Read Online Miss Marcie's Mischief by Lindsay Randall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lindsay Randall
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Coachman frowned. "Very well. The thief can sit atop the carriage behind me, but—" Cole glared at the highwayman. "But should he make a motion to unseat me, I'll spare him no mercy."
The highwayman appeared affronted at such a scenario.
"Hitch up his horse, Reeve," said Cole Coachman, "and do not, I pray, take your eyes off the thief."
Reeve moved to do the coachman's bidding.
"Wait!" said Marcie. "Your sweetcakes, Cole. We should offer some to the man now."
Cole frowned, obviously not wanting to have anything to do with a lowly thief and, perhaps, not wishing to part with any of Meg's famous sweetcakes, but the generous spirit of one lovely runaway schoolgirl seemed to be upon him, for he reluctantly reached into his greatcoat and pulled forth the snowy linen Meg had given him.
The highwayman accepted the food with a nod of his dirty head, then, following Reeve's abrupt command, scrambled onto the tiny perch above Marcie and Cole.
Marcie climbed back on the box.
Cole wagged his head at her. "For as long as I live," he muttered, "I shall never forget this night, Mistress Mischief."
Marcie, ever an angel of mercy to injured birds and unfortunate souls, smiled at Cole. The man was truly not as gruff as he liked to pretend. Joy fluttered inside her as Cole Coachman took the time to help cover her with the carriage rug once again. Neither shall I forget this night, she thought to herself. Neither shall I...
Chapter 6
Cole spent the next several miles pondering the amazing fact that although he was woefully behind schedule, had managed to take on a circus-like mix of riders, and was even now sharing his bench with an owl named Prinny, he wasn't in the least bit fuming, fussing, nor even flabbergasted.
Indeed, he felt, well, rather pleased with the events of the night, if one could actually believe that. Which one couldn't, because normally Cole would have been spitting fire to realize his exacting schedule had been so skewered. And the last time one of his coaches had been set upon by a highwayman, Cole had knocked the man senseless and then transported the scoundrel to the nearest magistrate! It was quite a feat that Cole had held both his temper and his tongue to some degree during this entire topsy-turvy night.
Normally, Cole wouldn't be so accepting of inconveniences. His life at Sherringham House in London was one of detailed exactness, and though certainly coupled with unending interruptions by his many nieces and widowed sisters-in-law, he'd always managed to deal with his many duties by being as dour and as stuffy and stiff-hearted as he could possibly be. To be lax in any way would have threatened to bring the entire household crumbling down round his head.
Though he'd allowed his sisters-in-law to constantly bleed his coffers, and his nieces to take up far too much of his time with their spoiled demands, he'd never allowed them to pierce the prickly crust surrounding his heart. He'd always kept his distance, and his dignity.
Yet in spite of those facts, he was now charging along a darkened roadway, transporting not only his illegitimate half sister, but the Prince Regent's latest love interest, a starving and very inept highwayman, a guard who viewed himself to be above the masses of humanity, and a runaway schoolgirl and her owl named Prinny. And he was actually enjoying himself!
It was not to be believed. Not at all what Cole had planned.
Cole had taken on this ride because he wished to be alone, and because he'd wished to whisk himself out of Town before his sisters-in-law and his many nieces began to pack numerous bags for their Valentine's Day excursion to the Cotswolds and to the home of one eccentric Penelope Barrington, who lived just outside of Stow-on-the-Wold. He knew only too well that once he delivered the last of his parcels at the inn of Burford he would be expected to travel onward to Penelope Barrington's sprawling Cotswold manor house and thus be directly thrust into
The highwayman appeared affronted at such a scenario.
"Hitch up his horse, Reeve," said Cole Coachman, "and do not, I pray, take your eyes off the thief."
Reeve moved to do the coachman's bidding.
"Wait!" said Marcie. "Your sweetcakes, Cole. We should offer some to the man now."
Cole frowned, obviously not wanting to have anything to do with a lowly thief and, perhaps, not wishing to part with any of Meg's famous sweetcakes, but the generous spirit of one lovely runaway schoolgirl seemed to be upon him, for he reluctantly reached into his greatcoat and pulled forth the snowy linen Meg had given him.
The highwayman accepted the food with a nod of his dirty head, then, following Reeve's abrupt command, scrambled onto the tiny perch above Marcie and Cole.
Marcie climbed back on the box.
Cole wagged his head at her. "For as long as I live," he muttered, "I shall never forget this night, Mistress Mischief."
Marcie, ever an angel of mercy to injured birds and unfortunate souls, smiled at Cole. The man was truly not as gruff as he liked to pretend. Joy fluttered inside her as Cole Coachman took the time to help cover her with the carriage rug once again. Neither shall I forget this night, she thought to herself. Neither shall I...
Chapter 6
Cole spent the next several miles pondering the amazing fact that although he was woefully behind schedule, had managed to take on a circus-like mix of riders, and was even now sharing his bench with an owl named Prinny, he wasn't in the least bit fuming, fussing, nor even flabbergasted.
Indeed, he felt, well, rather pleased with the events of the night, if one could actually believe that. Which one couldn't, because normally Cole would have been spitting fire to realize his exacting schedule had been so skewered. And the last time one of his coaches had been set upon by a highwayman, Cole had knocked the man senseless and then transported the scoundrel to the nearest magistrate! It was quite a feat that Cole had held both his temper and his tongue to some degree during this entire topsy-turvy night.
Normally, Cole wouldn't be so accepting of inconveniences. His life at Sherringham House in London was one of detailed exactness, and though certainly coupled with unending interruptions by his many nieces and widowed sisters-in-law, he'd always managed to deal with his many duties by being as dour and as stuffy and stiff-hearted as he could possibly be. To be lax in any way would have threatened to bring the entire household crumbling down round his head.
Though he'd allowed his sisters-in-law to constantly bleed his coffers, and his nieces to take up far too much of his time with their spoiled demands, he'd never allowed them to pierce the prickly crust surrounding his heart. He'd always kept his distance, and his dignity.
Yet in spite of those facts, he was now charging along a darkened roadway, transporting not only his illegitimate half sister, but the Prince Regent's latest love interest, a starving and very inept highwayman, a guard who viewed himself to be above the masses of humanity, and a runaway schoolgirl and her owl named Prinny. And he was actually enjoying himself!
It was not to be believed. Not at all what Cole had planned.
Cole had taken on this ride because he wished to be alone, and because he'd wished to whisk himself out of Town before his sisters-in-law and his many nieces began to pack numerous bags for their Valentine's Day excursion to the Cotswolds and to the home of one eccentric Penelope Barrington, who lived just outside of Stow-on-the-Wold. He knew only too well that once he delivered the last of his parcels at the inn of Burford he would be expected to travel onward to Penelope Barrington's sprawling Cotswold manor house and thus be directly thrust into
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