Page 55 of Dare it all for Love

“Henry, what is this about?” his sister demanded. “You cannot go racing off in that state, you look ill.”

Henry shook his head and then fervently wished he hadn’t as his stomach roiled. “I don’t know, not yet, but I intend to find out. I must go after her.”

Harriet shook her head, trying to push him bodily back into the chair, which was not as difficult as it ought to have been. After fighting with Gabriel yesterday and then getting set upon in his own home, Henry was feeling more than a bit bruised and battered.

“Sit down, you great lummox! You’re not going anywhere yet, not until we know more. I will send a couple of the grooms in the direction she was seen walking in the meantime, but you’re not going haring off when you don’t know where she’s gone or for what purpose. You’ll only go off on a wild goose chase. Let us have the facts first. What do you know?”

“I only know that Florence has been asking your staff about anyone in the area that might be a witch. Pippin and Mrs Dharani said it was a woman behind the corn dolls, someone I or the family had wronged. I need to know if Florence spoke to anyone last night.”

“Before you were attacked, you mean? You think she’s spooked someone?”

Thank God for Harry and her extraordinary brain, for Henry did not have the energy to explain what Harriet had grasped at once. He nodded.

Harry rushed to the door. “I’ll fetch Helena and Gabriel.”

Henry was never more grateful to his sister for explaining everything to everyone concerned with brevity and speed. By now Jasper, Gabriel and Helena, and Florence’s sister Miss Evie, and their friend Miss Weston, had all gathered in the parlour.

Gabriel was pacing, glaring at Henry as though all of this was his fault. With a lurch, Henry realised he was right. If not for him, Florence would never have got mixed up in this. Oh, God, if she were hurt, he’d never forgive himself.

“Oh my.” Miss Weston was pale, her wide grey eyes enormous as she realised her friend might be in real danger.

Henry could not think of that, he would find her, now, before any harm could befall her. For all he knew she had just gone for a walk.

“I think I know where she may have gone.”

Henry’s stomach knotted tighter and tighter as Miss Weston spoke, and his hopes that the events of last night were unconnected with Florence diminished.

“Yesterday, we visited Mrs Simmons. She was ever so nice and told us a lot about witches and wise women, but then she mentioned Mary Thompsett.”

“Mary Thompsett? Good Lord, that must be over a hundred years ago,” Jasper exclaimed.

“You know the story?” Henry asked, looking up at his friend.

Jasper frowned. “Somewhat. She was a local woman, and one of the last women in the country hanged as a witch. I remember my father speaking about it. He said it was a dreadful miscarriage of justice. In fact… I think the family still works for us. I’m sure he said….”

Henry went very still. “Who?”

Jasper frowned. “I don’t know. I can’t quite remember the story, the names changed as they married. All women in the line, as I remember. I know Mary had a daughter. I think her sister adopted her and they changed her name, not that it mattered. People have long memories. Well, people other than me,” he added ruefully, frowning as he tried to remember. “Was it Hicks?”

“Yes, it was,” Miss Weston said. She was clutching her arms about her middle and looked as if she might faint at any moment she was so pale. “Mrs Simmons said Miss Hicks was rumoured to be a witch but denied it. She married a Mr Cooper, her daughter Lucy died giving birth to an illegitimate child.”

“Susan,” Jasper said, nodding. His expression was grave. “Susan Cooper.”

“Wait,” Henry said, the name conjuring a memory of a young woman holding a posy of flowers. “I think I saw her. Was that the same Susan we saw that Sunday, outside the church?”

Jasper nodded. “Yes.”

Harriet tugged at the bell pull and, a moment later, Temple appeared once more. “Bring Susan Cooper to us, please, Temple, but don’t frighten her. She’s not in any trouble.”

Henry glowered at the door. “She damn well is in trouble if Florence is caught up in this.”

“It’s your bloody fault if she is,” Gabriel growled.

The man had been pacing back and forth like a caged lion since he’d come in. Henry could say nothing; he felt just as Gabriel did and could not deny his accusation.

Temple returned moments later. “It appears Susan is not on the premises. Indeed, Nancy, with whom she shares a room, says she did not sleep in her bed last night, but that she returned here early this morning for work. She took hot water to Miss Knight, and no one has seen her since.”

Henry’s heart clenched. “Where?” he demanded of Temple. “Her parents, her kin, where would she go?”