and mounted behind her, offering no further objections to the furry bundle of his namesake she had tucked in a fold of her cloak.
Katherine perched uneasily, not astride, but not sidesaddle either. Her heart pounded, and alarm ran through her veins. She adjusted her skirt.
Nicholas took the reins, tightening his arms around her, and pulled her into his warmth. But she could not relax. Dread clutched her heart with each slight movement of the mare.
“I have not been on a mount since…since Edward.” The words stumbled out breathless and hesitant. Her heart pounded as the scene flashed through her mind. Her body felt, anew, the dawning horror as horse and rider missed the jump and fell, crashing down together. A gasp caught in her throat.
She felt a gentle squeeze. “Tis sorry I am.” Nicholas’s resonant voice brought with it a measure of calm, and his arms gave comfort. “This ride ’twill be aright. I will keep you safe.” The prickly stubble of his beard grazed her cheek.
She heaved a shuddering breath and pushed the memory away.
He tightened his arms around her as he slapped the reins.
They started down the drive, through the long border of stately oak trees. Katherine’s stomach pitched and tossed with each movement of the horse, even though they traveled slowly. They passed by the dark gatehouse, pausing while Jeremy unlatched and opened the gate. The loud and unavoidable creaking did not wake the old, deaf gatekeeper.
Katherine craned her neck to get a last glimpse of Ashfield. Even atop a horse, she was glad to be leaving—glad of every step that put distance between her and a terrible future. Glad, as well, to have a strong escort in Nicholas and a loyal one in Jeremy. Taking a deep breath, she turned her head frontward. She wished to never see Ashfield again.
As Nicholas urged the mount forward, her stomach lurched. She stifled a cry, grabbing at his hands. He tightened his arms around her. She felt pinpricks on her arm from Montford’s claws as the cat readjusted inside her cloak.
“I’ll keep you safe, lass,” Nicholas said, his low voice rumbling in her ear.
A rush of warmth ran through her and she shivered.
When had he stopped calling her Katherine and started calling her lass? And when had she stopped thinking of him as Mr. Eddington, or the Raven , and started thinking of him as Nicholas?
Katherine dragged in a breath. Tree branches rustled in the light wind. The rhythmic clop-clop-clop of the horses’ hooves echoed into the darkness, soothing her fears, lulling her. She sagged against him, easing her head into the curve of his neck, breathing in his exotic scent.
Katherine blinked hard and straightened up. What had come over her? Just because the man gave her comfort and promised her safety, did not mean she should not keep her wits about her. What would she do if thieves set upon them? Or highwaymen? Would highwaymen give other highwayman trouble? Was there some sort of Brotherhood of Outlaws? Did they have a code of conduct? Katherine bit her lip. It seemed quite unlikely.
As important, would Nicholas be the gentleman she hoped he was? So far, his actions had been unpredictable: either alarming or protective. Letting out a slow sigh, she acknowledged it was too late to have doubts. He was her best chance for freedom, and she had already gone too far to turn back. He had said his outlaw days were behind him, at least for now. And even though she did not understand why, she felt safe in the shelter of his arms. She would have to be content with that.
Katherine took a couple easy breaths to settle her stomach. A heady courage began to replace the fear coursing through her veins. Even though Cousin Alicia didn’t know she was coming, Katherine began to think for the first time in quite a long while that everything could turn out all right.
Katherine settled into Nicholas’s arms. Before long, her regular breathing told him she’d fallen asleep. He’d carefully kept their
Katherine perched uneasily, not astride, but not sidesaddle either. Her heart pounded, and alarm ran through her veins. She adjusted her skirt.
Nicholas took the reins, tightening his arms around her, and pulled her into his warmth. But she could not relax. Dread clutched her heart with each slight movement of the mare.
“I have not been on a mount since…since Edward.” The words stumbled out breathless and hesitant. Her heart pounded as the scene flashed through her mind. Her body felt, anew, the dawning horror as horse and rider missed the jump and fell, crashing down together. A gasp caught in her throat.
She felt a gentle squeeze. “Tis sorry I am.” Nicholas’s resonant voice brought with it a measure of calm, and his arms gave comfort. “This ride ’twill be aright. I will keep you safe.” The prickly stubble of his beard grazed her cheek.
She heaved a shuddering breath and pushed the memory away.
He tightened his arms around her as he slapped the reins.
They started down the drive, through the long border of stately oak trees. Katherine’s stomach pitched and tossed with each movement of the horse, even though they traveled slowly. They passed by the dark gatehouse, pausing while Jeremy unlatched and opened the gate. The loud and unavoidable creaking did not wake the old, deaf gatekeeper.
Katherine craned her neck to get a last glimpse of Ashfield. Even atop a horse, she was glad to be leaving—glad of every step that put distance between her and a terrible future. Glad, as well, to have a strong escort in Nicholas and a loyal one in Jeremy. Taking a deep breath, she turned her head frontward. She wished to never see Ashfield again.
As Nicholas urged the mount forward, her stomach lurched. She stifled a cry, grabbing at his hands. He tightened his arms around her. She felt pinpricks on her arm from Montford’s claws as the cat readjusted inside her cloak.
“I’ll keep you safe, lass,” Nicholas said, his low voice rumbling in her ear.
A rush of warmth ran through her and she shivered.
When had he stopped calling her Katherine and started calling her lass? And when had she stopped thinking of him as Mr. Eddington, or the Raven , and started thinking of him as Nicholas?
Katherine dragged in a breath. Tree branches rustled in the light wind. The rhythmic clop-clop-clop of the horses’ hooves echoed into the darkness, soothing her fears, lulling her. She sagged against him, easing her head into the curve of his neck, breathing in his exotic scent.
Katherine blinked hard and straightened up. What had come over her? Just because the man gave her comfort and promised her safety, did not mean she should not keep her wits about her. What would she do if thieves set upon them? Or highwaymen? Would highwaymen give other highwayman trouble? Was there some sort of Brotherhood of Outlaws? Did they have a code of conduct? Katherine bit her lip. It seemed quite unlikely.
As important, would Nicholas be the gentleman she hoped he was? So far, his actions had been unpredictable: either alarming or protective. Letting out a slow sigh, she acknowledged it was too late to have doubts. He was her best chance for freedom, and she had already gone too far to turn back. He had said his outlaw days were behind him, at least for now. And even though she did not understand why, she felt safe in the shelter of his arms. She would have to be content with that.
Katherine took a couple easy breaths to settle her stomach. A heady courage began to replace the fear coursing through her veins. Even though Cousin Alicia didn’t know she was coming, Katherine began to think for the first time in quite a long while that everything could turn out all right.
Katherine settled into Nicholas’s arms. Before long, her regular breathing told him she’d fallen asleep. He’d carefully kept their
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