A Chaotic Courtship (Rough Draft)

Chapter Seven

Nodding, I reached to take my bonnet off as I moved ahead to enter ahead of him. It was a pleasant feeling knowing I had the approval of both of my parents. Will seemed to accept Mr. Richfield's entrance into my life begrudgingly. Hopefully, Sarah would come to accept the situation as well.

The sound of hoofbeats echoed behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder. It took me a moment to recognize the brown mare Mr. Knighton generally rode. "I didn't know you were meeting with Mr. Knighton today."

"Yes, he has some concerns about the highwayman," Father said, turning to wave a welcome at our approaching neighbor, the father of Phillip Knighton and my dear friend Lady Carlyle. "That there has been no trace of the man suggests he may know our country well."

"I don't believe it!"

Father patted my shoulder. "Knighton, Smallwood, and I will discover the truth of the matter. Now go on inside and make sure Will got cleaned up."

"Yes, sir." I hurried into the house. I didn't know how Mr. Knighton felt about my refusal of his son, and I wasn't anxious to learn.

****

To my surprise, Sarah was already in our bedroom. I thought she would have been with her friend for most of the day. "You're back early. Did you and Miss Sandwood not have a great deal to discuss?"

"I thought you'd never get here!" Sarah said, ignoring my question completely as she spun to face me. I frowned at her as I put my outside garments away. She seemed highly agitated, a state which I had seldom seen her in. "Diana, I must speak with you!"

"About what?" I asked calmly. Sarah took up pacing and seemed disinclined to continue with whatever she wanted to say.

"You must listen to me for once in your life!"

Sinking onto our bed, I tried to hide a smile. "Then come out and tell me what has you in such a state."

"I think Mr. Richfield is the highwayman!"

My smile faded instantly as I stared at her. How had she come up with this ridiculous idea? "You what?" I asked in astonishment.

"There, I've said it!" Sarah collapsed into the chair at the dressing table. "I've considered the matter carefully, Diana, and as your sister, I could not let you become attached to such a black-hearted criminal!"

I couldn't help but laugh in response to that absurd notion. "'Black-hearted criminal'? You cannot be serious, Sarah. I have never heard anything so outlandish. You've been reading too many of those books you are always teasing me about."

"Diana, I am completely serious! Stop laughing!"

"How can I take you seriously when everything you say is utter nonsense? Why would you possibly think Mr. Richfield, a true gentleman if I've ever met one, is a common criminal?"

Sarah leaned forward, her eyes wide. "Don't you remember what Aunt Forester said at dinner yesterday?" she asked, lowering her voice for some reason. She acted like she was about to disclose some deep secret to me, and I found myself leaning closer. "About the highwayman being around the Bath area?"

Thinking back, I did, in fact, remember the conversation and our aunt's comment. "Yes, of course, I remember. What about it?"

"Mr. Richfield was there!"

I failed to follow her line of reasoning. "I'm sure a great many people were in Bath at the same time, Sarah. Aunt and Uncle Forester, for example, were there for two months, I believe."

Shaking her head, Sarah groaned. "Don't be obtuse, Diana! You have to see the connection here. Mr. Richfield was in Bath when a highwayman terrorized innocent people. And now, he's here, where a highwayman has mysteriously appeared to threaten our peaceful home!"