My poor girl—facing Duffy’s rage without me. Our brother rarely shouted at her, and when he did it always upset her more than it should. Moreover, to receive a scolding in front of the Ermine: beyond humiliating.

“I can imagine,” I said, sliding my arm across her shoulders for a quick, consolatory hug. “However, his fury will have to wait.”

I waved over one of the young grooms. “Go find Mr. Weatherly and ask him to come here, ready for travel. As quick as you can,” I instructed. The boy ran off toward the house.

“Weatherly?” Julia asked. “You know he is not yet confident on a horse.”

It was true. Our butler had come to horse riding only a month ago and was not yet comfortable in the saddle. Of course, not many butlers, and even fewer Black butlers, knew how to ride—their station in life did not allow or require it. Even so, I had asked Weatherly to take lessons with John Driver, in case of…well, in case of situations exactly like this.

I pretended not to hear Julia’s comment—mainly because my plan did not involve Weatherly riding or Julia accompanying me—and turned to Charlotte again. “Do we know in which direction Lady Hester and Miss Grant have gone?”

“The gatekeeper thinks he heard a single horse head in the direction of Chester.”

“Thinks?” Mr. Kent echoed.

“It is the best we can do,” Charlotte said. “But he has manned the gate for twenty years and so knows the sounds of travel along the road.”

“We rode in from the other direction and came upon Captain Morland and his troop,” Evan said. “He and his men are looking for Luddites. I hope they do not mistake my sister and Miss Grant for rioters.”

“Luddites?” Charlotte said. “Is there trouble?”

“Not yet, but the captain said they have reason to believe there may be some activity,” I said.

“If Lady Hester and Miss Grant took only one horse, they will be riding double,” Mr. Kent said.

“They took Bruno, one of our steadiest horses,” Charlotte said. “They are riding with a bridle but no saddle, as far as we can tell.”

I knew Bruno: a big gelding with a small white diamond blaze and a big heart. They would be able to ride double on him for quite some way; Miss Grant was a small woman and Hester was well below normal weight.

“I assume Miss Grant will have control of the horse. Is she a good rider?” Mr. Kent asked.

Julia and I looked at each other. To our shame, we hardly knew anything about Miss Grant’s abilities. “We do not know,” Julia admitted.

“Hester is, or at least was, a good rider,” Evan said. “But she is so weak.” He drew his hand down his face. “What if she falls…”

I placed my hand upon his shoulder. The muscles under my palm were rigid with tension.