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Once in the stables, he allowed Gracie to run free, feeling sure she would stay close, and observed a sense of familiarity she seemed to have. He hoped she would ferret out anyone she might know. She wagged her body as she approached each of the ostlers. One turned around and petted her but conveyed no sense of knowing her. He was about to give up when Smitty, the blacksmith, smiled at the dog and chucked a finger at her.
“You again,” he laughed.
Gracie wagged her body at him, edging over towards Slade. It was as if she was afraid of something. The man seemed friendly enough.What was it?
“You know my dog?” Slade ventured.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” Smitty replied. “Aye, I think I may know her. She is an unusual dog—hard to forget. How long ’ave you had her?”
“Not too long,” Slade replied. “We found her, and my family has taken quite a liking to her.”
“She was ’ere close to a fortnight ago with two men. They stopped in, they said to meet someone. Not the friendly type, if you get my meaning. The innkeeper did not like their ilk, I heard. They ’ad the dog on a rope and tried to bring her with them but ’ad to leave her outside. That’s when I met her. They claimed to have found her. Right mean to the dog if you asked me.”
“That’s interesting,” Slade murmured. “Did they call her anything?”
“They called herdog,” the blacksmith replied. “I probably would not have noticed ’cept they didn’t bother to feed her. She stayed around here while they did business inside. Took up with me. I would have taken her home, but my missus just had our fourth baby. She would have worn my ears out, telling me we have enough mouths to feed.” The man smiled down at the small dog and scratched her behind the ears. “Can I ask how you have her?” He regarded Slade.
“I found her whimpering and tied to a tree, soaked, nearly frozen, and starving. You can see her ribs. I am trying to find the men that left her in such a state,” Slade said.
Smitty’s brow furrowed in anger. “I will take the dog if you don’t want her. I don’t care what the missus says. That dog deserves better than those men.”
Slade had already grown fond of Gracie. “You misunderstand. The dog stays with me. Gracie has already won the heartsand the carriageof my mother and sister. She will be unmercifully spoiled.”She had also ensnared his heart. He paused and gave a slow grin. “These men may have some information that I need. I will make it worth your while if you can recall information about the two men—who they were meeting, what they looked like, how they spoke—anything that would help me find them.”
“Did you know she dances?” Smitty nodded at Gracie and snapped his finger. To his surprise, Gracie stood on her rear legs and moved about, doing what looked remarkably like a waltz.
“I shall share this talent with my family,” Slade rejoined with a smirk. He reached into his pocket and dug out a sovereign, allowing it to sparkle in the sunlight.
“I recall little. There were two of them. One was short, with red hair and a beard. The other was older—he had dark hair and a long black mustache. They argued over the dog—mostly about whose responsibility she was. I found that odd.”
“Did they say why they had the dog?” The vision of Gracie freezing still disturbed him, and Slade wanted to know more about it.
“No. However, I rather thought they planned to trade her, from some of their comments. They had little care for her.”
At once, Slade looked at his dog and realized how miserable her life had been. She looked up at him and smiled, her crooked bottom canine splaying out against the shiny black lips and a tongue that seemed to twirl in delight. She was a rare one, indeed. “Thank you for your information. If you should think of anything else, please contact me.” He started to hand the coin and give his name, but noticed the man ready to speak, and stopped.
“There was one more thing I just remembered. The redheaded one said they’d be picking up coin owed them at the boardwalk,” he added. “I doubt that would mean anything.”
Slade passed him the sovereign and a piece of paper. “If you remember anything else, here is my address. Please send word. It is very important to me.”
“I don’t read but my missus does. Thank you kindly for your generosity, my lord,” Smitty said, giving a small bow after pocketing the coin safely in his vest pocket.
While the blacksmith’s information gave Slade more questions than answers, it pointed even more toward his father having been targeted. He wondered if Graham had been as well, still pondering words from his brother’s letter. He suddenly recalled a saying his brother was fond of.Keep thy friends close and thy enemies closer.Who did Graham consider to be his enemies? His brother had also said to trust his instincts.
The small dog walked beside him as they reentered the tavern to break their fast with his family in the dining room. She looked up at him with a look of gratitude and affection on her face. “I know, girl. I suspected your life had been rough. You are part of our family now.”
Her whole body wagged in response.
* * *
Two days later
Bella enjoyed the time with her family, but the ride had been tedious. Her mother had commented when they passed the point where the duke and his son had been in the accident and her thoughts had not strayed from the mental picture the scenery created for her. She knew exactly where it happened, having been to London several times over her lifetime. It had been such a heartbreak. Mary had murmured a prayer as they moved through the passage.
They had all remained quiet for such a long time after passing through the curve. After a few minutes, her father finally spoke.
“I plan to see what I can do to find funds to make that a safer passage. I will hope to find like-minded people, like Lords Ross and Haynes, who have also known friends to perish along this route. I shall make a special appeal for the duke and his son,” he said, staring out the window.
“That would be nice, Papa. There have been too many tragedies on this route in the winter months. To have the road widened and made safer sounds like a nice tribute to your friend. How would they accomplish it?” Bella asked quietly.
