Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

D one early, Dalton left his office, said goodbye to his father, and headed straight to Mrs. Pettigrew's.

When he reached the manse, he knocked and waited for Tugs to answer. He did and sighed in relief. "Mr. Simpson! Thank goodness you're here."

Dalton's face fell. "Why? What's happened?"

Tugs took a handkerchief from the pocket of his jacket and wiped his brow with it. "That woman! She's lost in the hedge maze."

"Wh-what? Chastity?!" He entered, brushed past Tugs and headed for the hall beyond the foyer. "How long has she been in there?"

Tugs shuffled after him. "Over an hour, and Mrs. Pettigrew is getting worried."

Dalton came to an abrupt stop. "That woman?" Tugs wouldn't talk that way about Chastity. He seemed to like her. "Tugs, is someone else here?"

Tugs heaved a sigh. "Miss Harrington."

"What?!" Dalton spun on his heel and headed for the double French doors leading to the grounds behind the house. He spied Mrs. Pettigrew with Abigail near the entrance to the hedge maze and broke into a jog.

"Adelia, what's happened?" He stopped just short of the women and entered the maze.

"Dalton, stop," Mrs. Pettigrew called after him.

"Why? I'm sure I can find them."

"You'd best take Abigail with you. We've been calling, but no one answers. Perhaps for some reason they can't hear us?"

He frowned. "You think they might be hurt?"

"I have no idea. Can you remember the maze well enough to get out?"

"I think so. Besides, this isn't that big."

"Big enough," Abigail said. "I get lost, and ye must remember, the maze takes up a little over an acre of land."

He nodded. "Come on then, let's see if we can find them."

Abigail nodded and turned to Mrs. Pettigrew. "Don't ye worry ma'am, we'll find them." She followed Dalton into the maze.

He kept up a brisk pace, stopping now and then to call out Chastity's name. There was no answer. What could have happened to them?

He went down one passage, then another, and ran into several dead ends. Maybe he didn't remember his way around like he thought he did. "Abigail, when was the last time you were in here?"

"I've only been in here once, and Mr. Tugs had to come find me."

Okay, Abigail wasn't going to be much help, but if Chastity was injured, or Heaven forbid, Rebecca (he could hear her mother complaining now) they had the two of them to help them out. Maybe one of them sprained an ankle? But then, why were they not answering his calls?

"Chastity!" he tried again.

Nothing.

"This isn't right," he said to himself.

"No, sir, it's not," Abigail agreed. "Could they have left the maze?"

"What? How?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, but if there were thin places in the shrubbery, could they have slipped through?"

"Hmm, Chastity wouldn't do such a thing. But Rebecca…"

"Aye, sir," Abigail said with a frown.

He heaved a sigh. No wonder Tugs was so flustered. Had he already tried to find them?

They continued their search, and at one point, Dalton suggested they split up.

"Are ye sure, Mr. Simpson?" Abigail asked while wringing her hands. "My sense of direction isn't so good. I'd hate to have Mr. Tugs come searching for me again."

"Did he look for Chastity and Rebecca?"

"No, but he yelled a lot for them."

Dalton's hands went to his hips as he puzzled. They'd been searching for over a half an hour and there was still no sign of them. "Let's split up and look for weaknesses in the hedge where they might have slipped through. I know the hedge borders the neighbor's property. They could have slipped through and left through a back gate."

"But where would they go?" Abigail asked.

"That's a good question, but I wouldn't put it past Rebecca to pull something like that. She, of course, will think it's funny. Mrs. Pettigrew, not so much."

"Oh, aye, sir. She was right upset when Miss Eastwick and Miss Harrington didn't answer her calls. That's when she had me fetch Mr. Tugs."

"And Mrs. Pettigrew didn't order him into the maze to find them?"

"She did sir. He went inside to fetch his coat and then you showed up."

"I see. That explains things. Thank you for letting me know. Okay, you go that way, I'll go this way."

She nodded and went in the direction he indicated. Dalton took off in the opposite direction, his anger rising. That Rebecca! He'd give her an earful once he found them. To worry Mrs. Pettigrew like this was irresponsible.

Dalton checked his watch then searched for over a half an hour before he ran into Abigail again. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes sir! I came to find you. There's a thin spot near the rose garden. I squeezed through and found footprints in the snow."

He sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Show me."

She led him through the maze, getting lost a couple of times, but eventually found the spot where the two women must have slipped through. He followed their footprints to the stable, where a new set of prints joined them. A man's. "What the devil?" He looked around, spied the gate near the stable and narrowed his eyes. "Looks like someone was trespassing." He turned to Abigail. "Unless Mrs. Pettigrew's stable master is about?"

"Perhaps. But why would he leave the grounds? The prints go out the gate, but don't come back."

Dalton's jaw went tight. He marched into the stable and straight to the set of rooms at one end where Mrs. Pettigrew's stable master, Mr. Prosser resided.

He knocked on the door. A short middle-aged man answered. "Mr. Simpson?"

"Yes. Have you seen Miss Eastwick or Miss Harrington?"

"Don't know no Miss Eastwick…"

"She's… staying with Mrs. Pettigrew," Abigail volunteered.

"Oh, well, haven't seen her. Miss Harrington, hmm, that sounds familiar."

Dalton sighed. "Trust me, you'd remember her if you ever met the woman."

"Then I guess I haven't," Mr. Prosser said.

"Thank you. I'm going to leave through the stable gate if you don't mind."

"Don't mind at all. Go ahead." Mr. Prosser smiled at Abigail. "Is Mrs. Pettigrew all right, Abbey?"

"Aye, she's right as rain, just… worried."

He sent Dalton a questioning look. "The women were in the maze and slipped out a weak spot in the hedge and from the looks of things," he explained. "They left the grounds through the stable gate."

"What?" He shook his head. "I told Tugs that patch of hedge didn't look good. Darn beetles eat at it in the summer months and the plant starts to die. Be a shame to have to tear that part of the hedge out and start over."

"Indeed," Dalton said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must find them." He turned to Abigail. "Tell Mrs. Pettigrew where I've gone. For all we know, they circled around and are sipping tea in the drawing room."

Abigail gave him a horrified look. "Mrs. Pettigrew wouldn't approve of that."

"No, she wouldn't. Now go." He left them, went through the wide gate Mr. Prosser used to bring Mrs. Pettigrew's carriage through, and started down the long drive to the stables and carriage house. It was easy enough to follow the three sets of footprints, one of which almost looked like the person was being half dragged. Good grief, was Chastity being taken against her will?

Dalton picked up the pace as he continued, his blood heating with his anger. If anything happened to Chastity, Rebecca Harrington and whomever was with her were going to get more than a mere earful. And he could just bet he knew who her accomplice was.

Chastity sat in the Simpson's parlor, unable to drink her tea. "We've been gone long enough, don't you think?"

Rebecca and her mother smiled at her. "Where is your sense of adventure? Besides, don't you want to surprise Dalty when he gets here?"

"She's right," Mrs. Harrington said. "Don't you think so, Eleanor?"

Chastity watched Mrs. Simpson take another sip of her tea before answering. She didn't look any happier than Chastity felt. Rebecca was adamant they slip through the hedge, circle around the manse to the street, then go to Dalton's house where she knew her mother was having tea with Mrs. Simpson. It was ridiculous, and before they reached the gate near the stables, she told her as much. Then who should show up but Joseph Bradshaw, who practically dragged her here.

He eyed her from his chair near the fire, his eyes flicking to Rebecca now and then. Rebecca caught him stealing glances at Chastity and smiled in satisfaction. "Do you have an escort for the skating party yet, Miss Eastwick? I'm sure Mr. Bradshaw would love to escort you." She turned to him with a sweet smile. "Isn't that right, Joseph?"

Joseph gave Chastity a regal nod. "Indeed, I would be most honored."

"Mrs. Pettigrew is having a skating party?" Mrs. Simpson asked in her soft, soothing voice. Chastity had to admit, she liked Dalton's mother. What she saw in Rebecca and Mrs. Harrington she had no idea.

"Why yes," Rebecca said. "And Miss Eastwick, that is, Chastity, has promised to get me an invitation."

Chaisty's shoulders sank. "I promised nothing. And if you keep saying that I'll not bring anything up to Mrs. Pettigrew."

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "But you promised."

"No, you're telling everyone I did." She looked Joseph square in the eye. "Did I make such a promise? You were there."

Rebecca glared daggers at him. Joseph took in the look on her face, then smiled at Chastity and Mrs. Simpson. "You made no such promise and said there were no guarantees that you could secure either of us an invitation."

Chastity heard Rebecca suck in some air but didn't look her way. She kept her eyes on Joseph's. "Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Bradshaw."

He bowed his head to her again. "You are most welcome, Miss Eastwick."

"Tell me, Miss Eastwick," Mrs. Harrington said. "What sort of business would you have with Mrs. Pettigrew? Is she seeking a husband for you?"

Chastity sighed and set down her cup and saucer. "If you must know, I'm…"

The front door opened, and Dalton hurried into the formal parlor. "Chastity!" He took in the others, then went to her chair. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. But I would like to leave. Will you escort me back to the manse?"

He looked around the room again, his eyes settling on Joseph, then Rebecca. "With pleasure." He turned his attention back to Joseph. "What are you doing here?"

"I happened to be out for a walk and was cutting through the alley when I heard Rebecca screeching."

Rebecca sucked in more air. "I do not screech!"

Joseph smiled at him. "I rest my case. I went to investigate, saw them on the other side of the stable gate, and asked what they were doing."

"I suggested we join my mother for tea," Rebecca said innocently. "Is that so bad, Dalty?"

Chastity watched Dalton cringe. "Please stop calling me that," he said and turned back to Joseph. "So you came along, did you?"

"Would you rather I had left Miss Eastwick alone with Miss Harrington?"

Rebecca gasped. "Oh! You traitorous…."

Jospeh wagged a finger at her. "Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn't if I were you." He stood. "I must be going. Miss Harrington, Mrs. Harrington, may I escort you home?"

"Oh, well," Mrs. Harrington hedge. "I suppose…"

"It was lovely to meet you, Miss Eastwick," Mrs. Simpson said. "I do apologize for stealing you away from Mrs. Pettigrew."

"Yes, we mustn't do that again," Joseph drawled. "Mrs. Pettigrew won't take kindly to her guest disappearing without explanation." He eyed Rebecca who sat, a triumphant smirk on her face.

Chastity closed her eyes. She wasn't sure what to make of Joseph. At this point, he seemed to be done with Rebecca's antics, and simply found her behavior amusing. But Mrs. Pettigrew wouldn't. Was Rebecca daft enough to think she could get Chastity in trouble with the rich widow? "So that's what this is about," she said under her breath.

"What was that?" Dalton asked in a low voice.

"Nothing." She looked him in the eyes. "Let's go."

He nodded. "I'll be home in time for dinner, Mother." He kissed his mother on the cheek, took Chastity by the elbow, and escorted her out of the house without another word.