‘Smugglers,’ declared Reginald.
‘Most likely they wouldn’t be above aiding a kidnap, too,’ muttered Dominic.
Reginald rubbed his chin. ‘But that is what, thirty...forty miles away. Would they take the boy that far?’
‘If Evanshaw is involved, he wouldn’t risk hiding the boy locally,’ said Jasper. ‘We should take a look.’
‘Yes, yes!’ cried Maria. ‘You must go there this minute, Reginald.’
‘Yes, we—’ Reginald stopped, his animated look replaced by one of wretchedness. ‘But it won’t work. You saw the note, Coale. He threatens the boy if we try to find him. Our hands are tied.’
Dominic handed the paper to Jasper.
‘Yours may be,’ he said slowly, ‘but mine are not. No one will be any the wiser if I am gone from Rooks Tower for a day or two, and you can make sure you are seen in Lesserton, to allay suspicion.’
Jasper immediately spoke up. ‘I shall come with you, Brother.’
Reginald shook his head. ‘No, no, I cannot let you do it. If Evanshaw finds out—’
Zelah put her hand on his arm. ‘What is the alternative?’
His shoulders drooped. ‘We let Evanshaw redraw the boundary. The villagers lose their land. And I will have spent a great deal of money I could not afford bringing the lawyer down from London for nothing.’
‘But we will have our son back.’ Maria’s voice broke and she dropped her face in her hands again.
‘But if he is at Beston,’ said Dominic, ‘and we can bring him back safe before the hearing?’
‘I think it is worth an attempt.’ Jasper nodded.
‘But it is not your son’s life at stake,’ retorted Reginald, strain beginning to take its toll of his nerves.
‘True,’ said Dominic, ‘but what guarantee do you have that Evanshaw will keep his word and return the boy?’ The awful reality of his words hung in the silence. He continued urgently, ‘Let us try this, Buckland. If Nicky is not there, we have lost nothing. If he is...’
‘Oh, yes,’ sobbed Maria. ‘Yes, Major, please try. I only wish I could go with you. My poor little boy will be so frightened.’
‘I will go, if you will provide me with a horse.’
Zelah’s words were quietly spoken and Dominic thought he had misheard until Jasper protested.
‘No, Miss Pentewan, there is no call for that.’
‘Nicky may need me,’ she said simply. ‘He is a little boy, snatched away from his home and everything he knows. He will be very frightened.’
Dominic shook his head. ‘Out of the question,’ he said curtly. ‘It is far too dangerous.’
He found Zelah’s agonised gaze fixed upon him.
‘Please,’ she whispered, ‘let me do this. Nicky is like my own son. To lose him...’
He read the anguish in her eyes and suddenly he understood: she was racked with guilt. About Lerryn, Nicky’s disappearance—about her own stillborn child. His judgement said she should not go, but he could not deny her.
‘We will be riding hard,’ he warned.
She returned his look, her own hazel eyes now steady and unafraid. ‘I am used to that, and thanks to your sister I have had some practice these past weeks.’
She looked pale but resolute and Dominic’s heart swelled. Her spirit was indomitable.
‘Sal has left Portia at Rooks Tower,’ put in Jasper. ‘I will have her saddled up for you. And we will need to leave at dawn.’
Zelah nodded.
‘My habit is still at Rooks Tower, I will come back with you now.’ She went to her sister. ‘You and Reginald must convince Sir Oswald that you are complying with his demands, Maria. Do not worry, if Nicky is at Beston Quay we will find him.’
Maria hugged her tightly. ‘Bring him back safely, Zelah.’
Dominic felt better now that they had a plan. He turned to Reginald. ‘Can you trust your servants, Buckland?’
‘Aye, they’ve all been with me for years.’
‘Very well, then, impress upon them that no one must know what we are doing. And put it about that Miss Pentewan is confined to her room.’
She met his eyes in a fleeting glance that held the hint of a smile.
‘I am of course exhausted after the ball.’
‘Can you do it?’ asked Reginald. ‘It is Thursday tomorrow. Can you get to Beston and back before the hearing?’
‘We will do our level best.’ Dominic held out his hand to him. ‘Keep that paper ready to produce at the hearing, Buckland. With luck we will beat Evanshaw at this!’
By the time they arrived back at Rooks Tower Zelah could not see anything in front of the horses and she wondered just how Dominic kept the curricle on the road. Jasper had stabled his horse and was waiting to hand her down.
‘All our guests have retired, so we do not need to offer any explanations yet,’ he said, escorting her into the hall. ‘I took the liberty of asking Mrs Graddon to make up a bed for you, Miss Pentewan. She tells me the tower room is ready. And I have ordered refreshments to be served in the morning room. I hope you don’t mind, Dom?’
‘Of course not.’
His tone was curt, but she was used to that. She did not think he was angry with her, merely that he did not want to take her to Beston Quay. When Jasper excused himself and went off to change out of his muddy clothes, Zelah followed Dominic into the morning room.
‘I promise I shall not hold you up,’ she said, ‘if that is worrying you.’
He walked over to the window and closed the shutters. ‘I know that. I have seen you ride, Miss Pentewan.’
She winced at his formality. ‘You had begun to call me Zelah,’ she reminded him gently.
With a smothered oath he swung round. ‘I am doing my best to protect you, madam, and at every turn you thwart me!’
She raised her brows. ‘Do you think I am doing this to thwart you?’
He looked up at the ceiling, exhaling. ‘No, of course not. But this could leave you open to gossip, when it becomes known.’
She lifted her shoulders. ‘It does not matter. I will soon be gone from here.’ He did not contradict her. Another blow, but she shut her mind to it and said fiercely, ‘Besides, rescuing Nicky is far more important than any reputation.’
They set off at sunrise, riding away from the moor, through wooded valleys towards the Devon border. Zelah rode between Dominic and his brother, Jem Sawley following behind on a large dappled roan. Jasper had laughed when the groom had brought it into the yard.
‘Good God, Dom, do you have only ugly horses in your stable?’
‘Aye.’ Dominic grinned. ‘They are a good match for their master!’
Jasper winked at Zelah before scrambling up on to his handsome bay gelding. The exchange had lightened the mood a little—until then Dominic had behaved with numbing politeness and she was relieved that he had now returned to his usual habit of barking orders at everyone.
On they rode, mile after mile, down ancient tracks and across open land, following the route Dominic and Jasper had memorised the previous night. They skirted towns and villages for the first part of their journey, only coming on to the main routes to cross the rivers. The last major crossing was at Torrington, and as they trotted across the bridge Dominic gave Zelah an encouraging smile.
‘Not long now.’
She nodded, easing her aching thighs on the saddle. At any other time she would have relished the challenge, but for now her mind was fixed on rescuing Nicky.
They followed a narrow lane and soon found themselves travelling across a desolate plateau of bare fields and scrubland. Ahead of them was the sea, a deep grey line between the edge of the land and the heavy grey cloud bank on the horizon. Zelah could taste the salt in the fresh breeze as they rode on, skirting the village itself and heading directly towards the quay, which was a mile or so to the west. Then, suddenly, their goal was in sight and they reined in their horses as the ground fell away sharply before them. On each side the black, ragged cliffs dropped into the choppy grey waters, while directly below them a haphazard collection of buildings straggled across a promontory. The inn was easily identified, a low stone building with its blue sign and a row of barrels standing against the wall.