Hoofprints in the snow.
Leading to and away from the cabin.
If she’s gone, if they’ve taken her, I will…!
I didn’t finish the thought.
Because I truly did not know what I was going to do.
Take revenge?
Kill Dalgliesh?
Be…heartbroken?
Irrelevant. Ignore. Concentrate on her. Take action!
Heartbroken.
Destroyed.
Irrelevant! Ignore!
The last bit of distance between us and the hut vanished in a blink. Tugging at the reins, I brought my horse to an abrupt halt. Johnson came to a stop beside me.
‘No one in sight, Sir. Should we go in?’
I jerked my head in a nod. ‘Yes.’
Three men dismounted and, dashing towards the cabin, pressed themselves against the wall. Slowly, they inched towards the door. For a moment, they hesitated. Their eyes flicked to me as they waited for the order. I met Johnson’s gaze, ice in my eyes.
‘If she’s hurt…’ Never before in my life had my voice been so cold. It seemed to come from far, far away, deep underneath the Arctic Ocean. Which was where I wanted to put a certain peer of the realm. ‘Bring Dalgliesh to me. Alive.’
Johnson nodded.
‘Yes, Sir!’
They cocked their weapons, and Johnson raised his hand, three fingers extended.
Three…
Two…
One…
Crash!
The door was kicked in, and the three men rushed in side, weapons levelled.
There was a moment of silence. No shots. No shouts. No nothing, except a long, long, silence. Finally, Johnson cleared his throat.
‘Um…Sir?’
Expression of Superfluous Sentiments
I stared at the naked man. Not something I made a habit of doing, under normal circumstances. But at this precise moment…
This moment wasn’t normal.