“You feel it? What are you—a woman? You feel it, indeed!”
“I do but, I don’t know what it is … the hairs at the back of m’neck are all on end …”
“Clunch!” pronounced his best friend.
Arthur pulled a face at him but declined to argue the point further as they wielded a path through the crowd with their horses in tow.
“Here … let’s get mounted …” said Jimmy.
“Right then,” Arthur said, slipping his foot into the stirrup. At this moment, something seemed once again to make him turn his head around sharply. The movement caused his horse to whinny and fidget, and in such a crowd it caused something of a stir, which in turn made Jimmy’s horse prance about.
It was some moments before they had their horses collected under them, and Jimmy eyed Arthur irritably while he let loose a harangue on his friend’s lowered head. This continued as they tooled their horses through the maze of traffic down the main thoroughfare, with Jimmy interrupting himself only once to ask Arthur (who held the guide book) the right direction.
It was some moments later that they found themselves in a section of the city that was less trafficked and also less worthy of note.
Sir James looked over the decrepit buildings and eyed his friend with a sigh. “’Tis a sad day indeed, Art … that I, a Henshaw, should be forced to such a deed.”
“Aye, they … I am told, are not nice people, these tens-in-the-hundred.”
They had arrived at the correct address, and Jimmy drew on a long drag of air as he said, “Well, nothing for it—seems to be the only thing that will fit.”
“I’d rather be booked than have to sell my soul to a moneylender.” Arthur sighed. “You’ve got backbone, James Henshaw, that you have.”
Jimmy spotted a link boy and bade him watch their horses, putting a coin in the boy’s dirty small hand and winking at him amiably. “They’ll be another for you when we come back for them.” With that he turned and put a hand on his friend’s shoulder and commented, “You are a good friend to see me through this.”
“Wish I could do more, but the trustees hold m’purse strings …”
“Never mind, in we go.”
Arthur stopped him at the weathered door. “If your sister ever finds out … egad!”
“Well, we’ll just make certain she don’t get wind of it, that’s all.”
“But your father’s ring …”
“He would have wanted me to do this. Better his ring than let her sell m’mother’s emeralds.” Jimmy shook his head. “Besides, mayhap we’ll make enough from the breeding fee and I’ll be able to buy it back?” He opened the door and stepped inside with Arthur’s hand on his back, but even as Arthur he stepped inside he took one more look over his shoulder and noticed a man in a peaked cap across the street looking their way.
The man looked somehow familiar, but Jimmy pulled him inside and shut the door, and he didn’t get a good look.
*
Jewelene’s honey-colored tresses strayed all around her delicate shoulders, shoulders that shook with frustration and rage. He was gone!
She had dressed with unusual care, donning another one of her mother’s day gowns of soft blue cotton as she had none of her own fit to wear any longer. And what must he do? Without a word, without even a note, he had picked up and left, and no one knew where he had gone off to!
He had not even left much of a note for her aunt, saying only
that he would be gone for a while. No explanation, no by your leave …
Drat him—and why she should care was beyond comprehension. He was a libertine … making delicious love to her one moment and then flirting outrageously with Babette the next. She had never realized she was a jealous woman, but she discovered she was, and of all the absurd things, she was jealous now of herself.
How much more could she take? Well, she had told him he owed her nothing for their little tumble … yes, she had told him that, but her heart, oh, that heart had shouted his name. She had so wanted him to declare ‘feelings’ for her, because she knew that she would never love any other man. There was no one who compared to his devastatingly good looks—his shoulders, his smile, his touch, and oh, his voice.
And now—he was gone. She picked up her skirts as she started up the stairs but stopped when she heard her name called. She looked back over her shoulder to find Robby smiling sweetly and approaching her, his hand clasped behind his back.
She put on the best smile she could muster and said, “Yes, my lord …”
“Oh, I do wish you would not call me that—we should have it all straightened out in the next few days, see if we don’t.”