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Did he mean now? With trouble bearing down on them, was this her chance to fight rather than flee?
Lockton drew his horse to a stop several feet from their circle and then left the horse’s reins dangling as he came striding toward them. One of the soldiers took up the reins of his frothing beast and pulled the animal into the shade.
“What is it?” Ash asked
Lockton shook his head as Bash, Baxter, Edge, and Clubs joined them. “It’s bad.”
“How bad?”
“Well, I’m glad ye managed to hire twenty soldiers, because a group of at least thirty men is headed down the Great North Road directly for us.”
“How do you know they’re trouble?” Bash asked. “They could just be—”
“What?” Baxter asked. “Out of work farmers?”
“They were highly weaponed and one in particular rode on a grand stallion of all white. His clothes were not those of a common thief, but more that of a dandy lord or the wealthiest sort of merchant.”
Ash waved Arabella over, then he turned to Edge. “Could this be the man at the very head of the thieving?”
“Like the king of the thieves?” Baxter asked.
“I’m the King of Thieves,” Lockton answered.
Clubs frowned. “Does working a pirate ship make you the king of all thieves?”
“I was a privateer, not a pirate, and what I mean, is I’ve every intention of besting these men. I will prevail.”
“Just don’t die trying,” Bash said with a shake of his head. “My wife’s father was caught up in a ring of smugglers that nearly cost him his life, and I swear, that did not bring as much trouble as this. These men are extremely dangerous.”
Arabella looked at her brother. “Then why did you come?”
Lily’s breath caught. What would he say?
“You and Lily are our family. We’d never leave you to face this threat alone.”
Those words made her ache as she leaned against Ash, the idea of Bash and Baxter being her true family making her muscles weak. How could she have thought so ill of them?
“We are some of the most powerful men in the country. Surely we can best these men,” Lockton boomed, his chest out and his head high.
“What’s our plan?” Clubs asked. “We’ve got men. My guess is we can purchase more if we need.”
Lily listened to her pulse thudding in her ears. They were brave and strong. She knew that was true. But Ash was right. They were each made better by their association with the whole group. They all benefitted from each other and from the security that came with power, money, and their relationships.
He was right and so was Arabella. What she’d been missing all this time wasn’t strength—it was resources. “How far to the nearest village? We’d do better to fight with cover.”
Ash gave her a squeeze. “I agree, Lily. And we might be able to hire a few more able-bodied men.”
“It’s time we also sent word to the Prince Regent.” Bash waved to one of the soldiers lounging to the side. “At the point these thieves are attacking us, they clearly hold far more power than our leader would want any criminals to have.”
“Good point,” Ash replied. “Provided we make it back to London, we should have all the reinforcements we need to end this threat completely.”
“We could break off, each try to disappear,” Clubs suggested.
“True.” Ash scrubbed his jaw. “But if one group is found or followed, they’ll have little protection.”
Clubs nodded. “Indeed. Together then?”
“Together.” Ash gave a quick nod.
