Chapter Nineteen
After breakfast, Georgeaccompanied Jenny, William, and Barbara to the stables.
Irvine waited with the two saddled horses. William ran to him and mounted and in a few moments they rode away.
Barbara tugged on Jenny’s hand. “Can we visit Carrot and Misty?” she asked for the umpteenth time.
“We shall be fine now, thank you, George,” Jenny said.
The footman left them, and she and Barbara entered the shadowy interior.
With a loud sigh, Barbara settled down on the straw to pet the cats. The tiny kittens still hadn’t opened their eyes, but were bravely venturing farther from their parents. Carrot leaped down and stalked something at the back of the stables while Misty kept a sharp eye on them.
While Barbara was absorbed with the cats, Jenny perched on a hay bale. The groom, Jem grinned at her when he emerged from the harness room and began to saddle horses for the baroness, her brother, and Mr. Forsythe. She heard the German pair arrive, their voices raised in argument. They had spoken in their own language. Suddenly, Herr Von Bremen spoke English in a savage undertone. “Did you really believe the duke would fall in love with you if you flirted with his cousin? You are too used to men falling at your feet. The duke is no fool, neither is he like that weakling you married.”
The baroness replied with a burst of outraged German which quickly ceased as the groom led the horses out.
“Here is Mr. Forsythe!” she cried. “Shall we ride to the river?”
“You may ride wherever you like,” her brother growled.
The sound of a horse galloping from the yard drew Jenny to the door.
“Where has your brother gone off to?” Mr. Forsythe asked the baroness.
She shrugged. “Ivo is in a temper. It is better. We can enjoy our ride. Just the two of us.”
Forsythe smiled. “Indeed.”
Jenny watched them ride away.
Barbara squealed. “Jenny! One of the babies, the gray one with the white on its head, has disappeared! Misty can’t find it!”
The tiny kitten had somehow escaped. On her knees, Jenny felt around in the straw with Misty anxiously looking on.
Barbara watched, breathing heavily, as Jenny located the warm furry body beneath the straw and carefully withdrew the mewing kitten. She returned it to its worried mother.
“No harm done,” she said to the anxious little girl beside her.
Another hour passed as Jenny sat with Barbara while they watched Misty cleaning her babies with her pink tongue. William should be back soon.
A flurry of hoof beats sounded in the stable yard.
Jenny walked to the stable door as William rode in. He was alone his face stark with terror. Jenny ran out to him. “Mr. Irvine’s been shot. I think he’s dead,” William said trying bravely to hold back his tears. Jenny held the horse’s rein as he dismounted. “There was someone after me, Jenny,” he gasped, struggling to speak. “I rode as fast as I could to get away.”
She turned and stared toward the woods. “Did you see who it was?”
“No, but he’s not far away,” William said, half gasping, half sobbing. “I heard him coming behind me.”
Her first thought was to take the children back to the schoolroom. But George wouldn’t be there. He was to fetch them here in another half an hour. What if this fiend waylaid them before they reached the nursery wing? Where could they go? Had Mr. Forsythe escaped the baroness? He had the run of the house, and would know every nook and cranny. He’d been careful to make each attempt on William’s life appear to be an accident. Why had he become so reckless? Trying again and again as each attempt failed. This time because the duke was absent, he obviously saw another opportunity.
The gamekeeper, Clovis would help them, and he would have a gun. Jenny called out for Jem, but he’d disappeared, the stable deserted. She grabbed Barbara’s hand. “Come with me, William.”
The way to the gamekeeper’s cottage led in a northerly direction, away from the path William had taken with Irvine. She hurried the children along. Barbara quickly tired, so Jenny picked her up. “Lead on, William.”
“Poor Mr. Irvine,” William said his voice shaking. “We were riding across the same meadow as yesterday. I didn’t see anyone, but I heard a shot and Mr. Irvine fell from his horse. There was blood on his head, Jenny. I turned my horse and heard another shot as I galloped into the trees. I didn’t go the usual way. I took a rough overgrown path that’s never used.” He dragged in a breath. “I think it must have confused him, because after I rode into the trees, I didn’t hear him anymore.”
“That was quick thinking, William. It is fortunate you’re such a good rider,” Jenny said, her chest so tight her breath came in gasps.
