Fleeing in the night

Ford stood very still and let Mia remove the wooden splint the doctor had applied for the first time almost a month and a half ago.

Surely this was fine. And since he would be on a horse, he wouldn't be walking on it. Anything that made them move faster would be good. Wouldn't it?

The girl knelt and quickly undid the straps holding it in place.

"How's that feel?" She looked up at him with a hopefully smile.

"Fine," He said without hesitation. "Let's go."

If her father, grandfather, or uncle discovered that the two were running away together in the middle of the night, he was very sure they would get the wrong idea and want to pummel him or string him up the nearest tree. Fear was building in him as he realized just how much danger this whole endeavor was.

Why had he thought this idea would go so smoothly?