“I am surprised after all the bawdy humor ye hear between the four of us,” Erskine still chuckled. He leaned over his section of the saddle, coming closer to her as he dropped his voice. “Come on, Billie. What kind ofpeculiartastes?”
She bit her lip before responding. She was not sure why she changed her mind, but it might have had something to do with how close he had placed himself to her. His words were now somehow impossible to resist.
“He has a vile reputation anyway,” she whispered. “He jumps from one bed to the next as it is, but… I heard tales that he is fond of having a partner in bed that is not always willing.”
“In the name of the wee man!” Erskine said loudly, jumping back from the saddle.
“Shh!” Laura urged him to be quiet, nervous of drawing the English soldiers’ attention back their way. She pulled her hat down a little further, eager to hide from any glances that were sent in their direction.
“He is nae a gentleman,” Erskine moved back to her side. “That is a demon!”
“I know,” she looked away from him, down at the weapon’s belt and the flintlock pistol that was around her hips. The thought of sharing such a demon’s bed was what had prompted her to leave. Looking at the pistol and the belt, it brought her a little peace. At least with them, she would have something to defend herself if the demon came looking for her.
If he is looking for me, then I have not quite escaped that fate yet!
“I ken he was a rake, an odious man, but that? A hellion he is! It is another level entirely,” Erskine spoke with anger, prompting her to look back to him.
“You know the man? You have met him?” She shifted in the saddle, suddenly finding it difficult to stay still.
“I met him last week,” Erskine put upon a shiver to show her exactly what he thought. “The meetin’ was nae of me choosin’. Aiden and Camden wished to go to a gamblin’ hall in London whilst we were there,” he gestured to the others that were preparing their horses to leave. “I found meself at a table with this Lord Moore. He had brought two mistresses with him.”
“Ah—that is another rumor that follows him. Apparently, the Earl does not believe in sharing his bed with just one woman.”
“I dinnae like him,” Erskine shook his head. “Ye should have seen the way he treated these two mistresses. I thought at one point he would strike one of them. I am fairly confident that the only reason he dinnae was that meself and the rest of the men at that table were watchin’ closely.”
Laura flinched at the words. She had been struck enough times in her life by her father, the thought that she might have had to face a life feeling the wrath of the Earl too was frightening.
That is not my life anymore. I have escaped, have I not?
Yet her gaze lingered on the road where the English soldiers were disappearing. If they were in Northumberland, then clearly the search that her father and her betrothed had organized was being set far and wide.
Surely, they will not find me in Scotland, at least… I hope.
“I daenae blame this woman for runnin’,” Erskine’s sudden words surprised her.
“You do not?” she asked in hope.
“Nay,” Erskine prepared to climb into the saddle himself as he pulled on the steed’s reins. “Any woman should run from a man like that. I wish her the best of luck.” He sat in the saddle and clicked his tongue, making the steed walk forward.
Laura clung to the back of the saddle, feeling her smile tweak her lips. His words only made her like him even more.
“They offered a large reward,” Laura pushed the matter, determined to know Erskine better. “There are many men out there that would have no qualms about handing the lady back to her father and her demonic betrothed. What would you do? If you found her?”
“Ye would really ask me that?” Erskine turned to look back at her with a laugh. “What kind of man do ye think I am, Billie? Nay. Nay amount of money would induce me to hand that lady back to her captors.”
Laura’s smile had grown very wide indeed as Erskine turned back to steer the horse forward.
I can trust him! I knew I could.
Despite this assurance, she bundled her hands in the loose cloth of her breeches, fixing her eyes on Erskine’s broad shoulders. He was clearly a better man than either her father or her betrothed were, but that did not make the situation any simpler.
I am still dressed as a boy, I am still in hiding, and I have deceived him. A man who does not like lies… if I told him, would he forgive me?
A part of her did not want to know the answer.
* * *
Laura thought the dark roads were rather aptly nicknamed. The tracks here were much muddier than they had crossed before, frequently the horses were bogged down with wet mud clinging to their hooves, and the roads were bordered with tall larch trees, casting great shadows across their group. Being so covered in darkness with little sunshine gleaming through the branches made the air even colder. Laura found herself shivering, pulling up the collar of the servant’s jacket she wore to try and ward off the chill.
