Page 17 of The Thorn and the Rose

Leo shrugged, staring into his own pint with a frown. “I suppose we had better while we’re here.”

“Aye, it’s an age since I saw the place, and Lady Trevick is good craic. She makes me laugh something fierce,” Muir said with a grin.

Thorn smiled at that, unable to deny it, but wondered why Leo seemed less than enthusiastic. Usually, he’d be the first person to suggest they call in.

Their dinner arrived with little ceremony. An overworked serving girl slammed the plates down on the table and hurried away again. The food was good, though, liver and bacon with mashed potatoes and thick gravy. She returned a moment later with a bowl of buttered parsnips and carrots and the three of them dug in.

Well-fed and watered, they were in good spirits as they paid their shot and headed for the door. They were almost at the exit to the building when four men barged in, their voices too loud as they swaggered and acted like they owned the place. One of them knocked hard into Leo, with obvious deliberation, and then carried on as if nothing had happened.

“Uh oh,” Muir muttered under his breath as Leo grabbed hold of the fellow’s arm.

“I do beg your pardon. Was I in your way?” Leo asked, his voice smooth and excruciatingly polite, a fact that would make anyone who knew him think carefully about what they said next.

“Reckon you were,” the fellow said, grinning nastily and snatching his arm free of Leo’s grasp.

“I’m so sorry. Perhaps you would care to remove me from your presence?” Leo suggested mildly.

“Perhaps I would at that,” the fellow said, advancing on Leo with murder in his eyes, his three friends close behind him, adding their encouragement.

“Go on, Scuttler, teach the knob a lesson he won’t forget.”

“No! No, no fighting!” The landlord, a big man with an enormous belly, forced his way through the gathering crowd and inserted himself between Leo and the four thugs, for that was undoubtedly what they looked like.

Muir suddenly grabbed hold of Thorn’s arm and jerked his head at the two men who were standing back. Thorn stiffened. Under their coats they were armed to the teeth, with pistols, knives and with what looked like a heavy cosh each.

Thorn and Muir grabbed hold of Leo and tugged him away.

“What the—?” Leo protested, turning to glare at them.

“Shut yer pus,” Muir said firmly. “Ach, we are nae fighting today, landlord. Give the house a drink on us,” he added, tossing a money purse at the fellow and bodily dragging Leo from the pub.

There was a cheer of approval from inside, the sound becoming muted as the door slammed.

“Yer aff yer heid!” Muir said hotly once they’d got Leo around to the stables. “Did ye nae see the armoury they were carrying? I’m all for a good mill, but nae when I’m likely to get a bullet in my guts.”

Leo paled. “What? I didn’t see. Christ, I could have gotten you all killed. I just—”

“Ye are just spoiling for a fight like the rest of us,” Muir said with a sigh. “We’re all on edge, Leo, but ye are the one who said we must be cautious, aye. For all we know, they’ve been paid to slit our throats.”

“They certainly looked like thugs for hire,” Thorn replied.

“Did you recognise any of them?” Leo asked.

Thorn shook his head. “The three that clobbered me had their faces covered, though the leader, the one who worked me over, he seemed familiar. But I’m damned if I know why.”

Leo stood glaring at the pub, his fists clenched. “I don’t like running away from trouble,” he said grimly.

“Neither do I, but if I had that night to do over again, I think I’d have run rather than find myself outnumbered again,” Thorn said firmly. “If we have to make a stand, I’m all for it, but not when they have all the advantages.”

“Aye, ’tis nae bravery to face an armed man with nowt but yer skin, Leo, ’tis insanity. We’ll find out who’s got it in for us and we’ll deal with them, so they’ll long regret the day they tangled with us, but let us be canny, aye?”

Leo nodded. “I can’t believe I’m taking advice from you, Muir, but for once, you sound damned sensible. Let’s get on, then. The hairs on the back of my neck are all on end. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

So, the three of them returned to their curricles and hitched their horses back in the traces before setting off at a tidy clip. Between Wellesbourne and Sherbourne, there was an excellent stretch of road, straight and long. As they drew close to Trevick, and as there were few people about, the result was inevitable.

“Twenty pounds says I reach the castle gates before you two,” Leo called, having regained his usual joie de vivre once they were out on the road again.

“You’re on!” Thorn shouted back.