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He produced a linen wrapped package that held chunks of dark bread, homemade cheese and dried apples. Nothing had ever tasted so good to Stormy and she smacked her lips in delight.

Her expression of genuine joy tripped his heart. He’d expected her to act shrewish and blame him for her discomfort, but apparently she was a woman of her word. She’d said she would ride without complaint and so far she had done just that.

After she had eaten, she took a long drink of water from his flask and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. The gesture sheer took André’s breath. It was so down-to-earth, so startling. If he hadn’t seen her dressed in gowns and eating daintily at tables set with silver and china, he would have never thought her anything more than a simple street urchin at this moment. But instead of being scandalized by her behavior, he found himself more drawn to her than ever.

Hell, what was he thinking? He had to keep his wits about him the closer they came to Emerald Hills. He rolled to his feet and extended his hand to her to pull her up.

“We had better be going. I think by nightfall we should reach the perimeter of the lands surrounding Emerald Hills. Once we get there, we will have to be extremely cautious.”

* * * *

Tommy urged the little maid into a cozy bower created through branches and vines. He’d discovered the place while hunting, and tonight he figured might be a good time to try it out.

He’d spread a blanket to keep the chill from creeping into their bones, and he had another to burrow under, so his arse wouldn’t freeze, while he diddled the girl.

Tommy knew better than to call his tryst with Susan a love match. He felt horny and he knew she’d be willing. Once he’d pressed her down to the ground, he thought he would take his sweet time to kiss her, but being so near his goal he forgot all about it. He groped for her breasts with eager hands.

He’d expected Susan to moan with pleasure, but as he squeezed and shaped them, he got harder by the minute. Taking her hand, he guided it to his burgeoning erection. “Do you feel what you do to me? I want you so much, Susan. I am hurting. But you can make me feel better, if you let me love you.”

In answer she fumbled with the laces of his breeches, anxious to free him and have a look at what he might have to offer. She didn’t mind that his hand was already under her skirt, feeling STORMY HEIDE KATROS

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for the curls between her thighs. She almost chuckled when she heard him sigh his pleasure against her throat, when he found her seam.

Tommy almost came, when he slipped a finger inside her. God’s blood, she was as slippery as an eel. His manhood twitched against her hold. He didn’t want her to fondle him, he wanted to be inside her, to pump away and to explode in a shower of bliss.

Susan was no stranger to spreading her legs, but she knew her hold over him would be much greater, if she acted shy. She gripped his wrist and moaned, “Careful, I am so afraid you will hurt me.” But heaven help her, she was wet and in need and she almost gave herself away, except Tommy was so caught up with the knowledge that he was but inches away before he would be inside her that he didn’t notice how she rode his finger.

He eased her to the blanket and pushed her skirts up to her waist. Oh, he had spied on his sisters before, so he knew what a girl looked like, but he had never been this close to one. He bent his head to kiss her stomach, but Susan was beside herself with need. She spread her legs, urging him to come into her. “I had no idea you were so big,” she fair crowed with pleasure.

Seconds later, Tommy slipped into her wet heat, pumping away frantically, lest he was dreaming and his joy would dissolve into mist. He had neither control nor finesse and it was over as fast as it began.

Panting, he rolled off her, smiling. “Bloody hell, I never imagined anything could feel so good. Did it feel good to you?”

Susan curled onto her side and hid her face in her hands. “Oh, you don’t care about me.

You were so rough and I am hurting all over. What if you got me with child?”

Tommy sat up as if he’d been stung by a hornet. “Damn, I never thought about that?

Why didn’t you stop me, if you knew that might happen? I can’t marry you, you know that.”

She made a moué and rolled on her back. “I know, but surely you can spare a quid or two. I’ll make sure there is no babe. But if you want to do it again, it’ll cost you extra.”

Tommy didn’t care about the money. God in heaven a second time would be bliss. He dug in his pocket and withdrew several coins. “Is that enough?”

“Well, this being your first time, I guess so. But in the future bring more and maybe we can do it longer.” She counted on the fact that once a boy was initiated, he would develop stamina and she could teach him finesse.

The idea that she would consent a second time had Tommy ready to go again in minutes.

He didn’t even bother to kiss her, just raised to his knees, nudging her thighs apart, grinning like a fool over his luck. He closed his eyes in bliss, when he plunged deeply into her. He paused, savoring the feel of her wet heat around his manhood. Pushing up on his arms, he pulled back ready to plunge again, when he thought he’d heard a noise. He went still, his whole body tightened with alarm. Motioning for silence, he covered her mouth with his hand.

“This is the second night we’ve been coming here, and nothing. I think when the sheriff got that pitchfork stuck in his privates, his mind got twisted. He’s got the papers to prove that the old lady gave him the estate, so why does he worry about Despard being able to prove otherwise? And why would that Frenchie come back here, when he had that little bitch with him? I mean, he came after her and rescued her. She ain’t exactly my taste, though I wouldn’t mind a turn on her. She is a looker.”

“Look, as long as Snowden is sheriff we’ve got it made. We get paid regularly without having to break our backs. Once in a while we have some sport with some simple-minded souls and get our kicks. I would love to have me a piece of that colonial spitfire, too. If we catch them let’s not take them right away to Snowden, but sample her ourselves first.”

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“You are the devil in disguise,” the other man guffawed softly. “My pecker gets hard just thinking of fucking that girl. And let’s not forget, we got to take care of the Frenchie first. Hang him by his balls in retaliation of what he did to our friend.”

They both laughed now, low and subdued, which sounded all that much more sinister for it.

Tommy’s heart flipped with terror. He didn’t have to be told that the two men were speaking about André and Stormy. Bloody hell, the only weapon he’d brought was a pistol. Not much use, if you have two adversaries. Less use even, when you had a girl with you, who might panic and scream. Somehow, he had to get Susan back to the house and alert his father and uncle to the trap.

His erection had fizzled and sex was no longer on his mind. He bent close to Susan.

“Follow me. Don’t make a sound or we might well both be dead. I am taking you home.”

The girl nodded in understanding. She had turned the color of fresh fallen snow and she wasn’t about to make a sound. All she wanted was to get out of there.

* * * *

André stopped suddenly and turned in his saddle. “I think we are almost to Wessex County, which means we are close to Emerald Hills land. Let me ride ahead and scout the area so I can be sure.”

He leaned closer. “I doubt your father convinced Snowden that we sailed off to the Americas. He is too smart to buy that ruse. The man lived too long by his wits. It has made him ruthless. I bet he has all roads leading to Emerald Hills heavily staked out by his men. If I am right, I will draw them off, so you can make a run for it. Ride straight to Emerald Hills for help.”

He saw the mutiny in her expressive eyes, saw the way she gnawed on her lower lip and so God help him, he couldn’t have loved her more in that instant. But it would be folly to give in to his feelings.

He sidled his mount close to hers and drew her over to him. He kissed her long and hard.

Then he looked deeply into her eyes. “For once, please listen to me. Both our lives may well depend on it.”

Stormy blinked back the tears that pricked behind her half-closed lids and nodded. But every fiber in her body protested. She did not want to lose André, and if all were lost, she didn’t want to go on either.

“I want you to tell me in words that you will listen, Stormy. I know your word is as good as gold.” He cupped her cheek with one of his big hands, his eyes boring into hers, and waited.

“I promise,” she said past trembling lips, but she crossed her fingers behind her back.

“Guide your horse into the underbrush and wait. I’ll ride ahead for a mile or so. Once I know it is safe, I’ll come back and get you. We’ll do it that way until we reach Emerald Hills.”

He watched as she pressed her mount into the dense underbrush. Nodding grimly, he said, “Good. I can’t see you from the road anymore. Make sure you come out, when I return.”

Actually, he could see her, but the casual observer would miss her, and that was all he wanted for the time being.

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André cantered ahead, his body tense. His eyes cut from right to left and not for the first time he wished he sat atop Noir. The coal black stallion would blend in with the shadows of the falling night and the horse seemed to have an uncanny sense when it came to danger. More than once he had reared unexpectedly and thus saved André’s life by warning him of someone lurking up ahead.

His hired roan was a good horse, but when all was said and done, it was an animal that never knew just one master. He responded well enough to the pressure of André’s thighs, but how the animal might react in a situation, when seconds would count, remained to be seen.

Hopefully, he would never have to find out.

His heart soared, when he spied the lights of Emerald Hills in the distance. Within the hour they should be home. He would deliver Stormy safe and … well, safe. She was no longer untouched, but he would set matters right the minute he had his problems settled.

The idea brought up a mental image of Stormy in all her naked glory. His nostrils flared with the memory of shared passion. God’s teeth, he’d never figured her for such a fiery, uninhibited lover. Of course, it should not have surprised him. A certain connection had passed between them the instant he opened the carriage door and his eyes met hers. They were meant for each other.

His mind no longer focused on the danger that might lie ahead, he reined the horse in and guided him into an about turn, when all hell broke loose. He heard men shout and the sound of horses’ hooves. At any other time, he would have headed back in the direction from which he came and would have tried to elude the thugs, but knowing Stormy was waiting but a mile back, he couldn’t afford himself that luxury.

Looping the reins around the saddle horn, he guided the horse with the pressure of his thighs, while he drew his pistol.

He winged one of his attackers, but before he could draw his second pistol, the horse shied and sidestepped. It caused him to divert his attention to the mount. And in that instant, there was another shot.

Stunned, André gaped at his left shoulder, where blood started to seep through the heavy material of his cape. Damn, he’d been hit. The wound burned like the fires from hell. Hissing against the pain, he moved the arm experimentally. Sacré, he’d been lucky. It was nothing more than a flesh wound that would bleed heavily, but it would not be life threatening.

The other man barely gave him time to reach for his saber, much less for his other pistol.

Crowding his horse against André’s mount, he hacked at him with deadly intent.

Though André was the better fencer of the two his mind refused to focus on the fight.

Instead, it whirled with worries of Stormy, and he prayed she hadn’t heard the shots. Sweat ran freely down his face. He swiped his left arm impatiently across his brow, unaware that it left a smear of fresh blood behind.

Through the din of clanging sabers, grunts and hooves churning up the ground, his ears picked up the sounds of approaching hoof beats from behind. His heart thumped with dread. It couldn’t be. Please, God, don’t let it be. He turned slightly in his saddle in hopes that he was STORMY HEIDE KATROS

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wrong, and as he did so his adversary took full advantage and almost knocked him from his seat.

Enraged, André urged his mount forward to counter attack, but it was too late. Stormy came charging full tilt and threw herself into the fray.

The instant Stormy heard the first shot, her body tensed. But when there was a second shot, she could not hold herself back any longer. She had nothing to defend herself with, but her bare hands. But by all that was holy, André needed help. Too late she recognized that once again she had let her heart rule rather than her senses.

She cast an apologetic glance at André, just as the chortling thug grabbed her by the front of her shirt and dragged her across his saddle.

“Give it up, Despard, or your little whore dies.” To prove his point the man pressed the tip of his saber against Stormy’s spine.

André glared at the man. “Let the girl go. She has no part in this. It’s me the sheriff wants. I was merely escorting her home. Let her go and I’ll go willingly with you.”

“I may be nothing more than a farmer, but I ain’t stupid. You high and mighty snobs thought you could dupe us by pretending you sailed off to the colonies. But the sheriff knew better.” He roared with laughter to follow up on his theory.

He leaned forward and leered at André. “As it is, James here and me are way ahead of you. We are going to have ourselves some sport. We are going to take turns on the girl, while we let you watch. She is young and mighty pretty. Never had me such a fine piece of arse.” He ruthlessly pinched Stormy’s buttocks until she yelped with pain.