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Slayde shook his head “I don’t think so The currents were too strong for hi him down He must have been washed ashore And if he were already dead when that happened, I would have received word You see, I sent yman I could think of Had a drowned ymen would have been notified, after which he would have notified me”
Promise flared in Lexley’s eyes “That otten “Could this truly be possible? Do you honestly believe Captain Johnston is—ht be—alive?”
A o, Slayde’s reply would have been an unconditional no
But now?
Solemnly, Slayde pondered Courtney’s dreams, the periodic advances of her timepiece, the intensity of her faith, a faith that had been shattered by nore
Someone who looks but can’t see…But now he sees…
Confidently, Slayde nodded “Do I believe Johnston could be alive?” he repeated, the answer as clear as the vision he now possessed “Yes And I know just where to go to find out”
Chapter 16
AURORA GASPED, ALL THE color draining froiven her “Someone at Pembourne is involved? My God” She sank into a chair “Whoever penned this aided Armon not only with blackmail and theft, but with murder They killed Mama and Papa”
“And they’ll pay for it” Courtney lay a coo unpunished”
“Nor will their intended cri look, he expounded, his face tight with re this scheme obviously believes Courtney to be a threat When she and I left for London last week, we stopped in Soht The e, a masked rider appeared out of nowhere and fired a shot at her But for the grace of God…”
“No Oh, Courtney” Aurora grasped her friend’s hand, as if to assure herself that Courtney were unharmed “Thank heavens he missed you”
“He didn’t miss me for lack of skill,” Courtney said softly “Were it not for Slayde…” A shiver of reain He knocked me out of the way just in time”
“It had to be Morland” Aurora was on her feet again “Your threats terrified him He hadn’t a clue they were contrived He must have followed you here, then from Pembourne to Somerset—and tried to silence you”
“My theory exactly” For the third tihtly locked sitting rooe reminded us, we haven’t a clue who penned that sketch Until we do, no one must be privy to our conversations”