“There is a carriage due to arrive around eleven o’clock. The driver is under instruction to take you directly to Willowbrook and only stop to change horses. Two Redcoats will be riding on the box seat to give you more protection.”
He was interrupted by Harriett, who lifted a hand to interrupt.
“What do you mean, not stop until we get to Willowbrook? I’m not going to Willowbrook,” she objected. “I’m going home.”
“You have to come with us,” Peter argued gently, trying hard not to lose patience. He couldn’t believe the ease in which everything had happened. If he was inclined to be a suspicious man, he would be tempted to think that it had almost been too easy to get out of Padstow, literally under Scraggan’s nose, unchallenged.
“I don’t have to go anywhere or do anything,” Harriett reminded him, her temper rising.
“When he is arrested, Scraggan is going to be angry and looking for someone to blame Harriett. His men are going to be desperate to get away from that lot,” he nodded backward in the direction of the Redcoats. “Do you really want to be stuck in your home, alone, without protection, with a vengeful Scraggan, and a desperate gang of smugglers on the loose?”
Harriett’s stomach churned at the thought of being at home alone, when the Redcoats came calling, but was torn by the need to be at home in case she was needed. But she realised that, even if she was at home, there was little she could do to help now. It was far too late for everyone concern
ed.
“Where is Willowbrook anyway?” Harriett asked, carefully considering the options available to her.
“Oxfordshire,” Eliza replied softly, watching in consternation as Harriett stared at her, nonplussed.
“Nobody is going to be around to protect you if you stay in Padstow, Harriett,” Jemima stated boldly, knowing from the look in Harriett’s eye that she was still considering going back.
“I’ll be in my home, where I want to be. Please believe me when I say that I don’t mean to cause anyone any offence; I just don’t want to leave Padstow and venture so far.” Although nobody said anything, Harriett felt their suspicion and felt she needed to explain her reluctance to leave Padstow behind. For the first time, she felt a distance between herself and Eliza and Jemima, and wondered if their friendship was as strong as she had once thought it was.
Their lives had gone in opposite directions since the simpler days of their youth. The events that had happened to each of them had changed them all, turning them into the people who now stood on a windswept cliff top on the outskirts of Tintagel.
Jemima glanced at Peter, stuck for a way to convince Harriett to come with them.
“Thank you for taking the time to come and reassure me that you are indeed alive and well.” Harriett was torn. She had to protect her life in Padstow, but also felt driven to try to close the chasm that had opened up between her and her only friends. She moved forward to clasp her friends’ hands in hers. “It is wonderful to see you again, and I know you will go forward into the future with a heart full of love. You deserve nothing less.”
“What about you, Harriett? What if Scraggan takes a chance and drops by to seek vengeance before he is arrested?” Jemima asked, staring down at their clasped hands. She felt the instinctive jerk of slender fingers in hers and knew she had struck home.
“You need to come to Willowbrook, if only for a short while. Hugo and his men will clear the area, and rid Padstow of the lawlessness that has plagued it for the last several months. Give yourself a chance at future happiness, and come with us,” Eliza added, sensing Harriett’s hesitation.
A strong gust of chill wind swept over them, teasing the edges of their cloaks and reminding everyone of the urgency of their situation. Sensing Harriett’s hesitation, Peter stepped forward.
“Hugo, why don’t you go and rejoin your men? We can meet up with the carriage and make our own way back to Willowbrook. Edward and I are both armed, so can deal with any challenges thrown our way.” He knew his suggestion would be accepted by the sheer relief that was visible on Hugo’s face.
“If you are sure ...” Hugo began, torn between his responsibility to his men and his duty toward Jemima and her small entourage.
“I’m sure,” Jemima said, meeting Hugo’s questioning gaze with calm reassurance.
“The next couple of days will be arduous,” Hugo warned, his voice heavily laced with apology. “But the sooner you are out of the area, the safer you will be. Please forgive me for abandoning you so abruptly, but I really do need to check on my men.”
“Go!” Jemima ordered with a soft smile, pushing him in the direction of the village they had just left.
Without hesitation, he spun on his heel and left the party alone. They watched him disappear over the horizon before turning toward Harriet, who was still standing with them. By forcing Hugo to leave, they had effectively made Harriett’s decision for her. Unless she was prepared to argue her way through a solid line of Redcoats, she now had no choice but to go to Willowbrook with them.
“Thank you,” Peter whispered to her, knowing she was fully aware of what they had just done.
“For what?” Harriett replied, confused.
“For giving yourself a chance.” With that he turned around, held a hand out for Jemima and resumed the journey to Tintagel.
Harriett followed hesitantly, aware that Edward and Eliza had fallen in behind her, probably to stop her turning around and running after Hugo.
By the time they reached the rough stone path running along the cliff tops close to Tintagel, a thick sea mist had crept inland, encasing everything in its thick fog of confusion.
“This is the last thing the Redcoats need,” Edward announced with a baleful glance at the white sky.