He looked bewildered. “My clothes, milord?”
“Your pants, coat, and your hat. And while you undress, you can tell me where the meeting place is.” He held out his hand. “Make it fast, or you’ll be sorry.”
The man, white-faced, hurried to obey, stripping off his faded coat.
An hour later, with his hat pulled down low over his face, Ash drove the trap to the assigned meeting place beside the river, five miles east of Meadows. Phillips and two footmen followed at a discreet distance.
When Ash pulled the trap into the clearing, two men ran from their hiding places. Ash pulled out his pistol. “Hands in the air.”
The stunned men obliged as Phillips and the footmen rode in. “You have a choice. Tell me where the hostages are, or else, I warn you, you will end up residing in one of the prison hulks on the River Thames.”
The bigger man spoke. “Not in me to kill anyone, least of all two helpless females, milord. I thought I could, but when faced with it…” He shook his head.
“Who ordered you to kill them?”
The pock-faced man said angrily, “That nasty piece of work, Lord Farnborough.”
“Where is his lordship?”
“We were to meet him at his hunting lodge, after…but Fred and me left before he turned up.”
“You chose what you thought was a better option?”
Bertram bowed his head. “We feared he might turn on us, milord.”
“If you give evidence that Farnborough was behind this, the law might go easier on you.”
“We’ll do it, milord,” Bertram said eagerly. “You can count on us.”
A sea voyage to Botany Bay would be a better option.Fighting to control his anger, Ash scowled. “Take us to them.”
The men climbed into the trap with an armed footman while Ash mounted the footman’s horse.
Riding behind the trap, Phillips drew his mount alongside Ash’s.
“I won’t be responsible for these men’s health if they’ve harmed a hair on their heads,” Ash growled.
“Happy to assist, milord,” Phillips said. “I’d like to get my pound of flesh for the head wound.”
Ash clenched his jaw so tight it hurt. He would remain in hell until he saw them unharmed. Was Farnborough kicking up his heels back at the hunting lodge? He rather thought not. Thinking himself safe, he might be busy shoring up his alibi in London. If so, he would keep.
A half-hour later, Ash and Phillips followed the men in the trap through the broken gates of a rundown farm. The door opened, and a young woman emerged, a baby on her hip.
“Maggie, bring the girls out,” Bertram called.
“They’re not here.”
Bertram stared at her aghast. “What do you mean they’re not here?”
“They threw their food at me and escaped. Right after you left, Bert. I would have let them go, anyway. They were ladies. You should never have left them with me.” She nodded at the assembled company. “I see you’ve got yourself into a world of trouble.”
“Which direction did they go?” Ash barked.
She eyed Ash skeptically, reminding him he wore a yeoman’s clothes. After a minute, she pointed down the road. “That way.”
“Take these gentlemen to the parish constable, and have him alert the magistrate,” Ash ordered the footmen. “Phillips, come with me.”
They cantered along the road through the countryside. There was nothing for miles except acres of fields, some left fallow, others plowed and planted. And no sign of Thea and Julia.
