“It sounds like the Potter women are being very tight-lipped about the location of their menfolk,” Sarah was saying when David finally turned his attention back to her and Melinda.
“Yes,” Melinda agreed, “but I think they are still communicating with the men somehow.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because whenever the earl gets close to finding William and the others, they mysteriously disappear. How could they know the earl was coming, if someone wasn’t telling them?”
“Do you think the Potter women will talk to us? Tell us where the men are?” David asked.
Melinda shrugged. “I suppose there is only one way to find out.”
“Off to the Potters’?” Sarah asked with a smile.
“Off to the Potters’,” David agreed.
With Melinda leading the way, David could only hope that he and Sarah could convince the Potter women of their desire to help…before it was too late.
Chapter Twelve
Family and friends are much more important than wealth and privilege.
—The Duke of Lancaster
It didn’t take long for the trio to travel to the cottagers’ assemblage of bungalows. William’s wife and children lived in close proximity to the other members of the Potter family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws. It made addressing the main players easier, but getting them to talk…that was a whole other matter. Gathered around a warming fire pit were eight or so women of varying ages and sizes, sitting in an odd conglomeration of roughhewn chairs. The surrounding domiciles were just as haphazardly put together. David could only imagine how the earl’s people came by building supplies. Though, despite the mishmash of carpentry and bricklaying, the place seemed warm, homey even. David had to credit the family itself for that, because nothing of real value was ever given to these people. Not of the substantial kind, anyway.
However, warmth was the last thing to be read in the faces of his audience. The visages before him were worn with mistrust and suspicion. David sighed inwardly. This was going to be a tough battle to win with he and Sarah dressed as they were. No aristocrat had ever done these people a favor as far as he could tell. How can you convince a people given nothing for so long that all nobles were not cut from the same cloth?
Taking a deep breath, David had no choice but to try.
“Ladies, my name is David Rochester, and this is my wife, Sarah,” he began, hoping that keeping the introductions informal would show that they were not overly concerned about titles. From the sidelong glances the Potter wives exchanged, he gathered they were not impressed.
“We have come because Sarah,” David said, inclining his head toward his wife, “was told of William Potter’s predicament by Mr. and Mrs. Cole, and she wanted to help—”
“The Coles are like family to me,” Sarah interrupted. “Mrs. Cole raised me from an infant. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for them!”
This time David noticed that the ladies shifted uncomfortably when they heard Sarah’s outburst, but a quick glance from the woman David assumed to be William’s wife stopped the shuffling. A united front was once again presented.
“Ladies,” David said with some resignation, “I understand that expecting your trust is a lot to ask at a first meeting, especially considering your experience with… Well, regardless…we are asking you to let us help. If we could just speak to William, maybe we can discover why the earl is taking such an egregious action.”
Silence.
David looked at Sarah and shrugged helplessly.
At this point Sarah was on the verge of tears. How was she going to be able to fix the problem if she couldn’t get these women to talk?
“I don’t understand you people,” she burst out. “We just want to help! We know you are in contact with William. You know where he is. Please allow us to assist you. We can make a difference. I promise we can.”
Sarah turned away in frustration, stomped over to a clump of trees, and kicked the trunk of the one closest to her. What she really wanted to do was kick Mrs. Potter, but even she knew that would be an unwise move.
Behind her she heard David say, “Fine, if you won’t tell us where William is, can you tell us what you know about the earl?”
“He is a benevolent benefactor.”
Sarah whirled around when she heard someone actually answer David.
“Do you honestly expect us to believe that?” David asked, crossing his arms. “You should know that we have met the man.”
“And he was just the most awful—” Sarah started, cutting herself off before actually saying the obscenity that sprang to mind.
Aside from a few smirks from the younger folk present, nothing was said. Contradictory or in agreement. Sarah realized then that this was a lost cause. There was no convincing the ladies that she and David were not in cahoots with the Earl of Blackwood.
Grabbing David’s arm, she said, “We may as well just go, David. We aren’t going to change their minds.”
David looked at Sarah and nodded. “I suppose you are correct. We will have to find another way to help William.”
“We’re not giving up, then?”
“We promised the Coles we would do everything we could to stop this travesty. I, for one, am not ready to give up yet. Are you?”
“No,” Sarah replied breathlessly. This was the man she had always dreamed he could be. And he was hers.
Tucking her hand into the crook of David’s arm, Sarah turned toward the rustic road that would lead them to their carriage.
As they moved away, they could hear Melinda say to the still-assembled group, “You are making a huge mistake. David and Sarah are good people, and they truly want to help. I have never considered the Potter women foolish, but today I can honestly say you are behaving as simpletons. And I believe you will live to regret your silence in the future.”
Even from their vantage point, Sarah could hear Melinda stomping in their direction. She passed them, mumbling to herself about the obstinacy of certain members of the female race and how some of them could probably benefit from a slap in the face.
Sarah was hard-pressed not to agree with her.
Once the three of them reached the rutted lane and were out of earshot of the Potter compound, Sarah stopped and said, “Well, what shall we do now?”
Melinda turned to peer thoughtfully back the way they had come. “I’m not sure, but they know something. And that claptrap about the earl was, well, claptrap. They hate that man.”
“You said they were communicating with the men somehow?” David asked.
“Yes, they must be. How else have they been able to stay ahead of the earl?”
“What if we watched them for a while?” Sarah said suddenly. “In secret, I mean.”
“Spy on them?”asked Melinda.
“Yes,” David replied excitedly. “If we watch their actions over the next few days, surely however they are communicating will become clear. That is a very good idea, dear.”
“Melinda, you sneak around here quite often, do you not?”
“Well, yes…” Melinda agreed hesitantly.
“Then you could show us the best places to hide. Places where we are sure to see their varied movements.”
“Yes, well, yes,” Melinda said, her voice growing in confidence. “Of course I can do that. What good thinking. You’re quite smart, aren’t you?”
Sarah blushed. “Well, not really. I just—”
“Nonsense, Sarah-dear!” David interrupted. “Melinda, don’t let my wife fool you. She is an asset in many, many ways. Her brilliant mind just being one of them.”
Sarah looked at David in awe. Did he just compliment her? Out loud and to someone else? He sounded almost proud of her. Aside from her friends at the Garden Society and the Coles, of course, Sarah could not recall anyone ever expressing pride in her. She was much more used to being shushed and batted away from society. Granted, this was just a girl, and they were just on a rural road, but to Sarah, it may as well h
ave been a grand cathedral in London in front of the masses. She felt her chest swell, and she beamed at David.
“Oh thank you, David.”
David seemed surprised by her heartfelt gratitude. She even thought she saw him flush as he quickly turned around to follow Melinda’s earlier line of sight. She smiled a little. It was only fair he feel off-kilter every now and then, considering what he did to her most of the time.
“It’s still early yet,” Melinda said, apparently unaware of any awkwardness. “Shall we begin immediately?”
“It stands to reason the ladies might try to contact the men soon. If for no other reason than to tell them about us.”
David turned back around. “Exactly right, my dear. Exactly right! Melinda, here is the map the magistrate gave us. Can you point out three viable vantage points for us to inhabit?”
As Melinda and David pored over the map, Sarah went to the driver of their carriage and asked the man to take one of the horses to town and procure blankets, food, and flasks of water. No sense going hungry or freezing to death during our task, Sarah thought, rather proud of her forethought. Perhaps some of Emily’s famous preparedness was rubbing off on her after all.
After seeing the driver safely off, Sarah walked back over to David and Melinda.
“Have you decided, then?” she asked, looking over Melinda’s shoulder.
“Yes, we think these spots would be the most practical,” David said, as he pointed to three points in the general area of the cottagers and the working fields of the surrounding land.
“Hmm, yes. Looks reasonable to me, but have you considered we may need to communicate with one another? What if someone wanders out of eyesight? They will need to be followed, will they not?”
“I thought of that, actually,” David replied. “In school, my friends and I would send an alert to the others in the matters of subterfuge by using birdcalls. Can you both whistle?”
“Matters of subterfuge?” Sarah said, raising her eyebrows.
“Is now really the time to discuss my childhood exploits?”
Sarah looked at Melinda and grinned.
“I think we could find time, don’t you?” she asked her new friend.
“Oh, definitely.” The younger girl giggled.
“I really think we should keep to the matters at hand,” David muttered, flushing ever so slightly.
Sarah was even more intrigued now. Sure, Hannah had shared many stories with her in the past, but seeing a man as confident and sure of himself as her husband fairly squirm under such innocent inquiry…fascinating.
Melinda laughed, apparently just as amused by David’s discomfort as Sarah, but she took pity on him. “You are probably correct, sir. We don’t want to miss anything important, after all.”
Nodding stiffly, David looked askance at Sarah.
She raised her hands in acquiescence and laughed. “Yes, dear. The matters at hand, of course.”
“Thank you.”
“So, should we move into place?” Melinda asked.
“Not quite yet, if you please,” Sarah said.
“Whyever not?” David asked curiously.
Sarah explained the errand on which she sent the driver and was met with another round of compliments for her good thinking from David and Melinda. Sarah was beginning to believe she actually was an asset to the Society and to David.
“While we wait, let’s decide on some signals. I thought that a very good idea, David.”
David snorted. “I wasn’t sure you even heard that portion of my statement.”
“Despite what you might think, I listen to everything you say, my dear. I just don’t always care about what you have to say.”
Melinda burst out laughing. “You can’t say she isn’t honest, sir.”
“No, Melinda. That is one thing no one can ever say about my lovely wife,” David agreed.
Sarah dropped a mocking curtsy and said, “Why, thank you.”
David rolled his eyes. “Enough of that. Birdcalls now, please.”
Grinning, Sarah obliged. She did a passable sparrow, finch, and blackbird. Melinda did a great nuthatch and linnet. David could do all five and he quickly assigned meanings to each one. He had very clearly done this before.
Sarah reminded herself again to ask David about his misspent youth. After repeating the call-key again and again until they could come up with the right bird song immediately, the group felt ready to start their task. Soon after, the servant returned with the provisions Sarah had requested. She distributed the goods, and they were finally able to go on their way.
As Sarah waved farewell to her husband and their friend, she felt a bounce in her step that she couldn’t quite explain. The truth was, the necessary delays they had taken could result in them missing their quarry altogether, but for some reason she was full of hope. This plan was going to work. They were going to find William. She just knew it.
Chapter Thirteen
Patience. You get the chicken by nurturing the egg, not by smashing it.
—The Duke of Lancaster
David looked around his assigned location for a good place to hide that allowed him an unimpeded view of the surrounding area. It didn’t take him long to find a sturdy oak tree that was perfectly suited for climbing. Settling on a broad branch, David was well pleased with his choice.
To his left he could just make out the Potter homestead. The ladies were milling around industriously and the children were running to and fro in play. To his right, he could follow the well-used path that wound its way through the other cottagers’ homes and deeper on into the forest. From the map, he knew that the path would eventually lead to the workers’ water supply. A small but brisk moving stream, according to Melinda.
Looking about, David tried to see Sarah or Melinda, but the forest was too dense. Testing out the call system, David let out the call of the blackbird—the agreed upon song of “all’s well.” After a few seconds, his call was echoed back twice over.
Smiling, David silently complimented the ladies. Remarkable women, both.
A few hours later, however, David found himself hard-pressed to muster up a smile. While initially relatively comfortable, his perch was now anything but. Plus, he was still none the wiser about how the Potter women were communicating with their menfolk. Shifting yet again in a vain effort to find a position that did not press on all his now very sore spots, David suddenly heard a finch call.
Sarah! She must have discovered something. He returned the call with that of a nuthatch, which was quickly followed by a nuthatch some distance to his left. Melinda had heard and understood, as well.
Relieved and more than a little eager to hear his wife’s news, David gratefully descended from the grand tree. He patted it as he turned to leave. Although he had not discovered anything himself, the old oak had served him well. He laughed a little as he realized his actions had everything to do with his friendship with Rose and Simon Trumbull. Those two were crazy about plants of all types, and they could always be counted on to educate their friends (acquaintances and, if he were being honest, perfect strangers) about the science and romanticism of Mother Nature’s “greatest gift to mankind.”
He missed his friends. All of them. He was looking forward to getting home and sharing his recent adventures with them. He was especially looking forward to discussing his emerging feelings about Sarah with someone—anyone, to be honest. He was confused by his desire for her. What did it mean?
Shaking his head, David turned his concentration to making his way surreptitiously to the agreed-upon rendezvous spot. It didn’t take long to reach the clearing, but he wasn’t surprised to see the girls had beat him there. Their respective lookout points had been closer to the glade than his. It looked like Sarah had waited for him to arrive before telling what she saw, if he read Melinda’s body language correctly. The girl was anxiously bouncing on the balls of her feet while scanning the trees in his direction. Sarah simply looked excited and, frankly, a bit smug.
She had learned something, indeed.
Sarah could barely contain herself when she saw David emerge from the foliage. Running to him, she threw her arms around him.
“I think I figured it out!”
Laughing, Sarah was surprised and pleased when David returned her hug and then, lifting her slightly, swung her around playfully.
“I missed you,” he whispered softly in her ear, as he set her gently back on her feet and took her hands in his.
Sarah stood stunned for a moment, only able to stare at the man in front of her. She had missed him, too, but it had never occurred to her to say so, certain as she was that he wouldn’t have felt the same way.
“I missed you, too,” she said in a barely audible voice. She could tell David was delighted that he had unsettled her. He grinned devilishly and began swinging their hands in a childlike manner.
“So, my fair lady, what news have you?”
Melinda chimed in behind Sarah, “Yes, what did you see?”
Sarah had completely forgotten about Melinda, and she could feel a blush rising on her cheeks.
Clearing her throat, she tried to remove her hands from David’s. He seemed unwilling to let go, but at her insistence he finally released one hand, keeping the other firmly in his grasp.
Sarah couldn’t remember a boy ever holding her hand. It certainly wasn’t something done in public. A hand in the crook of a gentleman’s elbow was as affectionate as a couple was usually allowed in high society. But for all that it was improper, Sarah couldn’t stop the riot of butterflies that suddenly took off in her stomach. It was just so intimate. Flushing now from head to toe, Sarah couldn’t bring herself to even look in Melinda’s direction.
Enticing Her Unexpected Bridegroom Page 11