The vehicle moved slowly down the road. In the driver’s seat sat a gray-haired man with hunched shoulders, and sun glinted off gold etchings. This was the carriage they were anticipating.
“Wait here and watch,” he said before sliding down the embankment so as not to be seen before it was absolutely necessary.
***
Though Stephen frustrated her beyond belief, Constance felt a thrill run down her spine. The man had squatted beside the road, hidden by bushes as he waited for the carriage to draw near.
He had been very clear that he did not want her to involve herself, but how was she to learn anything from so far away? The truth was she needed to get closer in order to hear what was said and to have a better view of what happened. If the carriage rolled past the boulder and out of her view before Stephen stopped it, she would garner little from the entire expedition.
Determined to remain hidden, she crawled over the crest of the embankment and then placed herself in a squatting position. She was too afraid to stand - Stephen would be irate if she was seen - so she inched her way down the steep incline. Her inexperience showed as her foot slipped from under her and she landed on her backside with a muffled ‘Oomph’. The breeches might have given her a freedom of movement, but it gave her little padding.
Well, she was already on her bottom. Using her hands, she scooted over fallen twigs and leaves until she found a place behind a large tree close enough to see and hear but where she would be able to observe and not be seen.
Stephen walked out into the middle of the road and stood with his hands on his thighs. The carriage came to a stop.
“Why’re you blocking the road?” the driver asked. He could not have been less than sixty years of age. “Are you some sort of highwayman?”
Stephen laughed. “I’m no such person. I’m merely a man who seeks to take what you have inside your carriage. Now, I do mean to do so peacefully, but if I must use force, I am not afraid to do so.”
Constance had to steady her heart. Fear and anticipation made her hold her breath.
The driver seemed at a loss for words when the door opened and a middle-aged gentleman alighted, his dark blue coat fine but rumpled. Constance had a perfect view into the carriage, and she squinted to see not one but two women inside the carriage before the door was closed.
“Why have we stopped, Henry?” the man demanded.
The driver had climbed down from his perch and gave a series of quick bows. “Lord Hotchkins, my lord, this man means to rob us. He says he’ll do violence if he must.”
Lord Hotchkins stepped in front of Stephen. “I will have you know that I am a baron of great wealth.” He reached into his pocket and produced a note, though Constance could not make out its value. “Take this for your troubles and leave.”
Rather than taking the money, Stephen unsheathed his knife and skewered the note. The baron pulled his hand back, more than likely believing that Stephen would use his knife to skewer more than just the note if he remained too close.
“I do not want your money. However, I will consider it a contribution to my cause.” Stephen placed the note inside his shirt. “What I am here to collect is the woman in your carriage. I would recommend you release her to me.”
Despite Stephen’s menacing behavior, Lord Hotchkins snorted. “I’ll do no such thing,” he said in a haughty tone. “They are my property.”
The driver shuffled up to the baron, his hat in his hand as he hunched beside him. “My lord, I believe this man’ll kill us all if we don’t do what he says. Let them go. I’m sure we can get you others.”
“Shut up, you fool!” the baron hissed. “You have already given away my identity, do not make matters worse.”
Constance stood wide-eyed as she watched from behind her tree. By all accounts, Stephen was robbing the two men, and they seemed more concerned with arguing than with keeping their lives. She glanced at the carriage, and a thought came to her, a way in which she could prove herself more than a simple lady. With the men distracted, it would be easy.
She squatted down and moved as stealthily as she could through the underbrush. A few twigs snapped beneath her feet, and she stopped to listen, but the men continued their arguing. She peeked over one of the bushes to see Stephen staring at the men, his arms crossed and a look of disbelief on his features.
“Listen to me,” Stephen said. “I already know your names. It will not bode well for either of you if I revealed what I know. Therefore, I make a simple proposal. Hand over the woman now, and I shall allow you to leave with your lives.” He twirled the knife in his fingers for several moments and then pointed the tip at Lord Hotchkins. “Or refuse and die here on this road. The choice is yours.”
With a racing heart, Constance sneaked across the road to the opposite side of the carriage. She eased the door open to reveal, indeed, two women, both blond and close enough in resemblance to be sisters. They clung to one another, their burlap dresses and faces speckled with dirt. She was surprised the baron had allowed them to ride inside the carriage in their current state; however, it said much about how he came to possess them.
“Do not be afraid,” Constance whispered. “We are here to save you. Come with me, but be as silent as you can.” She extended her hand, and the women looked at one another and then back at her, but they did not move. “Please! You must trust me.” She hoped her eyes portrayed her sincerity.
Just when she thought they would refuse, the older of the two, a light-haired girl of no more than eighteen, nodded. Constance felt a rush of relief.
She placed a finger to her lips and helped the women alight from the carriage. When the girls were outside, she closed the door with a soft click, and then motioned them back across the road and into the forest.
Constance could not help but feel a burst of pride when they returned to the underbrush and the women threw their arms around her.
“Oh, thank you, Miss!” the younger woman whispered. “We were to be taken to London to work as prostitutes.”
“I know,” Constance whispered back. “But you are safe now.” She motioned for them to remain quiet and turned back to watch Stephen.
“You will find the village of Bernshire not three miles from here around this bend,” he said, using the knife to point toward that direction. “If you begin walking now, you will arrive there by nightfall.”
“You would have us walk?” Lord Hotchkins sputtered incredulously. “Do you realize…”
Quick as a whip, the edge of Stephen’s blade was at the man’s throat. “I’m afraid it is you, Lord Hotchkins, who does not realize the mercy you have been shown today. If I hear word of you participating in such vile acts again, know I will kill you. Now, leave.”
No sooner was the knife removed than the men were hurrying down the road.
“He is so brave,” the younger woman said. “A true hero a woman could only dream about.”
Constance smiled. “He most certainly is.”
“You may come out now,” Stephen called.
Constance led the two women out onto the road. She smiled at Stephen, ready for him to praise her bravery, but he did not return her smile.
“Are you two all right?” he asked the young women.
“Yes,” the older girl said. “Thank you, kind sir. My name is Anna. This is my sister Beatrice. We do not know what to say in thanks.”
“Your safety is all that matters,” Stephen said. “No harm shall come to you today.”
Anna narrowed her eyes for a moment and then they flew open wide. “I see it now!” she said with a gasp. “You’re the Man in Black! We’ve heard tales about your deeds.”
Stephen’s grin widened as he placed a hand on his thigh. “Have you? And what, exactly, have you heard?”
The woman nodded. “Oh, yes. We’ve heard stories of servants who have been rescued, who have had duels fought for them, and they say that a man in black saved them. We’re honored to have been saved by you, for what you did was brave. We’ll never
be able to thank you enough.”
Beatrice nodded her agreement. “It’s all true, sir. All of it.”
Then, to Constance’s surprise, the woman lifted herself up onto her toes and kissed Stephen on the cheek. Perhaps not wanting to be outdone by her sister, Anna did the same.
Stephen might have been arrogant, but Constance could understand why. These women, or even someone such as Sally, looked at him with such admiration, and Constance had to admit she thought the same.
She was surprised when he blushed. “Thank you for the reward,” Stephen said with a brazen grin. He reached inside his shirt and pulled out the note he had taken from Lord Hotchkins. “Take this; it will come in handy.”
Anna smiled and placed the note in her pocket. “Thank you, sir.”
The sound of hoofbeats had everyone turn to see Luke and Walter riding toward them. “I see you had fun without me,” Luke said. “Did the dashing hero save the ladies?”
“It was the Man in Black and his assistant,” Anna said proudly. “I’m sorry; I don’t know your names.”
Constance smile. “I’m Constance and this is Stephen.” She glanced at Stephen, hoping she had not made a mistake in giving their names. However, he only smiled and bowed.
“How did you come to know about us?” Anna asked.
“It’s a story we shall tell over a campfire,” Stephen replied. “Walter, secure the horses and carriage in that clearing just beyond the bend. I will return to you later.”
Though Walter nodded, he did not seem all too pleased with his orders, and when Stephen turned, Walter frowned at his back.
Constance wondered at the man’s reaction, but as she followed Stephen and the others into the forest, she pushed the thought aside. Perhaps it was only the weakening light that had made her believe she had seen him frown.
***
As they sat around the campfire, Constance realized that Stephen was displeased with her. Gone was the banter they had shared, and every so often, he would look her way and frown. Yet, they had completed an important task; perhaps that was why he was seeming aloof.
Shaking the worry from her mind, she returned her attention to Anna.
“Once mother fell ill, and the work around the village disappeared, we decided to travel to find work. Then, six months ago we met Lord Hotchkins.”
She looked down at the ground, and her sister put her arm around her. It seemed to help, for she continued her story. “At first, we did our work and thought the estate beautiful. But then the baron began to glare at us for no reason I could gather. One day, he pulled me aside and told me that Beatrice and I were beautiful enough to work at his estate in London. To get us ready, he promised us increased wages, and said he’d give us lessons on reading and writing because we were…” She paused and swallowed visibly as she paled. “Were to get special attention.”
woman trembled and began to cry. “I thought it meant we’d have better positions in the upstairs of his home, but it didn’t take long before I came to understand what he meant.”
“I can’t even say what he did to me,” Beatrice added. “I’ll never speak of it again, but he was angry with me because I refused to do what he asked of me. Then, last week, we were forced to leave, but by then I knew exactly what he wanted us to do. He wanted to sell us.”
“Well, you are safe now,” Stephen said, and Luke nodded in agreement. “I’m sorry for your pain and what has transpired.”
“But how did you learn where we would be, sir?”
“My spies, including Luke here,” he replied, patting the larger man on the shoulder. “They were able to learn about you and what was to happen this night. I hope that your sorrow can now come to an end.”
Anna wiped her eyes. “Thank you. To all of you. How can we ever repay you for what you’ve done?”
“There is no payment needed,” Stephen said. “However, I will make you a proposition. We have a community of many who are well-fed and cared for. You and Beatrice may join us if you so desire.”
Anna looked at her sister and smiled. “We’d like to return to our home in Hartford. We have not seen our mother in a very long time.”
“Hartford?” Stephen asked, clear intrigue in his voice. “That is some distance. Have you heard of a woman, she may still reside there, a Miss Alice Peele?”
Constance studied the man. Had he not told her he was the 7th Earl of Hartford?
Beatrice gasped. “Miss Peele? I know her. She came to a party held by the people for whom Mother worked until she fell ill. I’d gone to help - they would allow Anna and me to work during parties - and she and her husband had arrived early. I remember Miss Georgina,” she looked at her sister, “You remember Miss Georgina? Yes, of course you do. Anyway, Miss Georgina called her Miss Peele until she learned the lady was married.”
“I do remember that party,” Anna said. “One of the other servants told me that Miss Peele was destined to become a spinster, which I thought was the oddest thing because she was such a lovely woman with the bluest eyes.”
“She didn’t become a spinster, now did she?” Beatrice said with an admonishing tone. “So why mention it?”
“I don’t know,” Anna replied with a shrug. “All I know is that she was very kind to me, much kinder than even Miss Georgina.”
“That sounds like Alice,” Stephen said.
“If I see her again, would you like me to tell her about you?”
“No,” Stephen replied. “That will not be necessary. So, you wish to return to Hartford? That is more than a week’s journey from here.”
Anna nodded. “That’s true. But with the note you gave us, we’ll be able to find our way back safely. And though we appreciate your offer to come to your home, we want to return to ours.”
Constance looked away, her heart breaking. It was not until this moment that she truly missed Lankster Manor. Not her stepfather, certainly, but she missed her childhood home, when her parents were alive and they were all happy.
Well, those days were gone, as were her parents, and Lankster Manor was no longer her home, not as long as Phillip lived in it.
She pushed aside her melancholy and studied Stephen. Miss Peele? Who was this woman and why had he shown such interest in her while at the same time sounding sad?
“Luke,” Stephen said, “take the women back to their carriage. They should be able to sleep there in comfort while you and Walter stand guard. Come morning, escort them to Palesend, where you can sell the carriage and the horses, and give them the money. It will be more than enough to buy them passage to Hartford with some left over to get them through until they are able to find positions.”
“The bond between sisters is great,” Constance said. “May your journey be safe.”
“Thank you again, Miss Constance,” Anna said as she gave Constance a hug. “May you find happiness.”
What an odd statement, Constance thought, but she found the sentiment kind.
Luke led the sisters back toward the road, and they disappeared into the dark. Constance turned back to Stephen, who sat staring at the flames of the campfire. She sensed his discomfort. Was it her rejection of his kiss that brought about this sullenness? She hoped not, for she had her reasons, reasons she did not wish to share. Not yet.
She placed a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry for refusing your kiss. I understand you are angry at me for it.”
“The kiss?” Stephen asked in clear confusion before pulling his arm from her hand. “You think I’m angry over a simple kiss?”
Why was he so upset? “I thought…” She paused. Maybe she had been wrong. “Is it this Miss Peele of whom you spoke? Is that why you are angry?”
Stephen snorted. “You are right; I am angry. However, it is not for the kiss, nor does it concern Alice. I warned you to stay hidden, and you took it upon yourself to put not only your life in danger, but that of everyone else!” He was shouting by the time he finished, and Constance leaned back from the heat of his words.
“I’m sorry,
” she whispered. “I thought…”
“You are not here to think,” he snapped. “You are here to listen. I should not have allowed you to come; it was foolishness on my part.” He turned his back to her and placed his head in his hand.
Indignation roiled through her. “I saw an opportunity to help,” she said, doing nothing to keep the sharpness from her tone. “We are all safe; no one was harmed.”
He spun around so quickly, she reeled back in fright. “Do you not see that you could have been hurt?” he shouted. “That I would be responsible if you had died? Never put me in that position again!” He shook his head and stormed into the forest, leaving her alone by the fire.
Tears welled in her eyes. All her plans had been in vain, and rather than proving her worth, she had proven to be a disappointment. She could only imagine how Louisa would react once she learned what had happened. Hysterical laughter bubbled up inside her. All she had managed to do was prove the woman right! She was nothing more than a porcelain doll to be kept on a shelf in order to keep her from breaking. Or causing problems.
Constance had fooled no one. It was clear that remaining at the camp had been the wrong choice, and perhaps it was time she and her sisters left before she caused more trouble.
Chapter Ten
Throughout his long life, Lord Arthur Fletcher had always received that for which he paid. Whether it be a new coat, a new property, or even a bride, never had he ever been cheated.
However, it had been over a month since he had attended the party at the home of Lord Phillip Burk, where he had spoken to the man’s stepdaughter, Miss Constance Shepherd, his newly purchased bride-to-be. The price, which had included money and land, was great, but the object of his purchase was well worth every farthing.
Miss Constance was a woman of great beauty, unlike any he had encountered before. He remembered seeing her when she was but eighteen at her mother’s wake, and he had approached the young woman in hopes of gaining her favor. Unfortunately, she had not returned his admiration, and he had left Lankster Manor believing he had not a chance with the woman.
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