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“Damn yer soul, what did ye go and say m’name fer?” Farley lifted his cheek from the dirt and responded angrily.
Sir Edward’s foot was on Farley’s back but with this he grinned to himself and said, “Well, well, so we meet again, you and I?”
Farley’s wool scarf had shifted off to his chin and he looked up and around as best he could, “Who might ye be? Do Oi know ye then? Why not let me and the lads go and we’ll call it a night?”
Sir Edward reached for Farley’s arm and dragged him to his knees. He then took the man’s coat and hefted him up with very little effort to his feet as he said, “Tell your men to throw away their guns.”
“Do as the flash says, lads…” Farley croaked.
“Easy, make certain they do it easy. I wouldn’t want my finger to slip while my gun is pointed at your head.”
“Here now guv…no need for that. Come on boys, you heard the flash…easy.”
“Aye, and remember me as well fer Oi wouldn’t mind shooting ye one by one and be done…” Websly added to the conversation.
The three men on horseback complied without another grumble as the coach’s driver appeared to have murderous intentions.
The guns dropped to the earth and Sir Edward said with deadly seriousness lacing each word. “Now you will remove the tree you so thoughtlessly left in our way.”
By this time, Websly had jumped from his seat, collected the guns and made each man dismount. He took their horses and neatly scattered them.
The three men loudly objected and he said, “Be happy if ye come out alive…ye may still be able to walk—so stop yer jawing and get to work to move that tree.”
Farley started toward the tree and Sir Edward pulled him back by his collar and pressed the muzzle of his gun to his forehead. “Not you.”
It didn’t take long before the tree was, with some grunting and huffing moved off the road and Farley’s men allowed to go on their way.
Websly waited till they were out of sight before climbing back onto his box, his gun still handy and Sir Edward pushed Farley toward the open door of his carriage.
“Look here, flash…no need to take me wit ye. Oi don’t mean ye no harm. We’ll call it square, we will, and all make our different ways.”
“I think not. You see, I mean to have a little talk with you and if you cooperate, then perhaps I won’t see fit to drop you off at the nearest guardhouse and have them haul you off to prison.” Sir Edward eyed him. “Or I could save myself a great deal of trouble and shoot you dead, right where you stand and mark me, it is quickly becoming the more attractive choice.”
Chapter Nineteen
STAR HELD HERSELF and shivered as she closed the library window and walked away. “Brrr…so cold this morning, unusually so,” she complained to her brother.
“Hmmm, is it?” He looked up absent-mindedly from the Chronicle he was perusing and then resumed reading once more.
“Yes, and it looks like rain, blast the weather. I need a ride,” she told him.
“Ah,” he responded not really paying attention.
“I was thinking of jumping into the pond with all my clothes on and turning into a sheet of ice,” she said looking directly at him.
“Hmmm,” he seemed to agree.
“Would you like that? To jump in with me, Vern?” she pursued the topic.
“Jump…jump in? Where?” he looked at her perplexed.
“Good, I now have your attention,” she said and plopped down beside him on the sofa. “Tell me, what do you think of Sir Edward?”
Startled his brows rose. “Sir Edward?” He shook his head, “Whatever do you mean?”
“Don’t you have an opinion about the man? I am curious,” she said and watched him closely.
“Well, I don’t really know him, do I?” He shrugged his shoulders, “Seems a knowing fellow and Jules says he is top sawyer.”
