“Good day to you, Mr. Howarth.”
“Mrs. Stack.” He nodded to the short, well-formed woman seated behind a desk.
“They’re all eager to learn more as they always are,” she said. “You do an excellent job of teaching them, sir.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Stack, that is very kind of you to say.”
He taught boys and girls and some adults too. This group had been with him for a while. A few dropped off, and new ones appeared, but most of this class were familiar faces.
Using the blackboard, he then spent the next hour teaching, something he’d quickly realized he loved.
When the lesson was finished, one of the boys did not leave.
“Are you well, Sam?”
The boy nodded. Thin faced, and slightly grubby around the collar, his hair stood off his head. If he was to guess, he would say the lad was about thirteen years old.
“I would like to ask you something, Mr. Howarth.”
“Of course. Speak freely.”
“I fear for my cousin, sir.”
“What has happened?”
“She went out to the market and did not return four days ago. We have searched everywhere for her, but there is no sign. It is as though she has disappeared. My aunt is desperate, as is her man. They are to be married, Mr. Howarth.”
“Would she have any reason to run away, Sam?”
The boy shook his head vehemently. “She was happy with her Peter. There’s no one more beautiful than Anna, Mr. Howarth. Men they’s always calling at my uncle’s door asking after her, but she chose Peter.”
Could this be related to what he and his cousins were investigating for Alexius?
“She wouldn’t have left us willingly,” Sam added.
Had Sam’s cousin been abducted by the Merchant, or his men, because she was pretty?
“I have people I can ask about this, Sam. I will let you know if I hear anything.”
“I would be grateful.”
Forrest gripped a thin shoulder and the boy left, still gripped with worry over his cousin.
Letting himself out the door minutes later, Forrest closed it behind him and headed back out to the main street and started for home. He’d been walking a while when he felt an awareness creep over him. Looking right, he found Miss Knight.
She was standing outside a bookstore looking at the window display. She was totally engrossed, her body leaning slightly, as she studied the books. Her dress today was pale blue, unlike the one she wore to work with Ella, but he could see only the skirts, as she had a soft cream wool shawl around her shoulders. Her bonnet was the gray one she wore to and from the townhouse each day.
Forrest debated just continuing with his journey, but his feet had other ideas, and soon he was crossing the street.
“Good day to you, Miss Knight.”
She gave a small shriek.
“Forgive me, there was no easy way to alert you that I was near.”
“Mr. Howarth.” She dropped into a curtsey. In her hands she clutched a loaf of bread and two potatoes.
Was that what she ate? Did Miss Knight have so little money that those two things were her staple diet? Or was he overreacting? Not something he normally did.
