“I have that honor, Mr. Sanderson.”
“Then can you please insist, sir, that Lady Marple and Lord Curston remain here until Mr. Wintergreen arrives? He is the father of two of the missing ladies, and follows us here by carriage.”
Lady Marple heard that and stopped in mid-sentence. “Horace is coming?” she demanded, and then bolted for the carriage, shouting up at the coachman, “Drive on. Quickly.”
Lord Finch raised his eyebrows and gave the coachman a look. “No problem, me lord,” the man said. “Me an’ the ’orses’ll just stay right ’ere till yer lordship sez the word.”
Two of Finch’s footman, at a gesture from their master, were ushering Lord Curston back into the house.
“Can you let Mr. Wintergreen know that we and Lord Thornstead will search until we find the ladies?” Bane said to Lord Finch. “Come on, Drake, Wart.”
“Sir,” Drake said, “could you spare us fresh horses? And a couple of grooms to ride back and forth with messages? That way, you can let us know if Lady Marple or Lord Curzon disclose anything that would help. And we can keep Mr. Wintergreen informed.”
“Good idea,” said Lord Finch. “Albinus, my boy? Erasmus?” A pair of young men who looked like an amalgam of Lord and Lady Finch stepped forward. “Go with these gentlemen, my lads. My sons, Mr. Sanderson.”
“We’ll fetch enough horses for us all and follow you, sir,” said one of the men.
Good enough. Bane was waiting impatiently. The brothers left their mounts to the care of Lord Finch’s stables and strode together in the direction that Garry had gone.
