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“Hush, Freddy. You must keep your voice down. Freddy, there is a tunnel that leads from the graveyard site at the Bolder rectory into Piney Woods. I am nearly certain it is being used by the thieves to hide the gold meant for Wellington. We must make a search with no one the wiser and before they try and stop us.”
Apparently that was all she needed to say. Freddy was thrilled and full with glee as he took Serena’s shoulders and shook her harder than he should have and said, “This is beyond everything, famous!”
Serena could not help herself. She shot a glance towards his lordship and found his blue eyes studying both of them. His lips looked drawn in anger. She sighed. What was he thinking? Should she take him into her confidence? No, he might feel obliged to immediately tell the magistrate, and she had decided if they were to catch the mastermind of this robbery, secrecy was needed.
“What is the plan?” Freddy demanded, his whisper not quite as quiet as she could have wished.
“Tomorrow morning at six, meet me in the Piney Woods—you know the spot. I don’t want the reverend to see us and perhaps object to our poking about. We need total secrecy.”
“Done,” he said, his eyes alight with anticipation.
“Right then, and Freddy, when this is over, you will go back to school. You understand you have no hopes in my direction, and it is time. Right?”
“Well, but, Serena—”
“No buts. You and I both know the time has come, don’t we?”
He hung his head. “I suppose.”
Serena slowly made her way toward Betty and sat beside her. Her uncle was happily engaged in his efforts to instruct Lewis and Jasper both that their new notions of politics was idiotic. She smiled at this and turned to find his lordship’s blues studying her. She inclined her head, but without a smile, he turned away, excused himself, and said that he was expected in town.
She watched him go and realized all pleasure in the afternoon went right out the door with him.
~ Seventeen ~
SERENA HAD DONNED a pair of old suede britches, a dark and serviceable old riding jacket, and a pair of comfortable high-top riding boots. She tucked her honey-gold hair beneath a wool peaked cap and hurriedly made her way out of the house and down to the stables. It was still dark, as the hour was early.
She pulled her horse onto the floor and gave her a quick brushing before managing the saddle, and bridle.
“Miss Serena, ye be up and about early,” said her groom as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and walked towards her.
“Yes, and I shouldn’t be too long … no need to concern yourself,” she answered. “Don’t make a fuss, for I don’t want the squire hearing of this. Let’s keep it between us, yes?”
“Aye, of course, miss,” he answered but frowned.
She could see he was wondering what she was up to, but there was no time for explanations. She took her horse hurriedly to the gate, opened it, mounted her mare, and walked her for a bit before heading for the country path that would take her to the Piney Woods. She stayed clear of the shortcut because it was still too dark.
She took the main pike at a trot, and although the day was just about to break, it was still rather dark, so she maintained a slow pace as she peered ahead of her. Piney Woods was just ahead, as was the rectory.
She turned her horse into the woods and allowed her mare to pick her way down the narrow bridle path. She couldn’t quite see Freddy, but she heard his horse pawing at the leaves. With more noise than she wanted to make, she jumped down and cringed as she heard the crackling of leaves and twigs beneath her boots.
She tethered her horse and looked around, wondering if she had been wrong to think she had heard Freddy’s horse, when a familiar voice at her back said, “Right, where do we start?”
Her hand went to her heart, as he had frayed her already frazzled nerves, and said on a hushed sound, ?
?Freddy! You nearly did me in.”
She could just make out his grin as he said, “Right, come on then. What’s next?”
“And good morning to you, as well,” she said ruefully.
“Forgive me, yes, of course, a good morning to you as well, Serena. I didn’t sleep a wink with thinking of this morning and worrying about being on time.”
“Indeed, nor did I,” she answered. “Freddy, if what I suspect is true, well, it will be—”
“Bang up to the nines!” he finished for her enthusiastically.
“Yes, quite, but let us not do that thing with putting the cart before the horse,” she answered quietly. “We have to make our way to the Tregaron Tomb. Once Uncle and I came to visit the Reverend Thomas, and we found him just exiting out of the crypt. It is my belief that the door to the tunnel is there.”
