Just then a maid came rushing into the room, her face pale with panic. "Mrs Raymond, something terrible has happened. Young Master Cooper is missing!"
The butler's expression changed immediately. "Missing? What do you mean, missing?"
"He was playing on the lawn a few minutes ago, and then he disappeared. We only looked away for a moment, and when we turned back he was gone." Her voice trembled as she spoke. Everyone in the household knew exactly how serious the situation was. Cooper was Allan's only son, and there was no room for carelessness where the child was concerned.
To make matters worse the weather had changed without warning. Rain was already coming down heavily outside, the drops striking the windows and stone paths with increasing force. If Cooper had wandered somewhere alone and was caught in the rain he could easily become sick.
