XV #3
“Oh, no, for Jeremy’s cousin knew who I was, you see, as soon as I told them my name, and though the other man was quite a nasty sort and wanted to hit Joe and me both on the head, Jeb said he would see no harm came to us.
Only they didn’t want to let us go until after the boat came, because they were afraid we should squeak beef, which I think means to tell someone, so Jeb and I and poor Joe were sitting by a tiny fire inside a cave, drinking coffee Jeb made in a tin pot, when Jeremy and his lordship burst in upon us.
It was just like a Gothic tale! Truly, it was.
Oh, don’t scold, Aunt Nell. I have had such an adventure! ”
“Aurora,” Huntley grunted behind them, “here is Joe with your mare. I’ll put you in the saddle.
” Nell waited, her breath in her throat, for him to begin scolding, but to her astonishment he said nothing further.
A moment later he moved toward her. “Why are you not mounted? The sooner we are away from here, the better it will be for all of us.”
“Indeed, my lord.” She felt his hands firmly, warmly at her waist, and then he lifted her to the saddle. A moment more and he was astride the big roan stallion beside her. “I must thank you for coming so quickly, sir.”
“Thank me later. The rest of that charming crew could arrive at any moment, and I’d as lief not have to explain our presence here, if you don’t mind.”
They had not ridden far, however, before a pair of lighted torches came into view on the road ahead and the thunder of hooves beating on the roadbed announced the arrival of the military.
Major Talcott had brought Lieutenant Lord Hubert Coltrain and four of his men. The major rode ahead of the others.
“Huntley! Have you found her?”
The two groups converged, and it was clear from his reaction to seeing Rory that the major had feared for her safety.
As though the others were little more than so much ambient air, he began immediately to reprimand her, and she attempted just as quickly to justify her behavior on the grounds of having enjoyed a great adventure.
“There is no excuse for what you have done tonight,” he said, interrupting her without hesitation, “and furthermore, you look disgraceful.”
“But I could not wear my riding habit, Gideon! It would have been impossible to creep around on the cliffs in such long skirts. And we should have been perfectly safe, had Joe not slipped while we were trying to creep down the cliffside to find a place where we might be able to see something exciting. But I do not repine, I assure you, for if he had not slipped, we might never have met a real smuggler—two of them, in fact—”
“It was a crack-brained thing to do,” the major cut in uncompromisingly, and Nell waited in fascination to hear what he might say next.
But Talcott had recollected himself at last, and after sternly adjuring the still protesting Rory to hold her tongue, he turned to Huntley. “The free-traders, did you find them?”
Huntley shot a rather speculative glance at the obediently silent young girl before replying.
“Two of them. One is tied up near the pair of boulders at the top of the path, and the other can be found in a cave halfway down the cliff-face. You may keep them both with my compliments, but you’d probably be well-advised to let them escape in hopes that they go ahead with whatever signal they use to draw the boat in.
I’m perfectly certain the others won’t come in without it. ”
“Excellent advice, sir,” Talcott agreed.
“I shall send Coltrain and the others to keep an eye on things without showing themselves. But if you’ve no objection, I’d like to ride at least partway back to town with you.
” He paused, then went on with a rueful smile.
“Her ladyship may be able to give me some valuable information about their plans for tonight. She deserves to have a strip torn off her for this business,” he added glibly, quite as though he had said not a word to her himself, “and I’ve no doubt you’d like to attend to that as soon as may be, but this is of truly great importance. ”
“As you please,” Huntley replied, his voice suddenly—and to Nell’s relief—touched with amusement. “You’ll prefer to ride on ahead of us, I daresay.”
The major agreed, and a moment later, the grooms and Jeremy falling behind, Nell found herself, to all intents and purposes, alone with his lordship. Despite that brief flash of amusement, she braced herself. But he said nothing, and the silence grew until she was nearly squirming in her saddle.
“Are you very angry, Philip?” she asked at last. She wished she could see his face, but all she could make out was the shape of him.
He sighed. “I’m not angry. At least, not at the moment, though it may come in time.
” The sound of his voice so near to her was like a warm caress.
Oddly comforted by it, she straightened a little in her saddle.
He spoke again. “I suppose I ought to be grateful that you sent for me and didn’t try to handle the thing entirely by yourself. ”