When The Rain Falls

Chapter Sixteen

For the next few days, I would take my stack of novels and law books to Rebecca's room, and the two of us would sit in silence to read them. I made no attempt to press her about her past and we spoke very little, but her behaviour towards me had changed somewhat and I had to hope that she would reveal a little more information.

By the fourth day, I hoped to make a little more progress. Father's deadline had started to tick away, and I was still no closer to discovering where Rebecca had come from nor how she ended up in the woods. Two weeks was not enough time to figure it all out and I couldn't understand how Father could justify such a timescale. Still, I had to make do with what I had.

I grabbed the stack of books from my writing desk and tucked them under my arm, my copy of Alice In Wonderland resting on the top. It had taken me a while to find it since it had been shoved at the back of my shelf, but I hoped Rebecca would enjoy it.

"Could I grab a word with you before you go off on your adventures, Master Nate?" George asked, poking his head through the gap in my door.

"Very well, but I would hardly call them adventures. The contents of the law books do not make for riveting reading."

"Then I won't pick one up for my evening reads. I had planned on doing so." George smiled and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

I sat back on the edge of my bed, allowing the books to spill out onto the blankets. "What do you wish to talk about?"

"I've been making some inquiries in the village to find out if anyone knows or remembers anyone called Rebecca Edwards. No one seems to know anyone by that name and her description didn't warrant any sort of response from anyone. It seems she didn't come from the village at all."

"Then where did she come from? The village is the closest place, on foot anyway, and I cannot think of any other way she would make it without someone commenting on her condition."

The village was the obvious answer to Rebecca's sudden appearance, and I had hoped that it would be the right answer. George's findings provided far more questions than answers. Rebecca would have had to have travelled some distance, but it would have been near impossible for her to do so on foot. Not only that, but she knew her way from the village to our property and no outsider would have been able to do that. Even the man who delivered the milk became confused.

She had to have come from somewhere nearby, but if not the village, where?

"I'm going to see what I can find out from the neighbouring houses, though I don't expect I'll find much. I very much doubt a family nearby would treat anyone in such a way. Trouble is, I don't know very many people in the houses, so it might be a little tricky." George scratched his chin and tugged on his bottom lip.

"When we were having supper with Mrs Marlow, I bumped into a servant there. Eli Burch. He was one of the staff members hired after Mr Marlow died. He might be able to offer some help."

"I'll start there when I can." George nodded. He looked at me and furrowed his eyebrows a little. "What were you doing talking to one of Mrs Marlow's servants?"

"I was curious as to whether he remembered anything about Lily, that's all. He told me to get in touch with the old housekeeper."

"Focus on one thing at a time, Master Nate. Your inquiries into Miss Marlow can wait a little longer. As for Mr Burch, it shall be a few days before I can talk to him, but I'll get it done." He pulled out his pocket watch. "I have some work to be getting on with, but I will let you know when, and if, I find something."

"Thank you."

With a slight nod of his head, George stepped out of the room. I sighed, resting in my hands in my lap and staring at the pile of books now abandoned on my bed. Although I knew it would not be a straightforward task, I had hoped George's inquiries might have placed us in a better position. The added time it would take to talk to the surrounding households was time we did not have. Four days had passed since Father's deadline and we were still nowhere near an answer.