Alexandra widened her eyes.
Rachel coughed in fits of laughter. “In caseyou haven’t noticed, Alexandra, Aunt Margaret cuts into the matteras with a pen of fire, and pointed in her discussions.”
Aunt Margaret precisely dropped two lumps ofsugar in her tea. “I’ll answer the question. You are both young,healthy, and with many childbearing years ahead of you. Perhapstwelve for each of you.”
“Good heavens,” said Alexandra,unconsciously placing a hand on her belly, and smiling at the childgrowing warm and robust inside her.
Aunt Margaret dipped her eyes to whereAlexandra caressed her middle. “We have to hurry. I’m guessing thenext duke will be born about the same time as Rachel’s baby?”
Alexandra’s jaw dropped.
Rachel giggled. “Aunt Margaret, doesanything get past you?
Aunt Margaret lifted a brow. “You think theyplayed chess on the island the entire time?”
ChapterThirty-one
Alexandra and Rachel traveled throughout theafternoon, the rain pattering on the roof and continuing to fall asthe team of horses pulled the Rutland coach swaying and lurchingdown the road, becoming bogged down in numerous potholes.
“We are to arrive soon, I trust? I neverthought to find myself with morning sickness in the afternoon,”Alexandra remarked, her hand splayed over her stomach. She settledinto the swabs, perspiring from the stifling heat and humidity. Shepeeked out the window. Dark low-hanging clouds blanketed the sky,laying the earth in a dismal gloom.
She fretted about going out on a day liketoday but more than the weather rose a panicking dread in herbones, something didn’t seem quite right. Before Nicholas departedfor London, he had given her express warning not to leave Belvoirgrounds, yet he had sent a missive insisting she go to theBanfield’s for tea. “In hindsight, I wish we sent our regrets,” shesaid.
Rachel had been silent, not her normalchatty self, her face taking on a grey hue. She was heavier withchild and beginning to show. “This outing, I can assure you will bemy last before the wedding. All this bumping and rocking is makingme ill. I’d like to curl up in my bed and sip chamomile tea.”
The coach began to slow down, and as it cameto a complete halt, Rachel leaned forward. “Good, we are here atlast.”
The words barely out of her mouth, Alexandraheard a loud thump above. Thenbang, bang, bang.Gunshots!Dear God! Another bang hit and pierced the side of the coach. Sheyanked Rachel to the floor and covered her with her body. Menscreamed. A guard cried out from the top of the carriage, then athud and thumping sounded and she saw him roll down the back andhit the ground. Another man fell and splashed in a puddle outsidethe door. Then just as suddenly as it began, the shooting stopped.Then complete silence.
Alexandra frowned and leaned to look out thecurtained window. The exit handle rattled. She jerked back and thedoor flew open and banged violently against the side of the coach.Cool, wet air rushed in.
“Get out!” a low guttural voice commandedfrom outside and before Alexandra could reach for the pistolstrapped to the side of the coach, the other door flew open. Alarge man holding two pistols, pointed the weapons directly atthem, deadly intent in his rheumy eyes.
“Do as they say,” Rachel said.
Were these highwaymen to rob them or themachinations of the Rutland enemy? Either way, two pregnant womenwere vulnerable.
“If ye ladies would remove yerselves fromthe carriage,” said a giant of a man with a gun pointed at herheart. Alexandra stepped into the muddy roadway, keeping to theside of the dead guard face down in a puddle. He had a hole in hisback and blood pooled around him.
Nausea rolled in her throat.Keep yourwits about you.
Her hands shook as she turned to help Racheldown. To the rear of the carriage, three more Rutland guards layacross each other dead. The driver and one remaining guard werestanding on the other side bordering a thick forest, their weaponsin a pile next to a tree laying over the road, cut to block thecoach’s progress.
Alexandra counted ten men, a rough-cut mobof filthy beasts, and not highwaymen. Highwaymen worked in smallernumbers. She shuddered. This was a planned event.
The giant beside her plucked at abutton-sized wart on the side of his face.Wartwould be anappropriate name. “His lordship said no witnesses.” Wart raised hisgun to shoot the driver and guard.
Alexandra shouldered her full weight intoWart. “Run,” she screamed.
Caught off guard, Wart tripped over the deadguard, tumbling in the muck. The gun went off, the shot fired intothe treetops. Branches and leaves settled over them. The guard andcoachman leaped into the forest.
“Get them!” Wart ordered.
Several men rushed into the woods.
Alexandra exhaled. The growing twilight,turned everything indistinct in the fading light and would make itdifficult to track the guard and driver through the dense forest.Perhaps they could get back to Belvoir and get help.
Wart slapped the mud off him and pushed hertoward the felled tree. “You bitch. Get going before I shoot you.You too.” He motioned to Rachel.
