Read Online Wild Hearts by Virginia Henley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Virginia Henley
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was just drifting off to sleep when Alexandria burst into her bedchamber. "Quick, Tab, lend me those riding britches you were wearing today. We're going on a raid— well, not really a raid, more a foray to pilfer a few things. Paris said Alexander was to go because there won't be much danger, only he has no stomach for it, and I'm going in his place."
"Oh, you cannot," said Tabby in alarm.
"Of course I can! None will know the difference. We are identical, except I can ride better and shoot better."
"I mean, the danger!" protested Tabby.
"There's no danger. We're going across the border into England."
"England!" exclaimed Tabby.
"God, it's not a thousand miles away. We just go straight down the coast into Berwick-on-Tweed, not eighteen miles from here. There are some very rich mansions there."
"He cannot go about stealing whatever he fancies," exclaimed Tabby.
Alexandria winked saucily. "He stole you, didn't he?"
Sleep proved too elusive for Tabby, and wrapped in a shawl, she left her bedchamber. She was worried sick. for Alexandria, out on a. dangerous raid,.aye, and worried for the others, she finally admitted to herself. It was a love— hate sort of thing. They were like the family she had never had, and already she was beginning to feel possessive of them. She had always heard whispers of Borderers who rode out in the dead of night, and they had seemed exciting tales of adventure. The reality was something else, Paris Cockburn was a thief, who thrived on breaking all the rules. He -was a law unto himself. She must escape the clutches of this .man. A part of her wanted to stay, but she knew these thoughts were dangerous. If she lived with them much longer; perhaps she would never be able to tear herself from this family, which was beginning to get entangled in her heartstrings.
Standing on the ramparts of one of the towers, but keeping a safe distance from the edge, she thought she saw a silvery figure below. She waved, but the figure seemed to vanish, and she thought perhaps she had imagined it. Her imagination was beginning to take over because she could not help visualizing one disaster after another. Her chest became tight, and she found it difficult to breathe with all of her worrying. She began to shiver, then finally realized she could stay up there no longer, dressed as she was. She returned to her chamber, intending to get under the covers but found herself dressing warmly and then returning to her lookout.
The hours slipped by so very slowly. She told-herself not to worry because Paris would lead them out of any danger they might encounter. This thought only led to the thought that he would give his life to protect theirs, and naturally she was wracked with worry for him once again. One minute she told herself sternly he deserved anything he got; the next minute she was praying for a safe deliverance. She was not in the habit of bothering God over trivial things, so she hoped fervently He would listen to her now.
Dawn was creeping up the sky. She had been there all night. A strung-out line of horses was silhouetted against the lightening sky. Each rider led a packhorse. Morn was dawning quickly now. As they rode closer, she made out Rogue in the lead. Her eyes quickly searched the other riders until she recognized the slight figure of Alexandria, far in the rear. What a relief! Suddenly, she could breathe again. Oh, no, what was that on one of the packhorses? Surely not a bathtub! My God, yes, and another one carried a long mirror in a mahogany frame. Damn him, he had risked their lives and given her an unbearable night of worry just to appease a-silly whim she had had. What kind of a man was he to go to that much trouble for her? She sternly crushed her feelings of gratitude toward him, reminding herself he had only done it to bring home to her the realization that he could and would do anything he wanted.
She ran from the ramparts, not stopping in her chamber, but carried on until she was in the
"Oh, you cannot," said Tabby in alarm.
"Of course I can! None will know the difference. We are identical, except I can ride better and shoot better."
"I mean, the danger!" protested Tabby.
"There's no danger. We're going across the border into England."
"England!" exclaimed Tabby.
"God, it's not a thousand miles away. We just go straight down the coast into Berwick-on-Tweed, not eighteen miles from here. There are some very rich mansions there."
"He cannot go about stealing whatever he fancies," exclaimed Tabby.
Alexandria winked saucily. "He stole you, didn't he?"
Sleep proved too elusive for Tabby, and wrapped in a shawl, she left her bedchamber. She was worried sick. for Alexandria, out on a. dangerous raid,.aye, and worried for the others, she finally admitted to herself. It was a love— hate sort of thing. They were like the family she had never had, and already she was beginning to feel possessive of them. She had always heard whispers of Borderers who rode out in the dead of night, and they had seemed exciting tales of adventure. The reality was something else, Paris Cockburn was a thief, who thrived on breaking all the rules. He -was a law unto himself. She must escape the clutches of this .man. A part of her wanted to stay, but she knew these thoughts were dangerous. If she lived with them much longer; perhaps she would never be able to tear herself from this family, which was beginning to get entangled in her heartstrings.
Standing on the ramparts of one of the towers, but keeping a safe distance from the edge, she thought she saw a silvery figure below. She waved, but the figure seemed to vanish, and she thought perhaps she had imagined it. Her imagination was beginning to take over because she could not help visualizing one disaster after another. Her chest became tight, and she found it difficult to breathe with all of her worrying. She began to shiver, then finally realized she could stay up there no longer, dressed as she was. She returned to her chamber, intending to get under the covers but found herself dressing warmly and then returning to her lookout.
The hours slipped by so very slowly. She told-herself not to worry because Paris would lead them out of any danger they might encounter. This thought only led to the thought that he would give his life to protect theirs, and naturally she was wracked with worry for him once again. One minute she told herself sternly he deserved anything he got; the next minute she was praying for a safe deliverance. She was not in the habit of bothering God over trivial things, so she hoped fervently He would listen to her now.
Dawn was creeping up the sky. She had been there all night. A strung-out line of horses was silhouetted against the lightening sky. Each rider led a packhorse. Morn was dawning quickly now. As they rode closer, she made out Rogue in the lead. Her eyes quickly searched the other riders until she recognized the slight figure of Alexandria, far in the rear. What a relief! Suddenly, she could breathe again. Oh, no, what was that on one of the packhorses? Surely not a bathtub! My God, yes, and another one carried a long mirror in a mahogany frame. Damn him, he had risked their lives and given her an unbearable night of worry just to appease a-silly whim she had had. What kind of a man was he to go to that much trouble for her? She sternly crushed her feelings of gratitude toward him, reminding herself he had only done it to bring home to her the realization that he could and would do anything he wanted.
She ran from the ramparts, not stopping in her chamber, but carried on until she was in the
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