When he saw the anguish in her eyes, he’d wanted to grab her and kiss her to shut out the rest of the world until just the two of them remained. Until they were more like the two young people who had been so in love instead of the two strangers they were now. Until the torment they’d both endured faded into hope for a happier future.
It would not take long. At least for him. For he was already there.
But she clearly was not.
He needed to give her time, and he suspected she would need a great deal of it. Whereas he had time since returning from the war to come to terms with thoughts and experiences, her world had only just turned in the last week. In a horrific and traumatic manner.
He would have to be patient and understand that things might be out of reach.
Chapter20
Night, along with a steady rain, had fallen by the time the carriage transporting MissSutcliffe finally returned from Leeds. Anthony had been watching for it and met it with lantern in hand. After assisting MissSutcliffe down from the vehicle, he then stepped back as Timmons dismounted his horse and joined them. “I was beginning to fear you’d encountered a highwayman.”
“Bah, nonsense,” blurted Timmons, as energetically and good-naturedly as if he had not just ridden a horse to Leeds and back. “Ye know me—I dare a ’ighwayman t’ glance at me sideways. No, a bit of rain that proved more offensive. MissSutcliffe preferred t’ wait in t’ dining room at a traveling inn t’ pressing ahead.”
“I fear I’m not as accustomed to such traveling.” She lowered her hood. “I apologize if I put us terribly behind schedule.”
Anthony closed the carriage door behind her. “Not at all, MissSutcliffe. I was worried for your safety, ’tis all.”
Using his lantern as a guide, Anthony walked her to Hollythorne House’s main entrance and then returned to help Timmons stable his horse. The familiar scent of horses and straw met them as they entered the stone structure, and the lantern’slight flickered and glowed against the ancient stone walls and timber beams.
“Did you speak with Mr.Walstead?”
“No.” Timmons removed his horse’s head collar. “But I spoke with Dunston. Walstead was out of town.”
Anthony raised a brow. “Did you leave the letter?”
Timmons nodded. “Dunston did say that Mr.Walstead was plannin’ t’ visit Hollythorne House in t’ next day or so.”
Anthony kept his voice low as he lifted the saddle from the horse’s back. “Silas Prior was here today to call on Mrs.Prior. I heard a bit of the conversation. Sounds like things are a bit messy at the mill there.”
Timmons snorted and shook his head. “Did ’e tell ye three men were apprehended attemptin’ t’ set a fire outside of Wolden House?”
“No, but he said some of the men were awaiting payment on a job.”
“I ’eard the same. From what I gathered from Dunston, Roland Prior ’ired this group of men t’ collect a shipment of goods, but he never paid them.”
“What type of goods?”
“No idea.”
Anthony reached for the horse’s brush. “And MissSutcliffe? How did she handle the journey?”
Timmons gave a slight grin. “She’s in love with me. O’ course.”
Anthony scoffed. “I’m sure she is. And did you learn what this all-important errand was?”
Timmons patted the horse’s shoulder as he rounded the stall. “She tried t’ ’ide what she was up to, but she’s a ’orrible liar. She ’ad me take ’er t’ th’ milliners, but from there I followed ’er to the jeweler. I stopped in after she left, and t’ jeweler said she tried t’ sell some jewels and baubles and whatnot, but ’e knew who she was an’ wouldn’t touch something from t’ Prior estate if ’is life depended on it.”
Anthony stiffened. He’d wondered about Charlotte’s finances. He assumed everything that belonged to Roland would pass to Henry, and such arrangements did not leave a great deal for the widow. And based on the current state of Hollythorne House, he doubted the estate was very profitable. But the thought of her selling personal belongings was sobering.
Timmons glanced over his shoulder as Tom led one of the carriage horses inside. “Sounds like our Mistress Prior may not ’ave access to t’ ’efty Prior fortune after all.”
Anthony nodded. “I would assume that it was left to the baby.”
“You’d think so.” Timmons smirked. “Wish someone’d leave me money. But then again, you wouldn’t know about that. You inherited a bit o’ land and funds for a commission. Yet you continue t’ play t’ role o’ thief-taker.”
His words were spoken in jest, and yet a hint of skepticism was hidden therein.
