Her eyes watered. “You don’t know that for sure.”
“We will bring them home,” he said firmly again.
Lisbeth didn’t respond. She appeared devastated. Thomas had hope, and it would be enough for both of them. He would not lose his family, now that he’d just found them. Fate wouldn’t be that cruel. Thomas refused to believe that.
The carriage began to slow down. Benson said, “We are going to walk the rest of the way in. Miss Sanders is only expecting Mrs. Easton. We don’t want to alarm her. Hopefully, she will release the children without any issues. Then Towson can collect her and make sure she obtains the help she needs.”
Concern flared in Thomas. “You want Lisbeth to go to her alone.”
Benson shook his head. “We will be in the perimeter to step in at any time.”
“I’m going,” Lisbeth said, her eyes blazing with protectiveness for Alice and Jeremy.
Thomas nodded, knowing that her mind was made up. “I will be with Benson. Please be careful, Lisbeth.”
She looked at him frantically. “I just need them away from Miss Sanders.”
Fear clawed at him that she might do something dangerous to ensure Alice and Jeremy could escape, but there was no other solution. Lisbeth had to go.
He kissed her. Benson frowned at her. “Be careful.”
She nodded and took a lantern from him. Lisbeth walked towards the tree line, revealing only a hint of the ruins. Night was quickly approaching. He hated this.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Lisbeth took adeep breath. Her hand holding the lantern was shaking so hard that she had to stop and gather herself. She needed to stay calm no matter what. A girlish voice was chattering away, and she frowned, listening.
“Thomas and I will go far away and make discoveries together.”
Alice flatly said, “He is married to my mother.”
The girlish voice became screechy. “No, he isn’t. It is a trick.”
Jeremy whimpered, and Lisbeth stepped closer to see Alice push him behind her. She understood now why they hadn’t run. Miss Sanders held a pistol in her hand. She scooted forward, and a leaf crackled under her foot.
Miss Sanders peered into the trees. “I see a lantern. Is that you, Your Grace?”
Lisbeth took a deep breath and joined them in the middle of the woods by the stone ruins. It was a building that still had three walls standing, but everything else was gone. Miss Sanders grinned at her as if she were delighted to see her. This woman wasn’t well, and if she wasn’t holding her children, Lisbeth suspected she might feel a degree of compassion for her.
Still, she had Alice and Jeremy to think about. Right now, all she cared about was seeing them safely away from Miss Sanders.
“I received your missive. I won’t speak with Mr. Easton. He is yours,” she explained.
Jeremy frowned at her, confused. “You are Thomas’s wife.”
Miss Sanders spun in his direction, along with the pistol. Jeremy whimpered behind Alice. Her daughter glared at the woman. Lisbeth stepped forward. “Please let them go. They have nothing to do with this.”
“They shouldn’t tell lies,” Miss Sanders spat out.
“They are young and don’t know any better. I promise Thomas is yours,” Lisbeth pleaded.
She just wanted this woman to send Alice and Jeremy on their way. She studied Lisbeth and then glared. “You tricked him once into believing you were his wife. How do I know you won’t do it again?”
The pistol swung back and forth as it dangled from one of Miss Sanders’ fingers.
“I give you my word.”
The woman scoffed. “What good is that? You are already an indecent and deceptive woman.”
