Love, Surprising

Chapter 16: Timothy

June 1786

Independence, Virginia

I slid around the side of the house, praying no one would spot me. I'd left Caroline alone, hidden behind some bushes. It was time to take back was rightfully mine. Creeping, I edged my way closer to the dining room window and peered in. There it is! The chest was atop a table in the corner of the room. Checking to make sure no one was in the room, I slid open the big window. It squeaked loudly. I dropped to the ground. I hope no one heard that. Please don't let anyone have heard that! I waited silently on the ground for a few moments before lifting my head. Not a person in sight. I let out a sigh of relief and climbed through the window and into the dining room.

The chest looked exactly as I remembered it. Dark wood, a little worn, and a chain wrapped around and secured with a lock. A lock I held the key to. I crept closer to the chest, willing the distance to pass quicker before I was caught. Slowly, silently, I slid the chest into my arms and backtracked to the window. Not a peep from the house. That worried me. Why is it so quiet? Why aren't the servants running around preparing for guests? I shook my head, feeling uneasy. I jumped from the window and set the chest on the ground before sliding the window closed once more. Picking up my cargo, I snuck back around the house to Caroline. She greeted me with a hug.

"You made it! I'm so glad. No one saw you, did they?" She asked me, eyes questioning. I shook my head.

"No. No one saw me. The house was silent...which seems odd considering a wedding is, er, was supposed to happen today." I shook my head in confusion. "Something isn't right. I'm not sure what, but I don't have a good feeling about it. We should leave immediately." I hefted the chest under one arm and grabbed Caroline's hand with my free hand. "Follow me." We snuck away from the house, then raced into the woods surrounding Edward's property. I peered back once at the house, praying no one saw us escape.

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Edward's POV

I knew something was amiss the minute I went to Caroline's room and she didn't answer. The door was jammed and I forced it open with my shoulder. Her room was empty. Caroline was nowhere to be seen. I cursed under my breath. She's run away. But how? She didn't leave through the door because it was barred. I searched around the room and noticed some of the paneling was loose. The door! I'd forgotten all about it. How did she find it? There's no way she could have. Unless...Timothy! He knows all about the secret entrances in my house. He must be here somewhere. I vacated Caroline's room and rushed downstairs to the kitchen. I told my servants to halt preparations for the wedding and wait in their rooms. They quietly obeyed my command. Then there was a loud screeching noise coming from the dining room. The window! I silently slipped open the connecting door and peeked into the dining room. The far window was open, letting in a breeze. No one was around. I waited a few moments longer, waiting for whoever opened the window. A few minutes later, a head popped up over the sill. Timothy! I closed the connecting door so he didn't catch a glimpse of me. There was rustling and the sound of wood scraping wood passing through the door. Then silence. I cracked open the door again and looked into the dining room. The window was closed and after further inspection of the room, I noticed my chest was gone! The scumbag! My instant reaction was to curse, but then I realized this might work out for me. I raced upstairs and looked out a window into the backyard. There they are. Timothy, chest under his arm and hand in hand with Caroline, rushed across my backyard, and were quickly swallowed up into the woods. I grinned evilly. "Ah cousin. Thank you for making this job a most pleasant one. Not only will you open the chest for me, I will get to make you suffer too!" I turned from the window. "No need to leave immediately. I'll give them a head start. In a few hours, I'll saddle a horse and go after them." I couldn't wait to give my cousin the pain he deserved.