“Is that right?”
“It is,” she replied. “In fact, I find it to be quite bothersome at times.”
He raised a single eyebrow, and she continued. “You appear a confident man, but that can be a sure downfall for anyone. The way you speak of yourself, as if you are some noble hero, has made me double over with laughter on more than one occasion.” She gave a firm nod, and he roared with laughter.
“It appears that once again I have upset the lady,” he said. “Forgive me.”
Constance smiled. She was enjoying the banter they had come to share.
“So, you think me a rogue?” he asked.
“How did you…” She pursed her lips. “That is, I have never said such a thing.”
“I overheard you two nights ago speaking with your sister. I believe your words were ‘He is a kind man, though I do wonder if he is a rogue’.”
“Apparently my whispers are still loud,” she murmured. “But yes, I believe so, if you would like to know. You wear the color of a rogue, and with your arrogance, I can suspect nothing less.”
She kept the teasing in her words, but he turned to her. “Color of a rogue?” he asked in an amused tone.
“Of course. Do you not know that rogues always wear black?”
“Heroes such as myself wear black,” he replied as quick as lightning. “Rogues such as Robert, they wear white. I am many things, Constance, but a rogue is not one of them, I assure you.”
Constance smiled. “One may think that you use your lessons as a means to take advantage of a woman. Do you deny this?”
Stephen shook his head.
“Then you admit you are a rogue?”
He looked down at her, his eyes filled with desire she could not ignore. “I admit that when a lady makes no attempt to pull away from me when she is in my arms,I take full advantage. That does not make me a rogue, but rather a man of opportunity.” Constance went to correct him, but he did not allow her the opportunity. “I suspect our lessons will continue. In fact, I am sure of it.”
She was thankful for the horse she rode, for the dizziness she had experienced as of late had returned. What had come over her since their arrival to the camp? At times, she found the man arrogant or crass, yet the confidence he wielded was great. As a matter of fact, it showed all the more when he held her as though she was one of his possessions.
Then, of course, there were his kisses, delightful treats she allowed herself on more than one occasion.
Her cheeks burned, and she knew she had to change the subject, and soon. “What is this shipment we are searching for?” she asked. “Is it money or gold? You will not rob innocent people, will you?”
“A woman,” he replied, much too easily for her comfort.
“The shipment is a woman?” she asked flatly. “I’m afraid I do not understand.”
“I told you once that there are those forced into prostitution.”
She nodded.
“Walter got word of a woman being transported to London for this very reason. It is our hope that by this evening, she is safe with us.”
Constance stared at him in shock. “How many women have you rescued?”
The path widened, and the sun shone down on them with no tree branches to block it.
“Over the years,” he said thoughtfully, “more than a hundred. Most have been returned to family, if they have any. Others, like Sally, remain with us. They learn to read and write and gain other skills they can use in life.”
“Sally?” Constance asked with a gasp. “She was a woman of…loose morals?”
“Not by choice, but yes. She was taken from an estate and forced to work in Cornwall before being sold to a baron near London.”
Constance’s heart went out to the woman. She could not imagine the horror she must have endured. “She is so happy,” she said, still unable to believe that the thriving woman had lived such a life. “This morning, she helped me dress and spoke so kindly to me.”
“Sally is fond of you, as we all are.” He glanced toward her and then back to the front. “Besides Louisa, there is no other woman I trust as much as she.”
Constance sighed. “Why is Louisa so determined not to like me? And please do not tell me it is my imagination. Women know.”
For a few moments, Stephen did not respond, but then he came to a stop at the crest of a hill. Constance stopped alongside him. “Look,” he said, motioning in front of him.
She did as he asked. The forest sprawled before them, a sea of greens and browns, and she was amazed by the sight.
“I cannot tell you much about Louisa, for it is her story to tell, and she is not one to share it with just anyone. Most in the camp, especially those who have been a part of it for a while know, but few others. I trust you, but I cannot reveal what belongs to another. I will say this, however. We have worked together for quite some time now, and we have a strong friendship and a greater bond.”
“I can see that,” Constance said grudgingly. “I must admit, the reason I wanted to come today was to prove to you, and more so her, that I am not simply a lady.”
Stephen smiled. “There is nothing wrong with that. However, as to Louisa, she feels for me in ways I do not reciprocate. She will come to trust you in time, and I believe the two of you will become friends.”
Constance returned his smile, though inside she did not believe what he said as truth. Yet, something tugged at her heart, something she needed to know, but she was unsure why. “Do you not love her?”
He sighed. “As a dear friend and one close to my heart, yes. However, there is nothing more than that. I’m afraid I’m now married to these woods.” This made them both chuckle. “And what about you, Constance Shepherd? Have you no gentleman who holds your heart?”
Constance winced as memories of Duncan returned. They had courted, spoke of a future together, and then her mother had fallen ill. “No,” she replied. “I do not.” She shoved the memories to the back of her mind. “We should be on our way. I fear the others have gotten far ahead.”
“You are right,” Stephen said.
As they started down the other side of the hill, Constance’s mind thought of what once was. How life had been perfect in one breath and then shattered in the next. She had so much pain hidden deep inside her soul, and for some reason, as she looked at Stephen, she wished she could share it with him. Yet, to do such a thing would bring about old pain she wished to forget. What good would drudging up the past do for her? For anyone?
No, some things were left untold, and she resigned herself to keeping her tongue still and her thoughts to herself.
***
Late that afternoon, they stopped not far from a road. Constance and Stephen had hobbled their horses, but Luke and Walter were ready to ride on.
“Travel south to the next village,” Stephen said, addressing the men. “If we have missed the carriage and you see it there, Walter is to return alone so as to not draw suspicion.”
“It is my height,” Luke explained to Constance. “I’ll draw too much attention if I’m seen once, but twice? It’ll cause alarm.”
“He is a decoy, meant to draw eyes to him and away from Walter,” Stephen said.
As the men continued discussing their plan, Constance could not help but think about her life over the past few weeks. Three weeks prior, she had been at a party at Lankster Manor, wearing a fine gown. Now she was in men’s clothing in the woods ready to help save a woman from the worst form of slavery. Yes, how times had changed!
The two men left, and Stephen went to stand beneath the shade of a tree. He drank from a canteen and then offered it to Constance.
She took it with a quick “Thank you” before taking a sip and handing the canteen back to him.
He tilted his head back and took another long drink, his hair hanging down his back, and she could not help but think how handsome he was. Perhaps it was his mannerisms, or the black clothes that stretched across taut muscles, or even his kind smile, but as he brushed
back a wave of dark hair from his brow, she felt her legs grow weak enough to cause her to reach out to take hold of the tree beside her.
“You should sit and rest,” he said, offering her the canteen once again. “They will be gone for some time.”
Constance nodded and walked over to take the canteen from him. After another sip, she returned it to him and lowered herself to the ground, her back against the tree trunk. It was no wonder men enjoyed sitting on the ground! Their clothing allowed them so much more freedom of movement.
She looked up at him. “I understand now what you do,” she said. “But I’m still unsure as to why. Is this not something that should be taken up by the local magistrates or constables in the village?”
“That is a valid question.” He sat beside her and replaced the stopper on the canteen. “Many years ago, my father fell ill, and our estate was already near financial ruin. With failing businesses and worthless crops, we had already dismissed all the servants. My father soon died, leaving my mother and me brokenhearted and with little money on which to live.”
“My sympathies,” she said. “Both of my parents are gone, as well.”
Stephen returned the courtesy. “We lost our home, and all we had was my title and a promise of refuge with a cousin in London.” He closed his eyes and rested his head against the tree trunk behind him. “It was meant to be a fresh start, a chance for me to rebuild our family name and for my mother to find solace. However, it all came to an abrupt end. We were on horseback, for our carriage had long since been sold, with no idea how long the journey would take.
“One night, we had misjudged how long it would take to travel between villages, and night drew on us quickly. Three men, one of great size with a scar down his cheek and with the cruelest of eyes stopped us on the road. They took every farthing we had and the last pieces of my mother’s jewelry and left us with nothing.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“I tried to stop them, but I was young still, and during the scuffle, the man with the scar killed my mother. That same man then stabbed me and left me for dead.” He pulled his shirt from the waist of his breeches to reveal a thick scar on his otherwise firm chest.
Instinctively, she reached out to touch it. “How horrible for you,” she whispered.
He pulled the shirt back down. “I lay on the side of the road, bleeding and angry for not saving my mother, who lay dead beside me. It was Louisa who found me. Though she was married at the time, we formed a friendship, and I vowed to leave my title and upbringing behind to return here to the woods where I was struck down.”
His eyes met hers, and she blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.
“For years, I learned how to survive in the forest, and with that knowledge I began to help others. It is my hope to one day find the man who killed my mother and ease the pain inside me through vengeance. Until then, I will continue to do what I can to save others from the same fate as my mother and I endured.”
All her life, Constance had thought men of the ton noble and brave based on stories she had heard. Now she realized that all those men did not compare to Stephen, a selfless man with a kind heart. Though he wanted revenge, he did not live a life of hatred and self-loathing. Instead, he dedicated himself to helping others.
As she gazed into his eyes, she could not only see his pain, but she felt it, and she reached out and touched his cheek in hopes of comforting him. Her heartbeat increased as the temptation to kiss him came to mind. Before she was able to utter words of healing, he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss began soft at first, but then it became eager, passionate, and alarms rang inside her. Old feelings that had been shoved into the corners of her heart began to stir, and with them painful memories awoke. Yet, his lips were hungry, and he forced her lips apart and probed with his tongue, and her traitorous body responded with the same urgency.
This kiss was unlike the others, more intense if that were possible. Her body betrayed her with its trembling, and her soul wished to feel as she once had. As their lips grew hungrier, she found it difficult to catch her breath, and the desire that had been hiding inside her surfaced.
Panicked by her reaction, she pulled away.
“Constance,” he murmured. “I’m sorry. Please, I do not know what came over me.”
“It is not you,” she said, pulling herself up from the ground. “I do not want to refuse, but I cannot allow this to happen.” The words she spoke, though true, had not been what had upset her. No, her body had deceived her in the worst possible way. These were not the actions of a lady, and she admonished herself for her boldness.
“I’m truly sorry,” he repeated.
“No, the fault is with me. I’m to set an example for my sisters, and even if they are not here, I came close to failing them. If they had seen me…” She shook her head. “It does not matter. Let us forget this ever happened.”
“You are right,” he replied, though his voice held a sadness to it. “Come. Let’s move closer to the road to keep watch.”
As Constance followed him through the deep underbrush, she could not help but think of that kiss and, more importantly, the old feelings that had resurrected in her. Though she had meant to forget what had just happened, she found herself unable to do so.
Well, she would simply have to. She had locked away such feelings before, she could do so again. And with a newfound resolve, she joined Stephen, this time no longer thinking of his lips on hers.
Not thinking of it too much, that is.
Chapter Nine
They sat hunched looking over a small embankment, the road below them a tight curve that went around a large boulder, disappearing from sight. Few had traveled the road thus far, but Stephen remained at the ready even when the road appeared empty.
He glanced at Constance beside him and wanted to groan. How could he have kissed the woman as he had? Her lips had welcomed his, and a deep yearning within him ached to be released, his hands wanting to explore and comfort her. Kissing her had been a foolish thing to do, but he could not take it back now. He was unsure if he wanted to.
Constance and her sisters trusted him and he had betrayed that trust by seeking his own needs and not theirs - nor that of Constance. The lessons, though meant to help her, had also allowed him to seek pleasure with her. His fear now was that the woman would want to leave, and he had no one to blame but himself. Perhaps her assessment of him had been accurate; a rogue would put his own desires before those of others, which was exactly what he had done.
Though he had long since sworn to never have feelings for another woman, Constance had possessed him from the moment he saw her. She was a true lady with a strength that she seemed not to recognize. However, he saw it, and it was a strength to rival the boulder below them.
Only a few in the camp, Louisa one of them, knew the reason why he remained in the woods. He kept such information hidden and yet he felt it was something he needed to share with Constance. Whether if it was the kiss or the simple fact he felt comfortable in her presence he did not know.
“May I ask what we are looking for?” Constance said, breaking him from his thoughts.
“That way down the road,” he said, motioning, “it splits into three directions. The carriage we seek may come from any one of them. As to the carriage itself, it is white with gold trim around the top, and the driver is quite old.”
“Will Luke or Walter return before the carriage goes past?” Constance asked.
“That is our hope, though they may miss it,” Stephen said. “It all depends on which path the carriage has taken.”
It was quiet for a few moments and then Constance said, “How did you come to know of this?”
“We often send spies into various places - inns, public houses, parties, wherever we believe we might hear a tidbit or two. Men boast of their deeds, especially when drink has loosened their tongues.”
He raised his hand to indicate silence as a white carriage came into
view. As the vehicle drew closer, he squinted his eyes and watched as it slowed down below them. The driver was young, and there was no gold etching on the carriage itself. What a disappointment.
“I see why you chose this location,” Constance said. “That turn is quite dangerous at full speed, and therefore, carriages are forced to slow.”
Stephen nodded as the vehicle slowed to an amble in order to traverse the curve without overturning. Once it had disappeared, he turned back to Constance. “Concerning earlier…I am sorry,” he said. “You and your sisters trusted me, and I broke that trust.”
Constance sighed. “You speak as though you have committed treason. I can assure you that you did not. The fault lies with me, as well. Regardless, we shall not speak of it again.” As she turned her gaze to him and smiled, he felt a sense of relief wash over him. “Now, what is our plan if the carriage arrives?” She patted at her hip, and he scolded himself for not seeing the knife there earlier.
“You will remain here,” he said, and her smile dropped. “It will be far too dangerous for a lady…”
“I may be a lady,” she snapped. “But I am one willing and making every attempt to learn. I have practiced with my knife and do not fear danger.”
Though he admired the woman for her courage, his mind flashed an image of his mother. He had been unable to protect her, nor she herself, and he refused to put this woman in harm’s way. It was true Constance was learning but she was not yet ready to defend herself.
“I am sorry.”
“Louisa is allowed,” Constance said. “As is Sally. Am I that delicate of a flower that you think I cannot defend myself?”
Stephen’s temper flared and he clenched his fist. “You believe that three weeks in these woods prepares you for the danger you may face?” he hissed. “You are ignorant to the first things concerning this way of life. And as for Louisa, she has had a dozen years of experience, which is far greater than three weeks.”
Constance lowered her head. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice and face sad.
Stephen’s heart broke, for he regretted hurting the woman. However, her confidence would cost her her life, and perhaps the life of the woman they intended to rescue. Then another carriage approached the boulder, and placing his palm against the tree next to him, a smile crossed his lips.
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