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She resisted the impulse to reply with an unhelpful comment.
The leader found the key and tossed it to his companion, who swiftly opened her trunk and dumped out the contents. Kathleen winced as her new satin evening gown—an unfortunate shade of cream under the circumstances—landed right on top of what looked like horse dung.
It doesn’t matter.
None of her clothes mattered, as long as they didn’t find—
“Oy, looks like we gots a false bottom ’ere,” the bandit triumphantly said.
Kathleen had to force down her horror as he pried away the inner lining with his knife. He extracted a rolled silk pouch, tied with a braided cord.
“Oh, no,” Jeannie whispered.
Crouching down, the man opened the pouch, unrolling it on the dirt road. Finely cut stones glittered in the rays of the late afternoon sun. Two diamond-set bracelets, a number of gold chains, and a truly splendid set of pearls Kathleen had received for her sixteenth birthday. Of much less value but infinitely more precious was a small garnet ring, its pretty stone set on a plain gold band. It was the first piece of jewelry Kathleen ever owned, given to her by her mother. The thought of losing it ...
Heckie nodded, clearly pleased. “Aye, then, let’s be off.”
“But Kath, that’s your mother’s ring,” Jeannie protested.
“It’s fine, dear,” Kathleen managed. “It’s just a ring.”
“But you love it so!”
“Take everything else and leave the ring,” Grant said in a hard voice. “It’s just a trinket.”
The man barked out a laugh. “And why would I do that?”
“To prove yer not a complete piece of shite?” Angus said.
“I’ve had enough of you, old man,” Heckie sneered, turning his pistol on the old fellow.
“All right,” Grant snapped. “You’ve got what you want. Just get on your blasted horses and be on your way.”
“I’ll be on my way, but what’s to stop me from shooting that old coot before I go?”
Grant stepped directly in front of Heckie. “The certainty that wherever you go, I’ll find you and kill you.”
It was hardly the worst threat made during this gruesome episode. But Grant’s tone was so chilling and the truth of his words so evident that only a fool wouldn’t take it seriously.
“Someone’s comin’,” barked the man on the horse. “I can hear a rider.”
Grant leaned in closer to the leader. “Best be on yer way.Heckie.”
Kathleen could see the man glare at Grant from under the brim of his hat. “We’re not done, Kendrick. I promise ye that.”
“I’ll look forward to our next meeting,” Grant replied.
Heckie retreated to his horse. Once they’d all mounted up, they were off, jumping a short hedge and thundering across a meadow toward the woods.
Grant swiftly turned and came to Kathleen and Jeannie. “It’s all right now. It’s over.”
“It’s fine,” Kathleen managed. “We’re fine.”
“That was awful,” Jeannie said in a tearful voice. “I thought we were going to die.”
Grant pulled her in for a quick hug. “They just wanted our money, Jeannie. The rest was bluster.”
“But they took Kath’s jewels, too.”
