The Lady By His Side(92)
Sebastian glanced at Antonia.
She smiled at the woman. “We’re searching for some barrels that those at the house”—she waved toward Pressingstoke Hall—“believe might have been hidden somewhere about the estate. Have you or your husband seen anyone moving barrels about recently?”
Clearly mystified, the woman shook her head. “No, ma’am. Can’t say as we have. Not much we have that’s brought in by the barrel-load, so we’d’ve noticed, I’m sure.”
Sebastian shifted. “Do you know of any old cellar or cave where barrels might have been hidden?”
The woman studied him for a second, then said, “I was born on the estate, so I know most places, but other than the caves in the cliffs, I’ve never heard tell of any hidden place—not in the fields.”
Sebastian regarded the woman for an instant, then nodded. “Thank you.”
He took Antonia’s arm and walked with her down the short path. As soon as they were out of earshot of the woman, he bent his head and whispered, “I want to search the cellar—in a place that size, there’s bound to be one. Can you get her out of the house?”
The cottages they’d stopped at the previous day had been too small to boast cellars. Antonia halted, studying his face, then she nodded and turned.
The farmer’s wife was still standing in the open doorway.
Antonia walked back, smiling easily. “I wonder if I could trouble you for a glass of water?”
The woman straightened. “Of course, ma’am.” She stepped back. “Come in.”
Leaving the front door wide, Antonia followed the woman down a corridor that led to a large kitchen at the rear of the house. The woman went to the dresser, picked up a pewter mug, and reached for a jug. Antonia stayed her with a raised hand. “If possible, I would prefer water straight from the pump.”
The woman nodded. “Of course.” She set down the jug and made for the back door. “The pump’s just out here.”
Antonia followed the woman out of the door; as she had hoped, the pump stood in the middle of the rear yard. She offered to hold the mug while the woman plied the pump handle. Once the mug was full, Antonia sipped, then asked the woman about her family.
They were still standing by the pump, swapping observations on male children, when Sebastian came striding around the side of the farmhouse. He halted and frowned at her. “We need to be getting on.”
She smiled sweetly at him, then turned her smile on the woman and handed back the mug. “Thank you.”
The woman took the mug and bobbed a curtsy. “Ma’am.”
Antonia joined Sebastian, and they walked around the farmhouse and back to the horses. Only once they were mounted and had wheeled the horses did she ask, “Anything?”
He grunted. “A root cellar, but no barrels.” He set the gray trotting. “Come on.”
They halted in the nearby farmyard, which proved to be deserted. “I suppose all the men are out in the fields at this hour,” Antonia said.
“At least we don’t have to make excuses.” Sebastian led the way into the barn.
Their search of the barn and hayshed didn’t take long.
In silence, they remounted and rode on.
Antonia set the chestnut to pace the gray. “Is gunpowder transported in anything other than barrels?”
Sebastian frowned. “It can be. But only smaller amounts would be in boxes or paper packages, and not generally for transporting any distance. I can’t imagine Ennis wasting his last breath to warn us about any small amount. Also, the powder needs to be kept dry, and oak barrels are best for that.”
She sighed. “So barrels it is.”
Another farmhouse, somewhat larger than the last, sat in a dip ahead. Again, they halted and questioned the farmer’s wife, who confirmed that, at that time of day, all the men were out in the fields. Again, the woman knew nothing of any barrels being moved about the estate. She went with them to look into the barn and hayshed. Antonia distracted her by professing an interest in her extensive vegetable garden while Sebastian circled the house and searched its cellar, but all for the same result.
“Nothing,” he somewhat tersely informed Antonia before she’d even asked. He urged the gray on, and she followed.
To that point, she’d had no reason to complain about his behavior. However, the next structure they came upon was a lone hayshed. On reaching it, Sebastian quickly dismounted, waved her to remain ahorse, handed her the gray’s reins, and stalked off to swiftly search.
She told herself he was simply growing impatient, and it really didn’t take two to search a hayshed that was open on three sides.