Chapter 3
The secluded location of the Edleroy stables made for a convenient escape on horseback. My horse was at the end, occupying the biggest stall. I looked at each horse as I passed by, knowing which one my father would use to follow us. An idea struck me.
Patrice had already saddled my mare along with Melody’s, and I quietly enacted my plan.
I stopped just outside of my brother’s horse’s stall and silently apologized for what I was about to do.
I opened it, led the horse outside, and smacked its behind.
It took off, and I hoped it would be gone long enough to slow them down.
I did the same with my father’s horse. Those two were the fastest after mine and Melody’s.
Any of the others would take much longer to reach us.
Patrice held my gaze as I handed her the food.
I could tell she was taking things in stride, but there was an air of disapproval in each movement and each look.
And yet she supported me. We secured our bags onto the horses before settling onto our saddles and taking off into the woods along a rarely used pathway.
The moon peeked through the trees, casting shadows and light upon our route.
My heart raced in time with my mare’s pounding hoofbeats, my cloak billowing out behind me.
This grand adventure was a culmination of dreams long forgotten, dreams that had been awakened at the prospect of sailing across seas to lands unknown.
Scotland was full of wondrous things, but it was familiar. Safe.
My mind was singing with the possibilities.
Patrice and I had haphazardly mapped out our route. We followed it for a long while and tried not to tire our horses, but we both felt the rush to get as far away from Edleroy as possible before we were found out. Eventually, we slowed and rechecked our map to orient ourselves.
“We should come into Selkirk before midnight,” I told her.
She nodded. “Let’s take this road.” The moonlight was thankfully bright enough to see the map well. “We shouldnae stop there, ye know. That will be tha first place they’ll search.”
“I agree. I didn’t intend to stay there. We need only to rest our horses for an hour and then push forward to Leith.”
“Do ye ken if we may catch up to Mr. Ashby?”
“I had hoped to, truthfully. It would make our journey much smoother.”
“Aye, we should’ve sent him a note afore leavin’.”
I nodded and sighed. “We had nowhere to send it. No matter, we shall do what we must.”
When we reached Selkirk, Patrice and I worried our horses would not make it the rest of the journey to Leith. They were covered in sweat and had slowed significantly. I tried not to panic at the thought of being stuck here for too long. Would we be found out before the journey even began?
No, it was only midnight. Everyone was asleep. We had plenty of time to let our horses rest and continue before sunrise. Patrice and I entered the roadside inn and ordered whatever they had, taking seats near the door.
Patrice glanced warily around us and I followed her gaze. A group of men watched us from across the room. A shiver went down my spine as I looked away from them quickly. I met Patrice’s eye and we exchanged expressions of caution.
Once our food arrived, we devoured it. I knew we’d need the sustenance to remain alert on the road, though perhaps we’d need to be just as alert at roadside inns.
I tried not to look at the men behind Patrice again.
We both knew the danger we faced when we’d decided on this adventure.
There was nothing to do but trust in the general kindness of strangers. That and swift horses.
One of the men was making his way to our table. Both Patrice and I straightened and stiffened. Her face turned stony, and I set mine in a polite but warning expression.
He leaned onto the table before us and spoke in a lazy way. “’Scuze us, lassies, but we was hopin’ to know where ye might be headed? Perhaps we could escort ye there.”
“No need,” I responded curtly.
“Aye, dinnae be too brave, now. These parts arenae safe this time o’ nigh’.” He didn’t slur, which I thought a good sign. He was not intoxicated, at least.
“My companion and I wish for nothing but to be left alone.” I looked away from him and finished my food before standing and inclining my head in a polite show of farewell. “Excuse us.”
To my dismay, the other men came over to our table as well.
There were five in total. And all equally intimidating.
Patrice took hold of my arm and we stood facing them.
My heart beat quickly, but I made sure my expression remained cool.
I stole a glance toward the innkeeper, hoping we’d have someone in our corner if it came to a struggle.
I was relieved to see him watching our exchange with the men.
“What will ye do if ye come upon a highwayman?” the same man asked us.
“We have very fast horses,” I said.
“Do ye have weapons?” he asked, prodding.
Patrice spoke up. “Of course we do.”
The men laughed together, making the hair stand up on my neck. What could we do here? Wait until morning to avoid being on the road with these men? Traveling in the light of day certainly would be safer…but I refused to let this chance to find Graham evade me. Even one day wasted was too much.
“We have weapons, and we are prepared to use them.” I did not lie completely. I’d had the foresight to bring a knife with me. If only I had learned how to use it. Curse my neglectful education. Learning how to defend myself should have been one of my essential lessons.
“Aye, that’s grand,” the man said. He stepped closer, and Patrice and I stepped back.
“Miss Findlay,” I heard someone say from behind us. Whirling around, my breath caught in my chest.
“Mr. Ashby!” Patrice and I exclaimed together. We went over to him, ignoring the men who had nearly ruined my plans. Never had I been so glad to see someone before; that is, other than Graham that day in Hyde Park.
Mr. Ashby’s blue eyes were wider than the ocean I anticipated sailing across. “What are you—?”
Glancing back at the men, I grabbed Mr. Ashby’s arm and spoke loudly. “My dear, are you feeling better? Have you had enough rest?”
I widened my eyes at him intently, trying to communicate my desperation. It only took him a moment to understand the scene before him. He placed a hand over mine and looked into my eyes. His smile did not seem fake, which took me quite by surprise. “Yes, darling. I am quite well rested.”
I returned his smile and hugged his arm affectionately for good measure. “I’m happy to hear it. Well, let us prepare for our departure, then. Shall we?”
He nodded, and while we looked into each other’s eyes, we surreptitiously watched the men leave the inn. Once the door closed behind them, I stepped away from Mr. Ashby.
“Forgive me for putting on such a show,” I said, after sighing with relief.
“Now will you tell me what you are doing here?” I gave him credit for catching on to my ruse quickly, but surely he must have known why I was there.
I met his eyes in a fierce stare. “I’m going to find that traitorous ingrate. And you’re going to help me.”
His gaze swept over my face, then to Patrice. “I remember you from earlier today, but we haven’t been formally introduced. I am Arthur Ashby.” He inclined his head in greeting.
“Aye, I ken. Patrice. I am a maid at Edleroy Castle.” She lowered her eyes for a moment in acknowledgement, like a subtle curtsy.
He nodded, then returned his gaze to me, his eyes shrewd this time. “Your father didn’t approve of this, I take it,” he stated.
“It matters not. This is my choice. Graham is my husband-to-be. Cameron cannot go when Melody is expected to give birth any day now, and surely my father wouldn’t make the journey with all the things he must do at Edleroy. So it falls to me. I must go; I need to go.”
Mr. Ashby glanced toward the door where the men who’d been a threat to us only moments ago had exited. “You realize the danger you will be getting yourself into. Sailing across the Atlantic is no easy feat.”
“I am well aware of the danger.” My tone of voice communicated how close I knew we had already come to encountering said danger.
“Besides the trouble you could come across as two women traveling on horseback, a woman aboard a ship is not often looked upon kindly.” His eyes pierced me with severity. He was trying to make his point with every minuscule muscle of his overly expressive face.
“I’ve read enough about seafaring to know that. But women cross the sea successfully despite it.” He wasn’t going to scare me, no matter how hard he tried.
He opened his mouth as if to continue, but he must have seen that nothing could sway me. His nod confirmed it. “Then I am at your service, Miss Findlay.”
I grinned. “Somehow I knew convincing you would not be very hard.”
“How would you know such a thing about a stranger?” His smile was amused and he crossed his arms, studying me.
“One can get a measure of a person at the first—or second—meeting.” I shrugged. “I believe I know your heart.”
He smirked. “I assure you, you do not. But I’m intrigued. Go on.”
“The way you reacted to Graham’s letter told me that you are close to him, so close, in fact, that you care about me.
And if you care about me, you must have at least a working knowledge of who I am.
Graham no doubt regaled you of many tales regarding my impulsivity and stubbornness.
You would know that I am not to be reasoned with.
And considering you do not owe anything to my family, only to Graham, you would not see the necessity of stopping me. ”
He laughed, the unique sound of it reminding me of our first meeting three years ago. I’d been struck by it at the time and it had endeared him to me. I’d nearly forgotten all about it.
“Your logic is dizzying, and yet somehow I could make sense of it. True, I do have a working knowledge of you. I feel I know you almost as well as Graham does. But then it begs the question as to why you’d trust me?”