Duncan’s gaze did not flick to the carriage; it stayed on the men.
“You have heard my warning,” he said. “Now you will move.”
“Or what? Yer Grace… what shall you do?” one of the men said, clearly mocking. It was unfathomable to them that Duncan could take them, as he was just one man and they were several.
Charity’s mind was spinning, and she was full of anticipation of what was to happen next.
She kept peering out the window and saw Duncan reach for his pistol. Her hands flew to her mouth to keep herself from screaming.
“Duncan,” Charity said without thinking.
The rider held up his hands slowly, mocking.
“Now, now,” he said. “No need for that, Yer Grace. We can be reasonable.”
Malcolm had joined Duncan now, and he stood behind him.
“Reasonable men daenae stop decent folk like this,” Malcolm said. “So be reasonable and step out of the way.”
Charity could see that the men did not expect any sort of resistance. She guessed that they must be seasoned thieves, hoping to extract anything they could from scared travelers.
They would have succeeded if Duncan had not been with them. But he was determined to stand his ground.
She noticed that one of the men was moving towards their side of the carriage, circling it almost. She realized with horror that he was trying to reach for the door.
Duncan must have realized it, too. He shouted an instruction in their direction.
“Stay where you are,” he said. “Inside.”
Matilda jumped at the sound and nodded quickly. Augusta, however, stiffened, her anger flaring in the worst possible moment.
“But how can he just say that when we’re in danger?” she said. “He is commanding us, thinking that we cannot make a decision for ourselves.”
Charity could not believe that Augusta was throwing a fit at this moment.
She shot her a warning look.
“Quiet down…”
“Now you’re mimicking him too,” Augusta said. “Oh, I don’t know anything anymore. Is it not better just to go back to Uncle?”
Matilda looked between them, terrified.
“Augusta, please do not say that, because they will hear you.”
Charity leaned closer.
“Augusta, you cannot mean it,” she said, and she tried to catch her sister’s eye. “You cannot truly believe that going back to Edward is safe, not after he locked you away and kept you from me, and this is not a conversation that we can have right now at this moment. Don’t you see? We are in trouble.”
“Yes, trouble seems to be following us everywhere,” Augusta replied. “I believe that I am going to go speak to the men.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Charity said, and then lowered her voice. “You are not going to do such a thing, it might get you killed.”
“Or it might not?” she said. “Why do you think that the duke’s decision is more important than mine? Is it how it's going to be moving forward now?”
“You are turning this moment into something that it is not,” Charity chided, feeling terrified. “Augusta, please. You may be furious with me later, you may be furious with me for the rest of your life if you like, but you will not step out of this carriage now, because you will be killed.”
Augusta’s lips pressed together, and Charity thought she might listen, truly thought she might, until Augusta’s gaze slid to the road and to the men, and something reckless and proud took hold of her.
