Page 149 of His Duchess in Disguise
“T’was only a graze, Mr. Barner. Have you a plan for the day?”
“Indeed, I do, Your Grace. I know you are anxious for your lady. We will make a line across country from where Jessup lost her trail last night, and we will look for sign. Mr. Showers over there is the closest thing we have to a mayor. He has organized the farmers and their families to take part. We’ve lost folk before hereabouts. The land is still wild in places, and we know what to do.”
“I’ll ride out with you,” Leo affirmed. “I’ve had enough of sitting and waiting. It is likely that I will have reinforcements coming out from Menhiransten in short order.”
“That would be right welcome, Your Grace. It be a hard thing to sit and wait. If you are well enough to ride, there be no need of it.”
The morning was misty and cool, with the promise of a warm sun later on to burn off the fog. The villagers and local farm folk spread out in a line from where Red and Rags had lost the trail the day before. Leo and Mr. Barner formed the center of the line, moving more or less south from where the sheep cut across the track of the burdened horse.
They had just reached a sheep herder’s shelter when they heard the sound of marching feet.
“That’s torn it,” Mr. Barner said. “Begging your pardon, Your Grace, but if someone doesn’t stop them, those soldiers will foul any possible sign.”
“I’ll see to it,” Leo said, mounting his horse and sending it into a fast trot over the uneven ground. When he reached the road, he kneed the beast into a canter. As he rounded a corner, he could see that it was Captain Arnault and his men.
“Hold up, Arnie, hold up!” Leo shouted, rising in his stirrups and waving his arms.
Captain Arnault made a gesture, and the small troop of men came to an abrupt halt. Then the Captain set his horse into a gallop and hurtled toward Leo. They drew up together in the center of the road.
“It is you!” Captain Arnault burst out. “I hardly dared hope . . .”
To his astonishment, Leo could see tears streaming down his friend’s face. “Arnie? Why are you in such a taking?”
“Oh, Lord, Leo. Sir Draper and I met with Harlow’s seconds, and they said you had been killed. I rode out to Menhiransten, certain that all would be in chaos, but found Reggie nominally in charge.”
“Nominally?” Leo quirked an eyebrow at Captain Arnault.
“There was a butler, the one from your townhouse, I think, and he seemed to be doing most of the directing. I arrived just as a messenger came saying that Miss Hoskins had been abducted and that you and Hamilton were gravely injured. This select company and I have been on a forced night march to reach you quickly. The others will be along in good time.”
There came a shout from behind Leo. “Sign! We’ve found a sign!”
Leo wheeled his horse about and was off as if fired from a cannon. “Keep those men back,” he called over his shoulder. “They could ruin the tracks.”
At a signal from Captain Arnault, the soldiers took an easy waiting stance. The Captain then sent his horse after Leo’s.
“They was here, Your Grace,” Mr. Barner said. “We’ve missed them by no more than a couple of hours. They overnighted here and was met by a coach.”
“You are sure that Miss Hoskins and her maid were here?”
“Fair sure enough, Your Grace. The ladies slept in the hay, by all appearances, and dined on the provisions left in the shed. They took two of the blankets that were there, some matches and the tin cup.”
Leo barked out a mirthless laugh. “That would be Emma, all right. She has a way with tin cups.”
“More’n’at, Yer Grace, her little dog went nuts zipping around all over the shed and around the grounds, then he set hisself down by the carriage tracks and began howling again. Jessup an’ Red are trackin’ the carriage. If yon soldiers haven’t smudged the sign too badly, they might catch ‘un.”
“Is Rags still here?”
“Yessir, Your Grace, he’s still a-sittin’ where that carriage was stopped, cryin’ ‘is little heart out.”
“I’ll take him up with me, Mr. Barner. My extreme thanks for your continued help. You and all these good folk will be compensated for the time they have taken from the fields and shops. I’ll send a courier to the tavern keeper when Emma is recovered.”
“Best send ‘im to the widow. She’ll see it done fair with no slip-ups.”
Leo flashed the man a grin, then swung down off his horse and walked over to where Rags was alternately barking and howling. He scooped up the little dog, soothing him gently when the little beast wriggled and fought to get down. “We’ll get her, don’t worry,” Leo soothed the little dog.
Jessup came up alongside him. “I found traces beyond Captain Arnault’s men,” he said. “If you’ll come with me, Your Grace, we can track the carriage. It has a wheel that has been repaired recently, and the off leader has a limp in his gait.”
“I’m with you, Jessup. Lead on.”
