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Authors: Ann Lethbridge
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her and undid her gag.
‘Your man is an idiot,’ she hissed. ‘I told them I had a message for you. I told them to fetch you, but they wouldn’t listen.’
He pulled out his knife and sawed at the ropes around her wrists. ‘What message?’ He started on her ankles, keeping his gaze fixed on the joband not letting them stray to her shapely calf. Or at least, not much.
‘The Revenue men know about tonight. They have set a trap. You have to leave here right away.’
So, his instincts had not played him false, curse it. If they left without the goods, it would be another year before he could set his plans in motion. And Lord Carrick would not be best pleased. ‘How do you know this?’ He cut through the last of the rope and helped her to her feet. God, she was small. The top of her head barely came to his shoulder.
She rubbed at her wrists. ‘Never mind that. You have to go. Now.’
‘Where are they waiting for us?’
‘Surprisingly enough, they didn’t give me any details.’
The sarcasm in her voice made him want to laugh. ‘How did you get here?’ And then he saw for himself. Beau. And no saddle in sight. ‘You rode bareback?’
‘I couldn’t saddle him myself.’
He shook his head. It seemed there was still something of the spirited girl inside the sophisticated woman.
She pulled her cloak around her. ‘I’ll go now.’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I said not.’ Gaugers weren’t abovefiring their muskets at shadows, let alone at a fleeing horse. ‘Ranald,’ he called softly.
The innkeeper appeared like magic. Obviously, he’d been standing close by, listening. ‘Keep her here. I’ll go warn the men on the beach and return to take her home. And, Ranald, not a word of this to anyone, understand?’ Ranald nodded.
Ian glanced at the stubborn set of Lady Selina’s jaw. ‘Whatever you do, keep her here.’
What they needed now was some sort of diversion.
Selina glared at Ranald. ‘I told you he would want to hear my message.’
The man mumbled something under his breath, then covered his lantern. Selina blinked furiously to adjust her vision to the gloom. She should leave. She could be home in bed before anyone noticed her departure, her conscience clear.
What Ian did on his own account was his concern. But if she was caught aiding them Father would be mortified. And furious. If Dunstan discovered she’d warned the smugglers, after he’d let fall information about his mission in her presence, he’d call off their betrothal. If nothing else, a man expected loyalty from his wife. And that meant she’d have to start looking for a suitablehusband all over again. Unless the scandal ruined her completely. It probably would.
But she’d known the risks when she set out. And she would do it all over again if required, because she was honour bound to help him as he had helped her when she’d asked. Not to mention that she did not like the thought of him being sent to prison.
Only now she needed to go home. She rubbed her cold hands together and looked at the horse and then at Ranald. ‘Let me go. I’ll return the horse in the morning.’
‘Ye’ll stay put,’ the burly man said. ‘The Laird said so.’
‘The Laird is an idiot.’
‘Take one step and I’ll tie you up again.’ The tone of voice made it clear he meant it. She huffed out a breath. Men. They always wanted to rule the roost.
The minutes lengthened. She watched Ranald, waiting for him to lose interest, to give her a chance to slip away. At any moment the Revenue men could be upon them, or, worse yet, Dunstan and his militia.
That really would be her undoing.
The sound of booted feet on rocks brought her head around. Men. Coming up from the shore at a run, leading a couple of ponies with muffled hooves and ladderlike carriers on their backs. Empty carriers. They guided the beasts to thepath along the cliff top towards the village. What on earth were they doing?
Another pony emerged from the gully. This
‘Your man is an idiot,’ she hissed. ‘I told them I had a message for you. I told them to fetch you, but they wouldn’t listen.’
He pulled out his knife and sawed at the ropes around her wrists. ‘What message?’ He started on her ankles, keeping his gaze fixed on the joband not letting them stray to her shapely calf. Or at least, not much.
‘The Revenue men know about tonight. They have set a trap. You have to leave here right away.’
So, his instincts had not played him false, curse it. If they left without the goods, it would be another year before he could set his plans in motion. And Lord Carrick would not be best pleased. ‘How do you know this?’ He cut through the last of the rope and helped her to her feet. God, she was small. The top of her head barely came to his shoulder.
She rubbed at her wrists. ‘Never mind that. You have to go. Now.’
‘Where are they waiting for us?’
‘Surprisingly enough, they didn’t give me any details.’
The sarcasm in her voice made him want to laugh. ‘How did you get here?’ And then he saw for himself. Beau. And no saddle in sight. ‘You rode bareback?’
‘I couldn’t saddle him myself.’
He shook his head. It seemed there was still something of the spirited girl inside the sophisticated woman.
She pulled her cloak around her. ‘I’ll go now.’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I said not.’ Gaugers weren’t abovefiring their muskets at shadows, let alone at a fleeing horse. ‘Ranald,’ he called softly.
The innkeeper appeared like magic. Obviously, he’d been standing close by, listening. ‘Keep her here. I’ll go warn the men on the beach and return to take her home. And, Ranald, not a word of this to anyone, understand?’ Ranald nodded.
Ian glanced at the stubborn set of Lady Selina’s jaw. ‘Whatever you do, keep her here.’
What they needed now was some sort of diversion.
Selina glared at Ranald. ‘I told you he would want to hear my message.’
The man mumbled something under his breath, then covered his lantern. Selina blinked furiously to adjust her vision to the gloom. She should leave. She could be home in bed before anyone noticed her departure, her conscience clear.
What Ian did on his own account was his concern. But if she was caught aiding them Father would be mortified. And furious. If Dunstan discovered she’d warned the smugglers, after he’d let fall information about his mission in her presence, he’d call off their betrothal. If nothing else, a man expected loyalty from his wife. And that meant she’d have to start looking for a suitablehusband all over again. Unless the scandal ruined her completely. It probably would.
But she’d known the risks when she set out. And she would do it all over again if required, because she was honour bound to help him as he had helped her when she’d asked. Not to mention that she did not like the thought of him being sent to prison.
Only now she needed to go home. She rubbed her cold hands together and looked at the horse and then at Ranald. ‘Let me go. I’ll return the horse in the morning.’
‘Ye’ll stay put,’ the burly man said. ‘The Laird said so.’
‘The Laird is an idiot.’
‘Take one step and I’ll tie you up again.’ The tone of voice made it clear he meant it. She huffed out a breath. Men. They always wanted to rule the roost.
The minutes lengthened. She watched Ranald, waiting for him to lose interest, to give her a chance to slip away. At any moment the Revenue men could be upon them, or, worse yet, Dunstan and his militia.
That really would be her undoing.
The sound of booted feet on rocks brought her head around. Men. Coming up from the shore at a run, leading a couple of ponies with muffled hooves and ladderlike carriers on their backs. Empty carriers. They guided the beasts to thepath along the cliff top towards the village. What on earth were they doing?
Another pony emerged from the gully. This
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