This made the woman’s eyes shift warily but she turned and huffed off. Mandy stood a moment, still in fight mode before she turned and headed t
oward the courthouse. This was her uncle’s evil doing…his and Alfred’s.
Her meeting with her brother had left her sick with worry and when she returned to Chauncey who awaited her with the family carriage, she went directly into his big burly arms.
He had been their driver and head stableman a good part of their lives, but he was also a trusted and beloved friend. He had been with them throughout their childhood escapades and had seen them through their share of scrapes over the years. She sniffed and told him, “I fear the worst, Chauncey.”
Chauncey set her apart and wagged an aged finger at her, “Lordy, Miss Mandy, jest look at ye carrying on like some wilted bloom. That ain’t how I taught ye. Don’t ye shame me now.”
She laughed uneasily and leaned back against the carriage. “It doesn’t auger well for Ned and he becomes more depressed each day he spends in that horrid place. Those that don’t know Ned are inclined to think that if his uncle is against him, he must be guilty. And those that do know him, like Sir Owen, are inclined to look sour and keep their opinions to themselves for fear he might be guilty. Horrid.”
“Never ye mind that now, missy. He’ll come through this ken, right and tight, see if he don’t.” He sighed heavily, “What I been trying to do is put out feelers with m’people, hoping someone can give us a lead as to Elly Bonner’s direction. She can’t have just up and disappeared.”
A livery boy came rushing at them at this juncture and it was obvious he was a friend of Chauncey’s. He was out of breath as he said, “I heard tell Mrs. Brinley just come forward she did, Chauncey. Said it was her duty and went to Magistrate Connors direct, she did.” He blushed as he saw Mandy’s face, but Chauncey pushed him for more.
He eyed Mandy again for a moment, tipped his dark wool cap and said, “Sorry miss. I don’t believe it for a minute. But, Mrs. Brinley told Magistrate Connors that Celia told her that Lord Sherborne didn’t really love her, but that she had a way to force his hand.”
“A whisker if ever I heard one,” Chauncey declared but Mandy saw the concern in his eyes.
Mandy felt sick with dread. How could Agatha do such a thing? She had a mind to ask her to leave her home at once. Traitorous woman!
“This is bad, Chauncey…you see that, right?” Mandy said more than asked.
“Aye, it ain’t good, but what ye need is to find that diary and Elly Bonner. Think about Miss Celia and all the little hidey holes she might have thought would serve.”
“What I think, Chauncey, is that we need to proceed with our alternative plan, at once. We have no time to lose,” Mandy said sure that she was indeed going to be sick. Ned was having innuendos piled on his head.
“Aye, I don’t like it none, for I don’t take to floutin’ the law—but those twiddlepoops in Harrowgate wot thinks they be the law, leave us no choice in the matter.”
“Indeed, we have no choice, but I do dislike putting you in such a way, for Chauncey it is breaking the law and we shall be in a bit of a tight spot for some days to come,” Mandy said distressfully.
“Coo, missy. As though sech as that would be more than a brace o’snaps!” returned Chauncey brightly.
Mandy knew he was making light of it to steady her, but this was serious…such awfully serious business!
* * *
Ned fidgeted in his dreary cell. It had been a long hard week. He had been allowed supervised exercise in the rear courtyard, but his meals had been bland and cold at best. He had spent his days reading the books that his sister had brought him and wondering how it was they could legally hold him like this without a hearing. He was not a commoner, but a titled aristocrat. This sort of treatment was unheard of, but with no one of consequence to take charge and make his uncle stand back, he was in an awful bind.
Mandy’s visit in the morning had him fairly addled with worry. She was about to do something he was certain would land them in even more trouble. He had tried everything he knew to talk her out of the course of action she intended to take, however, now that the moment was nigh, he was excited and restless, anxious, and amazingly ready. Besides all of that was the fact that not five minutes before he had overheard his uncle in conversation with Magistrate Connors and he now believed his sister was in the right of it and they had no choice but to go ahead with their plan.
He moved to his window overlooking the rear courtyard of the courthouse. He could hear the clip-clop of horses on the cobblestone street and the laughter of farmers and cits as they made their way to a nearby tavern.
He was frustrated in the extreme. How could anyone think that he would harm Celia in any way, let alone, kill her? Monstrous! Yet, he stood accused not only of getting her, a young gently born girl with child, but then not only shirking a duty to her and the unborn child, but actually ruthlessly killing her. How could anyone think such a thing of him? He had to find a way to prove himself innocent. He simply had to. Even Skip, though he had visited often enough and assured him that they would find a way, did not seem overly hopeful in the last few days.
However, his sister would come through. All he had to do was wait.
* * *
Mandy knew how worried and unhappy her twin was about this undertaking. She also knew that they didn’t have a choice. She had been preparing for it the moment they held him over that first night. She had been sickened to see Skippy with Ned’s horse in tow that day and she knew that if her brother wasn’t released within a few days, she would have to prepare for the worst.
The time had come. There could be no further delay.
Amanda Sherborne’s pretty black and white muslin gown was hiked up to enable her to ride astride. Her golden locks were dressed provocatively upon her head, with a black chip bonnet slanted alluringly over her forehead. Through her golden curls a black silky ribbon had been laced, giving her an enticing, yet innocent appearance.
Chauncey sat his big bay thoroughbred with purpose and Ned’s steed led by a long leather line, jogged amiably along behind him.
It was late and dark had descended hours ago. They made their way slowly over the road, allowing their horses to pick their way safely as they entered the village. Only the dim torch lights from the tavern illuminated some of their way as they went around to the rear of the courthouse.