Winterly (Dark Creatures Book 1), стр. 57
From the stairhead, she surveyed the silent foyer, listening for voices or any sign of life. All was as still as it was dark outside. She could not credit the family’s retiring early for the evening as they had proved themselves thus far to be inveterate night owls. Perhaps Nicholas and Victoria were in the billiards room?
Milli raced down the stairs, certain she would find them there. When she discovered the billiards room empty and unlit, however, she became much deflated. There was no sign of them in the library or the drawing room either, and there was not even a sign of Mr Black or his associate, Mr. Morris.
As for that Grimm fellow—Milli shuddered to think of him—she hoped she would not come across the likes of him on this moonless night. He was the handsomest man she’d ever beheld but the effect of those exotic violet eyes were irreparably despoiled by his fearsome manners and the cruel turn of mouth. And as for his hair! So unfashionably unkempt, and if he owned a comb at all it was not doing its office. Nor was his valet come to that. Mr. Black and Mr. Morris were, regrettably, already leg-shackled by all reports, mores the pity, for they were exceedingly handsome too. And Winterly already belonged to Emma whether her sister owned that fact or not.
But that was neither here nor there, for it was upon Nicholas’s broad shoulders that all her hopes and dreams were espoused. If only he would come and find her, she couldn’t very well lurk about the corridors in this silly manner and flirt with herself.
Oh Lord, she was so bored. Milli paused in the corridor, thinking that if she reached the foyer without hearing anyone, she would just have to march herself off to bed after all. Accordingly, she slowed her pace to a crawl and strained her ears.
It was a very good thing she had taken her time, for just as she was turning about to retrace her steps, resigned, she perceived footfalls in the foyer just up ahead. Her spirits were instantly revived by the prospect of company. Unless, of course, that company came in the form of Mr. Grimm’s imposing figure—the gait did sound most terse. Nicholas, she was sure, possessed a relaxed stride. And lo and behold, who should appear in her line of sight but that devil himself, Grimm.
Milli silently pressed herself into a recess, peering around the stone wall as he flung the doors wide and stormed outside. The man seemed unable to go anywhere or do anything without storming, his hair wild and his eyes shooting thunderstones wherever he bent his course. He had paused only to sniff the air unexpectedly, as though confused by something. Finally, thankfully, he moved on almost immediately.
She was still hiding when Mr. Valko suddenly appeared for an instant (his tread had been almost indiscernible or she might have forestalled him) before he too was lost to the night, trailing the storm cloud that had preceded him through the front doors.
“Blast!” If she hadn’t been so cowed by the first man, she’d have had the foresight to hail the second. Milli emerged from the corridor and hesitated beside the doors, curious as to what had summoned the two gentlemen out on a night like this.
The serpentine voice of Mrs. Skinner suddenly stopped her in her tracks as she was moving towards the doors. “I wouldn’t if I were you.”
Milli clutched her heart and spun around. “I wasn’t…I had no notion of going outside.”
“Very good, miss. It’s a black moon tonight.” The housekeeper moved to shut the door. “Nothing worse than a black moon on these moors.”
“Yes, I was informed of the bog’s danger, thank you, Mrs. Skinner.” How she resented the old woman’s intrusive stare. “I noticed Mr. Valko going for a walk, that’s all.”
“Yes,” said the housekeeper, chuckling. The creature had not so much as smiled till now.
Milli decided she preferred the woman’s usual dour expression to this arachnoid sneer. She hid her abhorrence behind a tight smile.
Mrs. Skinner inclined her head and then repaired back to wherever it was that she mixed her poisons and ate stolen babies. Nosey old crone.
It was not as though Milli had planned to go traipsing in the mire in the dark, she’d only meant to peek outside, perhaps take a turn about the courtyard. If Nicholas happened upon her, so much the better. Surely she needn’t fear the graveled courtyard, for heaven’s sake, what could possibly betide her there?
Milli lingered at the door for what seemed a prudent enough length of time and then, certain the housekeeper had by now moved out of earshot, undertook the great effort of opening one of the doors. She had a devil of a time moving it ajar, it was that heavy, and that without alerting the whole household to her clandestine endeavors. The blasted thing raised the alarm with an almighty roar of its old hinges and swollen heft—but at length, after panting and cursing, Milli had it wide enough to slip through. How on earth had the old woman moved it with such easy celerity? It was she, Milli, who ought to be the stronger, for she was young and hale and the housekeeper was nothing but old bones and sour flesh.
Once outside, Milli was stopped short by how terribly dark it truly was. Black moon indeed. There were torches burning either side of the door, but beyond their meager daub of light, all was thrown into a stygian blur. Only the glistering starscape served to act as some indication of where there might be trees and hills.
Well, she would only go as far as the light touched, or perhaps to the edge of the rose hedge, she promised herself. If there was no sign of Nicholas, she would admit defeat and return to her