A Penny's Worth of Affection novel Chapter 26

During one of her restless periods of tossing and turning, she had finally come to the conclusion that the Duke did not take her seriously. Most probably to him, she was simply a plaything with whom he could pass the time while in the boring countryside. She was merely being fanciful in thinking she was the sort of woman who would interest a man who was used to getting his choice of beautiful, rich women.

The cold had stirred the pain in her leg, and her head throbbed again from the endless questions she had been asking herself throughout the night to which she had little or no answers. Perhaps she would be much better off accepting Victor Barstow's proposal and settle down to a quiet life as the parson's wife and forget about this present madness.

The cold air hit her the moment she opened the back door leading to the privy, causing goosebumps all over her bare arms. Winter was nigh if the nip in the air was anything to go by. Penny grimaced and made a mental note to ask Papa for permission to remodel the house so as to include a privy inside the house as was the current fashion. She slipped her feet into thickly padded slippers and hurried outside. Business done, she was just returning to the house when the open barn door caught her eye.

"What on earth?" she wondered out loud, changing directions instantly. She was certain she had closed the door last night before going to bed, making sure the two horses were well-fed and warm. In the dim light, she could just make out footprints leading to towards the barn, and she hurried over, dread washing through her. Could they have been bungled at night? Why would anyone take the horses? They were old and rather slow, not quality horseflesh at all.

She reached the barn and peered inside, her heart sinking. The old mare was gone, though the second horse neighed at her, tossing his soft brown head in welcome.

Her heart raced. Who could have taken the horse? Why? What purpose would the gentle mare serve a thief? "Oh God!" she cried out, whirling about and racing back to the house, yelling at for Lucy and Edward. What if the burglar had broken into the house too?

"Eddie! Lucy!" she called out, ignoring the pain lancing up her leg, taking the stairs two at the time. Lucy's door opened just as she reached the landing, and her sister peeped round the sturdy, wooden door sleepily.

"What is happening?" Lucy asked, rubbing her eyes to clear them. She took in Penny's agitated state and instantly became alarmed. "Penny? What is it? Is the house on fire?"

"Burglar!" was all Penny could say as she moved past Lucy to bang on Edward's door. "Eddie! Wake up for heaven's sakes. Bessie is missing!"

She heard Lucy gasp behind her, but there was strangely no reply from Edward. She shot Lucy a quick look and turned the handle. The door swung open with a loud creak.

The bed covers were rumpled, but there was no sign of Edward. Her heart stopped when a quick search of the room revealed that several of his personal belongings were also gone.

***

His bare chest glistening with perspiration from the gruelling morning run, Phillip was just pouring himself a glass of whiskey when the sound of running feet and agitated voices reached his ears. He swore and turned just as the door to his study burst open, and Miss Inglewood ran into the room, his butler in hot pursuit.

Her hair, normally immaculately gathered in a tidy bun, was loose and flowing about her tiny form. Her eyes were wild and filled with worry, but the most astonishing thing of all was her attire. She was wearing only a dressing gown, and he could clearly see the hem of the blue night rail she wore beneath, muddied, as were her slipper-clad feet. It appeared she had run all the way here.

"Miss Inglewood!" he called out, setting the glass aside and crossing the room in quick strides to her side. "What is the meaning of this?"

She stared at him wildly, tears running down her face, bosom heaving from her exertion. "They're gone!" She gasped, thrusting a crumpled piece of paper at him.