Page 11 of Eight for Losing, One for Loving

“I don’t know,” he said grimly. “But we had best find out. Thank you, madam, for your help.”

“You’d best hurry,” she called after them as the distant but shrill whistle of a steam engine pierced the air.

Cursing, Leo sped the horse and Vi just held on, praying, as he negotiated the streets towards the train station. They had just turned a corner when Leo was forced to pull Persius to a swift halt as a hay-laden cart filled the road before them as the owner negotiated a tight turn into a small farmstead.

“Sorry, sir, won’t be above a moment,” the farmer called out cheerfully, but they could not afford to wait, so Leo backed the tilbury up and with such skill, Vi exclaimed in admiration.

“Oh, well done, Leo!”

He was in no mood to comment now, however, and the moment he could he urged the horse on once more, cantering down the road until they found the next turning. They could hear the train, and Vi’s heart sank as she realised it was moving. They arrived beside the still unfinished station to see the train leaving.

“There’s the hackney!” Vi exclaimed, praying that they had given up on the idea of taking Mau and left him behind. Leo thrust the reins into Vi’s hands, leapt from the tilbury and ran over to the abandoned hackney cab. Vi watched, praying silently as Leo wrenched the door open and looked inside. She knew at once that Mau was not there.

Leo’s shoulders sagged for a moment before he gathered himself and ran back to the tilbury.

“We’ll have to follow the line and ask at each station if anyone has got off carrying a sack,” he said, his tone even as he climbed back in beside her. “Vi—”

“We’re following the trainline, Leo. I can hop on a train back at any time,” she told him firmly, determined not to give him the opportunity to send her home. She could see how worried he was now, and he would need her support. Norton was a good man, she knew, but it was not the same as having a friend with you when things were going wrong.

“Alone?” he said in disgust. “You know that’s not possible, Vi. Anything could happen.”

“I’m sure it could not,” she countered, but the set of his jaw suggested she would not persuade him otherwise.

“Very well, I can send a telegram then, and get someone to meet me,” she suggested. “All the train stations have them these days. I’ll send word to Mama, and she’ll sort something out, for she’ll worry when we don’t come home.”

“Not all the stations have telegraph offices,” he warned her sternly. “Only the larger ones.”

“Well, we shall find one that does, I’m sure,” Vi replied firmly.

“Don’t blame me when your reputation lies in shreds,” he grumbled, though she knew very well he did not mean the harsh words.

“I shan’t do so, don’t fret,” she said comfortably, earning herself a look of sheer incredulity from Leo.

“I must change horses. Persius can’t keep this pace up forever,” he said, returning them to the high street.

“Do I have your approval to ask Norton to go in and arrange a basket of food?” Vi asked him. “It’s dreadfully hot and I think it may be a long afternoon. We shall need to keep our strength up and have a good supply of drinks.”

Leo nodded, absently reaching over and patting her knee. “Good idea, love, thank you.”

Vi blinked, the feel of his gloved hand on her knee burning through her skirts. It just showed the depths of his worry, she supposed, that he had taken to treating her like one of his light o’ loves. More worryingly, she discovered she didn’t mind in the least.

They were back on the road again in good time, and Leo was relieved to discover the new horse was a good goer. Not anywhere near so good as a train, however. The fear that they might not catch up with the villain nagged at him. He wondered if he had done the right thing in setting out after them. Perhaps if he’d gone home, a ransom would have arrived that night and he could have had Mau back beside him before morning. Yet he knew he could not have done such a thing, sensible as it might have been. Mau was his friend, and you did not abandon friends under any circumstances. Leo would find him, no matter what. The worry that the great cat might make the villain’s journey so difficult they disposed of him rather than continue with their plan was something of which he was horribly aware. If they just let him go, perhaps Mau could make his way home. He had heard such stories of animals undertaking vast journeys, but he knew such a trip would be fraught with danger and would take time and, during all that time, he would not know if Mau was dead or alive. His stomach clenched, and he shook off the maudlin sensation. Mau was the cleverest animal he’d ever known, and Leo was determined to find him. Between them they would make it work.

With Vi’s help, of course.

Leo darted a look at her, guilt sitting heavily in his guts. He knew very well he ought to have forced her from the carriage and told Norton to escort her home, but he hadn’t wanted to. He needed Vi beside him, wanted her there. She was far bolder and more courageous than she gave herself credit for. He knew that; it was only Vi herself who had forgotten. As a girl, she’d flung herself into whatever madcap adventure he’d suggested and loved every moment of it, but something had changed. She had grown up, he supposed, into a proper young lady and not a hoyden. Sometimes, however, he felt certain she longed to do something she ought not, something wild and reckless, like joining him in a mad dash across town and country in pursuit of Mau.

After Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City, they stopped at Woolmer Green, where they also changed horse again, all with no luck. By the time they’d arrived at the bustling market town of Biggleswade, it was approaching seven in the evening and Leo knew he must force Vi to be sensible. He knew the stubborn creature well enough to believe her ruination would not be enough to make her agree to marry him. If it were, he’d play his part in it happily enough. But Vi could be ruined ten times over and would endure everything that went with it, rather than be forced into doing something she did not wish to do. He had to admit he admired her principles and her fortitude. He only wished she wasn’t so wilful on this particular subject.

“I’m going to send a telegram to Mama. I think Biggleswade is a big enough station to have one,” she said, as Leo threw the reins to Norton. Leo nodded, beyond relieved he would not have to persuade her to do so, though he wished he could keep her with him more than he dared admit. He’d leave Norton to look after her until her family arrived, whilst he carried on his pursuit alone. A dismal thought.

“That’s the ticket,” he said as he leapt down from the carriage, knowing it was for the best. It was almost five hours since he’d collected her in Piccadilly for a jaunt in the park and she must be worn to a thread. Her family must be fretting by now, too. He looked up at her as he offered her his hand and she stepped neatly down.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling at him.

Damn him, but he wished she didn’t have to go, selfish devil that he was. “Here,” he said, taking a handful of coins from his pocket. “Dashed expensive things, telegrams, and you’ll have not come prepared for such an outlay when you were expecting a quiet turn around Hyde Park.”

“No, indeed,” she agreed ruefully, accepting the coins with a smile.