"My name's Harley." The man snatched off his hat and bowed quickly, before he fumbled in his coat. "I'm a porter at the school. I've got a letter from the headmaster, my lady."
Anthony was standing close enough to hear her indrawn breath. Without thinking, he took her arm in case she felt faint again. Inside, he'd been astounded how his pulses had leaped at the brief contact. Now he braced for that automatic physical response.
"I'm Anthony Townsend," he said sharply. "Have the lads been located?"
"No, sir." Harley located the letter and extended it toward Lady Deerham.
"But there's news?" Her voice was artificially calm, and Anthony found himself yet again commending her courage.
"We found a letter addressed to you in the outgoing mail. The headmaster took the liberty of opening it. It's enclosed with Mr. Keates's note."
"Thank you." Trembling, Lady Deerham ripped open the letter. Shoving the accompanying papers at Anthony, she feverishly read Brandon's message.
She looked up with appalled eyes. "They've gone to see Carey's old nurse. She's sick."
"At least that explains why they ran away. Mrs. Penn is the closest thing to a mother Carey has left," Anthony said somberly. He turned to Harley. "Surely it would have been better to contact me than trouble her ladyship."
Harley tugged his hat between his hands and looked ill. Anthony Townsend's displeasure generally had that effect, although it hadn't subdued valiant Lady Deerham. "Begging your pardon, Mr. Townsend, but Mr. Keates said you'd most likely be here. If not, I had instructions to ride to your offices once I'd seen her ladyship." He stopped torturing his hat and fished another letter from his coat. "This is for you."
"Has the school sent someone after the boys?" Lady Deerham asked.
"They don't know where they've gone," Harley said.
Anthony took the letter addressed to him. A quick glance confirmed that it contained the same information, if less carefully phrased. "They don't know, but I do."
"Where?" Lady Deerham turned a wide, troubled gaze on him.
"I've recently purchased an estate outside Winchester. I settled some of my brother's staff there, including Mrs. Penn."
Relief flooded the blue eyes. "So we know where to find them."
"If they make it that far."
"Brandon's clever."
"Not clever enough to stay put, damn it. Both of them are completely pudding brained. If Carey had an ounce of good sense, he'd have told me what was going on. He must know I'd take him down to see Penny in a flash."
"Perhaps he didn't know you were due back in England." She passed him her son's letter. "Brand went with Carey because he couldn't let his friend make such a journey alone."
In the back and forth of trying to keep Lady Deerham safely at home, his rage and worry had retreated. Now, seeing her distress, he returned to wanting to shut both boys away on short rations until Christmas. "You sound like you approve," he said sharply.
"I don't. I want to box his ears for putting me through all this. But he's acted from a good heart."
"A good heart and a thick head," Anthony snapped, seeing no excuse for the boys' lack of consideration.
"That's not fair."
"What's not fair is a bairn coddled to the point where he imagines he can do something unforgivable like this and face no consequences."
She'd been pale with fear. Now twin flags of color marked her slanted cheekbones.
"It is you, sir, who is unforgivable." Her voice was sharp and precise enough to etch glass.
He regretted his bluntness the moment he spoke, although he stood by his opinion. Only child of a clinging, overindulgent widow? Stood to reason that the lad was spoiled. Perhaps it was a good thing he and Lady Deerham were likely to remain strangers. "No matter. I'll send your son back to you, shall I? Instead of letting him face the punishment he deserves at school?"
However hackneyed the image, he'd thought of her eyes as limpid pools. Now they flashed blue lightning and any idea of limpid vanished forever.
"You won't send my son anywhere, Mr. Townsend. I'll come with you to collect him, and make my own arrangements to bring him home."