Page 48 of Blackthorne's Bride
Feeling incredibly guilty, she was compelled to apologize. “Mr. Dover, let me express to you how sorry I am that this elopement has gone so terribly wrong. I am certain our bad fortune now is no omen to what the future brings.”
Ashley, who was standing beside them, not bothering to even pretend she wasn’t listening, snorted.
Maddie glared at her, then looked back at Mr. Dover. “I assure you that once we are married—” “Maddie,” Ashley interrupted, drawing her away. “I was so worried about you. How did you get away?”
Maddie gave Mr. Dover an apologetic look, then prepared to lecture Ashley. “After all of Bleven’s men went chasing after you, it wasn’t difficult. How could you put yourself in so much danger? I was terrified you’d be caught and—” She swallowed.
“Actually, I think exposing myself was the best idea I’ve had in a long time.”
“Oh, Lord.”
“You’d be surprised how easy it is to blend in when you’re naked.”
“Oh, good Lord.”
Ashley smiled. “Lord Nicholas and I dove under a pile of leaves and Bleven’s men all rode right by us. By the time they realized their error, I had my dress back on and we were long gone.”
“But Mr. Dover? How did you find him?”
Ashley scowled at poor Mr. Dover. Maddie thought he looked lost and forlorn this morning. “He stumbled upon us,” Ashley said. “At quite an inopportune moment, too. Though I suppose it’s for the best. Lord Nicholas is completely incorrigible.”
Maddie narrowed her eyes. “Wait a moment. What kind of inopportune moment? Were you and Lord Nicholas—”
“All right, ladies!” Lord Nicholas interrupted. “We have a plan.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” Ashley protested. “No more of your plans. In fact, no more of you.” She turned to Maddie. “I propose only the four of us continue to Gretna Green. We can leave Lord Nicholas behind to create a diversion for anyone following us.”
“Finally be rid of you? Capital idea,” Lord Nicholas agreed. “Except, who will steal the carriage?”
“Pardon?” Maddie asked. “Steal what carriage?”
“The one that will take us to Gretna Green,” Lord Nicholas answered. “The one I planned to steal for us.”
Maddie shook her head. Lord, this was her worst nightmare come true. After all the trouble he’d caused at the inn, she could not begin to imagine how much worse the turmoil over a carriage would be. Perhaps as much turmoil as publicly insulting a duke. “You cannot steal a carriage, Lord Nicholas.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
Maddie tried to catch Jack’s eye. Maybe she could force him to speak to his brother, or perhaps—if she looked the other way—to knock some sense into Lord Nicholas. But Jack merely blinked at her, scowled, and crossed his arms over his chest.
Maddie licked her lips. “Lord Nicholas, you cannot steal a carriage because theft is wrong. It’s a sin.”
“So is murder, but I didn’t get the impression last night that Bleven’s conscience was troubling him.”
Maddie bit her lip. Bleven did have a reputation for heartless cruelty.
“And what about your own father?” the younger Martingale brother asked, crossing his arms. “If he finds us, do you think his actions will be tempered by thoughts about sin?”
Maddie glanced at Mr. Dover. It was true. Her father would likely shoot first and ask repentance later.
Maddie sighed. “Very well, but can we not buy a carriage? Regretfully, in the fray, I lost my reticule and all my money, but surely if the rest of you pool your resources—”
“We don’t have the time to go carriage shopping,” Blackthorne said, cutting her off. “We’re in a hurry and we have at least two parties, and probably more, searching for us. To openly present ourselves in this town, or any other, is suicide.”
Maddie bit her lip. He was right. They needed to be on their way quickly and anonymously. But, still, she couldn’t believe larceny was the only way. “I understand completely, and yet I cannot condone theft. We must think of another way.”
“It’s no use,” Ashley said finally. “You can’t reason with her on something like this. She has her morals and her good deeds, and no one can disabuse her of their worth.”
“Is that so?” Jack said, coming forward. “Are you telling me that Lady Madeleine never slips from what is good and proper? That her morality never falters?”
