by Shawnee Moon
People were running and screaming. Suddenly, a mounted guard broke through the multitude and fired at them. James lashed the gelding’s rump with the ends of the leather reins. Lacy screamed again as the gelding shuddered and blood began to stream from a hole in its neck.
“Hellfire and damnation, woman,” James said as the horse stumbled and began to fold under them. “Are you nothing but bad luck?”
“Please . . .” she whispered to the horse. “Please.” She clamped her eyes shut. Please! Whether it was a prayer or a threat she didn’t know, but to her surprise the animal regained its stride and began to run flat out. She opened her eyes again and gasped.
Ahead of them was a flock of sheep. Two shepherds and a dog were doing their best to separate the sheep from a flock of geese. A second dog was chasing a large white gander while the goosegirl attempted to drive the dog off with her crook.
Another musket volley passed over James’s head as he slowed the gelding to a trot and zigzagged through the flock. Another short gallop brought them to the city proper. James reined the gelding onto Drury Lane, oblivious of the stares and cries of passersby.
“See,” Lacy said, glancing behind them. “We’ve lost them. I’m not bad luck at all. I—”
Without warning a mounted soldier appeared from a side street, leveled his pistol, and fired. The gelding groaned and went down.
Lacy pitched headfirst off the dying animal and hit the ground with enough force to stun her. A heartbeat later James was yanking her to her feet again.
“Run!” he ordered. “Run, or by God I’ll break your neck before they catch us.”
JUDITH E. FRENCH
SHAWNEE MOON, Judith French’s fifteenth historical
romance, is the fourth and final book in the popular
“Indian Moon” series, which includes MOONFEATHER,
HIGHLAND MOON, and MOON DANCER. Other
recent titles by Judith include THE FORTUNE TRILOGY,
and THIS FIERCE LOVING. She and her husband of 36
years live with three Siamese cats, a Norwegian Elkhound,
and several resident ghosts, in a restored Eighteenth-century
farmhouse. When not writing or doing historical
research, Judith enjoys collecting folktales of the Chesapeake
Bay Country. Descended from earlyEnglish and Scottish
settlers and Lenni Lenape Indians, she is particularly
interested in Native American lore and language.
Judith is the mother of four children and a devoted
grandmother to ten. Her oldest daughter, Colleen
Faulkner, is also a bestselling romance author, continuing
the strong tradition of storytelling that has come
down through her family for many generations. Judith loves
to hear from readers and may be reached by mail at
517 Bridgeville Road
Seaford, Delaware 19973.
For a personal reply, please enclose SASE.
This book is a work of fiction Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Copyright© 1995 by Judith E. French
Avon mass market edition: June 1995
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
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First Kensington Electronic Edition: August 2013
ISBN: 978-1-6018-3092-0