In the end, it was she who watched Michael mount his horse and ride away from her.
RECOVERING THE GOODS
Michael had acquired directions to the earl’s estate while at the inn and was cheered to discover it was only a few miles south of Reading. And so, after less than an hour of riding at a comfortable pace, he found himself at the end of the long drive. What were the chances the earl was in residence? With the opening of Parliament a week away, it was possible he himself had not yet departed for London. Unless, that is, he had plans to court votes the same as Michael.
Best to assume the earl was in residence.
Michael dismounted and walked the horse into the trees so they would not be visible from the road.Damn, Lilly had a point. It would have been convenient to have a second along.
He didn’t like leaving the horse alone.
After securing his mount, Michael remained under cover of the trees as he edged around the perimeter of various sheds and outbuildings. The large brick structure was easily identifiable as the coach house. It was built adjacent to the stables.
A back door was left open, and no servants were in sight. Again, Michael wished he had thought this endeavor throughmore ahead of time. He’d been too bloody distracted by Lilly to think critically. What if his carriage was, in fact, hidden inside the coach house?
One couldn’t simply hop onto a carriage and drive it away. Horses required harnessing, and that took time. Time Michael wouldn’t necessarily be allowed. In those moments, he could likely be accosted by one or more of the henchman who’d attacked them yesterday.
And yet the thought of locating his team and coach and then abandoning them once again did not sit well with him either. Michael had brought his pistols with him, but he was only one man. Albeit a damned irritated one!
It took a moment for Michael’s eyes to adjust as he peered into the open doorway, but even in the shadowy building, there was no mistaking what he saw.
Parked as though it had recently been out for a Sunday drive sat his very own personal carriage, the ducal insignia displayed prominently. Michael was tempted to march up to the main house and confront the earl. But…again…he was but one man, and already the earl had shown no qualms at resorting to violence.
Creeping into the cool silence of the large structure, Michael quietly peeked into the windows of his coach. It appeared the contents had been untouched. His boots and greatcoat, along with the other men’s hijacked attire, were carelessly tossed on one of the leather benches inside.
His valise and the papers lay on the other.
Unwilling to risk losing the documents a second time, he hastily stuffed the loose papers into his valise and then turned to exit the building.
He could not retrieve the carriage by himself. He was going to have to go back to Reading and return with a magistrate. Hawthorne must be insane! Horse theft was a hanging offence, by God.
“I didn’t think we’d be so lucky as to actually find anything here.”
Michael nearly jumped out of his skin upon hearing Arty’s voice.
“What the devil are you doing here?” Michael’s voice rasped. He’d given the man explicit instructions.
Arty shrugged, sheepishly. “The baroness told me to follow you. She insisted you needed me more than they did and then ordered me off her carriage. Didn’t want to argue with the lady, Your Grace, though I’m sorry not to have been able to carry out your orders.”
Michael tilted his head back and took a slow deep breath. Impertinent wench! Then he glanced over at the carriage again.
“The team isn’t in here. Have you by chance checked the stables?”
“I have, Your Grace, and our team is in there—your team—Your Grace,” he said. Up until the other day, he’d never had much reason to speak with his employer directly.
“Did you see anybody?”
“A couple of boys—grooms.”
Most of the earl’s staff might have travelled with him to London. It was anybody’s guess as to the location of the stable master.
Michael was a duke, however, and he planned to exploit this fact. He explained his idea to Arty, and the two of them marched to the stable.
“You there, boys,” Michael called out. “Why isn’t my conveyance ready for travel? The earl said it would be in good repair and ready for departure today at noon. It’s now half past!”
The boys looked at him in utter confusion and alarm. They then looked at each other.
“Don’t you realize I am the Duke of Cortland, and that ismy travelling coach in there?” He pointed at the coach house. “I want it ready for departure in fifteen minutes!”
