Page 23

We found her, shivering, perched upon the folly steps, a note clutched in her hands. “He didn’t come. Father didn’t come.” Tears spilled down her cheeks. “He told me to meet him here and I did!”

I sank beside her and wrapped my arm around her shivering shoulders. Tobias took the note from her hands. His eyes steeled as he scanned the words and pocketed the note. He bent and gathered Cecily in his arms.

“My darling sister. Next time you hear from Father, let me know about it, will you? Why did you think you needed to sneak away?”

“Because everyone is saying that he is a bad man and I didn’t think you would let me.”

She was probably right about that.

We edged along the dark corners of the estate, keeping our words soft and cheerful for her sake.

“Did you see anyone? Talk to anyone? Hear anything?”

“Yes. A tall, fair-haired man, as fair-haired as I—was running away. He was poaching, Tobias. I’m sure of it.”

Tobias nodded. “As the gamekeeper told.”

“Do you think Father meant to come?”

“He isn’t allowed to leave the gaol, Cecily. He awaits trial.”

“The gaol sounds like a terrible place.”

Tobias and I shared a look. “He desired to make things right, sweetheart. He’s making amends.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I hope he hasn’t done anything very bad.”

But it was. Very bad. How to tell one so young as she?

“We shall pray for him, you and I. God knows how to take care of him better than anyone else.”

Then I saw the scoundrel. The man with fair hair, tall and lean, slipping behind the stables. Tobias hadn’t noticed. “Tobias.” I whispered. “Get inside.”

“What is it?”

“Trust me, Tobias. Run for the portico. Now.” He was a target and he held fast to Cecily. It wouldn’t take but a moment for the man to aim and fire at both of them.

“Tessa—don’t!” He shouted as he made a dash for the door.”

I hadn’t vowed to love and obey him—yet. Though my heart pounded from my chest, I pressed ahead. I stepped softly to the stables, easing around the opposite side just as a shot fired, its boom reverberating throughout my body. I paused when I heard a raspy voice speak.

“Not here, you wretched fool! I said Butterton Hall, not Mayfield.”

“But you said Chinworth—”

“Not that Chinworth, you ignorant wretch. You got it all backward. I’ve never known such a lout as you.”

I thought to fire my weapon and mayhap make them think they were caught. But that would be foolish. Would only draw attention to myself.

“Didn’t he say he’d be here—at Mayfield? Tonight?”

“That all you remember?”

“I was to shoot him. He was to be here.”

“No. You was to shoot him when he got to Butterton Hall.”

Had Tobias' father planned escape? And his murder would follow? I cringed. Would that he stayed in jail instead. Had he really planned to steal Cecily away? To what kind of life?

The man grunted. “Get out of here and lay low for a while before you’re caught. We need to make a new plan.”

“I’m not sure I want to be part of your plan, Toffer.”

“Eh?”

“Maybe I got a better offer on the table, so to speak.” He ground out a bitter laugh. “Good thing I missed the gentleman.”

“You’re an idiot. What are you talking about?”

“Why do I do anything for anyone? Fortune. Same as you, Toffer. Good thing I didn’t off either of them.”

“Someone is going to off you.”

“Let him try.”

I pressed into the dark shed and hid behind a stack of hay, palms slick with sweat despite the cold. The pound of feet sounded nearby. Was it Tobias? Or another?

I’d not obeyed his directive to follow him into the house. I should have known he would deposit Cecily within and come after me.

“Someone’s coming—get out of here, fool! Meet me at the—” his words trailed off as they ran, the information lost to the wind that chilled every part of me, body and soul. Would the threats never end?

“Tessa!” Tobias hissed. “Tessa!”

If they’d heard him, knew it was Tobias, would they still have shot at him?

The man was right, they were not only evil, but they were also idiotic.

As it was, Tobias needed to learn some survival skills from Joseph.

He should have approached quietly, with more caution.

“I am here. In the shed. They are gone.”

“They?” He came closer. “There was more than one?”

“Two at least.”

“Tessa.” He approached until he was an inch from my nose. “Don’t ever do that again. Do you promise?”

“I promise, Tobias Chinworth, that I would do anything to protect the ones I love. Anything.”

“Tessa.” My name came out in a puff of fog. He placed his hands on either side of my shoulders, his eyes like steel, his words as firm. “I make the same promise. But do protect my heart by not putting yourself in danger, will you?” He leaned in and pressed a light kiss to my lips.

“They meant to kill your father, Tobias. He was to be here—only there was some misunderstanding…”

“Wait, you heard a conversation?”

“I did. You weren’t the target, your father was, only he was supposed to be targeted at Butterton Hall, not here.” I had thought the threat that caused us to go to Burtins was not over. In this case, I was wrong.

“This makes absolutely no sense. Why Butterton Hall?”

I shivered. “I don’t know. I only caught scraps of information.

” He grasped my hand and tugged me back to Mayfield's much warmer drawing room.

“Wait here while I check on Cecily.” He left me still shaking with cold by the snapping fire.

I could have lost both Cecily and Tobias this night.

I squeezed my eyes shut at the real possibility.

Twould have been a living nightmare. I could not bear it. Not again.

Tea had been brought, and as I’d heard Lady Sherborne say many a time, tea was a mercy. I agreed. Especially tonight. I poured a cup and added cream. The house was abuzz with many new staff who were lingering about with open ears and scenarios of what had happened.

A moment later, Tobias shouted down the hall—“Check every window, every door. Lock them. Bolt everything.”

I wondered if some of the staff would vacate their positions out of fear. I could not blame them.

He returned and I poured a cup of tea for him. He did not touch it.

“How is Cecily?”

“She doesn’t know about the shooting. She is disappointed not to see Father tonight.” He shrugged. “I don’t know how to help her. She is crying. I’ve ordered hot cocoa for her.” He threw his hands in the air. “I don’t know why Father would do this to her. And how did he get a message to her?”

“Are you sure it’s from him? Maybe someone wrote in his name?”

“It’s definitely his handwriting.”

“Ah.” So his plan to come here before Butterton Hall had been correct.

“More importantly, how did he manage to get this message to Cecily under our noses? And why didn’t she tell one of us?” He paced the room. “All these months I’ve worked so hard to gain her trust.”

I stood. “She does not realize that, despite what she knows about your father, even that she should not trust him. She loves him.” I thought of my own dear departed father. “He does love her, I am sure of it.”

“He needn’t be selfish.”

No. Indeed not.

“I must ride to the jail tonight. Make sure he is still there. I pray he is, since he failed to show.”

“Take someone with you?”

“I don’t know who.” He rubbed a hand through his hair. “The staff, including my new footman, is afraid.”

“You’ve sent for the magistrate. He will come—and perhaps bring information regarding your father. Wait for him. Then go in the morning when it’s safer to ride to the village.”

“You are right. If he didn’t manage to break out, he wouldn’t be going anywhere. If he did, I wouldn’t be able to find him.”

“I’ll see to Cecily. She shouldn’t be alone right now.” I turned to go, but Tobias reached for my arm in a gentle grasp. “About earlier, my love, we will talk more soon.” He kissed my cheek.

I knew at that moment that I would wait for him as long as he needed.