Chasing Eliza (12 page)

“
I am going back to Padstow.”

Edward
stared at her nonplussed for a moment, wondering if he had missed
something.

Eliza
knew from the scepticism on his face that he didn’t believe her.
Carefully she lifted his hands off her waist and held them in hers
while she spoke. Her voice trembled with a mixture of emotions as
she stared down at their clasped hands.

“
I cannot ask you to come with me. The dangers involved pose
too much of a threat to your life.” She looked up at him
beseechingly with water-filled eyes. “It would help me greatly if
you went on your way and forgot about me entirely.” She wished he
wouldn’t, but had to put the option forward to him given the risks
involved.

“
You know I can’t do that.”

“
How do you think Peter would feel if you got yourself killed
by becoming involved in this through some moral obligation to him?”
Eliza argued, dropping his hands and resuming her seat in front of
the fire. “You have an obligation to keep yourself safe from
harm.”

“
I cannot let you go on your own now. I am a man first and
foremost and it is my duty to look after you.”

“
I am nothing to you!” Eliza protested, her voice rising with
temper. “I am not your wife, your sister or your intended. I am
merely a tavern wench whom you stumbled upon one evening who is
related to someone your friend may or may not be looking
for.”

“
Eliza.” Edward began wearily feeling exhaustion pulling at
him. The tempting thought of lying on the bed with Eliza wrapped
safely in his arms swam into his mind and predictably his body
began to respond.

“
I am going to Padstow, preferably without you.” Eliza
declared flatly, her tone daring him to argue or try to persuade
her otherwise.

“
Why?” Edward asked grabbing her shoulders and giving her a
gentle shake in frustration. “What the hell could be in Padstow
that you would risk your life for?” He dropped his hands and stood
back warily. “Are you married? Do you have a child there or
something?”

Eliza
scowled at him and considered her words carefully. “Before my
father left for the War Office, he told us about a hiding place he
had created within the house we lived in. He told us that if he
didn’t return, then we were to use the contents of the hiding place
freely.”

“
Money?” Edward frowned, wondering if that was all that the
hiding place contained. If she was determined to go to Padstow
solely to get the money to live off, then he could help her and
give her all of the funds she required. Indeed, he had an ever
growing feeling that she would never have to consider financial
problems again without ever needing to go to Padstow.

“
Not just money. My father left numerous small items in there
for us. But when he didn’t return and Scraggan started to make
pointed threats, it became apparent that Jemima and I had to leave.
Before we did, we agreed that if anything happened to either of us
and we were found alone, we would use the conte-.” Eliza glanced at
him with a sigh. “-money, and leave a note to say where we were
going. We would leave an address if possible so the other person
knew where to look. If Jemima is alive and out there, she could
have gone to Padstow to collect the money and find herself
somewhere safe to live until I could get to her.”

“
But would she do that knowing Scraggan was after you? I mean
to go to Padstow and use the money was dangerous, but acceptable.
But would she do that, knowing that she would lead you there too
and place you in danger?” Edward reasoned.

“
I don’t know, but there is nothing else I can do. Jemima
simply vanished, Edward. She could have disappeared because
Scraggan got too close to her. I know that if she is out there and
by herself, then she would need the money from the hiding place to
live off.” She didn’t add that she too needed the money as much as
Jemima did. “If she hasn’t been back to Padstow, then I think she
must be back in Derby somewhere, but well hidden. But I need the
money to live off while I try and find her.”

“
What will you do if Jemima has been to Padstow and taken the
money to live off?” Edward studied her closely, wondering how she
planned to finance her own quest for Jemima. The single gold coin
he had given her certainly wouldn’t be enough to furnish her with
food and accommodation for the several nights it would take her to
get to Padstow and back, and reside near to Derby while she looked
for her sister. He was certain Eliza hadn’t considered all of the
problems she faced beyond the threat of Scraggan. After all she was
a single, beautiful woman travelling alone. She’d be lucky if she
got half way to Padstow with her virtue intact, and the threat
wasn’t altogether just coming from other travellers.

Indeed,
although she may not know it yet the biggest threat to her virtue
came from the man standing before her.

“
Eliza, Peter has been searching Derby for several months
now.” Edward reasoned softly. “Believe me when I say he – we – have
all been very thorough.” He hated to break the news to her. “I
think if Jemima was still in Derby, we would have found her by now.
I think that she must have left not long after you saw her last.”
He didn’t add that Jemima may well have known it was the last time
she would see her sister and had chosen not to tell Eliza she was
about to go.

He
suddenly felt angry with the elder sister for her seemingly selfish
disregard of her younger sibling’s distress at having her only
living relation simply vanish.

“
Look, I cannot in all conscience agree to you going to
Padstow alone. Not with the threat of Scraggan and his men. But I
cannot fight a smuggling gang by myself.” He reasoned, feeling a
sense of fait accompli settle over him. “I need backup from Peter
and my brothers if they are available. We will get you to Padstow
and back out again without ruffling a hair on your beautiful head.”
His boast was simple truth that made his voice ring with absolute
conviction that they would succeed in their quest.

“
But I want you to promise me something in return.” He caught
her gaze with hard and determined eyes leaving her in no doubt that
there was no alternative to the one he was about to suggest. “Once
you have been to Padstow, you will return to Leicestershire to wait
while Peter and I go after Jemima.”

Eliza
felt the prickle of tears in her eyes as she stared at him. The
possibility that someone was willing to help her search for her
errant sibling was overwhelming given the risk Scraggan posed to
everyone’s wellbeing.

“
Peter must care about Jemima very much.” She murmured softly
unaware of the loneliness that echoed through her own softly spoken
words.

“
I think he must.” Edward muttered on a sigh, wondering if it
was Peter who would be the next one succumbing to the parson’s trap
- or himself. Somehow he had a sneaking feeling it wouldn’t be
Peter but was loathed to admit it, even to himself. He hated the
thought of Eliza being alone and facing the possibility of being
kidnapped, murdered and god knows what else in between – driven
purely by the need to find her relation.

“
Is that so wrong?” Eliza queried, studying the dark scowl
that had settled over his face with a shiver.

Edward
studied her for several moments, thinking of his own aversion to
marriage. It wasn’t that he had anything against the institution of
marriage per se, it was just that he had no intention becoming
enslaved to anyone. His brothers were completely devoted to their
wives who had them wrapped neatly around their little fingers and
knew it. Peter had spent hundreds of pounds and months searching
for someone who had the ability to turn him inside out without even
being there apparently. The thought of anyone having such control
over him made him shift uncomfortably with the need to protect his
independence.

“
Are you married?” She wasn’t sure where the question came
from but couldn’t draw it back, mentally wincing as the words fell
like pebbles on a pond between them. It disturbed her greatly that
her heart was thumping heavily in her chest, and her stomach coiled
in a tense knot in anticipation of his answer.

“
Do you really think I would be here if I was?”

“
You just seem so cynical about marriage, I wondered if you
were tied into an unhappy union.” Eliza was almost defensive as she
plucked another apple from the basket before sitting again and
peeling it. She was glad for the diversion. She could feel his
penetrating stare studying her carefully yet daren’t raise her eyes
to meet his.

“
I have no intention of getting caught in that foolhardy
trap.” Edward snapped. “Marriage is for fools.”

“
I thought your brothers were married.”

“
They are. But they paid a significant price to get there.” He
replied, his voice clipped in the quiet of the room.

“
They have expensive wives?” She knew that wasn’t what he
meant but it felt good to poke him a little.

Edward
sighed and rolled his eyes, glaring at her balefully. He knew she
was baiting him, and couldn’t decide if he was annoyed or pleased
that she had lost a little of the haunted look around her
eyes.

“
They are trouble. All women are trouble.” At Eliza’s raised
eyebrows, he motioned towards her. “Look at you. You are a fine
example of how much trouble women are.”

“
I didn’t ask you to get yourself involved.” Eliza replied
somewhat defensively.

“
I know but I am involved anyway.”

“
Because of your relationship with Peter.” She replied
pointedly. “Feel free to leave whenever you want to.” She added
quietly, her eyes meeting his in silent challenge.

“
I will despatch a note to Peter and ask him to catch up with
us. If my brothers are available to assist, it would help us
significantly to have additional manpower, but if not then we will
have to manage without them. I need someone who is handy with a
scabbard and pistol at my back.” He raised a teasing brow in her
direction. “I don’t suppose your father taught you how to use
either, did he?”

Eliza
shook her head slowly. “I’m sorry. I can ride, and run a house but
I have never used either a scabbard or a pistol.”

“
Then you have to start.” Edward declared firmly. “If you are
going to take on the likes of this man Scraggan, you have to know
how to defend yourself.”

Eliza
held a hand up in protest. “I am not going to ‘take him on’ as you
declare. I can get in and out of Padstow without being seen and
will undoubtedly find it easier if you are not with me. Meantime I
have no intention of using a scabbard or a pistol on
anyone.”

“
You have to know how to hold both of them at least. If a
situation does arise where you are directly challenged and believe
me I sincerely hope it doesn’t, then you will need to at least look
as though you know what you are doing. It may just give you an
advantage because your would-be attackers won’t expect you to be
handy with them.”

He
sincerely hoped that she wouldn’t have cause to use it, but it
wouldn’t hurt for her to be a little on edge. Being more alert to
the dangers around her, wary of everything – including him - would
give her a distinct advantage in the event of an attack and
hopefully help him remain at arm’s length.

“
Come here.” He ordered, oblivious to the ring of steel as he
slid his scabbard out of its sheath.

Eliza
stared at the shiny blade in growing dread and shook her head. “I
am not even going to touch that thing.” She declared firmly,
crossing her arms in defiance as she glared at the wicked looking
blade.

Edward
fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Come on. If you are going to
come across Scraggan, then you will see more than this one. You
need to know how it feels, what it does.”

“
I know what it does.” Eliza interrupted. “I have no intention
of using one.”

“
Eliza.”

“
No!”

“
Eliza.” Edward’s patience began to wear thin. “Do you want me
to help you or not?”

“
No.” Eliza declared flatly. “I want you to go to Oxfordshire,
or wherever it is you come from and forget about me.”

“
Not an option, we have already been through that.”

Eliza
jumped as he suddenly presented her with the handle of the wicked
looking scabbard he was holding. It was much smaller than the
sword, far less imposing but the sight of it still had the ability
to turn her into a quivering wreck.

Cautiously she reached out to take it from him with a
trembling hand.

It was
far heavier than she expected. She looked closely at the brilliant
sheen on the highly polished metal with a shudder and felt sick to
her toes. The blade had serrated edges at the tip and would be
enough to give anyone on the receiving end a lot to worry about.
She wondered if she could ever find the strength to use it on
anyone, even someone who was attacking her and doubted she
could.

Staring
blankly at it, she turned it over and over in her hands for several
moments, assessing its size and weight. It looked like something
that would have killed her father and his men.