Page 18 of A Little Bit of Hellion (Ladies Who Dare #4)

F ifteen minutes.

Fifteen minutes was how long the carriage rattled on before it slowed to a stop. A familiar feeling spread through Theodosia as a memory flitted through her head, one from another day on another country road where she had been stopped by the Earl of Saville at the beginning of her travels to Brighton.

Field? Had he found her even as she sought him?

Anticipation filled her at the prospect of him once again chasing her down. She’d decided to head to Brighton, hoping to all the hopes and betting on those hopes that he would leave Ashford and set himself that way, too. That they can meet on the road again. The man had been following her around for weeks. She refused to believe he would stop now and head back to London just because she had sent him away.

A knock came on the carriage door.

Theodosia pushed it open without thought.

“Well, hello, my lady.” Theodosia’s breath caught. “Seems my men were correct.”

“Black Knight,” she breathed.

His face split into a magnificent grin, one that belied the ruffian he was. “In the flesh.”

Theodosia stilled. What a rotten turn of events. She patted for her satchel where the pistols were located, only to come up short. Drat it. She’d left the entire bag with all its contents at Louisa’s. She turned back to the man.

“You know, I never believed that man would leave your side. A pity. I was hoping I would find him here as well.” The Black Knight stepped aside and extended his arm, inviting her step out.

“What are you going to do?” Theodosia asked, stepping from the carriage since she had no other choice.

“Well, that depends on you.” His grin never wavered. “You and your companion are as slippery as eels, I must say. I have never had to work as hard at tracking someone down as I have with you two.”

“Why find us at all?” Theodosia shot back. “You received more than enough blunt from us.”

“I grew quite attached to the thoroughbred.”

Theodosia stared and the man.

He shut the carriage door, patting the vehicle. “And this carriage will bring us a marvelous penny or two.”

Lord. Exhaustion suddenly tugged at Theodosia. All she wanted to do was return to Mr. and Mrs. Bell, fall onto her narrow cot, and forget about highwaymen, horses, and betting books. To let her eyes close and be taken by a dream.

About him .

Field Savage.

Just where are you?

Of course, it was her own fault she even had to ask that question. She had let him walk away. She had sent him away. No matter how Theodosia looked at him, no matter how much she said it was for the best, she wished she hadn’t done that.

“ Also. ”

Theodosia caught the bandit’s gaze.

“Nobody steals from the Black Knight.”

God, can I punch him in the nose?

Just one jab. One.

“Honestly,” Theodosia muttered. “Is this the peak of arrogance? ‘Nobody steals from the Black Knight,’ says the Black Knight who must be permitted to steal from everybody. And just so we get the facts straight, we did not steal anything. We only retrieved what already belonged to us.”

“And you cannot see how that is a problem for me?” he asked.

“I cannot.”

He laughed. “You are rather relaxed for a woman who has been caught by a highwayman—a highwayman who cannot have word going around that his targets are stealing back the things he stole from them. Not only is it bad for my reputation, but it’s not good for my business, either.”

“Wretched business.”

“That feeds me and my men.”

That excuse didn’t merit a response. Did he wish for sympathy? Then make an honest living! She glared at the man. “And what, pray tell, are you about now? Do you want the horse back?”

“I fear it’s not as simple as that.”

An ominous feeling chilled her spine. “What do you mean?”

His shoulder lifted in a shrug. “I must make an example.”

“Of us ?”

Theodosia stiffened when he laughed. “Don’t worry, my lady. I won’t harm a single hair on your head. Your partner, on the other hand—well, I can’t say the same about him.”

Theodosia glared at the man. “I can’t let you do that.”

“With all due respect, my lady, you cannot stop me.”

He was right. She was one woman facing off against a group of bandits. She could already be considered lucky that they were not harming her. “A highwayman with a conscience,” she muttered.

“I’d like to believe so.”

“Do you know who I am?” Theodosia asked. “Do you know who the man is that you are after?”

“Titles don’t mean much to me.”

“Yet you’ve titled yourself the Black Knight, the infamous highwayman.”

“Allow me to correct myself.” He grinned. “Titles of the upper echelons of society don’t mean anything to me. My own means the world.”

“Well,” Theodosia said, hoping to Heaven she could buy some time in the wild hope that Field or—and she never thought she’d say this—her brothers might cross her path. On second thought, just her brothers, not Field. This might not end well for him if he showed himself here. “I am someone you should want to know.”

“Because your family has money.”

“Because I have six big, hellion brothers who all partake in boxing, fencing, and hunting. Three talents they will focus solely on you if you touch even one hair on my head, and by default, Field’s.”

“You must care for him deeply.”

Yes, not that this blackguard deserved to know it. “I don’t want his blood on my hands.”

“But it would be on mine, not yours, would it not?”

“If you use me to catch him, it’s the same thing. Also, I was the one who insisted that we steal back his horse.” Amongst other things.

And Field hated the sight of blood. If he fainted, he would be defenseless. She couldn’t have that. Wouldn’t have that. She needed to escape this. She needed to find Field and keep him away.

“There is no use arguing this point. We shall be taking the carriage now and you with it.”

“Theodosia!” came a bellow, followed by the oncoming sound of galloping hooves hitting the ground.

Theodosia whirled.

Field.

He was here—he had chased her. Quite a feat, considering she was the one chasing him. Theodosia didn’t understand how this man always found her, but she’d never been so glad, nor so anxious, to see his face.

“Field!”

“Well, look who came to the rescue of his damsel in distress. A true hero.”

Field laughed mockingly. “She is no damsel, and I am no hero.”

“Well, we can all agree at least that you have been caught.”

Theodosia cut a concerned glance toward Field, but the man didn’t hesitate to ride straight into the fray, dismount, and stride over to her, placing himself between her and the Black Knight.

“What do you plan to do to us?” he demanded.

“Oh, nothing much. Have my men vent their anger by roughing you up a bit while I take back my horse you stole as well as this carriage.”

“You mean to leave us at the side of the road again, this time battered and bruised?” Theodosia demanded. “If you are a man with a conscience, at least don’t hurt Field. He’d been shot recently and your man nicked his leg with a knife!”

The Black Knight paused, lifting an arm when his men came to take Field.

Theodosia saw her chance and argued on. “What if he dies from your men venting their frustrations? Do you really want an earl’s death on your head? Do you really believe the wrath of his peers will not bear down on you? You shall be infamous, all right, infamously drawn and quartered, a proverbial blood splat on the pages of history!”

Field slanted an inscrutable look her way, while the Black Knight gave an exaggerated sigh. “You do make some valid, if dramatic points.”

“Because I am the only one with sense here.”

The man laughed. “Very well, I concede. But mark my words, this is the last time I shall let you off.” He motioned on of his men forward. “Tie them both to that tree over yonder, Michael.”

“What?” Theodosia exclaimed. What madness was this?

“You didn’t think I’d just leave you like last time, did you?” the Black Knight said. “I’ve learned my lesson well enough.”

Theodosia cursed the man.

“Don’t you dare put your grubby hands on her!” Field growled when one man grasped her arm.

“Cooperate and all will be well,” the Black Knight said.

Theodosia tugged at Field’s hand. “Let’s do what he says.”

Field cursed and dragged his eyes over her body. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head.

“Thank God.”

Don’t thank too soon, she thought darkly. The bandits were wasting no time dragging Theodosia and Field to a towering oak. The rough bark dug into Theodosia’s back as she was forced against the tree. Field was pressed beside her, their shoulders touching, a silent reassurance in this ridiculous situation.

The men worked quickly as they looped coarse rope around them and the tree, binding them tightly enough that escape wouldn’t be possible on their own, the rope biting into her flesh. Theodosia could feel the tension in Field’s body, which oddly, helped ease her own.

Theodosia couldn’t help but wonder how many people had fallen into the same situation as she and Field had. These highwaymen seemed experts with rope.

She glared at the Black Knight. “Ruffian.”

“Indeed, my lady,” the Black Knight said. “I am a ruffian and more. But be glad I’m a ruffian who doesn’t like hurting people. I could harm you, as you and your companion did to my man, but for some reason I’m in a good mood.”

“Sir,” one of the men said, “should we double tie them?”

The Black Knight considered them before nodding. “Yes, these two have proved far too resourceful. Better to be cautious this time. Focus on their legs this time.”

The man nodded and motioned to the other bandits.

“Damn it,” Field muttered.

She concurred. “Well, this is certainly new.”

“I blame Sandgrove,” Field said as the men wound rope around the lower part of their bodies. “If it hadn’t been for him, we wouldn’t have had to rush to leave the farm and end up caught.”

“That’s true.” But they would have left eventually.

His voice dropped, hopefully remaining unheard by the two men who were fiddling with their knots on the other side of the trunk. “Your brothers are here. In town.”

“I know, they came to Louisa’s house.” She turned her head to look at him. “Where did you see them?”

“At a tavern. I managed to slip out unnoticed.”

Her gaze flicked over the Black Knight and his men. “How long do you think we’ll be tied here before someone stumbles across us and frees us?”

“Not long, don’t worry.”

“Oh, I’m not worried. Not anymore.”

“Not anymore?”

“I thought they were going to spill your blood today,” Theodosia admitted. The thought still made her pulse leap.

“You were worried about me?”

“I can hear the smile in your words, you know.” She cleared her throat, suddenly embarrassed. “I was merely worried that you’d faint if they did. However, if I have to be stuck here with anyone, I’m glad that it’s you.”

“Same,” he whispered. “It wouldn’t be half as fun or as annoying to be stuck here with anyone else.”

They looked at each other, and a slow grin spread from his face to Theodosia’s. The highwaymen faded into the background as their heads tilted closer, as though they would meet where their shoulders touched and...

The boom of a voice had them both jerking out of the moment.

“What the hell is going on here?”

*

Luck was definitely not on Field’s side.

Six men drew their steeds to a halt and dismounted with a leap, surrounding the highwaymen with grim looks and pistols aimed. Two pistols for each man. So, even though there were seven bandits in this group, twelve pistols were trained on them.

The Black Knight’s smile slipped.

This may not end well for Field, but it wasn’t going to end well for the highwaymen, either.

Though, quite honestly, given his recent revelations, his own bad ending was never really in doubt. He was on a path bound for misery. And all this was punishment for his sins as part of that deuced heiress list, no doubt. Though all of his friends had found love with the woman on that list, it had to be said.

And Field realized something as the Kings rounded up the bandits—he had held out hope for himself. He had actually held out damnable hope.

Kingsley strode over to them with a gloomy countenance. He motioned with a pistol to the man who had been in charge of securing them to the tree, Michael. “Release my sister. Keep that one tied.”

The man nodded and began to undo all his work on the ropes.

“I asked,” Kingsley fumed at him, “what the hell is going on here?”

Field glanced at Theodosia as they were being untied. She gave him a small shake of the head, whispering a quick, “Let me deal with my brothers,” before looking back at Kingsley. “It seems rather obvious, does it not Seth? We’ve been held up by highwaymen.”

Field didn’t dare move as the ropes fell from his body and one of the pups came to drag Theodosia away, while the bandit, Michael, retied him to the tree. The gang had changed but he was still outnumbered, and he was smart enough to know that if he wanted any future with the woman he loved, he would take whatever they issued without a word of complaint.

The pup he recognized as Joshua King laughed in Kingsley’s direction. “Well, you did ask, dear brother.”

Field sighed. At least one King seemed to be in a good mood. His gaze tracked over the Kings. Kingsley’s face resembled pure thunder. The one standing next to Joshua like an ice sculpture had to be the low-voiced Broden. And other two, obviously the twins Caleb and Biorn, appeared serious and ready for anything. They must have ended their search for the treacherous servants and joined their brothers nearly as soon as he’d left the tavern. How conveniently timed. One brother was missing—the youngest one, Francis, if he was not mistaken.

And then there was Sandgrove.

Field pretended not to see him.

Theodosia stepped up to her brother. “Seth.”

“Not a word from you,” Kingsley growled as his glare raked Field from head to toe when Michael stepped aside with a nod at his revised handiwork. “I shall deal with you later.”

“You will deal with me now!”

“Before you two settle into an argument,” Joshua pointed at the Black Knight and his band, “what do we do with these thieves?”

“Do we have more rope?” Kingsley asked the other brothers.

One of the twins tucked one pistol away but kept the other trained on the brigands as he quickly checked all the gear of the highwaymen. He tossed all the rope they had on the ground. “We have enough.”

Kingsley nodded. “You lot, on the ground,” he directed at the bandits. Then he said to Biorn and Caleb, “Tie their hands and feet together, and then bind them together as a group. Make sure the knots are tight.”

Field had to hand it to Theodosia’s kin—the Kings knew how to settle a matter swiftly. They had subdued the Black Knight and his men in a matter of minutes.

“What about the earl?” Theodosia demanded. “You’ve made your point, Seth. Untie him.”

“No.”

And they harbored serious grudges.

“You cannot simply leave him there!” Theodosia exclaimed, and Field could practically see her bristling.

“Why not?” Kingsley asked. “Has he not been doing whatever the hell he wants all this time just like the rest of these brigands?”

“That’s not the same and you know it, Seth.” Her words shot daggers at her brother.

Field wanted to reassure her that it was fine, but he wasn’t all that certain he wouldn’t make matters worse if he opened his mouth.

“I’m not debating this with you, Theo.”

“If he stays, I stay!”

Field’s shocked gaze flew to Theodosia. Her declaration was no small thing. But this was one of her greatest traits. She would never willingly leave a comrade behind. God, he loved her.

“You’d have us leave you here?” Joshua burst out. “With him ?”

Field held his breath.

“Well, it’s certainly better than leaving with you!”

And exhaled it on a bark of laughter.

“What the devil are you laughing at?” Joshua demanded, glaring daggers his way.

Instead of answering that explosive question, Field’s gaze dropped to the man’s waistcoat. “That’s a fine garment. Who is your tailor?”

“What the devil are you going on about?” the pup grumbled.

“Don’t answer him,” Sandgrove interjected, breaking his silence and striding over. “The only thing that spews from his mouth is insults.”

“On the contrary,” Field said. “His waistcoat is top notch. It’s a John Baily, is it not?”

“How did you know that?” Joshua asked.

If Field could shrug, he would. “I would recognize his stitchwork anywhere.”

“Well, you’re a dandy one, aren’t you?”

“There you go insulting me again. I just love waistcoats. I believe one should always judge a man by his waistcoats.”

“That’s enough.” Kingsley turned to Theodosia. “We’re returning to London, and you will be wed as soon as the banns can be read.”

“ What banns ?” Theodosia’s shocked exclamation mimicked the thud of Field’s heart. “What you do you mean by that?” she demanded.

Field cleared his throat. “Yes, what do you mean by that?”

“Sandgrove asked for your hand in marriage. I saw no reason not to accept.”

“Seth! That’s preposterous!”

“Yes,” Field’s growl instantly followed. “What she said. What the devil do you mean by wedding her to that fool?”

“I’d love to know that, too!” Theodosia exclaimed.

“I mean just what I said,” Kingsley said. “As for you,” his gaze burned into Field. Had he been tied to a stake, he’d have been in trouble. “This is a family matter. You will stay away from my sister, or we will deal with you as we see fit.”

“We should deal with him now,” Broden’s low, icy drawl came.

Joshua nodded. “I’d love to beat him to the dirt right now, too, but leaving the earl tied a tree with highwaymen to boot is much too appealing an opportunity to let pass.”

Damn blackguard.

“Joshua! Broden!” Theodosia admonished. To Kingsley, she hissed, “You can’t leave him here.”

“Oh, we can, and we mean to do just that,” Joshua said.

“What if something happens to him?”

“That is not my problem.” Kingsley glared at her. “I suggest you concern yourself with your fiancé .”

The words dealt a punch to Field’s gut.

Fiancé . And it wasn’t him. Bloody hell! Could they even do that? Though wasn’t that what he’d wanted to do with Selena? Marry her off to Warrick? But damn it! Then shouldn’t they be marrying her off to Field? Why the hell should they involve Sandgrove in this?

He glanced at Theodosia, who was fuming at Sandgrove. Would she allow this to happen?

“Are you merely going to stand there and say nothing?” she demanded of Sandgrove.

“I was the one who proposed the solution,” he replied smoothly.

“Solution?” Theodosia retorted. “What utter nonsense!”

Yes, what utter nonsense. She couldn’t marry that fool. He had atrocious taste in waistcoats. He had an annoying presence. He... he...

He wasn’t him .

Field couldn’t let it end like this. He struggled against the rope. “Let me go, you blackguards. Theodosia! Don’t you dare marry that fool!”

He lost sight of her as all six men blocked his view of her.

“Why are you doing this, Seth?” her voice scolded from among their ranks.

“Because you are our sister and we refused to see you ruined.” Kingsley turned to him. “Be grateful that we are only leaving you here, Saville. You’d best not show yourself before my face again. Then I will be obliged to act on what I’ve learned about you and my sister since my return, rumors or not.”

“Oh, I assure you, what you’ve heard is most likely not rumors.”

“Field! You are not helping.”

Joshua laughed mirthlessly, while the others cracked their knuckles, their faces stormy. “I see you and my sister have moved onto a first name basis. How troubling.”

“If you can see it, then why separate us?” Field growled, not even caring that he sounded like a lovestruck fool. This was utterly absurd. Marrying her off to Sandgrove?

“The mere fact that you said that tells me you are in need of separating,” Kingsley said. “I don’t trust you, Saville. From everything I’ve heard, and now seen, you are the worst possible match for our sister. She deserves better.”

“And Sandgrove is better?”

“Sandgrove didn’t have a hand in that atrocious list. Sandgrove didn’t cause rumors to taint her name. Sandgrove didn’t put her in danger. You did.”

Field gritted his teeth. He couldn’t bloody argue. But whether he was a good match or not wasn’t up for them to decide. And it certainly didn’t mean that Sandgrove was any better.

“This is ridiculous,” Theodosia’s voice blistered forth. “You cannot marry me off just like that.”

“I shall make you a good husband, Theodosia,” Sandgrove said, setting Field off on a wild curse chase.

“You’ll make a terrible husband,” Field growled.

“I’ll make a better one than you.”

“What a deuced joke, you are. Just like your waistcoats,” Field taunted. “Be a good husband to Theo ? Not you, not with her.”

“That’s enough,” Kingsley spoke up. “We’ll discuss this after we return to London.” He motioned to the others. “Biorn, Caleb, notify the constable that we caught the highwaymen and tell him their whereabouts. He and his men should also have found the servants who betrayed us by now.”

Field watched on in horror as the pups nodded and set off. “You’re really going to leave me here with them?”

“Are you anything different,” Joshua said, “taking what does not belong to you?”

Why not just call him a damn criminal to his face? As a weed, or even a lout, did he deserve to be ranked up there with highwaymen?

What are you even thinking, man? He must have truly hit an all-time low.

Field struggled against his bonds as Kingsley and the others led Theodosia back to Lady’s Louisa’s borrowed carriage. They allowed him not even the smallest sight of her. He only caught a brief glimpse of the ice sculpture following her inside while the others returned to their horses. Within a few moments they were gone.

“Bloody hell!”

They had taken her and left him here just like that. It wasn’t until they left his sight that the magnitude of what happened sank into his bones.

The Black Knight chuckled. “If I’d known you had so many troubles, I’d have left you alone.”

“I don’t need your pity.”

“True.” The highwayman sighed. “Perhaps I deserve yours. I must admit, meeting you truly has been my greatest misfortune.”

Christ, that sounded like something Theodosia might have said to him at some point in time. “Chasing after me has been your greatest misfortune, highwayman, not meeting me.”

“A fair point.” Another chuckle. “You must feel the same about me.”

“I do not.”

“You don’t?”

Field just shook his head. How could he regret meeting the man? Granted, the circumstances were unfortunate, but he would not have discovered his feelings for Theodosia had they not embarked on this wild adventure.

Then again, perhaps that was a misfortune. He wouldn’t be feeling so rotten now had he not discovered them. Or perhaps he would have. He just wouldn’t have known why he was feeling this way.

He glared at the cloud of dust in the distance, stirred up by hooves and carriage wheels as they went. They’d taken her away from him, and they’d left him there. They’d bloody left him there. Those blackguards.

I’ll get her back.