, “Perhaps we should notify the
authorities, sir. It’s been hours now. If something’s happened-*
Graham cut him off. “Not yet,” he said firmly, though he knew Edwin
was right. If they didn’t find Isla soon, they would have no choice. He
tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.
Where could she have gone? Why hadn’t she told anyone she was
leaving?
Back at the manor, the household had descended into chaos. Maggie’s worry had spilled over, and the staff were all out searching, their whispered fears filling the halls. The weight of it all pressed down on Graham as he paced the driveway, debating their next steps. If Isla didn’t return by evening, he would have to call the police. The
thought made his stomach twist;
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Maggie stood in the dimly lit parlor, her face streaked with tears,
clutching a handkerchief as though it could shield her from the storm
of emotions tearing through her. “It’s my fault,” she choked out, her
voice breaking. “I should have listened to my gut and spoken to her.
Poor soul. God knows where she’s gone! She doesn’t know anything
about the outside world–no experience at all.” Her hands trembled as
she dabbed her eyes, the weight of her own guilt pressing heavily on
her frail shoulders.
