Beneath the Major's Scars(45)

‘Do not slow down on my account,’ she told him. ‘I, too, want     to get to West Barton as soon as possible.’



When they reached West Barton a servant ran out to grab     the horses’ heads. Zelah jumped down before Dominic could run round to help. He     followed her into the house, where the butler’s careworn expression told them     that the boy had not come home.

They were shown into the drawing room. Reginald was pacing up     and down and Maria sat on a sofa with her head in her hands. When the door     opened she flew out of her seat and threw herself into Zelah’s arms, sobbing     wildly.

Dominic looked at Reginald, who shook his head.

‘No one has seen him. I have sent my people into the village to     ask questions, but the answer is always the same. He was seen leaving the     vicarage and walking out of the village in this direction, but then he     disappeared.’

‘I left orders for my woods to be searched,’ said Dominic.     ‘Everyone at Rooks Tower is fond of the boy, they will make every effort to find     him.’

‘Oh, my poor child,’ cried Maria. ‘Where can he be?’

They sat in silence, until Maria pushed herself out of Zelah’s     arms.

‘I am forgetting my duty,’ she sniffed, taking out her     handkerchief and wiping her eyes. ‘You would like some refreshment, Major Coale.     Tea, perhaps?’

‘I think brandy might be preferable,’ suggested Reginald.

When Dominic assented he rang the bell.

‘I would like tea,’ said Zelah, hoping her sister would find     some comfort in the well-rehearsed ritual.



Conversation had been stilted as they waited for news.     Every knock on the door heralded the return of another search party, but each     time they had to report failure. The dinner hour had come and a place was laid     for Dominic, but no one had much appetite. The hours passed. Maria dragged     herself up, saying she must feed the baby and Dominic announced he would go.

‘No, please, Major, stay,’ Maria beseeched him. ‘Stay at least     until I return.’

He could not refuse, but the inaction irked him. By the time     Maria came back to the drawing room it was growing dark. He rose.

‘I must get back, my groom is waiting for me in Lesserton. I     will come over again in the morning, and if there is still no news we will work     out a plan...’

There was a scratching at the door and the butler entered. He     crossed the room, holding out a folded piece of paper to his master.

‘Someone slipped this under the door, sir. I looked outside,     but I could see no one.’

‘Then go out and search the grounds,’ barked Reginald, taking     the note.

‘Too late,’ muttered Dominic, peering out of the window.     ‘They’ll have gone away immediately.’ He returned to the hearth and waited.     Reginald’s usually cheerful countenance became increasingly grim. ‘Well?’

‘What is it?’ demanded Maria, her hands clasped to her breast.     ‘Tell us!’

Silently Reginald handed Dominic the note. ‘Read it out, Coale,     if you please.’

‘If the Parents of a certain Young Man         want to see him Alive again, then they will not be presenting any new         evidence at the White Hart on Friday next. Neither will they make any effort         to find him. If they comply with these instructions, the Young Man in         question will be delivered to them, unharmed, on Sunday next.’

‘Oh!’ Maria’s hands flew to her mouth.

‘Evanshaw,’ ground out Reginald. ‘It has to be.’ He drove his     fist into his palm. ‘But how did he know? He came up to me at the ball and     mentioned the hearing. He was bragging that he could not lose, crowing so hard     that I cannot believe he knew about the new document.’

‘You told no one about it?’ asked Dominic, pacing the room.

‘No, of course not. I told you I wanted to keep it from that     rascally lawyer Evanshaw has engaged.’

‘And I mentioned it to no one at Rooks Tower,’ muttered     Dominic. ‘No one outside this room knew of it.’

‘Mr Lerryn.’ Zelah put her hands to her white cheeks. ‘Timothy     Lerryn was here when we brought over the manuscript.’

‘By heaven, you are right,’ declared Reginald, horror dawning     in his eyes. ‘He asked me about the case, while we took brandy together after     dinner.’

‘And I pointed out Sir Oswald to him at the ball,’ whispered     Zelah. ‘He must have warned him.’ She turned her eyes, dark with horror, towards     Dominic. ‘It is all my fault. This is his revenge upon me...’

Dominic saw the bewildered looks bent on Zelah and he said     abruptly, ‘Lerryn tried to impose upon Zelah. I sent him packing. If it is     anyone’s fault, it is mine for allowing him into my house in the first     place!’

Reginald shook his head. ‘Never mind that now, what are we     going to do?’

Maria jumped up and gripped his arm. ‘You must go to Sir Arthur     now, Reginald. He is the magistrate, he can get a party together and go to     Lydcombe Park—’

‘That will not work,’ put in Dominic. ‘Sir Oswald will deny     everything.’

‘But it must be his doing,’     protested Zelah. ‘We could search Lydcombe—’

Dominic shook his head. ‘You may be sure the boy will not be     hidden anywhere on Evanshaw’s land.’

Maria looked at each of them in turn, her eyes wide with     apprehension. ‘Will he keep his word, do you think? Will he return Nicky to us     if we do as he says?’

Reginald rubbed a hand across his brow. ‘Why should he not?     Once the hearing is concluded it will be too late to change anything.’

‘But we cannot just sit here,’ declared Zelah.

Reginald snatched the note from Dominic’s hand and waved it at     her, his eyes bleak with despair. ‘It says if we try to find him—’ He broke off,     swallowing. ‘I dare not do anything.’

The sound of voices in the hall caught their attention. Maria     leapt up as the door opened, only to slump back again when she saw Jasper. He     was dressed for riding, his spurs jingling cheerfully as he walked in.

‘Lord Markham!’ Reginald sounded more hopeful.

Jasper nodded to the assembled company as he began to strip off     his gloves.

‘I was out looking for your boy when I came across Sawley.’ He     glanced round as the groom followed him into the room, having stopped to wipe     his boots thoroughly before entering the house. Jasper fixed his eyes on     Dominic. ‘He was rushing here on foot, so I thought it might be important and     took him up behind me.’

Jem dragged his hat off and twisted it between his hands.

‘I thought to see you on the road, sir, seein’ as you hadn’t     got to the White Hart an’ I wanted to tell you as soon as maybe.’ No one spoke,     no one even moved while he paused to wipe his face with a red handkerchief. ‘I     did what you said, sir, and took myself off to the Three Tuns for some     home-brewed.’ He grimaced. ‘Rough place, it is, but I pulled me cap down over me     face and settled in a corner of the taproom. Anyway, one or two of Sir Oswald’s     people was in there, drinking, when a man comes in looking for Miller, the     bailiff. Said he had some gaming cocks for him. “He’s gone off to see ’is     brother,” says one, only to have ’is foot stamped on by his mate, which shut him     up. “Well, that’s odd,” says the man. “When I saw ’im the night afore last he     said he’d be ’ere to take these birds off me hands.” Well, there was some     mutterings and shifty looks, and it struck me as a pretty rum do.’ Jem rubbed     his nose, his brow wrinkled in concentration. ‘They all left soon after, so I     took meself off to the High Street to see old Mother Tawton, the washerwoman.     Regular gossip, she is, and knows everything about everyone around Lesserton. It     being a warm evening I found her sitting in her doorway, smoking her pipe. She     told me that Miller’s brother runs a tavern down at Beston Quay. And according     to Mother Tawton, that’s who supplies Sir Oswald with his brandy and tea.’