she was wrong. Perhaps Jonathon did know her. ‘Stay there! Wait for Thompson.’
The woman obediently moved out of the queue. Louisa let Jonathon go, but to her surprise, he stood there watching as Thompson moved in between the carriages. ‘What with one thing and another that woman has caused me a great deal of trouble over the past few weeks. Hopefully now Sims will begin to shoe horses properly again.’
‘You know her?’ Louisa stared at Jonathon in surprise as the burly Thompson caught up with the woman and began an animated conversation. After a few words, Thompson handed her a handkerchief and Annie burst into noisy sobs. He then led her away. ‘Where he is taking her? It is against the law to abduct a woman.’
‘I am doing what is best.’
‘If a hair on that woman’s head is harmed… Ishould call a parish constable! You are not in Chesterholm now!’
‘Thompson is my valet. He is trustworthy. You need not worry. Annie is safe. She will be amongst friends. She does not belong with this filth of humanity.’
‘But what is your connection with Annie Sims?’ Louisa crossed her arms. Jonathon might be able to act in that high-handed fashion on his estate and with his employees, but not with her. ‘What right does your man have to take her anywhere?’
‘Annie is the only daughter of my farrier, Matthew Sims. Home is Chesterholm village.’ Jonathon stared down at her, his eyes serious. ‘Her parents are sick with worry about her, so much so that her father has been unable to shoe horses properly and I have three lame race horses as a result. I promised them if I should discover her in Newcastle that I would bring her home.’
‘When did she leave?’
‘Annie vanished in the night several weeks ago, about the time of the latest thefts. Her father swears she was not involved, but—’
‘She left because of a man,’ Louisa interrupted. ‘It is an old story.’
‘Yes? Where is this man of hers?’
‘He is married with children, so she left. A depressingly familiar tale. It will be just a coincidence about the theft happening at the same time.’
‘But she has money to take a mail coach.’ His face showed his scepticism. ‘Or did you give that to her?’
‘Her mother slipped her some … in case. But she does not want to return home. She is afraid of her father’s fists,’ Louisa explained slowly.
‘Matthew Sims would not harm a hair on his daughter’s head. He worships the ground she walks on. She …’ He sighed. ‘Come with me and speak to her if you don’t believe me.’
Jonathon led her over to the inn and a small private room where Annie and his valet sat in close conversation.
‘Got her, my lord!’ Thompson called out. ‘She’s going home! We will have runners in the Hexham Plate after all.’
‘I suppose you are pleased. Horses must come before what a woman wants,’ Louisa said as a self-satisfied smile crossed Jonathon’s face and the tension appeared to flow out of his shoulders.
‘A thoroughly satisfactory outcome.’ He straightened his hat and sobered. ‘It is one item off my list. I promised her father that if I encountered Annie in Newcastle that I would bring her back. I would have done this even if my horses were not involved.’
‘Are you ready to go then, Mr Thompson? I’d like see my mam as soon as possible, now that his lordship has said it is fine.’ Annie pushed her glass away from her and then gave a quick gasp of pain. ‘Oh, no, someone left a splinter of glass on the table. I have cut my wrist. Stupid, really. It shows what my day is like.’
Louisa watched in horror as several dark red spots appeared on Annie’s wrist.
‘Here.’ Jonathon withdrew a snow-white handkerchief from his pocket. ‘Bind it up with that.’
‘I couldn’t possibly.’ Annie protested. ‘It belongs to your lordship. I could never—’
‘Do it!’ Jonathon ordered.
Annie bound her wrist up. ‘Your lordship is very kind. I hadn’t
The woman obediently moved out of the queue. Louisa let Jonathon go, but to her surprise, he stood there watching as Thompson moved in between the carriages. ‘What with one thing and another that woman has caused me a great deal of trouble over the past few weeks. Hopefully now Sims will begin to shoe horses properly again.’
‘You know her?’ Louisa stared at Jonathon in surprise as the burly Thompson caught up with the woman and began an animated conversation. After a few words, Thompson handed her a handkerchief and Annie burst into noisy sobs. He then led her away. ‘Where he is taking her? It is against the law to abduct a woman.’
‘I am doing what is best.’
‘If a hair on that woman’s head is harmed… Ishould call a parish constable! You are not in Chesterholm now!’
‘Thompson is my valet. He is trustworthy. You need not worry. Annie is safe. She will be amongst friends. She does not belong with this filth of humanity.’
‘But what is your connection with Annie Sims?’ Louisa crossed her arms. Jonathon might be able to act in that high-handed fashion on his estate and with his employees, but not with her. ‘What right does your man have to take her anywhere?’
‘Annie is the only daughter of my farrier, Matthew Sims. Home is Chesterholm village.’ Jonathon stared down at her, his eyes serious. ‘Her parents are sick with worry about her, so much so that her father has been unable to shoe horses properly and I have three lame race horses as a result. I promised them if I should discover her in Newcastle that I would bring her home.’
‘When did she leave?’
‘Annie vanished in the night several weeks ago, about the time of the latest thefts. Her father swears she was not involved, but—’
‘She left because of a man,’ Louisa interrupted. ‘It is an old story.’
‘Yes? Where is this man of hers?’
‘He is married with children, so she left. A depressingly familiar tale. It will be just a coincidence about the theft happening at the same time.’
‘But she has money to take a mail coach.’ His face showed his scepticism. ‘Or did you give that to her?’
‘Her mother slipped her some … in case. But she does not want to return home. She is afraid of her father’s fists,’ Louisa explained slowly.
‘Matthew Sims would not harm a hair on his daughter’s head. He worships the ground she walks on. She …’ He sighed. ‘Come with me and speak to her if you don’t believe me.’
Jonathon led her over to the inn and a small private room where Annie and his valet sat in close conversation.
‘Got her, my lord!’ Thompson called out. ‘She’s going home! We will have runners in the Hexham Plate after all.’
‘I suppose you are pleased. Horses must come before what a woman wants,’ Louisa said as a self-satisfied smile crossed Jonathon’s face and the tension appeared to flow out of his shoulders.
‘A thoroughly satisfactory outcome.’ He straightened his hat and sobered. ‘It is one item off my list. I promised her father that if I encountered Annie in Newcastle that I would bring her back. I would have done this even if my horses were not involved.’
‘Are you ready to go then, Mr Thompson? I’d like see my mam as soon as possible, now that his lordship has said it is fine.’ Annie pushed her glass away from her and then gave a quick gasp of pain. ‘Oh, no, someone left a splinter of glass on the table. I have cut my wrist. Stupid, really. It shows what my day is like.’
Louisa watched in horror as several dark red spots appeared on Annie’s wrist.
‘Here.’ Jonathon withdrew a snow-white handkerchief from his pocket. ‘Bind it up with that.’
‘I couldn’t possibly.’ Annie protested. ‘It belongs to your lordship. I could never—’
‘Do it!’ Jonathon ordered.
Annie bound her wrist up. ‘Your lordship is very kind. I hadn’t
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