They were tense as they stumbled through field after field before eventually breaking out onto a coastal path. Although clearly visible, they couldn’t see Padstow anymore and felt relatively safe that, as long as they stuck to the path they could see all around them, and notice anyone approaching before they actually got close enough to pose a threat.
As they crested the brow of a small hill, Jemima gasped at the sight that met her eyes. Directly ahead lay a group of at least fifty Redcoats, fully armed and formed in a line that stretched as far as she could see. Jemima had never seen so many soldiers in her life, much less in such stunning display.
“Oh lordy,” Harriett whispered, drawing to a halt and staring openly at them.
“Wait here,” Hugo ordered, leaving them for a moment and approaching a man in an officer’s uniform. From their position on the path they couldn’t hear what was being said, but Jemima watched as the officer glanced across the fields toward Padstow before nodding.
Then Hugo beckoned them to walk between two of the soldiers, who made no attempt to break ranks or even glance at them as they passed.
Their unblinking stares as they stood to attention, accompanied by the huge guns they carried, scared Jemima, and she instinctively sought Peter’s comfort. Moving to him, she didn’t hesitate to clasp hold of his hand and sidle close to him as they walked past. Peter glanced down at her, sensing her disquiet, and immediately curled an arm around her waist as they walked. Once again, the shadows were in her eyes, and he hated it.
As they passed him, Hugo studied the blatant fear in Harriett’s face. To him, the sight of the men was commendable. Despite their basic accommodation, each man was highly polished, each gun glistening with readiness. An air of expectancy hung over the men as they waited for the conflict for which they had trained so hard. To anyone who wasn’t used to such a sight, it was terrifying and overwhelming. Glancing sympathetically at Harriett, he slowed down to walk silently alongside her.
They had gone only a few feet when a loud crack directly behind them made the ladies gasp in alarm. Harriett spun on her heel in fear, her round eyes staring in shock as she struggled to absorb what she was seeing.
The soldiers had snapped to attention and, as one, positioned their weapons. Under the orders of the sergeant, they began to move forward.
Their mission, it appeared, had begun.
Harriett turned worried eyes to Hugo, who stood watching them silently for several moments.
“Sorry they frightened you.” He offered her a gentle smile. “I didn’t think to forewarn anyone what they were going to do. Edward and Peter have been soldiers, so knew what to expect. I forgot you ladies wouldn’t be used to the ways of the army.”
“It’s all right,” Harriett murmured, staring at the rapidly retreating backs of the Redcoats with something like fear in her eyes.
“What is it?” Hugo asked with a frown. Something about her behaviour hinted that she wasn’t being entirely honest with them. Was there someone in the village she was worried about? Was her informant really a smuggler? “Worried about someone?”
Harriett jolted suddenly, snapping out of her thoughts. Quickly shaking her head, she turned away from the forbidding sight of the soldiers with a shudder and followed the others along the path, aware that Hugo was still watching her and waiting for an answer.
“I’m fine,” she whispered, refusing to meet his gaze for fear of revealing the truth.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Although they had continued to walk, Jemima couldn’t forget the forbidding line of soldiers moving toward the small fishing port of Padstow. It seemed that Harriett and Eliza were equally disturbed by the sight they had just witnessed.
“Hugo,” Harriett hesitated to ask the man anything, but wanted answers before they moved too far away from her house. “When they sweep through the village, will they do any damage?”
“They are under instructions to check every house thoroughly. Unfortunately, that will include your house, but the captain -” he glanced at Harriett, wondering if she knew he had been speaking to the captain a moment earlier, “the captain is under strict instructions to ensure that any damage caused by their forced entry into your house is repaired and the house secured before they leave it. He knows and understands he will be severely reprimanded if he doesn’t ensure it is done.” His voice left everyone without doubt that he meant every word.
Jemima felt sorry for the captain, and hoped he succeeded in his mission.
“Do you think they will catch the person who has been following us?” Jemima asked after several moments of silence.
Hugo smiled at her. “Oh, most definitely. He will be rounded up and questioned along with everyone else.”
“He?” Harriett’s voice was sharp as she stared at Hugo. Realising everyone was staring at her, she flicked Jemima a quick smile before turning toward Hugo. It took a lot of effort to appear relaxed and mildly curious about his answer. “What makes you think it is a man?”
“Because no woman would be hiding in bushes,” Peter replied. Although he had nothing against Jemima’s friend, there was something about the woman that warned him that she wasn’t being totally honest with them.
He wondered if Jemima had realised. One glance at the thoughtful look on her face assured him that Jemima was also suspicious.
Mentally applauding her for not allowing her logic to be tainted by old friendships, Peter clasped her hand tightly in his and lengthened his stride, silently urging the group onward. He suddenly had a burning desire to get the trip over and done with before something went wrong.
Clearly visible further around the coast, he could see the stark outline of the ruins of Tintagel castle. He wanted to hurry even more but, in deference to the ladies’ shorter stride, slowed his pace to walk more patiently alongside them.
He could sense the tension in Hugo, and knew the man wanted to go back and join his men. He smothered a smirk as Hugo shot Harriett a dark glare that included Harrold, and sympathised with him. As a man who had lost his heart many months ago, he wanted to advise Hugo that he couldn’t outrun his emotions; they would catch up with him.
“Look, we can carry on by ourselves. I assume you have arranged for some transportation for us in Tintagel?” Peter stopped walking and saw the brief flicker of relief Hugo tried to hide.