“Sir, it is me.” Martha replied, calmly.
Gabriel turned slowly and saw her standing there. Her hands were trembling a little, her face pale with worry. Relief washed through him, but right behind it came a strange, sharp disappointment. For a small second, he had hoped it was Isabella. It irritated him the way the disappointment tugged at his chest. He pushed the feeling aside.
Without meeting Martha’s eyes, he asked, “Any word from her yet?”
“No sir. I have not been able to sleep,” she said quietly. “I heard noises in her room and I thought she had returned.” Her voice cracked slightly. “I think she may be in danger.”
Gabriel said nothing for a while. He walked closer to the window, drawn to the outside world as if he expected Isabella to suddenly appear and walk toward the house with
