Rose knew the alternative but found unexpected comfort as Nathan’s hold on her tightened and his body leaned into hers.
Galloping beneath an archway of tangled oak branches, she ducked as they jabbed into her side. The horse didn’t hesitate and barged into the tangle of oak and yew.
“Bloody hell,” Nathan groused.
“What?” Rose tugged at the reins, and the horse slid to a stop. “What’s wrong?”
“The flag.”
“What?” She turned in the saddle, her gaze following Nathan’s. There, flying clearly in the breeze, atop a spire of the building they’d just escaped from, was a flag she recognized in an instant. Her breath exploded. “It’s the Zarrenburg flag.”
“It is, and if we don’t keep moving, we may end back there. Right now, I want to get as far away as we can.”
“But my papa may be there.”
“Possibly, but we’re no use to him at the moment. We need to rally and get more information.”
Rose knew he spoke sense, but seeing that flag flying so clearly and knowing that her father probably lay within the building’s walls, she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay and save her father. Instead, heart heavy, fear spiraling, she hunkered down on the horse.
A volley of shots rang out, along with the echo of horses’ hooves charging through the trees.
“Come on, Rosie, darling, we need to make haste.” Nathan dug his heels into the horse, jolting them forward. He held on to her, taking the reins from her hands.
“There!” Nathan shouted. “The river. Make for it.”
Shouts increased behind them, but a quick glance over her shoulder offered a semblance of relief. The guards were no longer gaining on them.
Turning back to the river, she spied the gate at the last minute. She squeezed her eyes closed as the horse leapt the rickety fence. Air rushed around them, her lungs refusing to breathe.
Then they were clear, the horse still upright, both her and Nathan still atop the beast.
“We made it.”
“Not yet.” Nathan reached into his pocket with his free hand and withdrew a pistol.
“Where did you get that?”
“Compliments of one of the guards. Now, hold her steady.” He took aim and fired off a shot at the leader of the pursuit.
The man fell from his horse while the others following careened into the fallen man and his frightened mount.
A cacophony of chaos reigned, a mishmash of shouts from the riders and the whinnies of the snorting horses.
“We’ve made it, Rosie. You got us free.” Nathan leaned closer and kissed her cheek.
For a fleeting moment, she wanted to stay exactly where she was, close to Nathan. Perhaps he might kiss her again. Like that first time.
“No time for daydreaming.” Nathan’s voice cut into her thoughts.
Damn it. That was exactly what she was doing. Dreaming.
How could she, when her father’s life was at stake?
Easing away from Nathan, she stiffened her spine and clutched the reins to stop her hands from trembling. What was wrong with her? It was a kiss on the cheek. Nothing more.
“Where to?” she asked.
“We need to keep off the main thoroughfares. Otherwise, we’ll be easy pickings.”
“You think they haven’t given up?”
“It’s unlikely, since they’ve gone to the trouble of hauling you off in the first place.” Nathan spurred the horse forward, and they made their way from the encapsulating coverage of the forest and down to the water’s edge. “There’s a small jetty not far ahead. Perhaps we can cadge a ride off a trader.”
Rose kept her gaze forward, focusing on the river. She needed to get off this horse soon so she couldn’t feel Nathan at her back. “And if they refuse to take us?”
“Let’s face that if it happens.”
The jetty loomed ahead, and Nathan reached in front of her, his hands wrapping over hers as he tugged at the reins.
The horse obeyed immediately. “It seems you’ve won the beast’s allegiance.” She grudgingly awarded Nathan a degree of admiration.
Blood streamed down his face. “Your wound,” she prompted.
“Can wait.” He swiped at the trail of blood with the back of his hand. “Only a flesh wound. Come on.” He urged the horse to the edge of the jetty and then jumped off, immediately holding up his hands to help her down.
Rose hesitated, and Nathan shook his head. “I’m not going to bite, Rosie.”
No, but he might kiss her, and she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to resist. He had disappeared once before. What was stopping him doing that again?
Better to resist temptation.
The moment her feet hit the ground she pivoted away from him, supposedly to ascertain which boat would be useful, but in truth it was to gather her scattered wits.
“They all look like they’re set to sail.”
“Aye, that they do.” He tethered the horse to a railing and walked along the river’s edge. “You. Boat master. Can you give us passage?”
A gray-bearded man looked up from his task of tending a fishing net and peered through tired eyes at them. “Who are ye?”
Rose stepped forward, dipping her chin and lowering her lashes. She tugged the collar of her jacket up a bit higher, anything so that the man would not recognize her as a woman. “We need to get back to the city as soon as possible.”
“So why not go by road or coach?”
“There they are.” The shout came from barely a hundred yards away.
“The soldiers, Nathan. They’re here.” Fear sprinted down her spine, and she stepped closer to him.
Nathan dug into his trouser pocket, the sound of coins rattling from within widening the man’s eyes. “How much do you want?”
The man peered at the gaggle of guards—six in all, Nathan reckoned. They’d not have a chance if the riders closed in.
The man shook his head. “Nay, it’s more than my life is worth to upset ’im up at the castle.”
Rose clasped the old man’s worn hand. “Who is it? Who are you talking about?”
He shook his head. “It’s best not to upset them. To do so is to play with death.”
“Get them!” a soldier roared.
“Nathan! The guards!” Fifty yards and closing in.
Nathan untied the horse’s reins and slapped the animal on the rump. It bolted off, charging directly into the oncoming guards, and then, in the next moment, Nathan grabbed her hand. “Run, Rosie, and don’t stop.”
Her feet slid over the damp ground, sliding out beneath her, and it was all she could do to cling to Nathan and stay upright. Her breathing labored as they raced along the jetty.
The second boat master had already seen the guards exit the forest and immediately set off from the jetty.
“Wait for us! Please, please wait.” Tears streamed down Rose’s cheeks, blinding her.
“Forget him, he’s gone.” Nathan charged to the end of the jetty. This was their last hope. He climbed on board the smallest of vessels.
The boat master shot to his feet. “’Ere, what you doing?”
“Borrowing your boat, good sir.”
“But I ain’t going anywhere.”
“You are now.”
Nathan reached for Rose and hauled her from the jetty and onto the small craft.
The first horse and rider drew up to the jetty. The guard dismounted, bending to aim his rifle in their direction. A shot rang out.
“Nathan!”
“Get down and stay down.”
He shoved at her back, and she hit the deck, crawling on all fours toward the bow. “Put your sail up, Captain.” He tossed a bag of gold to the boat owner.
The man’s eyes bulged, and then a second shot rang out and pierced a hole in the partially hoisted
sail.
The man jumped to attention, scuttling to the stern. “Set the sail, you bloody fool, and we’ll get going, though ’tis me the fool I think this day.”
The wind hitched at the sail even as it lifted skyward, and the small boat flew across the river.
Guards raced along the jetty as the boat caught the wind, the boat master an obvious expert as he steered the craft in a zigzag, moving into the deepest part of the river where the current flowed fastest.
As they neared the bend, Rose dared to straighten. She peered back at the jetty. The guards had dispersed. After what seemed the longest of times, she finally breathed. “Nathan, we’ve done it. They’ve given up.” She jumped up, closed the distance between them and hugged him. “We’ve gotten away. We did it.”
“And he’ll be dead by dawn if you don’t tend that wound. Me mother always said a head wound bleeds a plenty.” The man nodded to Nathan, and Rose stilled, arched back and stared at Nathan.
Except for the trail of blood still oozing from his wound, his face was bleached white, eyes dull. He began to buckle, and she quickly threw an arm about his waist. “Here. Hold on to me. Sit down.”
“Bossing again.”
“Of course. That’s what I’m good at.”
“Couldn’t agree more.”
Ignoring his attempt at humor, Rose reached for the hem of her father’s shirt that she wore and tore a strip off it. She dabbed it onto Nathan’s wound, receiving a wince in return.
“I’m fine,” he grumbled.
The captain squinted and fixed a firm gaze on Nathan. “Don’t look it, lad. You look done in.”
Nathan tried to wave her hand away. “It’s nothing.”
“So don’t be a big baby.” Rose dabbed the wound again, trying to stem the bleeding. It took a while, but with each passing second, the blood flow seemed to lessen. She drew away with the blood-soaked wad of cotton in her hand. “That’s it. I’m…”
Nathan’s eyes rolled back, then closed.
“Nathan!” Bending over him, she wiped the sheen of sweat from his brow. He’d slipped sideways as if asleep, but he muttered, “Don’t like blood.”
“What?”
“Makes me…”
“Oh, my goodness, you fainted at the sight of your own blood.”
“Didn’t.” Nathan struggled upward. “Just lost too much.”
“Fiddlesticks.” But he did look exceedingly pale. “Here, sit up.” She slipped an arm under his shoulders and drew him upright.
“Don’t fuss. I’m a big boy.”
“Who doesn’t like the sight of his own blood.”
“Not when there’s rather a lot of it.”
She shrugged. It wasn’t that she didn’t care, but since that moment he’d opened the door to his hotel room, she’d cared far too much, and the memories she’d thought long forgotten had flooded back with a vengeance.
Remorse attacking, she spied a flagon and tipped it up so that it soaked the scrap of fabric, and then rinsed it out. “Here. Sit back and I’ll wipe it clean.”
Brushing back his hair from his forehead, she held it there while with the other hand she swiped at the blood, some now dry and caked.
Nathan winced at her touch.
“Sorry. I don’t mean to hurt you.”
“Really? As I remember, you were always trying to be a pain in the…”
Rose dabbed the cloth to his wound a tad harder. “Oops.” She offered a half smile. “Did I hurt you?”
Nathan’s full lips pursed, and he exhaled in a long whoosh. “Not at all.” However, though sweat beaded his brow, the flush of color that had come back to his cheeks once again receded.
“I’m sorry. I should be more careful.” She took the cloth away, rinsed it again and resumed her task of cleaning the wound. Nathan said nothing, and she didn’t bother to initiate communication.
Satisfied she’d cleaned the wound the best she could, Rose sat back on her haunches and eyed her doctoring. “That should do it. The blood flow has ceased, and the wound is clean and, thankfully, not deep.”
“So I’ll survive, then?”
“Unless you crack it open again.”
“Definitely not something I intend to do.” Nathan pushed himself up, grabbing hold of the boat’s railing as his lack of balance tested him.
“You really should sit again.”
“We need to see where the hell we are.” He scanned the riverbank.
There wasn’t much of substance. A few houses dotted alongside the river, a fishing boat here and there. “It’s daylight.”
“The sun is nearly at midday.”
Nathan looked skyward. “True. Daylight has dawned, so it seems we were incarcerated overnight, since it was past noon when our captors decided to offer us accommodation.”
A tiny shiver dotted across Rose’s arms at the thought of that disgusting cell. “I need to get back home. Perhaps my father has already been returned.”
“Perhaps.” Nathan’s expression, however, told her he didn’t quite believe that. But she had to hope.
Strength regained, he edged along the length of the deck and spoke briefly with the boat master, his face grim as he returned to Rose’s side. “He says we’re near Billingsgate.”
“But that’s miles from home.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll find our way back.”
“I know, but…” She grazed a hand through her tangled hair, squeezing her eyes closed for a moment. Opening them again, she stared at the river and watched the water flow out from the side of the vessel. “I don’t understand it. Why would someone connected to Zarrenburg steal their own diamond? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Greed. It must be worth thousands of pounds.”
“But there’s easier things to steal than something so public. And if they’re stealing diamonds, why not the Koh-I-Noor? It’s owned by the Queen of England, for heaven’s sake.”
Frustration rode across Nathan’s expression, and Rose found herself concentrating on the man and not the dire straits they were in.
He had a strong face, an angled jaw and cheekbones that gave him a rather autocratic air at times. When he was being dogmatic, she rued. When he called her squirt.
Squirt. It isn’t so bad, is it?
A sudden cough spluttered up her throat. Attention riveted, Nathan redirected his gaze to her, a hand patting her back. The feel of him touching her, albeit through her baggy clothing, sent disconcerting waves of heat right to her toes and back up.
This felt different.
Stop it! She wasn’t allowed to like anything about Nathan Hawk.
She waved a hand at him. “I’m all right. You do not need to hit me so hard.”
“We’ve just survived being hauled off to someone’s dungeon, so don’t go and choke to death on me.”
“And I told you I’m fine.” She pulled away from him, wrapping her arms across her middle and dropping her gaze. She didn’t want to look at him, or let him see what she knew would be in her eyes. That she did want him to touch her. Hold her.
Maybe even kiss her.
Rose pulled herself together and lifted her gaze. She would not let him tease her like this. His mouth curved into that sensual smile she remembered. “You always were a prickly little pear, always pestering.”
“I was not.”
He chuckled. “Oh yes, you were.”
About to counteract his ludicrous statement, even though it contained a certain ring of truth, she forestalled her denial as the boat master called out. “The dock be up ahead. Grab the rope, lad, and make ready to jump.”
Rose pulled away from Nathan, aware of his quizzical inspection the moment before he turned to the boat master.
Land and safety were only a few yards away. The tide had turned, and with the sail eased down, the small craft cru
ised gently toward the dock. Nathan jumped to the jetty, quickly securing the vessel.
The boat master came alongside her. “I don’t want to know what ye done back there, but I tell ye one thing, if you mess with those up at that house, ye take your lives in your hands.”
“But who are they?”
“Already told ye I don’t know. But take heed. Several who put their noses where they shouldn’t have disappeared.”
Disappeared! Papa! Oh, dear God.
“Your warning is heeded.” However, she had no choice but to deal with them if she were to save her papa.
Nathan joined them and held out a hand to the man. “I’m sorry we put you in such danger, but we had no choice.”
“Aye, but ye both got away.” He jiggled the pouch of gold Nathan had tossed him. “A nice tidy sum be here, which means I can rest my weary bones awhile.”
Rose leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
A blush stained his face, but his delight was real. “Be off with ye, and you.” He wagged a finger at Nathan. “Make sure your young miss puts on a dress. Though I must say, a female in trousers is rather a novel thing.”
Nathan cast an assessing gaze at her legs. “I see what you mean.”
“’Tis shameful ye allow her to wander in trousers.” He shook his head.
“Allow her?” Nathan choked on a breath. “Tell Rosie what to do? That’ll be the day.” Eyes glinting with mirth, he offered a jaunty wave and turned, stepped across to the jetty and began to walk off.
Rose stared at his back, hands on her hips. “That’s right, Nathan, you can’t tell me what to do.” She crossed to the jetty but didn’t follow him, and Nathan kept on walking.
Chapter Seven
What now?
This had to do with Zarrenburg, but that was all she knew. They were several miles away from her home, and it would take some time to get there on foot.
Rose dug into her pocket and scraped up the few lingering coins. Counting them, she knew she had maybe just enough to hire a horse to at least get home more quickly.
Then what?
She didn’t know, but reason said start at home.
Prompted by an adrenaline rush to get moving, she glanced in each direction down the lane that sided the jetty, exhaling a relieved sigh when she spied the stables.
To Love a Thief (Steel Hawk) Page 7