Chapter 10
Dealing with Neale and the aftermath of their confrontation took longer than Titus expected.
Normanton House had rung with both happy announcements and less joyful upheaval the night before and the morning wasn’t much better.
When Sir Peter finally turned to deal with Titus, he made short work of it.
Titus rode out far later than expected but confident he had Sir Peter’s support of his version of the incident.
As it turned out, many others distrusted Neale.
The worm would be held over in Brighton for the assizes.
Tessa’s friends warned him she would be at Irene Foster’s home, not her own, and so he set out for Normanton planning ways of getting her alone and private spots suited to a marriage proposal. What he found put period to his romantic notions.
A crowd of people filled Irene’s tea shop, and Tessa stood in the center in a state of panic. She rushed to him and grabbed him by the lapels.
“Titus, Robby has gone missing. We’ve looked everywhere! Does Neale have him?” she demanded.
He removed her hands but kept one of them firmly in his. “Neale is under lock and key at Normanton House. He won’t bother you again.” He glanced around the room. “Back up. Explain what happened here.”
Tessa heaved a breath. Irene’s niece spoke before Tessa could.
“It is my fault. He woke early and I fed him porridge down here in the Tea Room so as not to wake Mrs. Fleming, her being out so late. I left him for two minutes to fetch my pinafore from the kitchen. When I got back, he was gone. Vanished.” She repeated “gone, vanished,” three times, weeping as she did.
“Did anyone see him leave?” Blank stares were all the response Titus got from the townspeople.
“Where have you searched?” Everyone spoke at once, giving Titus the impression there had been a disorganized search of every building in the village.
Tobias had been certain he’d gone to visit the horses, but the ostlers had seen no sign of him.
Others tried the school and various stores, most of which weren’t even open.
“And the church?” Titus asked, thinking the quiet might have drawn him.
“Yes,” Tessa said, still clutching his hand. “And the cemetery, the vicarage, and the church hall.”
Titus bit his lip. “Is there somewhere nearby he likes to play? A pond, a small thicket?”
“None of that matters if someone took him,” Tessa exclaimed.
True but improbable. Titus thought it much more likely the boy had wandered off in pursuit of some boyish interest. All eyes watched him. Waiting.
“Here’s the next step. Divide into groups of two or three, each head in a different direction searching within a half mile or so of the village in a wide circle. Can you do that?”
Heads nodded and the villagers eagerly began to do as he said. He gazed down at Tessa.
“In the meantime, you and I are going to ride out to your cottage,” he said.
“You think he went home?” she gasped. “I didn’t think of that.”
“It is the one place you haven’t searched.” He raised his voice to the group. “Mrs. Fleming and I will search her cottage. If we don’t find him, we’ll be back.”
He lifted Tessa onto Hannibal’s back, and leapt up behind her, pulling her precious body against him and holding her with one arm. Tessa, rigid with fear, sat stiffly in front of him.
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll find him,” he murmured. When she sank back against him with a sigh, her trust made him feel as if he could conquer the world for her. He resolved to move heaven and earth, if he had to, to retrieve her son.
* * *
Tessa let Titus’s heat wrap itself around her like a protective armor. Her fear for Robby didn’t leave, but hope nudged it aside a bit.
He set the horse from a canter to a gallop when they cleared the village, which ought to have terrified her, but, anxious as she was to get home, the speed didn’t penetrate.
They arrived to find the cottage shuttered and the door locked as she had left it. He dismounted and pulled her down against him for a swift hug before she began calling Robby’s name.
They did not go far. When they reached the rear of the cottage, Robby came running with his dog trotting at his side. “Mam! You’re home. Hello, Major Brannock. Look Mam, I finished all my chores. The eggs are in a basket by the door, and I—”
Whatever the boy meant to say next was smothered against his mother’s breast when she engulfed him in a powerful embrace. He tried to wiggle loose, complaining it was too tight.
You frightened me, young man!” Tessa scolded. “You are not to wander off without permission or telling me where you’re going. We looked all over the village for you.”
Robby looked baffled. “Why would I wander around the village? The chickens needed to be fed, and you told me to sweep out the enclosure and put down clean straw. Carrey said you needed sleep, so I couldn’t tell you.”
Tessa glanced back at Titus who appeared to be struggling to hold back a grin.
“I did my chores, Major Brannock. Exactly as my Mam wanted. Ginj and I just went for a quick run after,” Robby said. The gangly dog sat next to him, his tongue lolling out.
“Well done, Master Fleming, but you know now you frightened your mother. She had the entire village looking for you. There was fear you were abducted.”
“Ab— you mean like captured by Captain Moonlight? He would never,” Robby replied.
Titus went down on his haunches to Robby’s level. “You’re right, Captain Moonlight would not abduct little boys, but your mother knows there are bad folks out there, and she worries.” He glanced up at Tessa, “Even though you’ve been walking into the village on your own for months now.”
Tessa refused to feel foolish for worrying, even though she ought to have known he might go home after a night at Irene’s.
Robby peered up at his mother. “I’ve always been careful. I can take Ginj with me for protection, if you would feel better.”
Titus’s smile lit his face; he put a hand on Robby’s shoulder. “Just remember, mothers worry. Always tell her where you are going, even if Carrey says she needs to sleep.”
Robby nodded back seriously. He walked over and hugged his mother. “Sorry, Mam. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Titus rose and gazed down at Tessa. “Do you think you trust him enough to go back into the village to tell them he is safe? He can take Ginger for protection,” he added with a twinkle in his eye.
“But we can all go,” Tessa said, unwilling to let her boy out of her sight. She caught the glint in Titus’s serious expression. “Or we can follow him shortly.”
Titus turned to Robby. “Your mother needs a rest, and she’s correct. We will follow you shortly. And then I can have you up on Hannibal to come home,” he said.
Robby shouted “I can do it,” and was on his way, the dog trotting along his side. All Tessa could do was call after him to be safe.
She turned back to Titus, and felt that sense of safety down to her toes. As long as he is near.