Page 118 of A Foolish Flirtation

Jeremy did not appear to lunch, which dismayed her, though she was not really surprised. He had gone to the stables very late that morning. Still, being forced to sit in the state dining room and make polite conversation with Mr. Wimble and Mr. Penrose depressed her spirits even further.

She was just reflecting that Teddy must have taken his lunch with Pinky when the lady burst into the room, puffing and panting, and looking fit to drop.

“Pinky!” Emmie cried, jumping up from her seat. Mr. Wimble let out a startled yell and almost fell off his seat. Ignoring her timid guest, Emmie hurried to her friend’s side. “Whatever is it, my dear?”

Her poor friend clutched at her hand, her face quite white with fear and her own hands trembling. “Something terrible has happened, I’m sure of it!” she said tearfully, clutching her side. “The dear boy, Master Teddy! He never appeared for his lessons as we arranged. Oh, I’m so terribly worried that something has befallen him! I walked the entire way, scanning the hedgerows and ditches in case he’d met with an accident on the way, but I found nothing and no sign of his pony!” She collapsed into sobs as Emmie helped her into a chair.

“Pinky, you must be calm. We will send word to Lord Faris down at the stables.” She looked about and found Higgins hovering. “Higgins, please can you send for Lord Faris at once and explain that it’s urgent. Teddy did not show for his lessons with Miss Pinson this morning.”

Higgins hurried from the room and Emmie turned back to her distraught friend. “You arranged to meet especially early this morning, did you not? I wonder…?”

“Early?” Pinky’s red-rimmed eyes widened. “Oh no! Indeed, we had agreed to meet rather later than usual, for we spent so long over our sketching earlier in the week.” Her anxious eyes scanned Emmie’s face. “Lord Faris assured me that we could alter the daily hours accordingly.”

“Oh, I am sure, Pinky, please do not distress yourself over that. At what time was Teddy due to join you?”

“Half past ten,” she replied promptly. “I delayed until eleven, for sometimes…” Her voice faltered. “Well, sometimes the dear boy can be a little late.” She dissolved into tears again. “But never later than half an hour! So, I knew, you see, that something must be very wrong.”

“I quite see,” Emmie said, biting her lip. For one thing, she saw that Teddy was a poor timekeeper. Why had he left the house so early that morning? He must have had some other plans. What on earth could have happened to him? Her mind careered wildly from one unlikely possibility to another. His maternal grandparents had kidnapped him! His mother had reappeared from the Continent and laid claim to him!

With a concerted effort she got a hold of herself and straightened up, Pinky’s hand still held tightly in her own. Mr. Penrose was sat hungrily tucking into his lunch while Mr. Wimble eyed watched nervously over the table as though he found them wildly unpredictable creatures he did not quite like to take his eyes off.

“Do not trouble yourselves, gentlemen,” Emmie said sarcastically. “Please continue eating your fill.” She turned back to her friend. “Pinky, shall we remove ourselves into the music room? That is the most comfortable room in my opinion.”

Pinky rose on unsteady legs and Emmie bolstered her up as they made their way through to the music room. Poor Pinky was practically limping by this point and Emmie suspected she had blistered her heel by hurrying the whole way on foot.

“Sit down here, dear, and I will have a nice cup of tea brought through,” she urged, seeing her friend into a comfortable chair.

Emmie had just hurried back into the hallway when she saw Colfax advancing down the corridor with a surprisingly wrathful expression on his face. He checked his step at the sight of her, halting before her.

“She’s here?” he asked eagerly. “Where is she?”

“The music room,” Emmie stated, and he turned on his heel at once, leaving her standing. “Have you heard any news?” she called after him as he disappeared in the direction of the music room, affecting not to hear her.

Emmie hesitated, then decided discretion might be the better part of valor at this point, so she left Pinky to Colfax’s tender mercies and went in search of Bridget to fetch them a fresh tray of tea. No sooner had she given the order than she hurried back. Before she had even reached the music room door, she was astonished to hear upraised voices.

“You know nothing about the bond that child and I share!” Pinky’s voice said shrilly. “Let me tell you, if he is beaten as a consequence of your vile slander, I will never, never forgive you!” Emmie blinked to hear Pinky’s unaccustomed vehemence. She had reached the doorway now and stood there in shock to see her friend in such a state. “He is my charge, my responsibility and such a sweet little boy!” Pinky burst out passionately, striking her scrawny chest with her fist.

Emmie hurried forward, dismayed to see her friend so distressed. Colfax was staring right at Pinky, his face pale and tight and his chest heaving. “Pinky dear, you must calm yourself. I am sure there is no need for such passion. Please tell me,” she said, turning to Colfax. “Do you know of my stepson’s whereabouts?”

“I do,” he answered gruffly. “It was just as I suspected. He’s hightailed it to the fair at Marston, along with the vicar’s two young scamps. They planned the whole jaunt. There was no need for Miss Pinson to go haring off like she did, distressing herself and—”

“It’s not true!” Pinky sobbed. “You malign him. He would not do such a wicked thing. I am sure something terrible has befallen him.”

Emmie pressed her lips together. It seemed highly likely to her that Teddy would have absconded for such a tryst. She and Colfax exchanged a look. “Pinky dear,” she said soothingly and knelt beside her friend’s chair. “You will give yourself the most dreadful headache if you carry on this way.” A footfall in the doorway had her quickly turning her head, but it was only Gladys with the tea tray. “Here is a nice pot of tea, now shall we—?”

“What’s this all about?” Jeremy’s voice cut through them all as he strode in the room in his riding clothes. He swung about, taking in the scene. Colfax took a step forward, but Jeremy’s gaze rested on Emmie quizzically.

“Teddy did not turn up for his lessons,” she explained quickly, “and Pinky has walked the entire route he would have taken and found no sign of him. Colfax has discovered a plot to attend a fair with the Ryland boys over at…” She turned back to Colfax.

“Marston,” he supplied readily enough.

“Right,” said Jeremy grimly. “Then, that is where I am headed now. Colfax, you will accompany me.”

“Oh but—” Pinky started up from her seat in agitation. “My lord, you must not—”

Jeremy hesitated and for one horrible moment, Emmie thought he would be dismissive of her. Then he walked toward her, taking Pinky’s hand in his. “You must not distress yourself, Miss Pinson. This is not the first time that boy of mine has decided to kick over the traces. Nor the last, I suspect. I hope you will let my wife make you comfortable in one of the guest rooms. You look like you need a lie down.”

Pinky collapsed back into her seat, clearly not reassured at all. Jeremy turned to Emmie. “I’ll bring him back,” he said, taking her hand and squeezing it before striding from the room. Emmie looked at Colfax, who was still watching her friend with a bleak expression on his face. The Adam’s apple in his throat bobbed, and for a moment Emmie thought he would speak, then he bowed his head and followed her husband out of the door.