Though her sisters didn’t understand, she appreciated their support. She glanced toward the sky.I hope you’re with me too, Belinda. Continuing her way to the back of the coach, she untied Zephyrus. “I need you now, boy.” Motioning the footman over, she gained her seat and glanced once more at her family, then turned toward the road that would lead to Blackmore House and kicked him into a gallop.
If she was wrong, she was about to be humiliated again, but it was worth the risk. She’d always told her sisters that love was more important than anything. She would follow her own convictions to the end, whatever that may be.
She gave Zephyrus his head, hoping that everything was fine and Ebba had simply come up lame. But even then, she could imagine Marcus walking the rest of the way to the church. As she came around the bend in the road, she could see Blackmore House, the entrance to the drive, and Lady Blackmore’s coach pulling up at the front. Because of that distraction, she almost missed the black hat sitting not far off the road.
Pulling on the reins, Zephyrus reared. Since it was one of his favorite actions, she held on, well used to it. Once he landed, she walked him toward the black blot in the small field before the house.
Her heart hitched. It had to be Marcus’ hat. She scanned the short grass, seeing no one. Peering closer, she could see horseshoe marks, more than just one, but how many she couldn’t tell. Highwayman? They usually preyed on coaches, and doing so in view of Blackmore House would be most unusual. Then again, it had been a harsh year and people were desperate.
About to follow, she heard a coach on the road and looked back to see her family coach slowing. Not willing to wait, she walked Zephyrus along the faint trail until it reached the wood not far from the road, which did make an excellent place to hide. As the coach rumbled to a stop behind her, she turned to find Blackmore House was no longer in sight.
Joanna hopped out first, no footmen in attendance. Then helped Amelia down, before striding toward her. “Why are you here?”
“I found Marcus’ hat where I turned off the road and followed the trail to here.”
Joanna looked up at her. “I saw that hat. Do you think he may have been taken by a highwayman?”
“I don’t know.”
Amelia joined them. “Should we not gather our husbands and launch a search?”
Though she knew that was what she should do, she didn’t dare delay. She’d lost Marcus before and she refused to lose him now. At the remembered look of Madame Fontaine’s near-panicked eyes, she firmed her resolve. “You may gather them if you think it best, but I’m following this trail no matter where it leads right now.”
“Then we’re going with you.” Joanna stepped closer. “I have medical knowledge in case anyone is injured.”
Amelia joined her. “I can always act like a maiden in distress.” She looked at Joanna. “I certainly have had plenty of practice.”
Joanna rolled her eyes at the reference to all the plays she’d had them perform for their parents at Christmastide.
“I hope we need neither.” Mariel looked at her sisters, who hadn’t thought twice at staying with her, even though they’d thought Marcus had purposefully abandoned her.
“So do I, but the coachman will wait here in case we need to go for help.” Joanna sighed. “I’m sure our husbands will follow soon.”
She glanced above the coach. It wouldn’t be seen from the road, so they’d have no idea where they were, but it didn’t matter. She had to continue because the man that was to beherhusband was in trouble.
“No. Tell the coachman to go to the duke and the earl and have them follow us. Then follow the trail if I lose you.” With those directions, she urged Zephyrus into the wood.
At first, the trail was easy to follow, but as she rode deeper, the ground was full of last year’s leaves. If it hadn’t been for a broken twig here and there, she would have wandered off in the wrong direction. As she wound her way through a particularly dense area, she suddenly found herself in a small clearing. Unfortunately, she wasn’t alone, and from the pistol the wide-chested man with the bleeding bruise on his cheek pointed at her, she wasn’t welcome either.
Chapter Twenty
“Well, if itisn’t the pretty bride.”
Marcus forced his eyes to open, though they’d already started swelling.Mariel!His heart seemed to stop in his chest. What was she doing? She should be at the church or home with her family. Far from Cobby. Dread gave him renewed strength.
Desperate, he tried to wriggle his hands from the rope cutting into his wrists, holding him to the tree, but they were half numb as it was. The juxtaposition between Mariel’s beauty and Cobby’s ugliness was like a reflection of opposite souls.
Cobby motioned with his pistol. “Do come and join us.”
He wanted to tell her to gallop away, but even Zephyrus wasn’t faster than a bullet. And he knew from the wound in his shoulder that Cobby was anxious to shoot.
Mariel did as she was bid, her horse taking just a few steps further into the clearing, opposite from where he was tied. Cobby approached her, limping from their fight, still holding the gun on her. “Throw me those reins.”
Again she did as told, keeping her focus on the man.
“Well, captain. What a pleasurable turn of events this is. I do enjoy an audience, don’t I Stiff?”
The man with a cut lip, who had tied his hands after Cobby shot him, grinned. “Yeah, you do. Seen how you made that pretty sing last night, I did.” The man had the audacity to wink at Mariel. “An’ you sure is a pretty one.”
