Chapter 80 - Creature In The Woods

Delaney and Vincent spent the next week or so behaving as newlyweds would. They happily lived in their little bubble, protected from the world but eventually, the world still found them.

"Are you sure you have to go?" Delaney asked her husband again as she watched him sift through papers on the desk in his study.

"I do Love," he sighed, "I need to go see to the orchards and the other properties. Miles's lands themselves are still technically partially mine. I have to go."

"And I can't go with you?"

Looking up at her he smiled, "Not on this trip but maybe in the fall. I want you to see everything but some of this is grueling work."

Delaney crossed her arms over her chest, sitting in one of the chairs across from the desk, "And what should I do while you're gone?"

"Well, that's the fun of it. It's all up to you. Talk to Ms. Crouch. She may have some ideas."

"Riding all that time in the carriage is going to make you miserable."

Vincent sighed, "It won't be pleasant but there are enough stops I think I'll be alright. And you'll be alright too. Remember I have a surprise coming for you the day after tomorrow."

Delaney perked up at that reminder, now smiling at him, "You should give me a little hint about what that is."

Her husband chuckled, "It will make you happy. That's all I can tell you."

She groaned and feigned annoyance, "Fine! I'll just have to wait."

It wasn't long before Vincent was ready to leave, the carriage pulled around to the front of the house and loaded with things he would need. Delaney walked to the drive with him and when he turned to say goodbye she had to blink back tears.

He smiled lovingly at his wife, "Stop that now Love. I promise I'll be safe and home again before you know it."

Delaney nodded, dashing away the tears even though they continued to slip down her cheeks. Vincent smiled and held her in his arms, kissing the top of her head.

"Stay near the manor. Don't ever go so far someone wouldn't be able to hear you and get to you. Stay away from the woods."

Delaney nodded again, "I promise I'll be safe. Come back as soon as you can."

Vincent leaned down to kiss her and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply.

"I love you," she whispered when they were finally apart.

"I love you my Lady," Vincent smiled at her before getting into the carriage and one of the men closing the door behind him.

Delaney watched the carriage until it disappeared from sight before going inside, back to their shared room, and collapsing sadly onto their bed.

That evening she kept to herself in her room, eating her dinner when it was brought to her. When she tried to sleep in their bed she found herself tossing and turning for most of the night, waking up reaching for a man who wasn't there.

The next morning when Ms. Bird came to help her get dressed for the day, she gave her mistress a sympathetic smile.

"You should get outside for the day my Lady," the old maid suggested, "Fresh air will do you good."

Delaney sighed before yawning but agreed to do what the woman had suggested. What else could she do? It wouldn't do any of them any good if she did nothing but lay in bed and weep all day.

Dragging herself outside she found herself wandering through the nice, but mostly neglected flower gardens. Walking down the gently sloping hill that had seemed so much bigger when she was a child, she came to the old tree she had sat under so long ago with her friends.

Delaney leaned back against the trunk and stared out over the woods which started farther down the hill. She remembered watching Vincent ride up from those woods the night of his hunt with Miles. It seemed so long ago now.

Studying the trees closest to the bottom of the hill, something caught Delaney's eye and made her freeze. There was something there, down in the woods.

She held still and watched as the thing moved, a hulking black thing that didn't look like a bear or a wolf or really anything she could think of. It moved and she could have sworn she saw the reflection of the sunlight on its eyes.

Realizing suddenly just how far from the manor she was, Delaney stood slowly, keeping her eyes on the thing as her heart began to race. She felt as if her throat were getting tighter. How fast could she make it to the manor? Could the thing move faster? Could the manor even protect her from it?

On her feet now, Delaney took a few steps backward, watching the strange thing she would still swear was watching her back. Getting as far as she could manage before she thought her heart would burst with fear, she turned, at last, lifting her skirts and dashing back up the hill through the gardens.

"My Lady, what's wrong?" their butler asked when Delaney burst through the doors, her fear clear on her face, "What's happened?"

"There's... There's something in the woods," Delaney panted, "I don't know what it is but it was huge and it was watching me!"

Delaney worked to catch her breath as she leaned against the wall. The butler went quickly to the windows and looked out, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it was.

Even though he saw nothing, he didn't hesitate, turning and shouting to one of the younger servants to go to the stables and have the men ready the horses. The young boy looked scared but nodded and ran off.

"My Lady I think it would be best if you went to your chambers. I can send for Ms. Bird to meet you there."

Delaney nodded and agreed, her heart still pounding in her chest and her hands trembling. She worked her way up to her room and closed the door behind her when she got there.  Scrambling to the windows, Delaney pressed her face to the small panes and stared down the hill to the place the thing had been.

It was gone. Somehow that was even more terrifying. She took a deep breath and looked all around through the trees and the gardens, looking for it. There was nothing there. When the men rode off into the woods a moment later, directly in the area the thing had been, it didn't stop her worry.

"My lady maybe you should come away from the windows," a voice spoke from behind her suddenly, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin and lose the contents of her stomach.

Oh, I'm so sorry!" Ms. Bird gasped upon seeing her mistress's near heart attack, "I thought you would have heard me come in."

"No," Delaney squeaked as she waited for her racing heart to calm.

"Well, I'm sorry I gave you such a fright. Come away from those windows. We don't want whatever was out there to see you."

The frightened woman did as her maid had said, leaving the windows to sit on one of the plush couches. She swallowed hard trying to calm her frazzled nerves. She knew Vincent had never told her about some mysterious thing living in these woods. That was something she'd remember.

"You can't recall more about what it looked like?" Ms. Bird asked quietly as she absently straightened around the bedroom.

"No," Delaney answered quietly, "It was too far away. I could just see it was big and staring at me."

Ms. Bird nodded and glanced out the windows herself. She seemed uneasy about the strange creature too. She looked at her young mistress in concern. Why had the thing been watching her?

Delaney stood and took down the familiar red-covered book Vincent had given her so long ago. She decided she would read through the Adair's history and see if there was anything to learn. Surely if a monster had been discovered it would have a mention in the enormous book.

Ms. Bird agreed this was a good idea. Delaney curled up on the couch with the book trying to read through its pages and keep her mind off the men who still hadn't come back. She wondered if she should send a letter to her husband telling him of this.  She didn't want to worry him.

Deciding he would be angry with her if she didn't, Delaney went to the desk and quickly wrote out a note for her husband. Ms. Bird took it and sent it out with one of the last boys in the stable to take to the Duke. She demanded that the boy go as quickly as he could.

Delaney was still reading through the pages of the book when she heard the galloping sound of the horses returning. She practically ran downstairs. She got there in time to see the butler talking to the man who ran the stables.

His face was grey and tormented as he told the butler everything. Once he had finished, the man was again dismissed and the butler turned to Delaney with a somber expression.

"I'm sorry my Lady," he said quietly, "They found nothing of your creature.