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.By the light of the lanterns mounted on the side of the carriage, Jared could see that the road was surrounded by forest.the perfect place for a highwayman.“What is it? Who’s out there?”Jared hushed Merideth, pushing her back when she tried to climb up to see for herself.“Come on out with ye, yer ladyship.I know yer in there.”The burly man who spoke stood close to the coach, his pistol trained at the door.Jared couldn’t see any sign of the driver.Or of the highwayman’s horse.“Now, let’s don’t make this harder on ye.Come on out.”Jared could hear her ragged breathing.or was it his own? At any rate, he reached down and squeezed her knee.A gesture of hope? Or despair?The handle jiggled.“I’m through playin’ games, yer Ladyship.”The door opened.The highwayman stuck his gun inside the coach and Merideth screamed.In the same instant, Jared chopped his fist down hard over the assailant’s hand.The pistol clattered to the coach floor, and the highwayman looked up at Jared with a shocked expression.Then he turned and fled.Jared leaped from the coach.It took him little time to overtake the lumbering outlaw.Jared grabbed him from behind as the man headed into the woods.He jerked him around, knocking away the man’s hands when he tried to protect himself.“What in the hell is going on here?” Jared demanded.“What did you want with Lady Merideth?” When he didn’t answer immediately, Jared shook the man like a rat terrier would its prey.“I ain’t got nothin’ against her meself.It was him that hired me to kill her that does.”“To kill her?” Jared tried to control his anger.“Who? Who hired you? Tell me or I’ll tear you limb from limb with my bare hands.” Jared jerked the trembling man forward by the front of his jacket, ready to do just that.He saw the slobbery mouth quiver.open to speak.And then a shot rang through the forest.Chapter ElevenThe highwayman’s body jerked, then went limp.All that held him upright were Jared’s hands grasping his bloodstained jacket.When Jared let go, the body slumped to the ground.Stunned, Jared crouched down beside him, peering through the darkness for any sign of who had fired the shot.The only light, thrown off by the coach lanterns, was behind, silhouetting him.Before him was darkness and shadows.He waited, listening intently, the beat of his heart pounding in his ears.Then from the rear he heard the rustle of leaves.Shifting, Jared followed the sound of the footsteps coming ever closer.When they were almost upon him he turned and sprang, flattening the intruder beneath his body.He heard a squeal and froze.“What in the hell are you doing sneaking around?” he whispered, lifting his head just enough to recognize Merideth’s face.“I wanted to see what happened.I heard a shot.”“Aye, you heard a shot.And ‘tis lucky you didn’t take a musket ball yourself.”“I also brought you the highwayman’s pistol,” Merideth pointed out, not surprised when the captain quickly grabbed for the gun.“Stay here,” was all he said as he rose to a crouch.But before he could move into the shadows, the clip-clop of horses riding off came from the woods.Jared stood, and ran a few paces toward the sound, stopping when the hoofbeats faded.“I think they’re gone.”“Who?” Merideth rolled over to get up.“Who’s gone? What hap—” Her breath caught and she let out a shriek.Before Jared could reach her, Merideth was on her feet, backing away from the body sprawled on the ground.“The highwayman,” Jared said, answering her silent inquiry.“Is he.?”“Dead?” Bending down, Jared held his hand over the man’s chest.“Aye.” He paused.“He was shot.”“Shot? But you didn’t have a pistol.”“I didn’t shoot him.”“But how did he.?”Jared shook his head in the direction of the woods.“It appears one of his fellow highwaymen did the job.”“Why would they do that?”Jared hesitated only a moment.“I don’t know.” Now was not the time to tell her what the assailant had said before he’d died—before someone had stopped him from saying more.“Let’s get out of here.” Jared turned Merideth away from her study of the body.She was trembling when he touched her shoulder.“Shouldn’t we.? We can’t just leave him here.”“I’ll send someone back to handle it.” His arm draped around her.“Let’s see if we can find the driver.”“He’s on the other side of the coach,” Merideth said, but she held back, her attention uncontrollably drawn to the dark heap on the side of the road.Another murdered man.Before she’d met Captain Blackstone, the only dead people she’d ever seen were victims of age and disease.But since that night Jared Blackstone blew in with the storm, there seemed no end to the violence she witnessed—blank-eyed stares, chests abloom with crimson.“Come on, Merideth.” Jared nudged her toward the coach and she started moving.He found the driver propped against a wheel, his knees pulled up and his head cradled in his palms.There was a knot on the side of his head and blood matted on his powdered wig, but he was able to stand.With help from Merideth, Jared settled him inside the coach.“You ride with him,” Jared ordered.“I’ll drive the coach.”Outside of admitting to a terrible ache above his ear, the driver had little to say as they jostled along the road toward Passy
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