Highroad

by Jeanie P Johnson

  “Heavens, there are two of them now,” The driver moaned.

  “Come out of the carriage,” the Irishman demanded, as he got down from his horse, and Marybeth, and her parents stepped down. “Well what have we here?” the Irishman, smiled. “If it isn’t a little beauty?” He patted her cheek.

  “You keep your hand off of my daughter,” Mr. Banning ordered.

  “He is right,” Lavonia called to him from the saddle. “We came to rob them, not make love to them.”

  “I would give you a turn,” the Irishman chuckled.

  “Just get the money,” Lavonia ordered.

  “If you say so,” the Irishman relented.

  He held out his bag, and ordered their valuables deposited in it, as Lavonia watched on. “Don’t take the wedding ring,” Lavonia ordered, and he looked up at her under the brim of his hat.

  “A sentimental fool?” he asked, with a smile, as he passed over the wedding ring. When everyone had put their jewelry, and money into his bag, he paused and looked closer, at Marybeth. “Could you be hiding something?” he asked, looking down at her breast. He took one gloved finger and ran it across the top of her breast.

  “I told you, we don’t have time for your love making,” Lavonia hissed, when she saw what the man was doing.

  “Who said anything about making love?” the Irishman, stated, as he reached his gloved fingers down between Marybeth’s breasts, and pulled out a roll of money. “The perfect hiding place,” he chuckled. Lavonia realized that maybe Grange had been right about any smart highwayman knowing about hiding things between one’s breast. “Have you hidden anything else?” he asked, “Pull up your skirt!”

  “What?” Marybeth shrieked.

  “You heard me,” he growled.

  “Is this necessary?” Lavonia asked, feeling a little perturbed with the man.

  “If she has hidden something down her breasts, no telling where she has hidden other items,” he informs Lavonia. “Now do as I say,” he turned to Marybeth again.

  Slowly Marybeth raised her skirts, and the Irishman began feeling over her legs through her pantaloons. Lavonia was as shocked as Marybeth, and was angry as well, but she was supposed to be a man, so she tried not to make it obvious that she wasn’t.

  “Nothing there,” the Irishman smiled. “Such a pity too, considering I would have enjoyed retrieving it,” he leered at her. “You can put your skirt down now.”

  Mrs. Banning looked like she was about to faint, and Marybeth’s face had turned crimson. Lavonia could see it from where she was mounted on Thunderbolt. She noticed the girl was trembling, and Lavonia’s lips pursed, in a ridged line. This man was going to have to be dealt with, she decided.

  The group, started to turn back to the carriage, but the Irishman laid his hand on Marybeth’s shoulder. “My partner frowns on me doing any love making, but I will at least leave you with something to remember me with,” he said, and took the girl in his arms, giving her an ardent kiss.

  Lavonia watched on, remembering the kiss she had shared, with Grange. She noticed that Marybeth did not try to push him away. Instead she put her arms around his neck, in the same way she had done to Grange, and her stomach churned at the remembrance of the moment. When he released her, Marybeth made a little murmuring sound, and then the Irishman, helped her up into the carriage. He even helped Mrs. Banning, while Mr. Banning frowned at him.

  Lavonia narrowed her eyes at the man. What was he doing here anyway, she wondered? He probably read about the robbery’s in Grange’s rag, and wanted a share of the action.

  When the carriage pulled away, Lavonia put her pistol back in her pocket. “What was that all about?” she demanded. “A kissing bandit? Now I have seen everything!”

  “It puts them off guard, and gives them something to titter about when they tell of their experience. I was doing her a favor, since she looked like she had been kiss starved, and with such lovely breasts too.”

  “You have no finesse,” she frowned.

  “I thought all Frenchmen were lovers,” he responded, with a chuckle.

  “We do not take women on the road, and maul them,” she threw back at him.

  “Then you have missed the joy of being a highwayman,” he laughed.

  “You can divide that up with me now,” Lavonia said, nodding at his bag, and trying to ignore his laughter.

  “Of course. I am a fair man, even if I am a highwayman,” he responded. “Hand me your bag.” Lavonia handed it over, and the Irishman divided up the loot, handing her bag back to her. “So how long do you expect to be working here?” he asked her with a smile, as he looked at her from under the brim of his hat.

  “Until I decide it doesn’t entertain me any longer,” Lavonia sighed.

  “So you do this for entertainment?” he asked.

  “Among other things. I do need the money.”

  “Not enough pay in the job you already hold?” the Irishman questioned.

  “I do not hold a job. Thus the need for entertainment and money,” she laughed.

  “You would think a man of your talents could turn up some sort of work. You are very handy with a gun, perhaps you should go out for police work,” he suggested.

  “I will keep that in mind,” she smiled. “And why are you into highway robbery?” she returned.

  “It suits me for now,” he smiled. “Who knows about tomorrow?”

  “Then I will not have to worry about you joining me in the future,” she stated.

  “Meet me at the highroad tomorrow at midnight. There is a high stakes card game at the clubs. I will discover who is winning, so we will know which carriage to rob,” he chuckled.

  “Very well. Perhaps you will be handy to have around after all, Irish,” she told him.

  He laughed at the name she called him, “Then until tomorrow night, Frenchy,” he replied, and rode away, leaving her sitting at the top of the hill watching his horse lift easily over the road.

  Something told her, it was not a good idea to partner with the Irishman, but the excitement, of fooling him into believing she was a man, and watching the way he kissed Marybeth, caused excitement to flow through her veins. She actually felt like she was living again!

  Grange threw the mask down on his desk at his office. Well he managed to find her highwayman. He knew when Lavonia left the dance early, she had something up her sleeve. She must be the one who chooses which carriage to rob, and sends the highwayman to the right road. The moment Marybeth talked about hiding the money between her breasts, he could see the wheels turning in Lavonia’s head. Now all he needed to do was find a way to prove it was Lavonia that was directing the highwayman, let Lavonia know the gig was up, and then put a stop to the foolishness. But until then, he would have to turn highwayman himself.

  Kissing Marybeth, was not so bad, though, he chuckled to himself. She had been trying to snag him into such a position for so long, he decided to give her what she wished for without her even knowing about it, and screaming that he compromised her. But compared to Lavonia’s kiss it was nothing. There was some sort of passion that was part of Lavonia’s very essence, that Marybeth would never acquire, he realized.

  Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. He was a highwayman, and he could get away with it, he thought. But it would have to wait for a bit, he told himself. At least until after tomorrow night’s robbery.

  Lavonia was curious to see if the accounts of the kissing Bandit would be published in the morning paper. She was disappointed to discover there was no account, so Grange probably did not know about it yet. She was certain that Marybeth would report the account to him as soon as she could, so it would probably be in the next day’s rag, she thought. Perhaps she should take a ride in her buggy through the park, to see if Marybeth had spread her tale.

  “If it isn’t the lonely bored widow,” she heard Grange’s voice call, as he rode up beside her on his horse. “I am surprised that you have bothered to come out for some air,” he smiled down at her. “It is always
nice to see your lovely face, though.”

  Lavonia looked up at him through the dark netting pulled over her face. He seemed to have grown even more handsome, since the last time she saw him, she thought. If only his manners matched his looks, she wouldn’t have sent him packing. “I couldn’t stand another moment of those yapping dogs, and the horrible interior of the Paddington house. The woman doesn’t have an ounce of taste. The place is simply mid-evil!”

  “You will never guess,” he drawled. “Sweet Marybeth, came into my office this morning in hysterics. She had just left the police station, and wanted to be the first one to give me a first hand account of a highway robbery. It seems there are two of them working together now.”

  “Really? Do you think there is enough room in this small town for two highwaymen?” she chuckled. “Well at least now you do have something to write about. Just imagine after we thought there was nothing to put excitement into this dreary place, we end up with two highwaymen!”

  “Yes, and one of them was so bold as to kiss sweet Marybeth. I would wager that she loved every minute of it. Now she has something to relate to all her friends, and cause the gentry to hang on her every word.” he laughed.

  “I thought you liked her.” Lavonia raised her eyebrows as Grange gave the hearty laugh.

  “She has her moments,” he said slyly. “So I guess your wish has been doubly granted. I can stop focusing on your dull life, and write about the kissing bandit.”

  “A shame that only one got to kiss her,” Lavonia simpered.

  “She tells me the other one looked like a mere boy, and stayed on his horse the whole time. But he shot the hat right off of the driver, so I guess he is the back up of the two.”

  “Maybe they are brothers working together,” she suggested. “The older one teaching the younger one his trade.”

  “You may have a point there, except one is Irish, and the other French,” he pointed out. “I am going to have to go work on my type setting. This highwayman, or should I say highwaymen, are keeping me busy. I have never enjoyed Marybeth’s company as much as I did, when she told me her story. She was simply exalted to believe she would be the center of a news report!”

  “I told you to write about her a long time ago. Now she is going to milk it for all it is worth,” Lavonia laughed.

  “Maybe I should leave her name out of it, since the bandit kissed her, saying I wish to protect the innocent,” he chuckled.

  “That would be just like you, and then Marybeth would be so disappointed.”

  “Well, at least she got her kiss,” he smirked, and then rode on ahead of her buggy, when he saw Marybeth, surrounded by other riders. “Looks like she is not wasting any time getting her drama out,” he called over his shoulder at Lavonia.

  When Lavonia met the Irishman on the highroad, he had a frown on his face. “We will not be robbing tonight,” he said in a resigned voice.

  “Why not?” she asked.

  “Because of who won the pot. It was a man who deserved to win. He one time almost lost his house at the tables. But instead, he lost his daughter.”

  Lavonia gasped. He was talking about her father, so the Irishman must be someone from the town. Of course everyone knew about her father’s gambling loss, since it was written up in Grange’s rag, so it was impossible to guess who the Irishman was. Apparently he had some ethics after all, and it rose her estimation of him a notch.

  “Very well. Apparently you do have a little fineness,” she smiled.

  “Small miracles that they be,” he responded.

  “I suppose we will have to wait until the next large event where people will be wearing their finest,” she suggested.

  “I believe you are right. I will meet you at the highroad again, at that time, and we will decide who our next victims shall be.”

  “Before or after the event?” she asked.

  “I think after, at midnight,” he responded.

  Then the two of them parted, and Lavonia thought about how he had protected her father from being robed. She had not spoken to her father since the night he had lost her to Max, but her anger at him was still not spent.

  A week later, Lavonia stepped into her carriage on her way to the banquet that was to be held at the Banning house. She would have to leave early in order to meet the Irishman at midnight on the highroad, but she felt it was necessary to make a showing. She was feeling excited already.

  The carriage had not gone far, when it came to a jarring halt. The door was roughly flung open. Lavonia took in her breath, when she saw it was the Irishman, dressed in his highwayman costume! The rouge! He was working the streets before midnight! He wanted to get a bigger portion of the plunder and not share it with her! She knew she couldn’t trust him! “You may step out of the carriage,” he told her, and she obeyed, realizing how her victims must feel, when she ordered them out of the carriage.

  Grange looked at her shaking, before him. If this did not convince her to stop her highwayman business, he did not know what would? He wanted her to experience what the victims of her highwayman felt, before it got completely out of hand, and someone ended up getting hurt.

  “I have no money,” she told him in a small voice, though she really wasn’t frightened of him. “And as you can see, I have no jewels, either. You will have to go rob another carriage,” she insisted.

  “Is that so?” he asked, coming a little closer. “Are you sure you do not have a little something, hidden somewhere?” he asked.

  “I am certain,” she replied.

  “And you think I would believe your word?” he asked with a laugh. “I will have to discover for myself,” he told her, as he took his glove off, and dipped his fingers down between her breasts.

  Lavonia took in her breath, holding it, as his fingers wandered down between her breasts, but he did not stop there. His hand reached around one breast, and began to caress it, running his finger over the top of her shivering nipple. “Sir!” Lavonia shivered, “You can see I have no money hidden there.”

  “But what you do have hidden there, is more valuable than money,” he whispered, “So I will try the other one as well,” and his hand reached over to her other breast, repeating the procedure.

  Lavonia, tried not to whimper at his touch, as he gently smoothed his finger over her, even longer this time. Her indignation rose within her. When he removed his hand, he chuckled. “Apparently, you were telling the truth about having no money hidden there, but there are other places to look,” he told her, and he knelt down and lifted her skirt, putting his head underneath, as he began to run his hands over her legs, very slowly.

  “I must insist that you refrain from what you are doing,” Lavonia, barely squeaked.

  “When I am finished,” she heard his muffled reply.

  She could feel his breath on her, as his hands continued to search up her leg, until his fingers were at the opening of her pantaloons, and she could feel them against her shivering skin. “Oh, I think I have found something,” he whispered, and she felt him very gently touch her between her legs, and she let out a little cry.

  “Please sir, we are in the middle of the street!”

  He lifted her skirts, and came out from underneath them. “So you are right,” he murmured. “You look more than kissed starved,” he whispered, as his lips came closer to her own lips. “I think we shall have to resolve the problem. Since you have no money or jewels to offer, I will just have to make it more worth my while,” and he picked her up and placed her in the carriage, ordering the driver to get down. Then Grange climbed up into the driver’s seat, and called his horse to follow.

  This was his only chance to make love to Lavonia, he told himself, and like Marybeth, she would never know it was him, but perhaps he could show her that a woman could feel pleasure at a man’s hands, and she will not fear men so much as a bed partner in the future.

  The horses pulled the carriage through town, as Lavonia sat in fury, inside. She wondered if she should try to leap from the c
arriage, but he was driving so fast, she was afraid to attempt it. Eventually it came to its destination, to a room above the club, where he sometimes took his women of the night. When the carriage bounced to a stop, he leapt down and opened the door, ordering Lavonia out. She knew his gun was in his pocket, and so she obeyed his directions, and climbed the back stairs up to his room, as he prodded her on. Once inside, he lit a candle on the table, and then ordered her to take her clothes off.

  “You will never get away with this,” she spat at him.

  “We shall see,” he told her, as he watched her trembling hands disrobe herself. “You are a very beautiful woman. You look like you need the touch of a man in your life.”

  “Hardly!” she snapped.

  “Continue,” he ordered, when she stopped at her pantaloons and shift. “Or would you like me to do it for you?” he asked, as he started to stand up.

  “No!” she cried. “I will do it.” and she continued to remove her clothes as he watched her, leaning back in his chair with a smug smile upon his face.

  And to think she was partnered with this man, she thought, furiously, to herself. When the last of her clothes fell to the ground in a ruffle of lace and silk, he ordered her onto the bed. This was almost as bad as her wedding night, Lavonia, thought with a shudder, as her trembling over took her body. But she had lived through her wedding night, so she decided she could live through this. But the next time she met on the highroad with the brazen Highwayman, she would part company with him, and insist they no longer remain partners! Then he snuffed out the candle.

  Lavonia could hear each boot fall to the floor, as he removed it, while she lay trembling on the bed. Then the swish of material, caught her ear, as he removed his shirt. The clink of his belt buckle was partially muffled, as it struck the floor, besides his trousers, and she could sense he was walking towards the bed.

  Lavonia held her breath, as her heart tap danced against her ribs. Her entire body tensed, in anticipation of his assault. She had lived through it once with Max, so she could live through it again, she kept telling herself. “Well get it over with,” she hissed. “What are you waiting for?”