The Earl?
Erskine was tempted to scoff at the name. He had met the man in London.
What a loathsome excuse for a gentleman he is.
“Do ye think she was abducted?”
“No, her father has reason to believe she ran away,” the soldier explained and pulled out a scrap of parchment from his pocket. “Here, take this,” he passed Erskine the parchment that had an address scribbled across the bottom. “They are offering a good reward for whoever finds her.” At the number at the top of the parchment listed under the lady’s name, Erskine balked.
That is a lot of money indeed!
“Well, I will keep an eye,” Erskine said as he pocketed the parchment.
“Thank you, sir. Good day!” The soldier hurried on, leaving Erskine feeling bemused as he turned back to Billie.
“How strange that is,” he turned to the horse and patted the steed’s neck. His words prompted Billie to look up from his work with the bags.
“What is?”
* * *
Laura held her breath as she waited for Erskine’s answer.
She could barely believe the English soldier’s words she had overheard. She knew her father would have been looking for her, but she had not expected them to offer a reward, nor for herbetrothedto be a part of the company searching for her.
The Earl must really want my dowry if he is so willing to help search for me.
The thought disgusted her. Now, she waited for Erskine to speak as he patted the steed’s neck. Though Erskine thought her a boy, there was still every chance that at some point he would discover her deception, then… he could well hand her back to her father, especially as there was a reward involved!
“What is so strange?” She pressed the matter, unable to wait much longer to hear his thoughts.
“I confess, I daenae always understand the English,” he turned his eyes up to her and shook his head, betraying a small smirk.
“What do you mean?” she asked, finally letting go of the breath she had been holding.
“They ken this lady ran away, and yet they are offerin’ a reward to whoever can return her? It doesnae make sense! She went of her own volition. Here,” he fished into his pocket and pulled out the parchment, passing it to her. She took it warily, dismayed to see her name printed using the stamps of a printing press and the obscene number that was placed beneath.
“They clearly intend to get her back,” she said miserably, holding the parchment so tightly she thought she was in danger of tearing it.
“Seems more to me like the woman is a captive!” At Erskine’s sharp words, she looked to him, relieved to see he understood her thinking even when he knew nothing of the situation. “I just… I daenae understand the English.”
“That is not an English thing,” she laughed, softening her hold on the parchment as she realized she was safe from discovery, even if it only was for now. “It is these two gentlemen in particular—this Sir Hamilton and Lord Moore.”
“What do you ken of the matter?” Erskine adjusted his stance, watching her carefully. The strong green eyes that were now narrowed on her made her mind work quickly to come up with an excuse for her words.
“In the house where I worked, they gossiped much of these two gentlemen,” she gestured down to the parchment that also bore their names.
“What did they say?”
“That Sir Hamilton was a bully and as for the Earl,” Laura shifted uncomfortably in the saddle, “they said he had strange tastes in the bedchamber.” Seeing the Earl’s name on the parchment, she detested being so close to it. She handed the parchment to Erskine sharply.
“What kind of tastes?” Erskine asked with intrigue as he took the parchment back and slipped it into his pocket.
“Peculiartastes,” she stressed the matter, unwilling to talk of the particulars. She saw her words only made Erskine raise his eyebrows in wonder.
“Can ye nae speak of them?” he laughed eventually.
“Maybe I am not comfortable speaking of them!”
