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Jules looked at him oddly for a moment before daring to say, “Your Star, eh?”
“That is right, mine!” Edward glared at him before he started his horse off into a lope.
“I am pleased, Edward…honestly I am,” Jules said hurrying after him, “And we shall find her, I know we shall.”
“You are right and you shall dance with the lovely Miss Madison at our wedding…as I am certain we shall at yours.”
“Aye,” Jules beamed, “But first, let’s go tear this Farley to pieces!”
It didn’t take them long to travel the short distance to Madison House and bark a command for Miss Madison to attend them.
As it happened, Georgie was reading to her mother in her mother’s bedchamber. As her mother shooed her off, she hurriedly made her way to the library where both men impatiently paced awaiting her.
“What? What is wrong?” she said as soon as she witnessed the expressions on their faces.
Jules found that the relief he felt at finding her safely at home overweighed all else as he went forward and took her into his embrace, exclaiming, “Georgie, my sweetheart, you are here!”
“Yes, yes, Georgie is here safe and sound,” Edward said irritably but we don’t have time. “Georgie…we need to speak. There is no time to lose.”
* * *
Jules was rattled and Edward was forced to put up with his non-stop chatter regarding what they should and shouldn’t do, even as they strode into the Mermaid Inn.
Georgie had not been able to tell them anything helpful, and thus, there was just one other notion, Edward had. Find Farley. Someone at the Mermaid would know where he was wont to go to ground.
It didn’t take him long to slide a coin toward the bartender and demand, “Tell me where Farley’s hovel is located and there will be another coin for you.”
The bartender shook his head, “Here is the thing, sir…he never told me, and Oi never asked.”
Sir Edward reached across the counter and grabbed him by his shirt, “Tell me what you do know.”
The bartender was no fool. It was obvious this flash was out to kill. “Eh now, easy flash…easy.” He nodded at a burly individual who had just sauntered into the Inn. “He might know.”
Sir Edward turned, walked up to the fellow and held up a coin, “Farley goes to earth somewhere. I need to know where that somewhere is.”
The man reached for the coin and Edward held it away, “Tell me what I want to know first.”
“What do ye want with Farley?” the old grubby man asked.
“Never mind what I want with him. Start worrying what I might want with you, if you don’t tell me what I need to know.”
“Careful covey…no need for threats. I owe him naught. He did me wrong some months ago. Didn’t give me my fair share, so I don’t owe him anything.” He nodded, “He lives in Romney Marsh…a single cottage all alone.” He held out his hand. “I’ll tell ye more when ye hand over the blunt.”
Edward put the coin in his hand and added another, “Now.”
“Ye take Lydd Road as far as it will go, and then fork off onto the deer path through the Marsh. It stands there, his cottage with only one outbuilding. Ye can’t mistake it.”
Sir Edward with Jules right behind immediately strode hard out of the inn. He had but one purpose, one need. He was going to secure his beloved safe and sound and then tear Farley apart, limb by limb.
* * *
Star had been sitting in the darkness of her room, just a bit of dim light filtered in through the cracks between the wallboards. She didn’t think there was even a lock on her door and was waiting for a chance to make a run for it. Nothing good could come of it if she charged wildly out and right into their waiting arms. No, she would bide her time, perhaps when they had fallen asleep.
All of a sudden, she heard Ally shove a chair across the room and snap, “Whot did he do? He brings me a cob? How am Oi supposed to run with a cob if the need comes up?”
He went outside with a slamming of the door, and she could hear the two men cursing one another up and down. Their voices grew fainter and she realized they must be headed for the shed to put the horses away. Should she make a run for it now?
How far could she get on the open marsh?
