At the Highwayman's Pleasure (14 page)

‘Oho, trouble here, me lad,’ he muttered to the guard beside him. ‘Keep yer eyes peeled.’ Even as he spoke a masked horseman appeared between the trees and he commanded sternly, ‘Right, Joe, let ’im have it!’

The guard pulled the trigger, but instead of the loud reverberation there was only the click of the hammer on an empty chamber. An angry bellow came from the carriage below them.

‘What is it? What’s afoot?’

‘Highway robbery, Mr Weston,’ the coachman called down to his master, adding bitterly, ‘and Joe forgot to load the shotgun.’

‘I did not! I—’

A loud, cheerful voice interrupted him.

‘Whist now, gentlemen, will ye cease yer quarrelling? Don’t be blamin’ yer man, there, for he did check his pops right enough and they was loaded, but that was before you both took yourselves indoors to break your fast, which was when I removed the bullets—and I also removed ’em from that little pop gun you keeps in the carriage, too, Magistrate, in case you was thinkin’ to shoot me with it.’

‘The Dark Rider,’ muttered the coachman. ‘I thought we was safe from ’im this far west.’

‘Ah, well, now, it’s mistaken you were, but just you keep still up there and you’ll be safe enough.’ The horseman rode closer, grinning at the angry red face glaring at him from inside the carriage.

‘Well, get on with it, you scoundrel. What do you want?’

‘To parley, Mr Weston. Will ye not step into the trees with me? Your men can busy themselves clearing the path while we talk.’

‘Parley?’ roared the magistrate. ‘I have nothing to say to you, sirrah.’

‘Have ye not? After you moved that precious marble bust into the window yesterday, an’ all.’

Phineas stared at him in silence for a long moment.

‘Oh, so you are the blackguard who sent me that note, are you? Very well, I suppose we must talk.’ He climbed down from the coach, cursing as he sank ankle deep into the snow, completely swamping his buckled shoes.

‘Come over here where we’ll not be overheard,’ the masked man ordered, dismounting. ‘And tell yer lackeys not to think o’ followin’ us. I’ll put a bullet through the first one to try.’

Through the slits of his mask Ross watched as Phineas Weston approached, stepping gingerly through the snow, grumbling all the time.

‘Damned inconvenient place to meet.’

‘Sure, and you’d prefer an inn, I suppose,’ replied Ross cheerfully. ‘Where you could set a trap for me.’

‘Well, what do you want?’

‘You know what I want. Payment for the safe return of your daughter.’

‘And if I refuse?’

‘Ye’d be foolish to do that, Mr Weston.’

Phineas gave a harsh laugh.

‘Why? What interest do I have in that daughter of Satan?’

The viciousness of the reply surprised Ross, but he said merely, ‘Why, man, she’s yer own flesh and blood. And a damned fine actress, too.’

‘Damned fine whore more like,’ snarled Weston, his callous words making Ross long to strike him. ‘No, you keep her, sir, with my compliments.’

Ross caught his breath. Was Charity right after all? Did this man have no paternal feelings whatsoever? He pretended to consider the matter.

‘Mebbe I
will
keep her. She’s a handsome wench and would warm my bed at night. But what happens when I make it known that you turned yer back on her? Your own daughter.’

‘Who’s to say she is my daughter? I have never owned it.’

Ross shook his head.

‘Tush now, are you denying all those rumours? And you, such a God-fearing Christian. There’s many will be shocked to hear of it, I’m sure. Ah, well, if that’s the way it is, we’ve nothing else to say to each other—’

‘Wait.’ Phineas frowned and began to pace up and down. ‘You are right, damn you. She has built up a following for herself. I hear they come from as far afield as York to see her. It would ruin my reputation if ’twas known I’d refused to help, for all the girl’s a damned nuisance.’ He stopped and shot a fierce glaring look at Ross. ‘So what’s your price?’

‘Two thousand guineas.’

‘
What?
Out of the question.’

‘Fustian,’ retorted Ross. ‘You paid as much for that little filly you had running at York races last year.’

Phineas shook his head. ‘No, it’s too much. After all, I have no interest in the jade. I’ll not acknowledge her, whatever the rumours. She’s a disgrace to me, to my name. An abomination.’

‘She’s your daughter.’

Phineas gave a savage laugh. ‘She’s the devil’s spawn, flaunting herself in public as she does. No, sir, “if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out”. Do away with her, with my blessing.’

‘Holy Mother, but it’s an unnatural father you are!’ exclaimed Ross, forcing himself to laugh. ‘But if that’s your final word, we’ll see what her friends at the theatre will pay—’

He whistled for Robin to come to him, but through the slits of the mask he was watching Phineas, who was scowling and rubbing his chin.

‘No, wait,’ said the magistrate, an arrested look in his eye. ‘Perhaps
you
are God’s instrument in this,’ he mused, ‘sent to rid me of this troublesome wench.’ He straightened and looked at Ross. ‘Very well, I
will
give you two thousand guineas. Only I don’t want her alive.’

Ross clenched his jaw to prevent an exclamation of abhorrence.

‘Go on.’

Phineas’s eyes were gleaming. He continued in a conspiratorial manner, ‘Get her to write me another letter—I presume she did pen the last one? I wouldn’t recognise her hand, but no doubt her friends in the theatre would do so and we must make it credible. Put in your demands. I’ll agree to pay you the two thousand guineas, but then there must be some sort of...accident. Leave the body on the Beringham side of the county border and I will make sure the perpetrator of this heinous crime is never discovered.’

Ross felt the bile rising in his throat and he could not prevent his mouth twisting in a way that Phineas rightly interpreted as repugnance. The magistrate’s own lip curled.

‘Why so squeamish, man? What difference is it to you what happens to her? She is a beauty, I’ll grant you that, so do with her as you wish while we play out this charade, but you’ll not get a penny from me if she remains alive.’

Ross forced another laugh. ‘By our Lady, ’tis an ingenious plan you’ve thought up there. But how d’you square it with your conscience, being a preacher man, an’ all?’

‘The Lord is a vengeful and an angry God, and some souls are too far sunk into wickedness to be saved.’ Phineas raised his arms and cried to the sky, ‘“O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed!”’ He brought his savage gaze back to Ross. ‘My daughter proved herself past praying for when she defied me and ran away thirteen years ago. I cast her off then, but now she has come back to mock me. Her presence in Allingford is a constant taunt, an affront to God. In you He has shown me a way to do His justice. So do we have a bargain?’

Ross shrugged.

‘Why not?’ He swung himself into the saddle. ‘I’ll contact you shortly to let you know where to leave the money.’

‘Remember,’ said Phineas, ‘there will be no payment if she lives.’

With a final nod Ross turned his horse and rode away.

That had not gone the way he had intended. Not at all.

* * *

Charity awoke to a feeling of foreboding. No one had knocked and called her down to breakfast. She dressed quickly and tried the door. It was not locked, so she dragged a shawl around her shoulders and made her way through the unheated passages to the kitchen. The house had an empty, hollow feel to it; no one answered her call. When she saw Jed in the yard she went out to speak to him. Samson was at the door and barked as she stepped outside, but he did not prevent her from following Jed into the stables.

‘Where is Mr Durden?’

‘He ain’t come home yet, ma’am.’

She spotted the tin of blacking on the bench beside Robin’s empty stall.

‘Is he— Has he gone out as the Dark Rider?’

Jed nodded. ‘Set off before dawn, he did. Said he knew Weston had business that would mean ’im putting up in York last night and was going to catch ’im on the way home.’

Charity put her hands to her cheeks. She recalled Ross telling her that Phineas always travelled with an armed guard. What if he had been wounded, or worse? He might even now be languishing in York gaol. Or he might have succeeded and negotiated her release. The thought was even more chilling. How much would Phineas be willing to pay, and what would he demand from her in return?

‘Don’t you be worryin’ about the master,’ said Jed, misinterpreting her anxiety. ‘He’ll be back soon enough.’

‘I wasn’t worrying about Mr Durden.’ At least, not much.

Jed frowned. ‘I hope you ain’t planning to run off again, ma’am, ’cos I have orders....’

Charity thought of the snow, still knee-deep all around the house.

‘No, I have learned my lesson there. I shall wait indoors for Mr Durden’s return.’

With a nod she went back to the house. The fire in the kitchen was burning well, so she made coffee for herself, then rummaged in the larder for something to eat.

Once she had broken her fast she felt a little better, and the future did not seem quite so bleak. If Ross had succeeded, she hoped she could persuade him to take her back to the theatre. She would be safe there, at least until she could make her plans and disappear again. It was not ideal, but she was determined she would not allow herself to fall into Phineas’s clutches.

* * *

The hall clock was striking midday when Ross at last came in. Charity was reading in the kitchen, her chair pulled close to the range for warmth. She jumped when the door opened.

‘Oh! I did not hear you. I—’

He interrupted her without apology.

‘Jed is preparing the carriage now. Collect your things and he will take you back to Allingford.’

‘What has happened?’ she demanded, alarmed by the urgency in his tone. ‘Why must I hurry?’

Ross stepped up to the table and began to pull off his gloves.

‘Phineas will not pay,’ he said shortly. ‘I am letting you go.’

She frowned.

‘I don’t understand.’

‘What is so difficult about that?’ His response was almost a snarl. ‘Jed is going to take you home as soon as you are ready. Excuse me. I have a great deal to do.’

He strode out and she followed him across the hall to the study.

‘But what about you?’

‘That need not concern you.’ He was pulling papers from his desk, paying her very little heed.

‘But...Wheelston?’

‘Once it is known that I am the Dark Rider, Wheelston will be forfeit to the Crown. The tenants should be able to start paying their rents next Lady Day, so I hope they will be allowed to remain.’

She pulled the shawl a little tighter around her.

‘Has my father discovered your identity?’

‘Not yet.’

‘Then you think
I
will reveal it?’

He looked up.

‘You told me yourself he would force it out of you. I would rather he did not have to. I would not have you suffer for my sake.’

She shook her head slowly.

‘It need not be like that. Phineas cannot question me if he has no legal reason to do so. We will convince him I was never here, adhere to the story I have already told my maid. He will think the Dark Rider was trying to dupe him. You do not need to give up all this, we can keep it a secret. You may trust me.’

He gave a savage laugh.

‘The last time I trusted a woman—’

‘I am not like Hannah!’

‘Even if I believed that, Phineas would drag the truth from you.’

‘Not if he thinks the Dark Rider was lying, that there was no kidnap. After all, what proof did you give him?’

‘He had your letter.’ He stopped, his brow furrowed. ‘Although he did admit he could not recognise your handwriting.’

She bit her lip. ‘Please, listen to me. No one need know I have been here, I can deny I wrote the letter to Phineas. Let Jed take me back when it is dark so that no one will recognise the carriage. I will say it was the snow that has kept me away from Allingford longer than I intended—no one will question that.’

‘Do you think Phineas will not do so?’

‘He has no jurisdiction in Allingford.’

‘I am aware of that, but he is a dangerous man.’

Her fingers crept up to the curl resting on her shoulder.

‘Do you think I do not know that? However, he cannot touch me if I stay in Allingford, with my friends. Once it is seen that I am safe and unharmed, he will think someone played a trick upon him.’ She could see that he was wavering and she added softly, ‘I will not betray you. You have my word.’

‘Why should you do this for me?’

She blushed. Why indeed?

‘Let us say I am atoning for past mistakes. And besides, you have been wronged by my father.’

He met her eyes for a moment, his own dark with suspicion. At last he said, ‘The carriage will be at the door in a moment. You should get ready.’

‘You will not quit Wheelston? I assure you there is no need to do so on my account.’ When he did not reply she put a hand on his arm. ‘Please, Ross, do not judge all women by the standards of Hannah Weston.’

It was the first time she had called him by his name. She saw the flicker of surprise in his face, quickly suppressed. He covered her hand with his own and his touch shocked her. It burned her skin and her hand trembled, causing his fingers to tighten as if he thought she would pull away from him. Charity raised her eyes to his face and his fierce, burning glance set her heart racing, thudding so hard and so erratically that it was difficult to breathe.

The air around them had changed; it was suddenly heavy and oppressive, charged with anticipation. Ross was staring down at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. She forced her eyes away from that disturbing gaze, but they moved no further than his mouth. How was it she had not noticed before the sensual curve of his lips? Her fevered brain began to imagine how those same lips would feel on her skin, not just her mouth. She had read of such things, heard them discussed by her friends in the theatre and had always thought the idea of giving a man such licence quite abhorrent, but now, with Ross holding her hand she suddenly wanted nothing more than to have him explore her body. She felt that familiar ache between her thighs and a hungry longing possessed her. An invisible thread was drawing her closer. She was a moth to his flame; if they came together she would disintegrate, but she didn’t care....