Ricky frowned and stood in his stirrups to look up the incline of the road. “Where the devil did she get to?”

Randy shrugged. “Isn’t it just like her to go and do what we expressly forbade her to do?”

“Aye, and she has been gone a long bit. I don’t like it,” Ricky agreed.

“We must establish some authority with her,” Randy suggested.

Ricky snorted.

“Well, we can’t have her doing this sort of thing. Must see that. Otherwise, we’ll end up forever banished in this Godforsaken place.”

“Would have stopped her, had I seen her leave,” Ricky grumbled. “Look, she can’t have gone far. Let’s step up the pace.”

“Not gone far? Do you remember when she led us into the marsh just because she wanted to explore?”

“Yes, I do.” Rick grinned. “But that ended us up in the Mermaid Inn and that was well worth it! Spank-up good time we had there.”

Randy took a moment to reflect. “Aye, but still, Rick, perhaps we should talk to her about…”

“Hold!” Rick indicated with his chin that a rider was coming around the bend in the road. “Lord, girl, slow down!” he shouted at his sister.

Ness drew her horse up, and breathing hard, put a hand to her heart. “Rick, oh Rick, the oddest thing just happened. It gave me the jitters.”

“Where the deuce have you been?” Randy demanded at this.

“What do you mean, it gave you the jitters? What did?” Rick asked on a frown.

She gave them both an arched look and said, “Don’t look so out of reason cross. Only do listen. I found Penrod Tower…”

“Did you, by God!” Randy said hopefully. “Good thing. I am just about starved to death.”

“Shh, now. I went up the road a bit and saw a little path…”

This time her brother interrupted her. “And, of course, you had to explore.”

She beamed. “Of course. Now do be quiet, both of you, and listen.” She waited. “Right then. I took the path when suddenly, Shadow spooked and you know she never spooks, calmest horse ever, but she did, and in the thicket was this face, a girl, I think. No, I am certain, a girl’s face and she had these huge dark eyes…sad and frightened, I think.”

“No doubt you startled her, you and your mad mare.” Randy chuckled.

“Perhaps, but, even so, she took off,” Ness said thoughtfully. “One minute she was there, and the next, poof and she was gone.”

That was enough to rattle her cousin. “I don’t like this. Vanishing girls and such. Cornwall is full of witches they say.”

“Stop it, Randy. Witches, indeed!” Ness admonished. “I won’t allow such talk. People, good innocent people have been hurt by such horrible gossip, you know.”

“Well…perhaps we have never encountered one, but we can’t say they do or don’t exist,” Randy pursued.

“What there used to be were witch hunts and witch trials. There hasn’t been a witch trial in years and years. Not, I think, since Grandfather was born,” Vanessa put in thoughtfully.

“Aye, not a legal one, Ness ‘ole girl,” stuck in her brother. “But even in London we have heard whispers about what goes on here in the wilds of Cornwall. A great many people in these parts believe in witches.”

“We shall not be a party to such things,” Ness said resolutely. “The coach should be along any moment. I will tether Shadow at the boot and climb in with Millie. Propriety,” she grinned, “must be observed.” This made her giggle.

Randy’s face was puckered in a frown and Rick asked, “What is the matter?”

“Witches and vanishing girls with sad eyes, that’s what. Your sister is bound to be drawn into something and drag us along with her.”

Ricky acknowledged the truth of this with a shake of his head. “We had better keep a sharp eye on her.”

* * *

Lady Penrod was a woman of many impeccable qualities. Quick wit, warm-heartedness, and understanding were among these attributes.

To a girl of fifteen who was flushed, agitated, and in a complete tither, these assets were gold.

“But, Lady Penrod. She saw me. I don’t know how I came to be so stupid! All I could do was stand frozen and stare at her.”

“Hush, child. You must calm yourself,” her ladyship soothed, putting a strong arm around the girl’s shoulders and pulling her toward the settee. “Now, who saw you?”

“I don’t know who it was. I have never seen her before anywhere in the village, but, oh my word, she was absolutely beautiful. She was riding a snow grey mare right up the wooded path that leads to your gate. Oh, my lady, what shall we do?”

Lady Penrod put a finger to her nose. “I must think.” She had not been at Penrod when Mary of Montlaine had arrived in the dead of night. Her servants had, of course, let her in and kept her hidden, for Mary was Lady Penrod’s goddaughter and had been visiting Penrod since she was born. Her ladyship would not have accepted to have Vanessa visit had she known Mary would arrive under such dreadful circumstances, looking for shelter and discretion. Thankfully, the Penrod butler and the Montlaine butler were related and as Penrod staff were deeply loyal to her, Mary’s presence at Penrod was a secret they meant to keep.

However, Lady Penrod mused, that too would have posed a problem, for how could she have turned away Vanessa when everyone knew she enjoyed spending the ‘Brighton Season’ at her own home in Cornwall?

After a moment she said, “Ah, it must be Ness. This might be a problem, but not as bad as you might think.” She paced for a moment and sighed before suggesting, “Perhaps, my dearest child, it is time we sent you off to my sister’s care in London.” This suggestion didn’t ‘feel’ right, and she was sure it wasn’t when Mary threw herself at her and hugged her tightly.

“Please do not, please, my lady,” Mary cried in distress. “I…I need to be here.”

“I think, Mary, your brother would have agreed with me. I must think of your safety,” Lady Penrod soothed gently.

A large tear formed in the girl’s dark eyes and spilled over. Her voice broke as she said, “I can’t…won’t believe he is dead.”

“Is that what you were doing outside? You simply cannot keep going to Bodmin Heights. What do you expect to find there?”

“I don’t know. I look out to sea, oh ma’am, I know he couldn’t have survived the fall, the rolling waves of water, the treacherous jutting rocks, and yet…”

Lady Penrod hugged her close. “No, dear, he could not have…not even your brother could have managed such a feat.”

“But where then is his body?” Mary asked on a sob.

“Mary, you are old enough and wise enough to know that the tide no doubt took his body. Don’t dwell on it. You must not dwell on it.” Lady Penrod stroked Mary’s face.

“How can I not? They killed him with their lies. I can’t believe my brother, a hero who survived the war…all that time in Spain, came home to be accused of witchcraft and murder! How can such things be?”

“I don’t know the answer to that, but, and in spite of the fact that I am a woman, I know how to get things done. I have a dear friend or two who are members with clout in the Home Office. I mean to have them look into getting this situation investigated and thereby clearing your brother’s name. This is outrageous in this day and age that villagers can swoop down and claim a man of substance is a witch and demand he be arrested. Such behavior can only bring about chaos.”

The sitting room door opened wide and Toby, the Penrod butler’s eyebrows were up, as an indication that he was considerably distressed as he said, “I am sorry to bother you, m’lady, but we have er…guests.”

“Rather,” her ladyship said, and clucked her tongue.

“Invited guests, m’lady,” Toby offered on a hushed note.

“Ah, of course,” her ladyship said, and folded her hands into one another.

“Lady Vanessa Grey, the Lord Richard of Grey, and their cousin, Randall of Southvale. I took them to the library and had refreshments sent to them there.”

Lady Penrod put a hand to her temple and pressed ever so lightly. “Of course, very clever of you, dear Toby. Did you tell them you were off to fetch me, yes, yes, I am sure you did. Very well.”

She turned back to her young charge and said softly, “Mary, darling, this is going to be difficult because Ness is a curious minx and has a quick mind. She is here because she got into a bit of a scrape, and I have promised her parents to keep her out of trouble, though how I should be expected to do that, I have no notion.” She took Mary’s shoulders. “You must stay out of sight, not because she would give you away, but because she would, if she finds you hiding here, dive headlong into trying to help you. She would do battle on your behalf and then, my dear, it would be the very devil of a mess!”

“I am so sorry, ma’am. Will you send me away? I do so hope not.” Mary’s voice was scarcely audible.

She gave the girl a warm hug. “No, I think not…at least not yet, but from now on, be circumspect about your movements and use the cupboard passage whenever possible. We shall find a solution, I promise,” Lady Penrod said on a heavy sigh.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Her ladyship waited, watching Mary press a knob that controlled a spring in the wainscoting. The half-sized door opened and Mary bent to take the hidden corridor to her own wing. Her ladyship raised her eyes heavenward as she asked for guidance, then turned to the patient Toby. “Well, Toby, old friend. Let us not keep our guests waiting any longer.”