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Rafe couldn’t believe his eyes. Even in the darkness, he could recognise Victoria anywhere. For a moment, he thought he must have been seeing things. He happened to look out of the window the moment they passed a woman with a bag walking along the grass verge, a hat mostly hiding her face. Even wearing a simple dress and the hat, Rafe knew it was Victoria.
What on earth was she doing? This was a good three miles away from her house, and it was the middle of the night. Yet she was walking along looking like a lost labourer. What was going on?
Rafe got the carriage to stop and jumped out. She was walking away from him pretty quickly as if she had just picked up her pace. Rafe hurried after her.
“Where do you think you’re going, Victoria?”
She froze, but she didn’t turn around. Then she darted across the road and towards the trees. Rafe took off after her, covering the ground faster than she could. Although Victoria was certainly more agile than he was, dodging through the trees and ducking under branches. She was quicker than he gave her credit.
And she seemed very determined to run from him.
Then Victoria tripped, sprawling on the ground with a cry. Her bag went flying, and some of its contents fell out. Deciding she wasn’t going anywhere after that fall, Rafe went to the bag. There was some money tied together with string, along with some biscuits, cheese and a change of clothing. She was running away? That was the only thing he could think about.
Victoria moaned, and Rafe turned to her. He couldn’t see much in the dark, just what came through the trees from the light of the moon. She had lost her bonnet, her braided hair hanging over one shoulder, and she was staring at him in horror. Swallowing, she shifted onto her knees.
“Give it back.”
“Why? So you can run off again?”
“I said, give it back.”
Blackmore packed the bag and stood up.
“No. And I’d like to see you try going on without it. If you’re that desperate to leave, then you would do it.”
Victoria looked shocked at that. Sighing, Rafe went to her and took her by the arm, hauling her to her feet. That was when she snapped out of her trance and started to try and pull away.
“Let me go!” she screamed. “I’ll say you’re trying to kidnap me!”
“Who are you going to say it to? The only people out here are my servants, and they’re not going to come to your aid.” Rafe swung her around, so Victoria fell against his chest, their faces inches apart. “I don’t know what possessed you to think this was a good idea, but you’re going back home. Right now.”
“No!”
Victoria tried to hit him, but Rafe deflected her blow, pushing her arm away. She wasn’t going to go quietly. There was a part of him that had to admit he liked this fiery side at her, even if the fury was aimed at him.
Grabbing her around the waist, Rafe hoisted her onto his shoulder. Victoria squealed and wriggled.
“What are you doing? Put me down!”
“You’re not going anywhere except home. You’re going to scare your parents once they find out you’ve gone.”
“I won’t be anywhere near them once they do find out, and you need to let me go!”
Victoria elbowed him in the back of the head, but Rafe gritted his teeth against the pain. Ignoring her screaming and her fists hitting him, he went back out onto the road and towards his carriage. One of the footmen who had been riding with them had jumped down from his seat. He looked slightly bemused as Rafe approached with the struggling woman over his shoulder. But he said nothing as he held the door open, allowing Rafe to tip Victoria into the carriage. She went with a scream and a thud. Then Rafe signalled to the driver.
“Get going to Lord Selkirk’s residence. Now.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The door was shut behind Rafe as he sat down, only to find Victoria attempting to open the other door. He grabbed her and pushed her back.
“That’s not going to happen. You sit there and don’t do anything stupid.”
“Don’t do anything stupid?” Victoria glared at him. “You’re the one who grabbed me and manhandled me, and you’re telling me not to do anything stupid!”
“You’re a woman who doesn’t know the world out on the road in the middle of the night. What part of that is not stupid? Tell me that.”
Victoria bared her teeth at him. The carriage jerked as they set off, almost tipping her off her seat. Rafe caught her and set her back again. Victoria slapped his hands away.
