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“Sir Samford Jellison lives a matter of two miles away,” said the landlord. He gaped at Odile, who had a dark bruise on the left side of her elfin face.
“Ah, good, not too far.” Lord Macklin turned to Teresa. “I am sorry to leave you, but I must go and speak to him at once.” He set one booted foot on the step of his curricle. Then he paused, lowered it, and came over to Teresa. “You had best take this,” he murmured, slipping her a thick roll of banknotes. “I intend to be back quite soon, but it’s best you have the means…”
“To overawe the innkeeper?”
He smiled down at her in a way that made her heart pound. “Precisely. You will be all right?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll look after ’em,” said Tom. The state of the dancers had eroded his usual good humor. He looked grimly determined.
The earl gave them each a nod and climbed into the curricle. “Tell me how to find this Sir Samford,” he said to the innkeeper. The man did so. “I will return as soon as possible.” Lord Macklin touched the brim of his hat and drove away. Teresa felt a twinge of dismay at his departure. She suppressed it ruthlessly.
Her fingers gripping more ready money than she’d possessed in a long time, Teresa put on her most authoritative manner. “Come,” she said to the six girls. She took them up to the private parlor and ordered whatever refreshment they desired. The landlord seemed glad to have them out of his yard and made no difficulties. Yet.
“My friends have to go,” said Tom, who had followed them upstairs. “They’re due back at their work.”
Teresa nodded. “Where is Joe?”
“Hiding in the stable, looking after the cart horses. He seems to think they’re his now.”
“Why not?” It seemed fair to Teresa.
“I’ll just see Alf and the others off.” Tom went out, closing the door behind him.
Maria dissolved into hysterics. Odile collapsed onto the settee and put her face in her hands. Jill clasped hers tightly as if to stop them trembling and started to cry. Sonia cursed at length, and most colorfully, in Spanish. Jeanne sat very still, as if afraid to move. “It all comes over you, like, now that we’re well away,” said Poppy. She plopped into a chair and bit her lower lip.
“Yes, it does,” replied Teresa. She was quite familiar with aftermath. She saw them all seated, comforted Maria, and reassured the others. When the trays arrived, she distributed cups of tea with plenty of sugar along with cakes and ham sandwiches and well-buttered scones with jam. At some point during this process, Tom stuck his head around the door, approved the scene, and immediately withdrew.
The sustenance helped. The girls slowly recovered. They began picking irritating bits of hay from their gowns. From the way they moved, it was clear that the ride in the cramped cart had been a strain and that some of them were more hurt than they appeared. They would need care, and Teresa started to wonder how this could be managed. Her house was far too small. Their scattered lodgings would not do, even if they were still welcome there.
Tom reappeared and consumed all the scones that were left. “Joe’s sloped off with the cart horses and wagon,” he said. “Slipped out to a lane behind the inn and scarpered. You want me to ride after him?”
“Do you think he is a danger to us?” Teresa asked him.
“I think he means to run as far from here as he can and never look back.”
“Well, we will let him go.” She had enough people to worry about.
As if in response to this thought, Jill wailed, “What’s going to become of us?”
“Do you have family?” Teresa responded. “We could help you return to them.”
As Jill shook her head, Poppy said, “Neither of us has anybody close. Reckon that’s why that she-devil took us on. We was at a mop fair, and she asked all about our families before she offered us work.” She looked as if she wanted to spit. “Work! I wisht Ihadhit her when I had the chance. And I hope I burned that place right down.”
“That’s the spirit,” said Tom.
From the settee, Odile moaned. She was the worst off, and Teresa wished she knew how to help her. They needed a doctor.
The sound of carriage wheels below took her to the window. Lord Macklin had returned. The sight of him filled Teresa with a burst of joy so strong she could scarcely contain it. They’d labored side by side to save the day. He’d trusted her, and fully deserved her trust in him. Now, the handsome man pulling into the inn yard seemed everything that was admirable. She hurried down to meet him.
Stepping from his curricle and turning toward the inn door, Arthur was buoyed up by the welcome in Señora Alvarez’s dark eyes. “I have told the whole story to the magistrate,” he said. “Sir Samford was very much shocked. He is gathering a group of men to go to the house and detain anyone who remains there.”
“I suppose most of them have run away,” she replied.
“Probably. But it was most important to rescue their captives.”
“Yes.”
