Damsel in Disguise by Susan Gee Heino Read Free Book Online Page A

was only natural he might not have a very high opinion of her, considering all that had transpired.
    Rastmoor urged his horse forward again. Julia followed quietly.
    “You’re not going to defend her?” he asked after several moments.
    “I’m sure she had her reasons for doing what she did,” she said.
    “I know she did,” he replied. “That’s what made her a whore. But I suppose it pains you to hear me speak ill of the dead.”
    “Yes. It does.”
    “Then I won’t. She gave enough offense while she lived; no sense in allowing her any more now.”
    All was silent save the hoof steps again. Julia risked sliding a quick glance over at Rastmoor and found his face hard, cold, and unreadable. A shiver of concern ran down her back. He was a different man than the one she had known. This Anthony Rastmoor could be capable of just about anything. What would he do if he ever found out the truth?
    She didn’t want to know.
    A loud crack rang out through the still night, and Julia practically jumped out of the saddle. Her horse shied and danced sideways. Rastmoor was struggling to keep his from bolting at the unexpected sound.
    “What was that?” she asked.
    “Gunfire.”
    Cold dread filled the pit of her stomach. “Sophie!”
    She couldn’t move. Part of her wanted to prod the horse forward, to rush ahead around the next bend to see what had happened. The other part of her—the sensible part—warred to turn tail and run.
    “Come on,” he was saying, grabbing her horse’s head again and pulling them off the side of the road.
    It made sense—whatever was ahead held danger. They had to hide. She followed Rastmoor’s lead and hurried her horse off the road, into the thick forest that lined it. Rastmoor slipped out of his saddle and motioned for her to do the same. She did. Her desperate descent was not nearly so graceful as her careful ascent.
    They moved farther into the safety of the woods, pulling the unwilling beasts along with them. It was noisy, and Julia hoped that whoever might come along would not hear them. She needn’t have worried. When the gunfire was repeated it was much closer, but it was also accompanied by the noise of a thundering carriage and several shouts.
    Their horses snorted in nervousness when Rastmoor finally stopped. He fixed the reins to a tree, and Julia followed suit. Hopefully they would be safe here, off the road and out of sight. But what of Sophie? What were the chances this gunfire had nothing to do with all that happened at the inn tonight?
    Holding his fingers to his lips and motioning for her to follow, Rastmoor began moving slowly back toward the road. Drat. He was intending to go out there, wasn’t he? Julia’s breath caught in her throat. She wasn’t too keen on being shot at, but of course if Sophie was in trouble, they had to go and help. She had no choice but to follow Rastmoor toward the danger.
    They made their way quietly. Soon the sounds and voices were directly in front of them, no longer moving along down the road. The noisy carriage had stopped rumbling, and Julia could make out men’s voices. They didn’t sound too happy, either.
    “Damn it, wrong carriage!” one of them called out.
    Another man swore loudly, and there was the sound of a scuffle. The carriage horses stamped and whinnied. Then Julia heard a baby cry. A baby?
    A woman’s voice called out, “Don’t touch my baby!”
    The baby’s crying turned more to whimpers. Julia could scarcely believe her ears. She pushed up into the thick undergrowth, desperate to see what was happening. Rastmoor was beside her and motioned for her to keep silent.
    “What the hell are we going to do with this?” one of the men said.
    Julia could barely make him out. He wore a dark coat and a mask over his face. Highwaymen! Two of them, it appeared. They had stopped the carriage and apparently killed—no, injured—the driver. He lay slumped on the ground, groaning.
    One highwayman held the lead horse, his gun