“Please, please be careful,” Nia whispered under her breath.
Heroics
Jasper had been experiencing a perfectly good day and did not appreciate having it mucked up by a few ambitious robbers.
As a result of sitting across from Nia, rather than beside her, he’d kept his hands to himself through the day. He’d gone too far the previous day. He’d do well to allow her time to become accustomed to the idea of all the things they could do together as a married couple—to experience the attraction between the two of them and let it work on her imagination.
Hell, they’d actually talked, getting to know one another. He’d learned that her favorite color was blue, and her favorite flowers were daisies. She liked chocolate in the morning and drank her tea plain, although she snuck in a few sugars when her mother wasn’t looking. He smiled to imagine the prim and proper Lady Gardenia doing something so very scandalous.
But now a few ruffians had the gall to ride up beside them, pistols blazing, intent on ruining what had been promising to be an almost perfect day. Jasper closed the door behind him and rolled his shoulders.
As long as the robbers were just after a little blunt, there wouldn’t be any real trouble. If they got greedy, however, things could get messy.
At least Nia would follow his orders this time. Hopefully. If she didn’t, by God…
He’d have to come up with some other memorable punishment.
“Just the two of them.” Peters’ voice was low from where he stood, watching the riders shift in their saddles. Both robbers wore cloths over the lower halves of their faces, and while one seemed at ease, the second man’s eyes shifted side to side nervously.
“Out for a leisurely ride today, gentlemen?” Jasper kept his shoulders relaxed, his hands loosely hanging beside him.
“This is a hold up,” the nervous one said, waving his gun from Coachman Will, to Peters, and then back to Coachman Will. The second robber’s weapon pointed at Jasper.
The match-up wasn’t at all what it appeared to be—which was two armed gunmen against a coach of mild-mannered country travelers.
Employed by Malum, the two servants possessed skills far above their apparent positions. Jasper had once seen Will shoot a pistol out of a man’s hand. Peters excelled at fighting with his fists and in his boots, possessed at least two knives. The outrider was capable of unnatural maneuvers and could subdue men twice his size.
And Jasper, well, he did what was necessary.
Period.
“A hold-up, eh?” Jasper chuckled. “Now why would you want to do that?”
The stop was a damned inconvenience, but one expected these sorts of difficulties while traveling long distances.
“Empty your pockets,” the less nervous of the two ordered. Jasper reached into his coat and then flicked over a single coin. Bouncing off the man’s chest, it landed in the dirt.
“Such a shame. Ride along now, sirs, and be grateful you aren’t swinging from the gallows this time next week.”
The nervous one glanced between his partner and Jasper, becoming even more fidgety. “Come on, Luke. Maybe we should find a different—”
“Shut up, Nebs.” The leader, Luke, cut the other man off with a snarl.
Nebs nodded, but his horse’s dancing feet gave away his nervousness. A rather magnificent horse, Jasper noticed. Not the sort a highwayman could afford to purchase.
“What’s in the carriage?” Luke directed the question to Peters, and then Will. Neither of whom answered.
“Nothing to concern yourself with. Turn around. Be on your way. And you’ll live to see another day.” Jasper hardened his voice. “Heed my warning, fellows. You don’t know who you’re messing with.”
Nebs appeared relatively harmless, but nerves could make the man as dangerous as his partner. Jasper wasn’t willing to play with either of them.
And above all, Jasper couldn’t allow himself to dwell on his own vulnerability, of Nia, waiting in the carriage behind him, terrified, but also too naïve for her own good. If he did, both men would already be dead on the ground.
“You aren’t in charge here.” Luke allowed his horse two steps toward Jasper.
The man’s first mistake was his decision to chase down this particular carriage.
The second was to ignore Jasper’s advice.
