Patricia Rowell - A Treacherous Proposition

If the pursuer did not already know.

The certainty that he was being watched grew in Vincent. Had he been on the watch for someone, he would pay close attention to the crossroads. Very close attention.

“Which way, me lord?” Throckmorton peered into the darkness uneasily.

“I don’t think it matters. Don’t look about too hard. Just drive on for a bit.”

Throckmorton flicked the reins and headed down the westernmost lane. Vincent climbed onto the roof of the coach and stretched his long frame out between the trunks, watching their back road for several minutes. The moon having set, he saw nothing in the faint starlight. Nor did he hear anything.

But the prickles along the nape of his neck refused to abate.

He returned to the box. “Pull over to the edge of the road.”

Throckmorton complied and Vincent descended and opened the door. “Diana, I want you three to get out of the carriage for a little while. Can you manage?”

“I suppose so.” He could hear the puzzlement in her voice. “But what about the children? They are both asleep.”

“We will carry them.” He beckoned to Throckmorton. “Take Selena. I’ll carry Bytham.”

“But…why?” Diana clasped his shoulder to anchor herself as she climbed out. “Won’t it seem odd if someone sees the coach sitting here empty?”

“If their intentions are innocent, they will think no more of it than that the driver is answering a call of nature. If their intentions are otherwise, we will be ready for them.” Vincent ushered her away from the road, up the bank and through the smaller trees, gripping her arm to help her up the slope. Throckmorton scrambled after them easily, Selena’s weight appearing to bother him not at all.

When he found a huge oak tree, Vincent pulled Diana behind it. He kicked away what debris he could and looked about for unfriendly residents. A futile exercise. How would he see any small creature, friendly or otherwise, in the shadows of the woods? He had no choice but to lay Bytham on the ground and hope that nothing bit him. Throckmorton followed suit, propping Selena against the tree.

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