“Come to me, January,” the woman coaxed lifting her arms to the smallest of the boys, a wisp of humanity with white-blonde hair plastered to his head. “We’ll get you dry; don’t you worry.” As soon as his feet hit the ground, January clung to the woman’s skirts adding less salubrious moisture where they were already wet. He didn’t speak.
Brewster, the innkeeper, bustled into the barn, concern in his face and voice. “Miss Abney! What has driven you and your charges out at this hour, and what is this about the road?”
“The road along the coast gave way behind us just before we reached Morphew Manor,” she said. “Peter saw it happen.”
All eyes looked to the older boy who spoke with a young person’s glee at describing horror. “We heard a rumble, and I looked back. Miss Patience were—was—driving so I looked back and saw it. Saw the whole thing. Right behind us. The whole road and part of the hill slipped into the sea. Left a great gaping hole straight down the cliff. Gone, Mr. Brewster. A quarter mile of the road’s plain gone.”
“Was there another wreck, Mr. Brewster? We passed a wagonload of folks who appeared to be survivors,” the woman said.
Brewster cursed under his breath. “Tragedy compounding. Looks like you won’t be leaving tomorrow, Mr. Newell. Or much of any time soon, with the coast road out and floods rising behind us on the inland roads.”
“My passengers have transport to catch,” Zach muttered.And Napoleon won’t wait.
“Can’t be helped,” Brewster said. He appeared immobilized, staring at a stable full of small boys.
“We can worry about that tomorrow I expect,” Zach responded. “We best get these lads warm blankets and a place by the fire.
“And Millie.” One last boy remained in the wagon.
The woman frowned at the lad. “Norb, leave those dogs alone and climb down here.”
“I’ll take th’ boys to the kitchen until I can figure something out.” Brewster said, looking pained.
The woman stilled. “You’re guessing I can’t pay, but won’t turn us away.”
“I have to make way for paying customers, Miss Abney.”
“I understand. I’ll keep them out from under foot, and I—Peter and I—can work for our keep for a few days.”
Another woman would have collapsed in tears. This formidable sprite may have appeared fragile, but had a backbone hidden under that fall of glorious hair. Zach suspected she would accomplish whatever she set her mind to. He kept his smile to himself.
Brewster gave a long-suffering sigh and nodded. “Mrs. Brewster would have my hide otherwise.”
“Norb, I asked you to climb down.” Patience Abney glared at the boy in the wagon.
“But Millie and her babies!”
In the gloom to the rear of the wagon, Zach caught a flash of movement. A closer examination revealed a dog lying on a pile of straw in the far corner. She did not rise to greet him. “Babies?” he asked.
“Four,” said the one called Norb proudly.
“There’ll be no dogs in my kitchen,” Brewster ground out. “One shaggy beast is as much as an inn needs.”
Zach lifted Norb out of the wagon over the boy’s objection, balancing his left hip against the wagon’s side while keeping the flailing legs at arms’ length. “You go with Miss Patience and Mr. Brewster to warm yourself. Quick time, now, young sir!”
The boy gazed longingly up at the wagon.
Zach softened his voice. “I’ll see to Millie and her family; you listen to the lady.”
A sleepy groom descended from the loft and trotted across the stableyard with Major Heyworth on his heels. He didn’t require instructions. “Best brush this ’un down,” he said with a yawn, unfastening the horse.
“You have quite a squad, Ma’am,” Major Heyworth said, offering his arm. “May I escort you—and them—to the kitchen as our innkeeper suggests.”
They all walked toward the door to the carriage house, preparing to bolt through the driving rain in the stableyard to the inn itself. Zach watched them go, mystified by the twinge of jealousy that had lodged in his heart.
“You can bed down upstairs, Mr. Newell. I’ll manage this rig,” the groom said.
Zach turned to explain the dog and her pups when Brewster caught his attention with a question behind him, his voice trailing away. “One thing, Miss Abney. You didn’t explain what you were doing on the coast road at night, and in a fierce storm at that.” Zach’s hand stilled. He’d been wondering the same thing.
