“Get away or I’ll shoot,” the man warned.

Knight peered down at the farmer and the gun clasped in trembling hands. He doubted the man was quaking with nerves—he was tall, a little thin, but strong from farm work, and seething with anger. His cheeks were red, his nostrils flaring. If it were just Knight, he would not be so concerned. After all, he’d taken many a rifle shot and lived. However, he was not willing to put Louisa in danger. Knight lifted both palms in surrender.

“Oh, Samuel, put the gun down!” The woman hastened over, flapping a handkerchief in her hand at the farmer. “Abigail says they are friends.”

Knight peered around the man and the barrel pointing at his gut to spy Abigail in the doorway of the farmhouse with the baby in her arms.

“Oh thank goodness,” Louisa exclaimed. “She’s safe.”

“We are not, though,” Knight muttered.

“Samuel, lower the gun!” the older woman insisted. “I will not have you shooting anyone in front of the children.”

The man lifted a thick gray brow and eyed Knight up and down.  “Are you certain these are her friends, Barbara?”

“Yes, yes.” The woman fluttered her hands at him. “Put down the gun!”

Louisa took a step forward and the farmer shifted his gun toward her. Knight had to force himself to remain still lest the farmer mistake a sudden movement as a threat but, damn, it took every ounce of his willpower not to jump between her and that long barrel aimed directly at her heart.

“We are her friends,” Louisa insisted, her tone placatory. “We came to ensure she and the children were safe. The men who threatened her also threatened me.”

Samuel narrowed his gaze and a few heavy heartbeats passed. He finally nodded and lowered the barrel. “Never can be too careful.”

“I am glad someone so diligent in looking after Abigail. Please, can we speak with her?” Louisa asked.

“She is mighty shaken,” Barbara explained. “And you say those men tried to harm you? Oh you poor thing, you must have been terrified too.”

“I am well enough,” Louisa said with a smile.

Barbara smiled. “I imagine your husband here ensured they did not set a hand on you. Unfortunately that useless husband of Mrs. Stanton’s had vanished, leaving her all alone and defenseless.”

“I can defend her,” Samuel said with a grunt.

“Yes, we know, dear.” Barbara waved a dismissive hand. “You are strong and are as good an aim as you always were.” Barbara took Louisa’s arm. “Will you not come in? The fire is lit, and I have just warmed a kettle.”

Louisa nodded gratefully and allowed herself to be led into the house. The dog on their heels, Knight and Samuel followed after them.

“Sorry for the welcome.” Samuel glanced at Knight. “My wife tasked me with keeping Mrs. Stanton safe, and she would have my neck if I let her get hurt. Besides, she’s a good girl and doesn’t deserve this rotten situation.” The man shook his head. “Who threatens women and children anyway?”

Knight ignored the apology. It was not the first time he’d been threatened with a gun and it would not be the last. Unfortunately his size and face attracted trouble.

“The men behind this have been locked up for now. The innkeeper where we are staying will press charges and ensure they are punished,” Knight told him.

“Ah, indeed. So they caused more trouble, did they?” Samuel shook his head. “What a sorry state of affairs.”

Barbara led them into a wide kitchen with low beams that forced Knight to angle his head. True to her word, a fire crackled in the grate and the scent of wood smoke wrapped about the room. A generous dining table occupied the center of the room. Several of the children could be heard running about one of the other rooms while the baby slept peacefully in Abigail’s arms. Abigail herself appeared tired but unharmed.

“Will you not sit?” Barbara invited. “Did I hear it right that these men have been apprehended?”

“Is it true?” Abigail asked.

Knight nodded as Louisa sat. “They broke into Louisa’s room and tried to harm her. They have been apprehended and will face punishment.” Knight sank gratefully onto one of the chairs and rubbed the slight ache from his neck. “Did they try to harm you?”

Abigail eased onto a chair as well while Barbara busied herself pouring what smelled to be strong coffee into mugs for them all. Samuel kept a watchful eye over the proceedings, his gun resting in his arms much like Abigail’s baby rested in hers.

“I overheard a conversation when I went to draw water. There was concern I was going to reveal that Hugh is not really your stepson. I gathered up the children and we came here.” Abigail smiled up at the farmer’s wife. “Mrs. Blackmore brings food to the church for the poor so I knew I could count on her charity.”

Louisa cupped her hand around one of the mugs of coffee. “Thank goodness she had you, Mrs. Blackmore.”

Barbara’s cheeks reddened, and she waved the cloth in her hand. “Oh, shush. I was only doing what any good Christian woman would do.”

Knight peered at Abigail. “Did you leave the letter for us?”

She nodded. “I was not certain you would come back, but I suspected you needed me after overhearing their conversation.”

“Where did you learn to write in code?” he enquired.

Abigail looked down at the table. “I was a nurse in France before I married Hugh. That was how we met, I tended to him after he was injured in battle.” Her smile turned sad. “I had a knack for writing so one of the officers taught me so I could aid with communications. I knew no one else would be able to read it, but you are a military man, are you not?”

Knight supposed all the scars were evidence in itself, but he could not help be surprised by Abigail’s intelligence. How did someone like her end up desolate and poor with a bastard for a husband? She was clearly an innocent in all of this.

Knight nodded in response.

“Eli admitted they were to help pretend Hugh is my stepson,” Louisa explained. “If anyone asked about him, they were to cover for him.”

Abigail’s expression dropped. “So he really was not planning on returning for us.”

No one said anything. Knight shifted in his chair.

“You know, Hugh received a letter not long ago.” Abigail’s brow puckered. “He asked the vicar to read it for him and seemed terribly excited. I didn’t understand why he did not ask me, but when I asked about it, he got angry, so I didn’t ask about it again. It was then that his behavior changed completely. He kept sneaking away.” She grimaced. “I thought he was whoring but perhaps it was something to do with your stepson.”

Louisa looked Knight’s way. “Perhaps there was some sort of confusion at the war office. Did you know my stepson during your time as a nurse?”

Abigail shook her head. “Hugh mentioned him.  He said he was missing and presumed dead in the same battle in which Hugh was harmed. Hugh was known to be his friend so maybe they sent whatever it was to him in the hopes he might pass it on to Ralph’s family.”

Knight nodded. “That sounds a reasonable assumption.” 

The baby in Abigail’s arms began to rouse. She looked down at the baby then at Knight, her brow creased with worry. “What do I do now?”

“You could confront him,” Knight suggested.

Louisa rolled her eyes. “What Knight means, is we need to reveal his ruse. We cannot let him get away with this.”

Abigail bit down on her bottom lip. “I-I’m not sure I can. He is my husband.”

“If he were my husband,” said Barbara, “he’d suffer a lot more than a mere confrontation.”

Samuel nodded and chuckled. “Don’t I know it. He’s left you and the babies to fend for yourselves, Mrs. Stanton. And if what you tell us is correct, he intends to take this woman’s livelihood.”

Abigail released her bottom lip and sighed. “I will help you. I feel awful. I should have known what he was doing.”

“You are not the keeper of your husband, Abigail,” Louisa assured her. “If you can help me ensure his claim to my inn is rejected, I will do whatever I can to make sure you and the children are looked after.”

Knight could not help but smile to himself. Louisa could be hard-nosed when she wanted but she loved to take in waifs and strays, including his sister. Though he had offered to aid Julianna when he discovered she was in Cornwall, she’d insisted on looking after herself, and Louisa had been instrumental in ensuring his sister had a place to live and an honest wage.

“When do we leave?” Abigail asked. “And what on earth do I do with all the children?”

“We can take the older ones,” suggested Barbara. “Can we not, Samuel?” She looked to her husband, who quickly hid his panicked expression.

“Oh yes, yes, of course. Just until your business is completed.” He gave a tense smile.

Knight leaned into Louisa. “If you take the carriage home and accompany Abigail, you can have this settled promptly.”

Louisa considered this for a moment and shook her head slowly. “I’m coming with you.”

“No.” He uttered the single syllable before he had quite registered what she had said.

“I’m accompanying you to Northumberland. Your wound is not yet healed. I saw you wincing this morning.”

“No,” he repeated.

“You need someone to tend to it and ensure you do not injure yourself further.” She set her jaw, and Knight grimaced.

“No.”

“You can try to force me into the carriage but you will not succeed.”

“You are injured, Mr. Knight?” Abigail asked. “Was it those men?”

“No.” God, he seemed to be saying that a lot recently.

“But he had to fight them off yesterday, and I think he opened up the wound,” Louisa told Mrs. Stanton as if he were not there.

“It could get infected,” Abigail mused.

“Precisely.” Louisa thrust a finger at him. “I am not having you dying of infection. I shall never forgive myself.”

Knight swung his gaze between the two women and lifted a brow. How on earth did he find himself in such a situation? Being bullied by two petite women who had far more pressing things to worry about?

“You are meant to return home,” Knight reminded Louisa in undertones. “There was a deadline remember.”

She leaned into him. “He is not who he says he is. I can prove that at any time. And Abigail will be safe in Red’s carriage. If you write to Red, I am certain he will ensure she and the little ones are looked after.”

Damn. Her logic was impeccable. And his wound hurt like the devil. He doubted he’d drop dead from a small slice but it was in such a position that he’d have a hell of a time cleaning it on the almost week-long journey to Northumberland.

He met Samuel’s gaze, who just gave an amused shrug. Even he would not argue with these stubborn women.

“Fine. You can accompany me.”

Her triumphant grin had his stomach sinking. It was going to be even harder to keep distance between them once they returned to his home. He could only hope his business would be settled quickly and Louisa did not attempt to pry into his past. Knowing the persistent woman, he doubted he’d be lucky enough for that to happen, however.