“I mean if he appealed to the law for his wife’s return, the law is more likely to side with a duke than a viscount. It’s a twisted world, but it is the world we live in. Money and status pay. Even if he turned up at the door and demanded Phoebe come back, you could shut the door in his face. You outrank him, Francis. That’s why he’s willing to try and get her back by other means.” Josiah’s words made Francis reel back on his feet and grip his head with both hands.
“God’s wounds…what will he try next then?” he asked with fear.
“I don’t know, but I don’t want to stick around to find out. We leave. Now. This very minute!”
“Agreed.” Francis turned and hurried back to the physician. “Forgive me for the interruption, but is Louisa in a fit state to travel?”
“Your Grace,” the physician looked flustered by the interruption and hurried to bow before nodding. “Yes, fortunately her head wound is not as bad as yours was. She will have a bruise, but she is fortunate she has no concussion.”
“Good, thank you,” Francis said and turned his attention to the three ladies that were looking up at him in confusion. “We are leaving the estate. Now.”
“What? Why so soon?” Diana asked, standing to her feet. Francis turned his gaze on Phoebe who made no objection though her countenance shifted, and she bit her lip.
“He did it, didn’t he?” she said in a breathless whisper. None of them needed to say the name to know who they were talking of.
“He did,” Francis said slowly. “He left a message, that is why we cannot waste a moment. I will leave none of you in danger. We are going.”
“Come on, Diana,” Josiah said, helping his wife to his feet. Diana made no further objection and nodded, following him.
“Mrs Goodman?” Francis called to the housekeeper. “If you would be so good as to arrange for bags for us all to be packed as soon as possible please.”
“Of course, Your Grace,” she curtsied and hurried off to see to the task. Francis turned his attention back to Phoebe and Louisa as the physician retreated from them.
“What did he say?” Phoebe asked, still in her place sat down on the low-lying garden wall. “In his message?”
“It was a warning, that is all.” Francis reached for Louisa and helped her to her feet. “You are certain you are well enough to travel?”
“Yes, thank you, Your Grace,” she said with a small smile. “I owe you my life.”
“Think nothing of it.” Francis assured her, tapping her shoulder before he reached for Phoebe and helped her to her feet too. “We must leave as soon as we can, before he comes back for you again.”
“You do not think he’ll still be here?” Phoebe said, clutching tightly to his hand and looking back and forth around the estate.
“No. He will have crept in, set the fire and run, but the Constable can stay to do a search if he wishes. We are getting out of here.”
“Where?” she said in surprise.
“Devon.”
“Devon? So far away!”
“Not to me. Not far enough to my mind.” He kept hold of her hand as he walked off, taking her with him. He found the groom for the stable nearby and began to put in arrangements for their trip.
“All the carriages, Your Grace?” the groom said in surprise. “Why all of them?”
“Because I want each of the carriages to set off in different directions. I want it to be a mass of confusion, understood?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” the groom nodded, though he was still bewildered. Francis turned his eyes on Phoebe, seeing she had the same confusion in her face.
“I want to reduce the chances of your husband finding us again. With so many carriages to follow instead of one, maybe we can escape him.”
* * *
The inn was hardly the grandest of affairs, but at this moment Phoebe would have gotten down on her hands and knees and praised its existence. They had been travelling in the carriage for hours, right into the dead of the night with the darkness swathed around them. They were all exhausted and achy from having been in the carriage so long, in particular Louisa and Francis looked tired, thanks to their recent injuries, though both denied they were.
As they headed into the inn, Phoebe was aware of Francis keeping his hand in hers. They checked into the inn using her false name of Lady Isabella, hoping to maintain the illusion of her being someone else for a little longer, though Phoebe thought it futile. If Graham found her once, surely, he could find her again?
The innkeeper was very solicitous and served them all a light supper in a dining room before they began to drift off to their beds. Before Phoebe could take her leave though, Francis pulled on her hand, begging her to tarry a little longer first. She nodded, showing she understood as they said goodnight to Lord and Lady Dodge. After the door closed behind them, she was left alone with Francis once again.
