Page 23 of Avenging the Earl's Lady
“Begging your pardon, my lady, but the other lady wasn’t fine traveling that road to Scarborough.”
Lady Perry had been captured on the road some nights ago.
“He’s right,” Jenny whispered.
“I know as Sir Richard has been caught, but who’s to say there aren’t more of his crew as might pop up and two ladies on the road—”
“And you think we should turn back,” she said, “but we are only going—”
“No, my lady.Not saying that.Only saying, there might be another way.”
“Another way.”
“What way?”Jenny asked.“Her ladyship doesn’t need any trouble.”
Davy’s lips firmed.“My boy was saved by the other lady.”
Lady Perryhadsaved Pip, but just barely.
His gaze was steady and sober.“I can repay a good deed without causing trouble.”
Jane let out a breath.“All right,” she said.“How?”
Davy came around and clambered into the back of the cart.“Go up the lane a piece and I’ll tell you where to turn.”
Kincaid rubbedat the bandage wrapping his chest.The damn thing was beginning to itch in places, a good sign of healing.
And he was fair starving again, another good sign.
The one thing this cottage lacked was a way to call servants.A proper way.He’d bellow out his caretaker’s name if she was anything less than a proper lady.
Riding hard and straight through, Shaldon might reach London on the morrow.Fergus MacEwen, who’d left in the early morn, would have a slower course ferrying an injured man.Fergus’s cousin, Boyd, however, should reach Cransdall sooner.The painting would go into the vault there for safekeeping while the Earl laid his trap for the Duque.
Blast it.He had to get out of this bed.He pushed back the sheet and sat up, and pain seared him.
Damn.Damn, damn, damn.
He managed to swing his legs over the side and reach for a shirt.At least they’d put him to bed in his breeches.
Downstairs, the kitchen was silent, the hearth embers buried.
A pot sat on the sideboard, the lid tight.A note propped nearby said the women had gone into town to buy bread.And how long ago had that been?
He looked around, trying to sense what was missing.He’d not spent much time in this room after his injury.
The colorful rolling pins caught his eye.Empty spaces outlined by soot showed where two had been removed.
Kincaid’s rump hit a chair as he plopped down.Shaldon ought to have listened to him.
Lady Jane was gone, bolted, and the girl with her.
How the hell had the groom, Ewan, let them go?He’d best have got himself up and gone after them.With luck, the boy would catch up with them before they’d had a chance to reach a coaching inn.
And he’d best get his own self dressed and be on his way.
Kincaid metup with Ewan on the road to the village.The boy’s mount was lathered.
He himself was afoot, he was, blast it.He hadn’t dared to try to saddle the one horse left behind in the stable.
