Page 12 of Eight for Losing, One for Loving

“Well, I’ll leave Norton to accompany you and make enquiries about our villains,” he said. “Perhaps you could also send a telegram to my father, ask him to keep an eye on my place and see if anyone arrives with a ransom note for Mau. If we can telegram, one must assume the blackguards who have him could. Perhaps they have an associate in town awaiting them.”

Vi reached out and squeezed his fingers. “I shall, of course. That is a wise idea. Good luck,” she said softly. “I’m sure there will be news this time.”

Though she would probably scold him for it, Leo grabbed her hand and pressed it firmly to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

“Thanks, love,” he said, and turned and hurried away before she could do so.

Vi stood for a moment, staring stupidly after Leo. Don’t be a ninny, she warned herself sternly. Shaking off the desire to run after him and not let him out of her sight ever again, she set off with Norton to send the telegrams.

Once her task was completed, and she had finished exclaiming over the exorbitant sum of seven shillings and sixpence for each telegram, she returned to the tilbury. Norton hurried to look over both carriage and horse, having paid a boy to look after them. Finding all in order, he paid the lad and helped Vi back into her seat.

“He won’t like it,” he warned her. “And likely he’ll be mad as fire with me for allowing it.”

“Piffle,” Vi said succinctly. “In the first place, you did not allow me. You have no authority over me, as Leo knows very well. If he can’t make me do as he wishes, he cannot expect you to do so.”

“All the same, Miss Spencer, don’t you think—”

“No, I do not,” she replied, glaring at him. “I believe I have made my feelings clear.”

“Yes, miss, but—”

“No buts!” she said firmly, holding up her hand. “You have made a compelling argument, Norton, of which I am in perfect agreement. However, I will not abandon my friend when Mau is missing. Once he is safely returned, I shall go meekly home, my word upon it.”

Norton groaned and muttered predictions of chaos and destruction under his breath until Leo reappeared. Vi sat up straight, immediately noticing the renewed sense of energy about him.

“They were here!” he said triumphantly. “The station master distinctly remembered a stocky fellow and a tall, rangy man with him, carrying a sack. Said it was howling and hissing, and they were getting hassled by the other passengers who thought him cruel to transport a cat under such conditions.”

“Oh, Leo! That’s marvellous news but poor Mau, he must be so frightened,” Vi exclaimed. “Where did they go?”

His expression faltered a little. “That’s where the good news ends. It seems they cadged a lift with a farmer, but no one knows who, and one witness said they went off northeast in the direction of Tadlow, the other swears blind they went south on the Langford road.”

“So, what shall we do?” she asked.

“Well, I shall carry on to the northeast,” he said decisively. “I don’t like the idea of retracing my steps and if I’m wrong, having to do it all again.”

“That makes sense,” Vi agreed, patting the seat beside her. “Hop up, then. There’s no time to waste. We might have Mau back before nightfall yet.”

“We?” Leo said, still standing beside the carriage. He stared at her intently and Vi felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Determined, she sat a little straighter.

“Yes, Leo, we. Do hurry, now. There’s not a moment to lose.”

“Hold up, Vi,” he said, shaking his head. “I thought you were sending a telegram to your mama?”

“I did do so,” she said, but before she could carry on, Norton cut in.

“She told ’em Mau had been taken, and that she was helping you get him back and not to worry. She didn’t say nothing about coming to fetch her.”

“Norton,” Vi said reproachfully. “That was not helpful.”

“Vi!” Leo exclaimed, snatching the hat from his head. “You wicked girl! You said you were going to send word to your mama to collect you.”

“I never did,” Vi protested. “I merely said I was sending a telegram.”

“Before,” Leo gritted out through clenched teeth. “At Potters Bar, you said—”

“Oh, then,” she said, waving this off dismissively. “That was before. I changed my mind.”

Leo made a sound of frustration and leapt up into the tilbury. His thigh pressed hard against Vi’s, and she shifted nervously, suddenly vibratingly aware of the size of him, and the fact that he was quite furious with her. She had never seen Leo truly angry before and it was an interesting experience.