AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 9
Amelia pierced the thin, fine cotton lawn with her needle, drawing the pure white thread through the white fabric with measured calm. Given the expressions worn by Andrew and Charles as they stood before her, contrition written on their downcast eyes and drawn eyebrows, it was evident that they had not been successful in their endeavor.
“Who is going to tell me the awful news?” She lifted her gaze, looking between the men.
Andrew stepped forward. That was only fair, she supposed, but she felt a flicker of disappointment that Charles’s lips remained closed. “The gypsies are gone.”
Her stomach clenched, her fingers going still. “You are certain?”
Charles nodded, pulling her attention to his regretful eyes. A strong desire rolled through her chest to soothe his discomfort, and she set her embroidery in her basket, tucking the needle into a piece of scrap cloth and rising.
She clasped her hands before her lightly. “I am grateful to you both for doing what you could.”
Andrew stepped forward again. “We know the significance of that horse, Amelia. It is admissible to be distressed by this. No one would fault you for it.”
She remained calm, her voice firm. “I am not distressed, because I have every intention of getting my horse back.”
The men stared at her. Andrew shook his head. “You must not have understood me. The camp is empty. All of Donning Wood is empty. They’ve left.”
“And they certainly cannot be difficult to track with all those wagons. And now with an extra horse or two.”
Charles scoffed. “Maybe not. But it would be too dangerous to venture.”
Did this man not know her at all? What did he expect? That she would climb into her gig and chase down an entire band of law-ignoring people whom she knew nothing about? She tried to keep the irritation from her voice. “There are people one can hire for this sort of thing. I do not intend to do it myself, Charles.”
He stepped forward, his blue eyes bright, his mouth set in a firm line. “No, do not spend your money yet. I promised that I would do everything in my power to get your horse back, and I am a man of my word.”
She shook her head, though she did appreciate his sincerity. “You’ve done your part.”
“Not yet.” He glanced back at Andrew. “We may have a lead, and we certainly have enough information to continue our search.”
Andrew’s eyebrows rose. “If I remember our morning correctly, we hit a wall, Charles, not obtained a lead.”
“Then you and I saw this morning differently.”
“It is really no trouble to hire a man,” Amelia said. “And I have one in mind already. It would be quite easy for me to write to him. Surely you are busy enough with your own estate to spend any more time on this.”
“You forget that I have a horse at stake, too.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to argue that his horse—if the men truly had found it roaming free and taken it as well—was easily replaceable, that it had not once belonged to his deceased spouse as hers had, that it had not once saved that spouse’s life. But that would be petty. Who would it serve to argue the depth of their appreciation for their animals?
And how much would it truly hurt to allow him a little more time? Perhaps he would find Howard and save Amelia the trouble of begging help from a man she very dearly did not wish to see.
“Very well. I will give you a week, but then I will write to my man.”
“Your man?” Andrew asked, narrowing his eyes as he gazed at his sister. “Of whom do you speak?”
“Done,” Charles said.
Amelia ignored her brother, holding Charles’s gaze. She wanted to knock the determined set of his mouth awry but held her tongue. She could give him a week. Any longer than that and she would lose any possible chance of tracking the gypsies, surely. But a week she could manage.
Charles turned his attention on his confused friend. “While I am here, may I look in on Mrs. Halpert?”
“Certainly.”
“Perhaps I should ascertain whether she is in a position to receive guests,” Amelia said. As the town doctor, Andrew saw everyone at their worst. He would do good to remember that not every man was welcomed into sickrooms as easily as he was.
Though, given Mrs. Halpert’s conversation about finding love and marrying again, she would likely welcome Charles easily.
