The Lover Switch (The Star Elite's Highwaymen Investigation Book 4) by Rebecca King

Author:Rebecca King [King, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“God, it’s freezing,” Ruth moaned into her muffler. She tugged her cloak tighter about her shoulders and ducked her head against the stiff wind. Beside her, Maud was also bundled up against the weather, and looked about as miserable as Ruth felt.

“Good morning, ladies. It is rather early for you two to be up and about, isn’t it?”

“What of it?” Ruth struggled not to slide a worried look at her aunt. Despite her fear, Ruth raked Lucius Rointon with a scornful look. She studied the handful of riders who were riding behind him along a small track around the perimeter of the woodland bracketing two thirds of the village.

Maud tucked her hand in Ruth’s elbow and tugged her into motion again. “Excuse us,” she bit out.

Neither of them spoke as they made their way through the village and up the large hill that would lead them to Mivverford. Ruth could feel Maud’s tension. It matched her own.

“I say, ladies, you wouldn’t happen to have seen two gentlemen around these parts, would you?”

“No,” Ruth was breathless from the long climb up the hill. “Now leave us alone.”

“Now that is no way to be friendly, is it?” Rointon called, nudging his horse into a faster walk to catch up with them.

Neither Ruth nor Maud stopped to answer him. It was their first mistake. Rointon disliked being ignored and kicked his horse into a trot so he could pass them and block their route with his horse. Maud and Ruth merely walked around him.

“Why won’t you stop and talk to me?”

“We have nothing to say to the likes of you, Rointon,” Maud muttered loud enough for Rointon to hear.

“The likes of me?” Rointon’s tone hardened. “Now what do you mean by that?”

“Don’t anger him,” Ruth whispered.

“You are a wealthy aristocrat, aren’t you?” Maud drawled somewhat mockingly. “We are nothing more than impoverished women going about our business. Now go on your way and leave us be. We don’t have anything for you.”

Ruth mentally began to pray that they would reach Mivverford. These highwaymen murdered people and could kill her and Maud if they chose to because they were still travellers even on foot. Because it was too dangerous to stay out in the fields, Maud and Ruth changed direction and began to walk down a narrow road which would take them back down to the village.

“Keep walking,” Maud breathed.

“Where are we going?”

“Mivverford.”

“I am frozen,” Ruth moaned as she contemplated the miles of snow-laden fields before them that they had to walk to get there. “My feet are like ice.”

“We have to keep going,” Maud muttered.

“Now, ladies-” Rointon began.

Both Maud and Ruth slammed to a stop. Neither woman had been aware that Rointon had dismounted his horse and was following them and had probably overheard every word they had just said. Still, it had been nothing more than ordinary conversation. Ruth was glad that they hadn’t been discussing Mark, or their true destination.

“Look, we are just going into town to fetch some emergency supplies, all right? There is nothing for you to be concerned about.

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