Read Online Faithfully Yours by Jo Ann Ferguson - Free Book Online Page A

Ezekial raced by on horseback. Waving aside the frozen mud raised as they passed, he added, “Faith, you know best where to look. Tell us.”
    Faith outlined various places where the twins liked to explore. In quick order, Sebastian commanded his men to go to the creek and to the neighbors’ houses. He sent two men toward the field where the twins had found their rabbit.
    As his men hurried to obey, Sebastian asked, “Any other places?”
    â€œThere is one.”
    â€œThen let’s go there.”
    Faith hesitated, then said, “This way.”
    Pausing only to get a lantern, for the stars piercing the night clouds offered too little light, Sebastian walked beside her as she went in the opposite direction of Mistress Mertz’s house. “Why this way?”
    â€œBecause there is an old barn in this direction that Father uses to store hay. It belonged to a farmer whose house burned. Instead of rebuilding, he sold it to Father once the last war with the French was over and moved farther west.”
    â€œEnemies become friends quickly, don’t they?”
    She opened a gate in the fence around the field they had to cross. When Sebastian offered his arm, she put her fingers on it. He drew her hand more deeply into his arm by lowering his elbow toward his side.
    â€œYou didn’t answer my question,” he said as he held the lantern higher so they could walk across the field without stepping into any frozen pools among the furrows.
    â€œYou are speaking of politics, which do not interest me as much as finding my sisters.”
    â€œI assumed that, but I thought we might talk while we search. Maybe the sound of our voices will reach them before we do.”
    â€œWe could sing. Melodies carry farther than voices.”
    He chuckled. “My attempts to sing would be guaranteed to chase them away. So, will you answer?”
    â€œYou are vexing.”
    â€œAnd you are trying to find any excuse not to answer my question.” He stepped over a puddle, then into another. With a curse, he kicked water and mud from his boot.
    Faith laughed. When he glowered at her, she laughed harder. “You should be grateful that this is not the field where the cows graze.”
    â€œI shall be most grateful to return to your father’s house and get out of this cold.” He shook his foot again. “I was promised these boots would not leak.”
    â€œIf you wish to go back, give me the lantern, and I will check the old barn.”
    â€œAnd avoid answering my question.”
    â€œI don’t even remember what you asked.”
    He led her around yet another puddle. “Don’t worry. I will ask it again when we are warm and your sisters are safe. Time enough then for you to give an answer.”
    â€œIf I have one.”
    He bent his elbow, squeezing her fingers on his arm. “I am sure you will. You have had an answer for every other one I have asked.”
    Was he jesting with her again? She had avoided answering other questions and given him noncommital responses. Since the lantern was held out in front of him as they approached the gate on the other side of the field, she could not see his face to discover if he was trying to goad her into retorting.
    As Sebastian latched the gate behind them, Faith said, “The barn is over there by that stand of trees.”
    â€œI see it.”
    Again she glanced at him. Even though she knew where the barn was, she could not distinguish it from the darkness. She stared into the night, but did not see the barn’s walls until they stood within an arm’s length of them. Leading him around to where a door opened into the barn, she slid her foot over the threshold.
    â€œThe floor is still here, I assume,” Sebastian said, the same light tone in his voice.
    â€œIt should be. Father would not want it to fall out from under him.”
    He sprayed the area with light. Seeing something by a rickety ladder in the