The next day, Isobel woke early. As soon as the sun had broken through her windows she was dressed, preparing to get her charges up and fed so they could have their first lesson out of doors. She wanted to take advantage of the fine morning to give her pupils a biology lesson before all the leaves fell from the trees.
Breakfast in the servants hall was full of empty gossip. Very few of the staff had glimpsed their guests since the Garibaldis had arrived so late. But the day was still young, she thought quickly drinking her tea and rushing to join the children.
A few hours later, Isobel was making excuses not to go back inside. The fine weather had lasted beyond her intended lesson, so she and the children lingered going over their readers outside on the lawn near the edge of the woods.
"Ms. Sterling, can we go to the stables, please?" Martin piped up from the blanket where they sat, interrupting the recitation he had been making at Isobel's instruction. "I'd like to show Amelia my pony."
Little Amelia, the Montgomery's ward, nodded eagerly, her face filled with anticipation. The children were due inside for lunch soon, but she could hardly say no to the yearning in those big blue eyes.
Amelia had been living with the Montgomery's for only a short time, a few weeks longer than Isobel herself. The little one was still quite timid about voicing her desires and wishes. Isobel didn't want to discourage her from expressing herself, and she often wondered if Amelia had been as timid when her parents were still alive.
"Very well. Once you finish that passage," she said agreeably.
The children smiled at each other, and Isobel marveled yet again at how easy they were to please. She bade Martin to continue with his recitation. As his clear bell-like voice filled the air, she let her mind wander. Martin was a fine reader and rarely made mistakes. But Amelia was still shy and often stumbled over the words. Isobel wanted her to grow more comfortable before she had her read aloud during lessons. Listening to Martin was one way for her to prepare.
Breathing deeply, Isobel leaned back on the blanket and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face. With her auburn hair and pale complexion, she had to be careful not to get too much sun or she would freckle. Despite that, she couldn't help enjoying what decent weather they did get here, especially now that the days were growing shorter and shorter.
A prickling sensation at the back of her neck made her eyes fly open. She sat up and looked down at her charges. Martin was still reading diligently, Amelia's eyes trained on him. But someone was watching them. She could feel it. Turning surreptitiously, she caught sight of an upright figure standing on the other end of the lawn near the stables.
The observer was a dark-haired young man, tall and fit. He was elegantly dressed in a fine gold waistcoat and dark riding coat paired with fawn colored buckskins. His top boots had brown uppers, the gleam of their polish evident even from a distance. And he was staring fixedly at her, not the children.
Isobel's breath caught. She could feel the stranger's gaze as if it was a physical thing, pressing in on her until her heart raced in response. She stifled a wild impulse to jump to her feet and run away into the woods. But instinct told her that would have been a grave mistake.
He would hunt her down.
What was wrong with her? The man was just looking at her. There was nothing threatening about that. From this distance she couldn't be sure of his expression, but it looked benign. He was probably simply wondering who she was.
You are being ridiculous.
After what seemed like an interminably long time the elegant man inclined his head. She was debating on returning his greeting when he turned on his heel and disappeared into the stables.
Was that the count's son?
She couldn't think of who else it could be...but the stranger was no invalid. He had stood without aid and walked with determined steps into the stable.
Confused and unsettled, Isobel changed her mind about a visit to see Martin's pony just now. She would take the children to the stables after lunch, once she was sure their guest was gone.
****
Amelia's eyes shined as Martin proudly demonstrated his little chestnut's many virtues. The girl hung on his every word, their heads were close together in conversation. She reached out to pet the horse that John, the head groom, had brought out for their inspection. He in turn watched Isobel, trying to catch her eye. She pretended not to notice.
"Can Amelia ride him, Miss?" Martin asked hopefully.
The little smile she'd been wearing fell away.
"I'm afraid not," she said. "Amelia doesn't have a saddle."
"She can use mine," Martin said.
Isobel shook her head. "Amelia can't use your saddle because she can't ride astride. Young ladies need a sidesaddle," she said, trying to sound firm.
Amelia looked crestfallen, and Isobel was flooded with guilt. She clearly remembered all the times she'd ridden without a saddle at all, back when her father had been alive. He'd been a mischievous sort, who'd turned a deaf ear whenever her mother had complained about letting their only child run wild, cavorting in the woods and riding astride with him on his horse. The fact she'd been wearing the stableboy's breeches at the time was a secret her father had taken to his grave.
Stirring from his position leaning on one of the stall doors John leaned forward. "It's all right, Ms. Sterling. Little Amelia's saddle arrived earlier this week."
"Her saddle?" Isobel asked blankly.
"Yes, Miss," John said, nodding at the stable boy who ran to fetch the saddle. John leaned closer while the children began to whisper excitedly. "It is her saddle," he added in a low voice. "She used to have a pony too, but Sir Clarence said it was too expensive to keep."
Isobel suppressed a frown and nodded. She had heard the rumors from the other servants when she had started her position. The only reason Clarence Montgomery had taken in Amelia, the daughter of a distant cousin, was because she was an heiress. Though her father had been in trade and the head of the household disdained all those who had to work for a living, the fortune Amelia was to inherit someday had apparently been sufficient enough inducement for him to take her in.
Unfortunately, Amelia's sizable inheritance did not mean she was treated with any degree of warmth. For the most part, she was ignored the way she would have been if she'd been a poor relation. But Isobel was grateful for Martin, a sweet and conscientious child who was completely unlike his parents. Amelia would always have a friend in him—and possibly a doting husband if Sir Clarence pushed for a match between them.
At least Isobel hoped that was where the baronet's intentions lay. It was the most benign of the possibilities she'd considered for her youngest charge.
"It can't be a long ride, especially as Amelia isn't wearing a habit. We have another lesson upstairs in a quarter hour," Isobel called after the children as John helped little Amelia to the mounting block.
"Master Martin can lead the little Miss around the paddock for a few minutes," John said as he opened the gate for the pair.
She nodded and Amelia beamed at her, a genuine and grateful smile. The little girl primly adjusted her skirts while Isobel went to stand at the paddock fence, crossing her arms on the top rail.
Martin led the chestnut in a slow circuit inside the fenced off area. John joined her at the fence, smiling broadly.
"Pretty as a picture, aren't they?" he asked warmly.
Isobel nodded but didn't say anything. It would not do to encourage him, and he always stared at her a touch too long when she came to the stables with the children.
"Miss Sterling, I hope you aren't planning on going to walk to the village anytime soon. Or if you do that you not go alone."
Puzzled, Isobel pulled her gaze from the children to meet John's eyes. His normal buoyant and overly familiar manner was gone.
"If your duties require a visit to the village, perhaps you'll let me escort you. You see there's been another."
She raised a brow. "Another what?"
Surprise flickered in his eyes. "Another disappearance. The baker's daughter this time."
Isobel drew herself up and stood straight. "A disappearance? I was not aware there had been a previous one."
John clucked his tongue. "Inside servants are falling down on the job, are they? All too busy talking about the count and his son I expect, but there are two young women missing. It's the most excitement these parts have ever seen. The girl disappeared last night on her way home from visiting a friend. And this one can't possibly be a runaway."
"They thought the first girl ran away?" She had heard something about that. It had been a minor note of gossip in the house since the young lady in question wasn't known in these parts.
He nodded. "I don't know her name. Sarah something. She was from Etal, the little berg on the north side of Ford. Went missing almost a week ago. But most everyone thought she'd run off. She was said to be fast," he added in a lower voice. "Had several fellows she walked with, if you know what I mean. When she disappeared even her parents thought she'd gone off with some man. But now they're not so sure, 'cause this other one can't possibly be a runaway. Lottie, the baker's daughter, was engaged to the blacksmith's son and was happy about the match by all accounts."
Isobel mulled that over. "It's still possible that first girl did run off," she pointed out, crossing her arms. "And perhaps the second one was waylaid by a friend or tried a shortcut in the woods and became lost."
Even as the words left her mouth, she realized she didn't believe them. Young ladies from the village, even those of the lower classes, avoided the woods during this season. They were cold and damp, with few discernible tracks or paths running through. It would be easy to become lost amongst those tall trees. She'd made it a point to learn the few paths well during her half-day off.
And the best hiding places, she thought, recalling her insurance policy deep in the woods. It won't come to that, she assured herself. But Isobel felt better knowing she was prepared.
John gave her a disbelieving glance before shrugging. "Until they turn up, it wouldn't do to walk alone. If they turn up."
"I will keep that in mind," she said in an even tone before calling out to the children.
Their leisure time was over.