She rallied a little at my tone. “I had to do something. Hester was going to do herself harm if we didn’t act on our own account. You kept on promising we would go and then nothing happened. You saw how frightened she was and yet all you did was tell her to wait.” Her scathing glance took in both myself and Evan.

He raised his brows at me: She has a point.

“Lean into me,” I said, drawing her back against my body. “The sooner you let him examine you, the sooner we will be after Hester. Remember he is a Belford, too, and nothing stops them.”

She managed a wan smile at my conciliatory tone: the two of us, loving our stubborn, brave Belfords. Finally, a point of affinity.

Farther back, Mr. Kent dismounted and called over Weatherly, exchanging the reins of the three horses for Weatherly’s blunderbuss. Evan carefully dug his fingertips along Miss Grant’s right arm. She gasped when he reached her elbow.

“I take it that is painful,” he said.

“Yes,” she managed.

“My apologies, but the good news is that it is only wrenched and bruised. Not broken.”

Mr. Kent jogged up to us. “What happened?”

“Deele’s man pulled me from the horse,” Miss Grant said. “Then they grabbed Hester and bundled her into the carriage.”

A dangerous maneuver that could have killed both women. “And Deele left you on the side of the road, injured,” I said, trying to come to terms with such villainy.

“How long ago?” Kent asked.

Miss Grant shook her head. “I cannot be sure. No more than fifteen minutes.”

“We can pursue.” I looked at Evan for accord, then at Kent, drawing him into the discussion. “The three of us on horseback. We have guns; we can stop the coach. Julia can drive the phaeton behind with Miss Grant and Weatherly.”

Evan gave a nod and stood, brushing road grit from his hands. He offered his hand to me. I took his firm grip and felt my not-insubstantial self pulled to my feet. My face heated: his easy strength always did unseemly things to my innards.

“The three of us?” Kent echoed. “You cannot think to come, Lady Augusta. It will be far too dangerous.”

“Save your breath, Kent,” Evan said. “If Lady Augusta says she will come, then she will come.” He allowed a grim smile. “It would seem you are both joining me on the high toby.”

“But this is not highway robbery,” Mr. Kent said.

“No, it is worse,” Evan said. “It is abduction. My brother has the right to take Hester back.”

“God’s blood, I knew I would end up hanged,” Mr. Kent muttered.