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Sian climbed into the back of the cart and settled down in a huge pile of hay. As soon as she was settled, the cart lurched into motion and Sian resumed her journey in peaceful solitude. Her thoughts, however, were far from calming.
“Thank you,” Sian called when they reached a crossroads on the outskirts of the village she had lived in all her life.
“Do you not want me to take you all the way home? I am sure your father will be relieved to see you back.”
“No thank you, Mr Wendle,” Sian replied briskly. “I have things to do.”
With that, Sian thanked the man again and jumped down. Just in case Mr Wendle changed his mind and demanded to return her home anyway, Sian gave him a friendly wave and hurried into the field running alongside the road. She knew it was the very edge of Ryan’s estate, ergo she was about as safe as she could get, until she could get out of sight. Sian was about to heave a sigh of relief when she stopped and turned back to the farmer, who was watching her intently.
“If my aunt, Wilhelmina, stops to ask you if you have seen me, please tell her you haven’t. She has a questionable young man with her who has scandalous intentions,” Sian informed Mr Wendle solemnly.
The farmer’s brows shot skyward before falling as low as it was possible to get. “Aye, I had heard that they are scoundrels,” he muttered.
“Well, please tell them that you haven’t seen me,” Sian asked quietly.
Mr Wendle nodded, but still didn’t move. Eventually, Sian had no choice but to resume her journey, she hoped toward Ryan’s house.
“Damn,” she snapped when she heard the clip-clop of horses’ hooves and looked at the cause only to watch a horrifyingly familiar carriage rumble down the lane toward her.
As she looked, Cedrick’s face appeared in the window and the door opened. Even though the carriage was still in motion, Cedrick jumped down and began to walk down the road toward her. He eyed the tall stone wall running alongside the road, clearly looking for a lower point he could jump over. Sian didn’t stop to watch him jump it. She began to run for her life for the second time that day. To make her plight even worse, the threatening thunder chose that moment to release its deluge upon everyone unfortunate to be outside.
Sian slipped and slid as she ran through the freshly ploughed field. She was soaked to the skin within minutes but didn’t care. Each time she looked over her shoulder, Cedrick was just that little bit closer. He had managed to climb the stone wall and was now also stumbling his way over the coarse field to try to catch her. Wilhelmina had remained inside the carriage, presumably with the intention of being at Ryan’s house waiting for her when she got there. While she only had Cedrick to contend with, Sian still struggled to contain her panic because she knew that he was far more sinister than she had ever believed possible. She knew that neither Cedrick nor Wilhelmina gave a damn about what they had to do so long as they got what they wanted: Cedrick married to her.
“Well, over my dead body,” Sian promised.
But Sian knew, deep in her heart, that it might just come to that before her nightmare was over.
Ryan eventually had no choice but to fetch his horse and follow the directions of several witnesses who had seen a young woman matching Sian’s description running through the streets.
“God only knows where you are going, Sian,” Ryan growled.
“She was heading back to the village,” Norman shouted when he caught up with him a few minutes later.
“Where is everyone?” Ryan demanded.
“They are going back to the house but on foot so they can look for her. A farmer has seen her out in the fields, heading toward the village. She has gone home, Ryan, but is probably trying to stay hidden,” Norman informed him.
“They are going after her, aren’t they?” Ryan growled because he knew from the fierce look on Norman’s face that there was more bad news on its way.
Norman nodded. “Yes, a carriage pulled by one black horse and one grey was seen heading toward the village as well.”
“Let’s get over there then. Sian has to be heading back to Terrell House.”
“I have sent Isambard to fetch the magistrate. Whatever happens, Ryan, Wilhelmina and Cedrick have kidnapped Sian today and have to be arrested for it.”
Ryan’s face remained grim. “They have to be arrested for failure to pay their debts, fraud, and kidnap.”
Together, the men rode through the countryside toward home.
“No, she hasn’t returned here, sir,” the groundsman reported when Ryan rode into the stable yard nearly an hour later. “Have you lost her again?”
Ryan shook his head and struggled to contain the urge to punch something in sheer frustration. “It’s like trying to catch the damned clouds,” he growled.
“Best marry her then, eh, sir? Then you will know where you left her,” the groomsman retorted.
“Believe me, when I get hold of her, she is not going out ever again,” Ryan bit out. “Meantime, I want you to round up some men. She is on the property somewhere. I want her found. There is a problem, though. We have trespassers, and they are dangerous. The matron is her aunt, but not a nice character. She is travelling with a young fop who is arrogant and cruel. Get them. The magistrate is on his way. They are to go nowhere if they are found. Understand?”
Ryan was still talking when the groomsman sprang into action. He waved at several stable hands who immediately stopped work and sauntered over. Minutes later, Ryan headed out of the yard leaving several of his staff to fan out behind him.
