The Dream Catcher (16 page)

‘I am Lady McRae,' she told the driver. ‘If you let me ride inside the carriage, I promise that you'll be paid in full when we get to Westmore and my husband will also add a very generous tip.'

‘Sure! You're Lady McRae and I drive the gold state coach for Her Majesty the Queen!' The man threw his head back and laughed.

‘But it's true,' Rose stammered. ‘You must believe me.'

‘Don't pay attention to that old fool,' a man in a smart gold and black livery said.

He took his black hat off and smiled. ‘Can I help you, my dear?' he asked.

Rose forced a smile, even though she didn't like the look in his small, beady eyes and his breath smelled of beer and fried onions.

‘I would like to travel to Westmore but I have no money – yet,' she said. ‘My husband, Lord McRae, will pay you in full. I give you my word.'

‘Lord McRae, hey?' He looked at her from top to toe and smiled, but it was clear he didn't believe her. ‘I did hear some rumour about his lordship's impending wedding, but I thought the lady was from London.'

He leaned closer and she repressed a shiver of disgust. ‘And you, my lovely, don't sound like you're from London at all…'

He pushed his hat back on his head and scratched his scalp, a look of regret in his eyes.

‘I'm afraid I can't let you ride on the mail coach without proper payment.'

‘But I just told you I could pay you later!' She swallowed hard.

‘Are you coming or what? Better make a start or we'll be late,' the coach driver shouted from his seat as he slashed the air with his whip.

‘Please, you can't leave me here.' She grabbed hold of the guard's arm. ‘Please…'

The man hesitated ‘If you had something to give us in return, some jewellery, perhaps.'

Why hadn't she thought about it before?

‘I do. Just wait a minute.'

Bending down, she opened her bag and searched for the jewellery pouch where she kept her trinkets, the
Ouled Nail
bangles and necklaces Malika had given her over the years.

Triumphant she held out a necklace: a long chain decorated with silver and gold baubles and charms.

‘You can have it if you take me to Westmore.'

The man's beady eyes shone with greed. His hand reached out to snatch the necklace from her, he stroked the baubles, slid one between his teeth and bit down.

‘It looks like the genuine article,' he said, slipping the necklace into his coat pocket.

‘My lady.' He swung open the carriage door, held out his hand to help Rose climb up the steps and winked. ‘Or whoever you are… Your carriage awaits.'

Rose nodded to the gentleman seated inside and took a place next to him, since the bench opposite was covered in boxes and bags. The man was so large he took up almost all the seat, but she didn't mind. She didn't mind either that his cloak was covered with dog hair, that a pungent smell of horse manure rose from his scuffed boots, or that it was so cold inside the carriage that her breath steamed in front of her.

What mattered was that she was about to be reunited with Cameron. Pulling her bonnet down on her forehead, she darted anxious looks out of the window, half expecting Lord McGunn to come running and demand that she step down from the coach.

Shouting and the blowing of a horn announced the coach's departure. Rose leaned against the backrest and heaved a sigh of relief.

She was on her way to Westmore, and Cameron at last.

Marie Laval

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Published by Accent Press Ltd 2015

ISBN 9781783752737

Copyright ©
Marie Laval 2015

The right of
Marie Laval
to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

The story contained within this book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author's imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publishers: Accent Press Ltd, Ty Cynon House, Navigation Park, Abercynon, CF45 4SN