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Hawthorne spoke up. “Your plan failed, Sarah,” he said. “Lady Frances isn’t dead, and I don’t know who this Mr. Huxley is, but I know that Miss Locke did not have feelings for him.”
“How can you be sure of that?” Sarah asked.
“Because I witnessed Miss Locke interacting with Mr. Stewart, and I have no doubt in my mind that they are in love with one another,” Hawthorne replied.
Sarah looked at him in surprise. “If that is the case, then why did Mr. Huxley wish to elope with Miss Locke to Gretna Green?”
“No doubt to steal my inheritance,” Phineas grumbled.
Guy frowned at Sarah. “You have been duped,” he said. “Mr. Huxley cares little for Miss Locke or you. He was only using you to get what he wanted.”
Sarah stared at him for a long moment, her face growing pale. “That is impossible.”
“I’m afraid not.” Guy turned to face Hawthorne. “Would you mind accompanying me to retrieve Miss Locke?”
Hawthorne smiled. “There is no place I would rather be at the moment.”
“I’ll go with you,” Phineas broke in. “After all, she is my cousin.”
“No,” Guy said. “You will only slow us down.”
“I will not,” Phineas declared.
Guy placed his hand on the butt of his pistol. “My answer is no, and I don’t have time for your objections.”
Phineas scoffed. “You have always been too conceited for your own good.”
“You must trust me when I say that I am proficient at my job,” Guy said.
“At the bank?” Phineas questioned.
Guy took a commanding step towards Phineas and he was gratified to see him shrink back. “What I do is none of your concern,” he said in a firm voice. “I have certain skills that will enable me to bring your cousin home.”
Phineas bobbed his head and wisely did not say anything.
Guy spun on his heel and started for the door, Hawthorne alongside him.
“What is the plan?” Hawthorne asked.
“Most likely, Huxley took the main road to Gretna Green, not realizing that we are coming to rescue Miss Locke,” Guy said. “His mistake is that he underestimated me and my devotion to her.”
Chapter Seventeen
Daphne felt asif she were in a haze as she tried to open her eyes. She knew she was in a moving coach, but she wasn’t quite sure how that had happened. None of this made any sense.
She forced her eyes open and saw Mr. Huxley sitting across from her. He smiled at her. “Good, you are finally awake,” he said.
Bringing a hand to her forehead, she asked, “Where am I?”
“By my estimation, we are a few hours outside of Anmore.”
“Where are we going?”
“To Gretna Green.”
She must have misheard him. “Pardon?”
“I fear that I may have hit you over the head too hard,” Mr. Huxley said. “Your mind seems to be stupefied.”
