To Catch A Thief (Saved By Desire 3)

The following morning, thrilled with her success of the previous day, Sophia let herself out of the house and ventured into the village for some provisions. The sun was shining brightly, although dark clouds were already gathering on the horizon and they weren’t just weather related.

Once in the butcher’s shop, she stood in line to wait for Delilah’s regular order, and listened absently to the chatter the ladies in front of her exchanged.

“Well, I said that she should stay at the tavern at night but nobody listens to me. Why, my Wilf has always said that this is a quiet village and she is perfectly safe, but I always said that she should have an escort or something. I don’t know what her father thinks he is doing letting a girl of her age wander about unchaperoned at night.”

Her companion nodded. “She has always been a little flighty, but I just cannot see her running away with anyone. I mean, who with? The magistrate has already checked all of the eligible men in the village, and some who aren’t.” The ladies exchanged knowing looks as if to say ‘mentioning no names’, and continued. “Nobody has been reported missing except for Tabitha, and nobody knows where she has disappeared to. It is a mystery to us all I don’t mind saying.”

“Well, I have it on good authority that she has been seeing that Tyler Baltrain boy over in Romsfield. I just don’t know how her father can allow it.”

“Ladies’ what can I get you?” The butcher interrupted. He threw a rueful look at Sophia.

Sophia smiled and turned her attention to the road outside while she tried to remember who Tabitha was. Once the ladies had left, she found that she was the only customer in the shop and took the opportunity to speak with the butcher; a kindly man who, just like the Harvell ladies, had a tendency to gossip.

“Tabitha?” Sophia murmured with a frown. “I am sorry. I couldn’t help but overhear them. Why does that name sound familiar to me?”

“It is Tabitha Lester, from the tavern. She is one of the barmaids who work there at night. She also works as a milk maid over at the farm during the day as well. You have probably seen her rushing here and there. She is always rushing, that one, with nary a moment to spare. Not in the tavern, of course.” He smiled at her. “But probably on her way back from the dairy in the morning. She is about your size with yellow hair, and talks with a bit of a lisp.”

Sophia nodded when she suddenly remembered who Tabitha was. “Has she run away?”

“No.

Well, we are not sure.” The butcher looked solemn for a moment. “She left the tavern last night and hasn’t been seen since. She didn’t turn up at home like she should have. Her father waited up for her but when she didn’t return on time, he went to the tavern to look for her. Mr Morley told him she had left on time. She just vanished somewhere between the tavern and home. Nobody has seen her since. It is a mystery.”

“Good heavens,” Sophia whispered.

“I can’t see that she would have run away,” the butcher confided. “She is a good girl. I know women like those two tend to gossip, but it is best not to pay them too much attention. It is what they do, I am afraid, but they are wrong. Tabitha lives for her family. Why, I don’t think she has been out of the village since the day she was born. She is too busy working. You can set your timepiece by her. She always leaves the tavern on the button because she knows her father is waiting up for her, and always sets out for the farm just after dawn because she knows the cows are waiting for her. It’s highly unusual for her to vanish like this. Now, if it were Megan McGuire who vanished I wouldn’t be surprised in the least. She is flighty. Tabitha?” He shook his head. “No. You mark my words. This will end with sorry news, I don’t mind saying. She isn’t the kind to run off.”

“Are people looking for her?”

“Yes, half of the village are out, along with the labourers at the farm and the Lord’s men.”

“Let’s hope they find her,” Sophia whispered, disturbed by the morning’s revelations.

She accepted the bundle of meat off the butcher with an absent nod, paid him, and made her way out into the morning sunshine. This time, though, Sophia didn’t absorb any of its warmth with a grateful smile. She shivered, especially so when the sun was briefly obliterated by increasingly darker clouds. When she looked toward the sky, a sense of foreboding swept through her.

You are fanciful Sophia, stop it, she mused as she forced her mind to more thankless tasks like getting the rest of the shopping.

As she went on her way, though, she found herself searching for the reassuring sight of Jeb. It was only when she entered the grocer’s shop and found it completely empty that she realised just how quiet the village was.

“Good morning, Miss Carney. How may I help you today? The usual is it?” the grocer asked as he hurried toward her.

Sophia nodded absently and rattled the order off. While she waited for the items to be selected and placed in her basket, her gaze wandered to the empty street outside.

It was then that she saw him. Tallish, dressed in ordinary labourer’s clothing, at first glance there was nothing extraordinary about him. She would have dismissed him entirely if it hadn’t been for Tabitha’s disappearance. There was just something about him that was odd.

A frown marred her brow as she studied him. From this distance, she couldn’t decide on his age, but judged him to be in his mid-forties. There was something about the way he was staring straight at her that set the small hairs on the back of her neck on end. It was too intense, far too probing, and more than a little worrying given what had happened to Tabitha. It felt as though he knew her, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember having ever seen him before. There was something almost sinister about him that assured her she would have remembered if their paths had ever crossed. She firmly believed he was someone she didn’t ever want to cross paths with and, strangely, found herself scouring the street again in search of Jeb.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Mr Gregory,” she began nervously without taking her eyes off the man now watching her just as intently as she was watching him.

“Yes, Miss Carney?”

“Who is that man over there?”

“Where?” Mr Gregory looked about the shop.

When he didn’t join her beside the window, Sophia looked at him.