The sound of Elizabeth’s approach drew the girl’s attention for a fraction of a second, and when her eyes returned to the trees, the man was no longer there.

“Did you see him?” she pleaded as Mr. Stalling helped Elizabeth into the coach.

“See who?” Elizabeth turned expectantly. “Was someone there?” She searched where Georgiana stared, but all they saw was a bare headed Murray walking toward them, slapping his jacket to keep himself warm.

Elizabeth sat next to Georgiana, and slid her arm around the girl’s shoulder. “Might we take Miss Darcy home, Mr. Stalling?”

“Yes, Mrs. Darcy.” The driver stored the coach’s step inside before motioning Murray to climb aboard the back of the coach.

As the carriage circled to return to the house, both women stared out the opposite window, looking for something neither of them hoped to see again. “He is not there,” Georgiana whispered.

“No one is there, Georgiana.” Elizabeth let the curtain fall in place. “Would you tell me what you saw?”

“A man—all in black—wearing an unusual hat—like those in the books from America.” Georgiana’s eyes widened. “Do you believe me?”

Elizabeth tightened her hold on the girl.“Your brother thought that what I saw yesterday was a bear, but what you just described was what I saw in my mind’s eye. Except I could not make out the man’s face.”

“Neither could I,” Georgiana whispered although they were alone in the moving carriage.“What does it mean, Elizabeth?”The girl grabbed her sister’s hand.

Elizabeth did not answer; she simply pulled the blanket over both of them.“We will tell Fitzwilliam. He will know what to do.”

Chapter 2

Adam Lawrence, the future earl of Greenwall, was traveling from London to Cheshire.