Read Online Sovay by Celia Rees - Free Book Online

similar fashion. College took a dim view, I’m afraid.’ His light brown eyes flickered amusement. ‘Hugh was summoned before the Rector and sundry senior Fellows. He owned to authorship but would not repudiate and would not name the others involved. The whole matter was referred to the Proctor, who questioned him further.’ Fitzgerald shrugged his narrow shoulders. ‘And young Hugh was told to pack his bags.’
    ‘Where do you think he might be?’ Gabriel asked. Having put away his own dark thoughts, he was seriously worried now about Hugh’s apparent disappearance.
    ‘You’ve heard nothing from him?’
    Gabriel shook his head. ‘We thought him here, or in London with friends. He often doesn’t write for months on end.’
    ‘I really don’t know, then. I thought he was safe at Compton with you. I sincerely hoped so, at any rate.’ Fitzwilliam paused, brow creased. ‘He did say that he wanted to . . .’ He shook his head. ‘But even he’s not mad enough to have done that. I just took it for hotheadedness.’
    ‘Took what for hot-headedness?’ Gabriel asked. ‘What did he say he wanted to do?’
    ‘He said he wanted to go to France. To Paris. To join the citoyens . To take part in the Revolution.’ He paused. ‘What you have told me concerns me, concerns me greatly, but we can do little at this late hour. Now, are you sure I can’t tempt you to a plate of rabbit pie? I know I could do with some and I’m sure you could after your long ride. I suggest we find you a room for the night and take the early coach to London in the morning. It is my intention to join you,’ he said, in answer to Gabriel’s look of surprise. ‘Hugh is my friend, too,’ he added, his pale hazel eyes suddenly serious. ‘I’m concerned for him, his family. There’s nothing much to keep me here at the moment. Finding him sounds an infinitely more interesting prospect than Greek translation.’

CHAPTER 6
    S ovay opened her eyes.
    ‘Don’t move,’ a quiet voice commanded. ‘Leastways, don’t move quickly.’
    The gunman stepped back and brought a lighted candle close to her face. She tried to see beyond the halo of light but could only make out the dark shape of a man. A velvet sleeve, a lace cuff, the gleam of rings on the hand that held the gun. Apart from that, nothing.
    ‘I wanted to see what manner of cove thought to set up against me.’
    ‘And what do you find?’ Sovay kept perfectly still, staring at the gun trained on her.
    ‘An interesting kind of cove, indeed.’ Her coat had slipped. He used the barrel of his pistol to part the loosened ties of her shirt. ‘One I hadn’t thought to see.’
    Sovay looked at the empty holster hanging up on the door. He had taken her pistol. She took another from under her coat and aimed it at his midriff.
    ‘What kind of highway man would I be,’ she asked, ‘with only one pistol? Drop your gun, sir, or it will be the worse for you.’
    His eyes held hers for a further moment; he seemed to come to some kind of decision.
    ‘I’d call you a sneaking kind of a fellow, hiding a second weapon like that.’ He laid the pistol on the table and held his hands high, ‘And one full of surprises.’
    She reached forward, flipping open his coat with the barrel of her gun.
    ‘Lay down that one,’ she ordered. ‘That one, too.’
    He had a veritable arsenal under his jacket.
    ‘Are you going to check my boots?’ He took the cork out of the bottle and poured himself some wine. ‘You’re not going to kill me.’
    Sovay kept her gun trained on him. ‘Don’t be so sure.’
    ‘You’re not the killing kind. Shall we declare a truce?’ He laughed and bowed with a flourish. ‘Captain Jake Greenwood at your service.’ He sat down in the chair opposite. ‘Now, would you care to tell me who you really are and what you think you are up to.’
    Sovay told him as much as she thought he needed to know about herself and her background. When she had finished, he smiled.
    ‘Well,