had slept the first day and been politely distant and discreet at dinner time before he and John had departed for their bedchamber, leaving herself and Jenny to theirs.
The next day he had sat on the box with John and on the third he had taken the reins. Every evening had been as quiet as the one before and on every occasion Nicholas had been as uncommunicative. And again today the two men were up on the box sharing the driving as the Midlands of England slowly gave way to the unfamiliar northern counties.
Tonight they would lodge in York and Katherine was absolutely determined that she was going to achieve some communication with Nicholas if she had to lock herself in his bedroom to achieve it.
‘Are you all right, Miss Katherine?’ Jenny was sitting regarding her with some concern.
‘Yes, of course. Why do you ask?’
‘Because you’re scowling something dreadful,’ Jenny responded frankly. ‘You’ll end up with terrible lines on your forehead if you carry on so.’ She cocked her head on one side and waited patiently for her mistress to explain herself.
‘Well, I am a little concerned about things,’ Katherine began mildly enough. ‘And I would like to discuss them with Mr Lydgate—who appears to be going to some lengths to avoid talking to me.’ She felt her anger rising as she articulated what, up to then, she had only been brooding upon. ‘I have no idea what to expect when we reach his family home. He just whisked me away from London—all I know for certain is that he parted on very bad terms with his father …’
And you want to know all about his family and what his plans are,’ Jenny soothed. ‘Of course you do, Miss Katherine, ‘tis only natural.’ She fell silent, then suddenly remarked, ‘I believe I have a headache.’
‘There is some sal volatile in my reticule,’ Katherine offered. ‘Or we could bathe your temples with lavender water, if only I can recall where I packed it.’
‘No, thank you. I know what I need, fresh air.’ Jenny tugged the check string, and when the horses came to a halt jumped down without waiting for one of the men to open the door for her. ‘John,’ she called up, ‘I have a terrible headache, I think I would be much better if I could sit up on the box with you in the fresh air for a while. Would it be a terrible inconvenience for you to change places, sir?’
A few minutes later, in a flurry of skirts and with a wink to her mistress, Jenny was settled on the box and Nick was climbing into the carriage. ‘A decided young woman,’ he remarked.
‘Yes,’ Katherine agreed, uncertain whether that remark held an element of criticism. ‘She and John have both been wonderfully loyal to me since our situation became so bad. I have no idea how I would have managed without them, and half the time I was in arrears with their wages.’
‘Devoted servants are—’
There was a gunshot from outside, then another. The horses plunged to a halt, throwing Katherine across the coach to land in Nick’s arms. She scrambled back, only to find herself thrust firmly behind him on the seat when she tried to look out of the window.
‘What is it?’
‘Highwaymen—two, I think. Damnation, both pistols are on the box with John.’ There was shouting from outside, the sound of John’s voice raised in protest and another shot.
‘Jenny …’
‘Hopefully they’ll both have the sense to do as they are bid and won’t put up any resistance. Yes, they are both all right: they have just climbed down. Where’s the money?’
‘All over the place—some in my reticule, you have some, John the rest, I think. I never thought to hide it.’
Only minutes had passed since the first shot—it seemed like hours. ‘Well, we must just put a good face on it and hand it over,’ Nick began, then he grinned. ‘Perhaps not. Kat, take off your pelisse. Good, now, get rid of that fichu or whatever it is and tug down the front of your gown a little.’
‘What!’
‘No, more, like this.’ His fingers were warm on her skin. ‘Off with that bonnet, far too respectable; unpin your hair—no, I’ll do it. Good, now follow my lead.’
Katherine saw one of the highwaymen approaching the carriage door. The other had moved John and Jenny at gunpoint to the side of the road. She glanced down and was shocked at the amount of swelling bosom Nick’s cavalier treatment of her neckline had produced.
He threw open the door and jumped down before the man had a chance to reach it, then turned to swing Katherine down beside him, apparently unconcerned by the threatening long-nosed pistol being pointed at them.
‘Good day, mate.’ He grinned and Katherine realised with a shock that his voice had coarsened. ‘This is a turn up and no mistake, eh, Katy?’
‘What? Don’t you try no nonsense, just hand over the dibs.’ The man waved the pistol threateningly.
‘Now then, cullies.’ Nick raised his voice so it could be clearly heard by the second man. ‘This is no way to treat one of your own.’
The nearest man squinted at Nick. ‘What’yer mean? I don’t recognise you and I know all the lads on the bridle lay round here.’
‘Never heard of Black Jack Standon?’
Katherine stifled a gasp. Surely he couldn’t hope to get away with it?
‘Yeah, what of it? Everyone’s heard of him; these last few days since the news reached here no one’s talked of anything else in the taproom. Cut down from the gallows alive at Newgate, so they say. Don’t say why … Bloody hell!’
Nick dragged at his neck cloth and pulled open his shirt. The vicious ring around his neck had developed more colours since the hanging, and if it was now less swollen it was certainly no less dramatic.
‘You? You’re Black Jack? How did you get off, then?’
‘All due to my clever little Katy here.’ Nick put an arm around Katherine’s shoulders and pulled her to him.’ She found the clergyman who’d testified in court to my lifting his cash box and gave him a night to remember, didn’t you, sweetheart?’
Chucked under the chin, Katherine managed a smile she only hoped looked suitably saucy.
‘What, then he came over all soft hearted and told the court it was all a mistake?’ the taller man scoffed.
‘No.’ Nick grinned wickedly. ‘She told him she’d go into church and tell the entire congregation, including his wife and his patron all about it—right down to the birthmark on his left buttock. He couldn’t get in front of the magistrates fast enough after that.’
‘Gawd!’ The man regarded Katherine with awe mixed with an unsubtle appreciation of her well-displayed charms. ‘Left it a bit late, didn’t he?’
‘You could say so.’ Nick rubbed his throat cautiously. ‘Not an experience I would want to repeat.’
‘Too right.’ Both men stuffed their pistols in their waistbands and held out their hands to shake Nick’s. ‘Birthmark on the parson’s bum!’ The shorter one chortled. ‘Pleased
