He didn’t give Edward time to ask more questions and stalked from the room, slamming the door behind him. He had barely settled in the saddle before Edward was tearing out of the door and mounting beside him.
“Where is she? What do you know?” He asked, wheeling around and settling into a steady canter alongside.
“She’s in Derby Gaol.” Sebastian’s voice was stark as he flicked Edward a dark look that warned him he wouldn’t like the latest turn of events.
“In Derby Gaol?”
“Yes in Derby Gaol.” Sebastian sighed. “There was a note left for us while we were away. Someone Peter had working for him in Derby had seen her being transported to the Gaol with some other men. They did some asking around and apparently she was with a gang that was picked up attempting to rob a coach on the main road just outside of Derby.”
“A highway gang? Do they commit highway robbery still?” Edward frowned, wondering if they could really trust the source of information.
“They were all arrested for murder, highway robbery and four counts of theft. They had been taken to the court for sentencing. Our man saw Jemima on her way back to the jail and recognised her from Peter’s description.”
“Are we sure it’s Jemima?” Edward shook his head, his thoughts turning to Eliza’s reaction to the latest piece of news.
“The man had seen her before apparently. She used to work at the Trumpet and Spoon.”
Edward cursed roundly before turning stony eyes towards a watchful Sebastian who clearly hadn’t imparted the gravest news.
“Go on.”
“They have been sentenced to hang.”
Edward drew to a stop and stared in horror at his brother. “All of them?” His heart sank as Sebastian nodded briskly as he stared at the road ahead.
Not only Peter, but Eliza would be totally devastated. Edward stared in abject horror at his brother.
“When?”
“Soon.”
Edward heaved a sigh of relief before grim determination firmed his jaw. At least they hadn’t already been put to death. They had time and while they did, there was hope.
“Then we had better hurry.” Edward muttered, nudging his horse into a fast canter. As they raced towards Padstow, Edward cursed himself for being several kinds of fool. He had wasted precious time making the unnecessary trip to Leicestershire when he could have been escorting Eliza to Padstow and getting her back to Leicestershire where she was safe and Peter could step in.
One thing was certain. Whether he liked it or not, he was involved in this up to his neck. Even if he did manage to walk away from Eliza and cut her out of his life completely – which he now considered was nearly impossible – then he couldn’t cut Peter out and he would be beside himself if Jemima was hung.
Chapter Nine
Eliza was scared. They sat around the table in the private parlour of the small tavern only a few miles from Padstow and quietly made their plans for the following day. It was agreed that because most smuggling operations were carried out overnight, by dawn most of the men were still abed. It was best for Eliza to go to the house she called home just before dawn when most of the smugglers were asleep, but before the fishermen began preparing the boats ready to leave the harbour.
Once they had the things Eliza needed, they would check the area for any sign of Jemima and head straight back to Leicestershire. They would ride hard throughout the day, only stopping to change horses, sticking to the busier towns and coaching inns and taking sanctuary in people. They would do this for the four days it should take them to get home. Assuming they didn’t come across anything that slowed them down, like Scraggan or his son Rogan.
It all seemed to Eliza so cut and dried; so simple as the men outlined what they were going to do, she wondered if it was indeed too simple.
“Are you alright Eliza?” Dominic’s quiet voice stole into her thoughts and she stared at him blankly for several moments before realising he was waiting for a reply.
She offered him a weak smile as she contemplated the days ahead.
“I want you both to promise me something.” She said after several moments.
Outside of the room they could hear the faint hum of the busy tap room as it had begun to fill up with the evening’s patrons. The tense silence within the small parlour was in stark contrast to the joviality outside.
“If Scraggan does come after me tomorrow, don’t put yourselves in danger to protect me.” She raised a hand when the men instinctively made to protest.
“You have families.” She glanced at Dominic pointedly. “You have a wife and unborn child waiting for you at home.”
“I don’t.” Peter argued, shooting her a rueful smile.