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Three individuals stood up, most suddenly, in the tall grass all around them. Dinah recognized the scarlet waistcoats. Bow Street Runners, thank the heavens.
“No one move,” one of the men said, aiming his gun at the reclining smugglers.
The other two individuals cocked their guns as well, the noise echoing about the silent field. One of them glanced Dinah’s way.
Mr. Harding. Dinah’s shoulders dropped. Hehadcome.
Slowly, all the smugglers rose, hands up high. Dinah, too, scrambled to her feet, pulling the little girl up beside her.
Pock-Face was the last to his feet, getting up ever so slowly. With a sneer, he lunged forward, putting his shoulder deep into Mr. Harding’s stomach. Mr. Harding doubled over. Chaos erupted around them. Several guns fired. Blue-Eyes caught Dinah’s gaze and pointed off toward the road.
“Go!” he yelled.
Dinah didn’t need to be told twice. She took hold of the little girl’s hand, and off they ran. This time, she didn’t bother to stay down low and avoid being seen. They hardly had reason to care about moving quietly. They both ran as hard as they could, crashing through the brush and grass. They reached the road, but there were no horses Dinah could see. Mr. Harding and his men must have known a better place to hide their mounts than the man with the cart had. Dinah faced herself and the little girl toward London and pushed forward. She wasn’t about to wait around to be told to return home.
Footsteps told her someone else had reached the road.
Dinah glanced behind her and saw Blue-Eyes.
“This way,” he called, motioning the other direction.
Dinah stopped, her brow dropping. “Town is this way.” She was sure of it.
Blue-Eyes shook his head. “You must be turned around. It’s this way.”
Dinah never got turned around. Why was he wanting her to go the wrong way? A tingle of uncertainty slipped up her back. She pulled the little girl closer to her. “Town is this way, and that’s where we’re headed.”
Black appeared suddenly, between her and London. His rifle was raised, and it was pointed not at her but at Blue-Eyes.
“The lady’s right,” Black said. “And I suggest you let her leave.”
Blue-Eyes lifted his rifle, cocking it and aiming it at Black. “She’s coming with me.”
Dinah’s stomach flipped. Both men stood, suspended in the stand-off.
“Just walk toward me,” Blue-Eyes didn’t lower his rifle as he spoke, “and I’ll do as I promised and keep you both safe.”
“He’s just another smuggler,” Black said, drawing Dinah’s gaze his way. “Don’t believe a word he says.”
The little girl clutched at Dinah’s skirt and let out a small whimper. Dinah felt the same way. Who was she to trust?
Blue-Eyes did have a kind smile, and hadn’t he already said he’d keep her safe? It was just the sort of thing a Bow Street Runner working for Mr. Harding would do. But then her mind flitted back to the way Black had sung to the little girl. What sort of smuggler would take the time to sing a little girl to sleep?
Somewhere, deep in her gut, Dinah knew whom she needed to trust. Holding tight to the little girl, she took a single step toward Black.
Blue-Eyes cursed loudly, swinging his rifle toward her. The blast of Black’s gun exploded through the night air and Blue-Eyes dropped to the ground, clutching his shoulder. Black didn’t even glance Dinah’s way as he ran past her and tackled the man. The scuffle that ensued was quick and ended with Blue-Eyes on his stomach on the road, his hands tied behind his back and his rifle too far away for him to reach.
Dinah stood nearly motionless as Black righted himself and finally looked her way.
Dinah opened her mouth. “I take it you are...” The terror of the night was making it hard to speak.
He gave her a firm nod. “I’m Crow.”
Thank the heavens.
“And you,” he stalked toward her, his tone hard, “must be the one Mr. Harding sent toquietlyslip in and get Adele out of here.”
Despite all she’d just been through, Dinah’s jaw tightened, and her lips pursed. “Perhaps if you’d done a better job at distracting the others, we could have gotten away.”
