HELD CAPTIVE BY A ROGUE

Chapter Seventeen

Kathryn had heard Christopher's voice in the foyer and rushed downstairs to greet him but it was too late. Christopher was galloping out the front gates of Crestwood Hall. "Where in the world is he going now?" She asked Jeffrey who had come up to stand next to her.

"To the constable's office."

"Oh my god! He can't do that! You must stop him Jeffrey," she said, clutching his arm desperately. She knew Christopher needed to stay away from the constable and his son Steven until such time that they could figure out who was trying to frame him, with David's help.

Releasing himself from Kathryn's grip he agreed to go after his brother and try to convince him to reconsider this course of action. But he knew it would be virtually impossible to sway Christopher from his decision because when he had it set in his head to do something, nothing could stop him.

Several hours had passed since Jeffrey left and Kathryn was beside herself with worry. Pacing back and forth in the drawing room, she would check the front door every few minutes for some sign of their return. With seeing no trace of them, she would reluctantly come back to the drawing room again and continue her pacing. The twins were there, sleeping in their cradles that had been brought downstairs at Kathryn's request with Dodger lying next to them, his head resting on his forepaws.

Suddenly she heard a horse ride up and quickly raced through the front door to see who it was. A frown crossed her brow when she recognized the rider to be her step-mother and spun around disappointedly and stomped back into the manor house without saying a word to her.

"Kathryn wait," she implored, dismounting and following her in a rush, trying to catch up to her.

Kathryn ignored her and went back into the drawing room, keeping her back to her.

Dodger growled and showed his teeth when Cassandra came up behind Kathryn. "Darling, I have something very important to tell you, but I can't with that mangy dog here," she said, becoming alarmed with Dodger's obvious intent.

"Dodger won't harm you unless I want him to," she replied with a wry smile on her face. She knew her step-mother was deathly afraid of Dodger and had every right to be for he hated her and became riled every time he saw her. "Just tell me what you think is so important and then leave me alone."

"Kathryn, there's been a dreadful accident. Christopher has been seriously injured," she said with a deep concern in her voice.

"Christopher? Hurt? How?" Kathryn exclaimed in horror.

"I don't have time to explain, you must come at once!" She said, grabbing Kathryn's arm.

Quickly the two women raced out of the drawing room with Kathryn telling Emma to watch the babies as they made their way down to the stables. Within minutes Kathryn was mounted on Starr's back and was flying out of the stable yard with her step-mother leading the way. They rode for several miles before turning off the main road leading to Dartmoor and headed across the open meadows. Kathryn became confused at their destination, not understanding why they had left the main road and rode up closer to Cassandra to question her about it.

"Darling, I don't know why either, all I know is that we must come this way," was her only reply.

They were deep in the forest when Casandra finally drew her horse to a halt and dismounted. "We have to walk the rest of the way, Kathryn."

A for boding feeling came over Kathryn when she dismounted Starr for she had never been this deep in the forest before. With the trees still barren of all their leaves, their ominous appearance caused a prickling feeling to run down her spine. "Cassandra...are you sure of where you're going?" She asked hesitantly, doubting her step-mother's sense of direction. She felt totally lost in this place and knew it would be difficult to try and find her way back.