They left quickly and made their way to Mrs. Hinson’s little tearoom, confident Martha Hinson, at least, would be polite.
As they walked, Mia’s sense of unease increased. It wasn’t helped when she caught sight of Bill Carter watching them from the front of the smithy with Vincent Collins and some bullyboys from the Cockcrow at his side.
They sat at a table in the tearoom, one large enough to accommodate all of them. None of Martha’s former pleasantness was in evidence. She appeared tense and subdued.
“Good morning, Martha,” Mia chirped. “I hope you have those delightful ginger biscuits today.”
Martha nodded. “Will you want tea?” Her eyes darted to Daniel as she spoke.
“Yes, please,” Gideon replied, “and nursery tea for my children.”
“Children, Mrs. Hinson’s biscuits are the best in the area,” Mia said, attempting to break the tension in the room. “And if I recall correctly, so are her honey buns.”
Martha blinked at Mia. “I can bring those, too.”
“That would be lovely,” Mia said. She glanced at Gideon warily, wishing she hadn’t proposed the outing.
They were served in good time, but Martha didn’t linger to speak with them. Even the children seemed subdued as if picking up on the tension. They ate quietly.
Two women Mia knew to be shop employees came in and took a table. The pair of them studied the children avidly. More nasty Nether Abbas gossips. Now she was certain the outing had been a bad idea.
Martha came in to take the women’s order. She turned to ask the Kendricks if they needed anything else. Mia thanked her politely but said they were finished.
“Mrs. Hinson,” Gideon asked before Martha could leave, “has there been any word about Lizzy Carter?”
The woman’s brows shot up. “You’d know before I would,” she said, turning to go. They went back through the grocery and were almost to the door when Martha approached Mia. “Might I have a private word, Mrs. Kendrick?” she asked.
Mia glanced at Gideon. He nodded and led the children out. “What is it, Martha?” Mia asked.
“Be careful. My Alvin says talk at the Cockcrow is growing ominous with Carter ranting about Lizzy not turning up and now this business about the boy,” she whispered.
“What about Daniel?” Mia asked, keeping her voice down.
“They say Mr. Kendrick done something bad to the duke to take Woodglen for the boy somehow, that his papers are a pack of lies.”
Mia’s heart sank. In spite of their efforts, the gossip simply worsened. It was as if someone was actively feeding it.But who at Woodglen frequents the Cockcrow? A few of the grooms, perhaps. Yet Bert seems loyal. The footmen?“Tell me one thing, Martha. Has Jem Hawkins been seen hereabouts? He left Woodglen without warning, and we’ve not seen hide nor hair of him.”
Martha bit her lower lip, glanced around, and nodded. “Aye. Turns up at the Cockcrow and then disappears every day or so.” She put a hand on Mia’s arm. “You be careful. I always liked you,” she said.
Gideon gazed at her expectantly.
“I’ll talk to you after we get back,” she said, anxious to be away.
They drove along the main road around Woodglen’s lower fields. Helen, to Mia’s left on the rear-facing seat, sat deep in thought. Jessica, sitting across from Helen, pointed out flowers and animals to Daniel. Gideon rode a bit faster, the distance between him and the rest of them lengthening by the time they turned up the road that led to the manor and to Selwyn Court. Hedges lined the narrow road on both sides as they drove on toward the break in the hedgerows where Mia had encountered Gideon that first day.
Noise and some scuffling behind the shrubs to Helen’s left drew Mia’s attention. Jessica went up on her knees to watch the spot as they passed. “Do you suppose it is deer or a fox?” she asked.
Daniel’s scream, quickly muffled, sent ice through Mia’s veins. She turned back as he was pulled over the side of the moving landau. She grabbed his foot with one hand and flung open the door, shouting to Bert. At the same moment, a shot rang out, and the horses bolted with Mia only halfway out of the landau. She landed on the dirt with a shoe in one hand as a figure in black carrying Daniel disappeared through the break in the hedge.
Mia scrambled to her feet, cursing her lack of weapon, and charged through the hedgerow only to stumble again. This time, she almost hit a good-sized rock. She grabbed it in one hand as she rose, picked up her skirts with the other, and ran.
“Drop that child now!” she shouted. Daniel, bless him, kicked and fought while the man who snatched him tried to control flailing arms. It slowed the man some, but her skirts and the field stubble slowed her as well. She finally drew within ten feet—her breath heaving—dropped her skirt, and let the rock fly. It bounced off the top of the man’s head and brought him to a halt. He turned, groping in his belt for his knife.
Mia froze at the sight.
“Follow me and I’ll cut him,” the brute said through the scarf that covered his face. Daniel, now held one-handed, squirmed, and the hand with the knife pointed outward rose to secure him across his chest. The boy latched on to the hand, biting down hard.
The miscreant shouted and dropped the knife but not the boy. Before he could turn and run, Mia had the rock back in her hand. This time, from close quarters, she didn’t miss. She hammered the man’s face, and when he screamed, she brought it down with both hands and all her strength against the side of his head.
