Chapter Twenty-one
The trip to Epsom seemed to take a lifetime. Nathaniel’s heart squeezed tighter the closer they got to the racecourse. And every time Patience sniffled, Nathaniel snapped the reins again, trying to force the horses to increase their speed.
Would they be in time to save Kitty? What if Nathaniel didn’t find the right location? He was fairly certain Kitty had meant the grassy field behind the course, because that’s where the runaway horse had been. But even that area was large. They had to be hiding her somewhere.
Please let me know where to look… and let me be in time!
He pulled the carriage to the front of the course. Not many were around, so it must not be a race day. Nathaniel climbed to the ground.
The girls prepared to leave, but Nathaniel put up his hand. “No. Please. I’d feel so much better if you let me go alone.”
“Sorry, but that’s not going to happen.” Lydia glared at him and stepped down unassisted from the coach, and Patience quickly followed.
He sighed, “Very well. Just please, stay behind me. Will you do that much? I’d never forgive myself if something happened to either of you.”
The sisters eyed each other then him and nodded.
Though there wasn’t a race, there were a few workers ambling about. Nathaniel hailed a young man. “Pardon me.” Nathaniel gave his most confident smile. “We need to… er, that is…”
“Yes, sir?”
“You see, there’s a strong possibility that someone of our acquaintance is…”
The man raised his eyebrows.
“If you would be so kind as to—”
A small hand grabbed his arm. He turned. Patience peered up at him and mouthed the words, “Let me.”
He certainly wasn’t making any progress, and they needed to get inside the course. The only way to the field out back was to go through the front gate. With a curt lift of his chin, he stepped aside.
Lydia gave a harrumph, but Patience didn’t appear to notice as she stepped toward the young man who appeared to be about her age.
“Sir.” Patience moved closer and linked her arm through his. “I would be very appreciative if you would be so kind as to let us inside.”
“But I can’t.”
She fluttered her eyelashes. “I hate to say it, and it’s so embarrassing…”
Interest piqued, he tilted his head. “What is it?”
“You see, I… I’ve lost my most favorite hat, and I’m certain I had it here last at one of the races.”
“Oh?” He leaned a little closer to her, their heads nearly touching.
She sighed and, in the process, took a deep breath, which caused her bosom to rise and fall. The young man’s gaze locked on that area until Lydia, from beside Patience, cleared her throat.
Patience shook her head and frowned. “That hat is so important to me. My… my mother gave it to me for my last birthday.”
Nathaniel glanced at Lydia, who was rolling her eyes at Patience’s lie.
The young man chewed his lip. “I suppose if it’s that important to you.”
“Oh, it is.” She pressed her shoulder into his. “It would mean the absolute world to me. And…” She reached up and twisted a piece of her blond hair. “I would never, ever forget your kindness.”
His face reddened. “Well…”
“Thank you.” She jumped up and down, which brushed her chest against his arm.
He blinked and looked first at her then Lydia and finally Nathaniel. He gave a shrug. “Follow me.”
Once inside, he stopped. “Now, do you remember which section you were seated in for the race? I’ll help you search for your hat.”
Lydia took charge. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for your cooperation.” She took off walking at a fast clip, with Patience close behind. Nathaniel thanked the man and then hurried to catch the women. With a peek over his shoulder to make sure the man hadn’t followed them, he made his way in front of the sisters.
Patience let out a breath, like she’d had too much energy and needed some relief. Nathaniel wanted to commend her for her fine work of gaining them admittance but at the same time was certain Lydia would want to scold her for her unseemly brashness.
No time for that now.
He waved his hand. “This way.” As quickly as his foot would allow, he rushed around the track and to the grassy expanse behind. No one was about. That was good. But now what? If this was indeed the place Kitty had intended in her drawing, where would she be?
An old shed stood off to the side. Yes, now he remembered seeing it that day. Although at the time, he’d been too preoccupied with Kitty to give it much notice. The rest of the area was only grass and the pathway they’d taken. He took a tentative step toward the shed.
Kitty, please be there…
Lydia and Patience were still following him. He stopped.
“What are you waiting for?” Lydia’s shrill voice always sounded like she was scolding someone.
“I agreed to let you come with me, but I must insist that you wait here.”
“But—”
He held up his hand. “Please. For Kitty? If whoever who took her is still nearby, Kitty would be heartbroken if something happened to either of you.”
“As she would with you,” Patience mumbled.
“What was that?”
Lydia scowled at her sister. “Nothing. Now hurry and find her.”
With a nod, Nathaniel headed toward the shed. He wanted to run but didn’t want to put Kitty in any more danger if she was indeed not alone inside the building.
He settled for walking quickly on the balls of his feet, hoping not to make much noise.
When he reached the door, he pressed his ear to the rough wood. Was that a shuffle? A mumble?
He waited a moment more, hoping not to hear someone’s voice besides Kitty’s. When nothing was forthcoming, he reached out and tried the door handle. Locked, blast it.
He gave it a light tug, not wanting to alert anyone inside to his presence. A shuffle came from within, but no shout. Was Kitty in there alone?
Taking a chance, in a low voice, he said, “Kitty?”
Something brushed against the door. If it were the kidnapper, wouldn’t he have opened the door to fend off whoever had come to enter the shed? Or would they stay inside and lie in wait for an unsuspecting victim?
I can’t worry about that now. I have to save her!
In a much louder voice, he said, “Kitty, it’s Nathaniel? Can you hear me?”
Something thumped against the other side of the door. It came from down low. Was she lying on the floor?
“Keep away from the door. I’m going to try to break in.” He waited, heard more shuffling, and then silence. After a few more seconds, he called, “I’m coming in.”
He didn’t even spare a glance for Kitty’s sisters, who were surely on pins and needles a few yards away wondering what was happening.
He backed up a few paces and ran at the door, commanding his lame foot not to fail him. His shoulder hit the wood hard. Something cracked on the door, but it remained intact. “Stay back, Kitty. I’m going to try again.”
He backed up even more, grit his teeth against another impact and ran as fast as he could. As soon as he rammed his shoulder into the door, it burst open. Nathaniel fell to the floor and coughed. When the dust cleared, he looked up. Where was—
There. She was curled up in a ball near the far corner. “Kitty!”
When he reached her he nearly wept. The first thing he did was remove the handkerchief stuffed in her mouth.
She took a deep breath. “Thank you for saving me. I feared no one would find me. That I’d have to—”
“Hush now. Let me get these ropes off of you.” Nathaniel untied her hands and then her ankles. He wanted to sit and hold her, tell her how much he loved her, but was too afraid her abductors might come back. “Can you stand?”
She frowned. “I… I can try.”
He helped
her to her feet but she collapsed. “My feet are numb.”
“No worries. I’ll just—”
“Kitty!” Lydia ran in and hugged her sister, followed closely by Patience. The three chattered over one another like magpies.
“Ladies, I know you have much to say to one another, but we need to leave before someone finds us.” He didn’t want to frighten them, but they simply had to go.
“Of course.” Lydia returned to her no-nonsense self. She stood and tapped Patience’s shoulder. Patience stood, as well. They stepped outside the small enclosure.
Kitty’s eyes teared up. “Oh, Nathaniel, I’m so relieved you figured out the clue I’d left. I wasn’t sure that—”
“I know. But let’s get you out of here first.”
She shrugged. “But I can’t walk.”
“Don’t worry about that. I can.” He bent down and reached for her. She wrapped her arms around him, and he pulled her close, one arm around her back, the other beneath her knees. He stood, waited until she was ready, then moved out into the sunshine. Kitty squinted against the brightness and pressed her face into Nathaniel’s chest.
He gave her a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll have you home in no time. I promise.” It took several minutes for them to reach the course again. Kitty was very tall for a woman and a might heavier than most, but Nathaniel cared not a whit. He could have carried her all day and not have grown tired. His Kitty was safely in his arms.
When they were once again at the main gate, the same young man was there. He eyed Nathaniel and Kitty. When he opened his mouth to speak, Patience hurried to his side. “Thank you again for your help. Imagine my embarrassment when I realized it was not my hat I’d left behind, but my sister.”
The man’s eyes opened wide and then he blinked. But Nathaniel shooed the girls out through the gate before there was time for the worker to say anything.
Quickly, they rushed to the waiting carriage. Patience untied the horses’ reins and held them until Nathaniel was in the carriage with Kitty on his lap and Lydia next to them. It was a tight fit, but they all found a place to sit.
As they headed away from Epsom, Nathaniel finally allowed a moment to take a deep breath and relax. He glanced down at Kitty. She’d fallen asleep.