My Lady Smuggler by Margaret Bennett

Author:Margaret Bennett [Margaret Bennett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Nov. Rom
Published: 2014-01-15T23:00:00+00:00

*** Chapter 10 ***

The return crossing was uneventful. Curled up in the back of the stern, Rosalind stayed by Tolly. At one point, Melvyrn came back and asked Tolly, “How far are we from Folkestone?”

“Several hours.”

“The boy?” Melvyrn asked. “He’ll be all right?” He looked down at her, but with his cap pulled low, Rosalind could not read his expression.

“Go up front,” Tolly growled. “I’ve got the lad.”

Melvyrn didn’t move. “At some point, I’d like to talk to the lad.”

“Don’t need to,” Tolly answered gruffly. “You got the Frenchman now.”

The two men stared at each other for several tense moments before Melvyrn said, “Aye, Captain.” Then he turned on his heel and made his way toward the bow.

Hours later, when Tolly called out for Cleggs and Finley to look alive, Rosalind knew when they were close to the coastline. Rousing herself, she found a woolen blanket around her and instinctively knew Tolly had draped it over her. She took her time folding it as the sound of the surf became louder and the dark mass made up of the cliffs loomed ahead. When the moon slid out from behind the clouds, the fury of Tolly’s curse startled her.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

“Been dark for most of the crossing. Don’t need this now.”

“We have had brighter moons than this,” she said.

“Aye, but lately been more soldiers from Shorncliffe Redoubt snooping about.” He ordered Cleggs and Finley to trim the sails as Rosalind felt the surf lift the lugger’s bow. Moments before they beached, Tolly said, “I don’t like this.”

Rosalind hoisted herself up to stand next to Tolly as Melvyrn climbed over kegs to get to them. “What is it?” he asked.

Looking over the bow toward the beach, he said, “Usually can see one or two of the men. But nary a soul about.” He scanned the cliffs and shook his head. “Cleggs,” he bellowed, “take the rudder and take her back out--you know where.”

It was not a question. But before Rosalind could ask what he meant, Tolly scooped her up in his arms and jumped overboard with her.

“Wait up,” Melvyrn called out.

When Tolly set her down on the beach, he said, “Make to your horse fast. Anything happens, you just keep going. Understand?”

Melvyrn stopped beside him. “Where’s the lugger going?”

“Get going, lad,” Tolly growled.

Just as she turned to race up the beach, they heard someone call out, “Halt, in the name of the King!”

Rosalind gasped as fear paralyzed her. Her heart thudded in her chest and her legs remained rooted to the sandy beach.

“Where are they?” Melvyrn’s voice, a near whisper, came from beside her.

“On the cliff, coming down,” Tolly said softly. He grabbed Rosalind’s arm. “Run!”

With Tolly pulling on her arm, she got her legs moving again. She began to run when a volley of shots were fired. Tolly yanked her behind him, using his body to cover her, when she felt a searing pain in her shoulder. “Aahhhh, Tolly!”

Tolly picked her up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of wheat.

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