Diana glanced at Toby. “So what’s next?”
Toby tipped his head toward the minor road. “That’s our route to Graz, but it would be helpful to pick our moment so that no one sees us turning that way.”
“In case someone comes following us?” Diana asked.
Toby nodded. “Just in case.”
He and Gunter discussed the road ahead, then Gunter went to ready the horses.
With Diana, Toby helped Helga repack the hamper and refold the rug, then he assisted Helga back into the carriage. That done, he and Diana called the children and, between them, got all three and Bruno reloaded and settled in their places.
After helping Diana into the coach, Toby looked up at Gunter. “Pick your moment.”
Gunter saluted with his whip, and Toby climbed inside and shut the door.
After several minutes, during which two smart carriages rolled past on their way into the village, Gunter gave his horses the office, and the coach lurched over the grass and back onto the road.
A minute later, they made the turn into the smaller road.
Both Toby and Diana, who leant across Evelyn, now sitting beside her, peered back toward the road they’d left, watching for as long as they could.
When the road curved, they both faced forward.
Toby glanced at Diana. “I didn’t see anyone.”
“Nor did I. I don’t think anyone saw us turn.”
Although Bryce and Evelyn had returned to their country-sight-spotting game, Roland had been paying attention to Toby and Diana’s words and asked, “So now we’re on the road to Graz?”
Toby nodded. “This will take us southeast for a little while, then directly south to Weiz, which is not far from Graz.”
Roland dipped his head in understanding, then sat back. Rather than join his younger siblings’ game, he seemed to sink into his thoughts.
Toby watched him. After a moment, he glanced at Diana and saw that she was watching Roland, too, with a similar concern in her eyes.
* * *
Toby gavethe children until they reached Weiz to grow reconciled, each in their own way, to the trip and for the novelty of being in the coach and out in the countryside to subside before broaching the subject of them all needing to behave as a family.
He had no idea how long it would take for them to get over leaving—losing—their father, Roland especially, but regardless, Toby had to recruit them into the deception that he and Diana were attempting to promote, namely that of being a family. Arguably, when it came to keeping them safe, that charade would be the most critical element in deflecting any pursuers.
The coach rolled through the center of Weiz, and Gunter took the road to Graz.
Knowing the time had come, Toby leant forward, his forearms on his knees and, as the children’s gazes swung his way, said, “We’ll be in Graz soon, and we’ll stop at an inn there for lunch.”
All three children’s expressions brightened.
Toby smiled. “However, on this trip, we have to play a game.”
“What game?” Evelyn looked eager, her enthusiasm shining.
“We’ll be playing a charade,” he said. “That’s a game of pretense, of pretending.”
“You’re all good at pretending, I know,” Diana put in.
The trio grinned and nodded.
“All right, then,” Toby went on. “What we, all of us—you three, me, Diana, and even Helga—have to pretend on this trip is that we’re a family.” He looked from one child to the other, meeting their gazes, his own gaze direct, his expression open and sincere. “I have to pretend to be the father, Diana is to be the mother, and you three need to pretend to be our children, with Helga your nursemaid.”
