Page 63 of The Smuggler’s Escape

“I suggest that you reconsider running away,” Richard said as they headed for the livery stable. “You won’t get far.”

She said nothing. There was no point in arguing. She would just have to outwit him.

On the drive home, Richard handed her the substantial purse and made no attempt to draw her out. “Bring your gun,” Richard said, before she headed indoors to pack a few necessities. “You never know when it might come in handy.”

“In case I want to shoot you?”

“You already want to shoot me,” Richard said.

He had no idea what she really wanted. Nor, she had begun to realize, did she.

~ ~ ~

Richard Boltwood strolled out of the Pig in a Poke, leaving Noelle inside to pay Mr. Towne. She hadn’t denied loving him, which wasn’t as comforting as it should be, because nor had she denied her intention to leave.

Not that he would have believed her if she had.

A traveling coach halted across from the inn. The door of the coach flew open and Dorothea Darsington tumbled into the dusty village street. “Richard!” she called, waving. “I must speak with you!”

Lady Darsington’s affronted cries pursued her, but Dorothea ignored them.

“Hallo, Dot!” Richard’s gaze moved to the carriage, where Lady Darsington shouted to the groom to let down the steps. “Bolted, have you? Can’t say I blame you.”

Flushed and flustered, Dorothea ran to him and clutched his arm. “Richard, I—” She stopped, looking past him. “Drat, I must talk to you in private.”

Daniel Davison came up, obviously moved by Dorothea’s beauty.

Richard grinned. “Miss Darsington, may I present Daniel Davison, our vicar? Dan, this is Miss Darsington, who is escaping the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon.” He said it loudly enough for Lady Darsington to hear, and Dorothea put her gloved hand up to muffle a laugh.

Richard tucked her hand in his arm. “Come on, Dan, take her other arm. We shall whisk the fair maiden away. Can you offer Miss Darsington sanctuary in the church, or is that a relic of the Middle Ages?” He set off at a brisk pace.

Mr. Davison said, “I would be delighted, if such a custom still prevailed. Must we drag Miss Darsington down the street?”

Behind them, Lady Darsington shouted, “Dorothea, I command you to stop at once!”

“Indeed, we must! Hold on tight, Miss Darsington. Dan, on the count of three . . .”

She clung to their arms and in unison they lifted her off the ground. Richard steered them toward the church, an ancient building with a Norman tower. “Miss Darsington may now claim we abducted her, and thus will incur less of the dragon’s wrath.”

“I wish that were true,” Dorothea gasped, but she laughed as well, blushing a pretty pink. They deposited her lightly on the steps of the church.

Richard opened the door, and Daniel Davison bowed her inside. “Be my guest, Miss Darsington.” He led them through the church to the sacristy. “Will this do? She can hardly force her way in here.”

“Thank you,” Dorothea said, but when he made as if to leave them, she cried, “Oh, no, please don’t go.”

Daniel gawked. “If you have something of a private nature to discuss with Lord Boltwood—”

“Oh, I do,” Dorothea said, “but we cannot be left unchaperoned. My mother will use any excuse to say Richard and I were misbehaving.” Her blush deepened. “My mother brought me here in the hope of forcing us to marry.”

Richard laughed. “Poor Dot!”

“I can’t think what came over her. She’s bad enough ordinarily, but to rush down here demanding that you marry me when your father isn’t even in his grave is even worse than usual. I do apologize, Richard.”

“No need,” he said cheerfully. “Luckily for you, I am already engaged to marry Noelle.”

“Yes, learning of your engagement was a great relief, but my mother is not so easily put off. She is saying the most ghastly things about Mademoiselle de Vallon. That she’s an adventuress—worse, a harlot.” She blushed crimson. “So mortifying, and I do hope Mademoiselle de Vallon never hears of it. I told my mother she is no such thing, but once my mother gets an idea into her head, she simply won’t let go.”

“I fear Noelle and I are to blame,” Richard said ruefully. “We have been behaving scandalously, which is fun for us but mortifying to everyone else. Have no fear. As you know, Noelle is coming to stay with my mother. I promise to lavish attention and affection on her and offer you only the most distant of courtesy. That should do the trick.”