Page 72 of The Lord's Compass
“No sign of anyone,” the driver said. “Should we continue?”
Eric looked back and exchanged a glance with Faith.
“It could be them,” she said in a low voice, and he nodded.
“Do we have pistols?” Eric asked, and the driver’s eyes widened but he reached into the box and pulled them out before passing them to Eric, who placed them into the waistband of his breeches. “Faith, stay in the carriage.”
“But—”
He turned to her, more fire and determination in his eyes than she had ever seen before. “Stay in the carriage.”
“Very well,” she said, realizing she wasn’t going to win this argument. She could do as he said, however, and still do as she wished. He wouldn’t like it, but she was not about to sit in the carriage waiting helplessly.
She returned to the carriage, watching out the window until he was no longer in her view before opening the door and emerging once more. She would stay with the carriage, yes, but she would also be prepared.
“Please take our bags down,” she said to the driver, who stared uncertainly at her.
“My lady, I am not sure?—”
“I am not asking you to take our belongings down from the carriage. I am telling you,” she said in clipped tones to remind the driver just who was in charge here.
“Very well,” he said reluctantly.
“Can you see my husband?” Faith asked the valet, who shook his head.
“He is on the other side of the carriage.”
“How close are we to Castleton?”
“Not far at all. Just a few miles.”
Faith nodded as she went to her things and searched until she found what she was looking for. Then she returned to her carriage to wait and see if she just might be needed.
CHAPTER24
Eric slowed his steps as he approached the abandoned carriage. By its size and lack of adornment, he guessed it was hired, not a private coach. The driver’s seat was empty and the coach was sitting ajar, while the horses pranced, lifting their hooves as they waited to be commanded. When Eric rounded the side, it was as he expected – one of the wheels had fallen off and it was resting upon its axel.
“Is anyone there?” he called out as he approached, one hand on a pistol behind his back. There was one advantage to his father being a soldier – he had taught both Eric and Noah how to shoot, even if Noah had not been particularly adept or interested.
But Eric had taken to it, a skill for which he was now grateful.
He looked back at his carriage – where Faith awaited him – and while he couldn’t see the occupants, it helped to know she was close.
Holding the pistol in front of him, he reached out and flung open the door of the carriage, prepared to face whoever was within – but it was empty. He leaned inside, searching throughout for anything of note, but there was nothing.
Holstering his pistol, he pushed back from the abandoned carriage, about to leave it behind, when he heard a shout in the distance.
He jumped out, his head snapping back as he turned around to see where the source of the concern came from. His heart started to pound rapidly when he realized that it was from behind him – from his own carriage.
From this distance, he could see his driver atop the carriage, two people below it – and from their stance, he guessed they were holding the driver and likely the valet at gunpoint.
He could only hope that they hadn’t discovered Faith was within.
Eric took off into a run toward the carriage, hoping he could reach them in time. His lungs burned as it seemed he couldn’t move fast enough, and he could only watch helplessly as the driver and valet stepped down from the top of the box.
These men were going to steal his carriage. But what would they do when they discovered Faith?
As Eric approached, he could make out a package under one man’s arm, and he wondered if it just might be the map.
