Page 71 of Choosing Her Earl at Last
“The horses are too tired to go on,” the head Runner informed Michael. “We cannot continue the search without fresh horses.”
“You can use all of my horses in the stable,” Michael argued.
“Michael, we all need to rest,” Colin gently reminded him.
“I cannot rest while she is out there with that man,” Michael’s voice reflected the desperation that he felt in his heart.
“Mr. G will be forced to stop and rest as well. No man or horse can make that journey without resting,” Colin attempted to be the voice of reason.
“We will set out before first light,” the head Runner informed Michael, his tone leaving no room for argument. “The roads are too dangerous to travel at night, and we will not reach the marchioness in time without our horses and men being healthy and alive enough to do so.”
Michael had to physically bite his tongue to keep from shouting at the man. His logical mind knew that Colin and the Runner were right, but his heart was screaming for him to take immediate action.
Unable to express himself without saying or doing something that he would regret, Michael walked away, taking a brief moment to collect himself. Unable to let it go, Michael returned to the group.
“If we trade out the horses for those in my stable, I will agree to stop at an inn along the way to rest, if you agree to continue on until there is no light left to see by.”
The Runner and Colin exchanged a look, but after a moment of consideration, in the end, they agreed to do as Michael requested.
“Do we have your word?” Colin asked, his eyes holding Michael’s. “Rebecca has been through a great ordeal herself and needs rest. Emmeline would not want her life or health placed in any jeopardy.”
Understanding filled Michael’s mind about Colin’s resistance to continuing on, and he felt a moment of guilt that he had not taken Rebecca’s needs into consideration.
“You have my word,” he agreed.
Nodding, Colin went to inform Rebecca of the plan.
“Runners!” the head Runner barked orders to his men, and they all rode out toward the stables of Ravenshollow.
Once the horses were traded out for fresh ones, they set back out onto the road. True to his word, when all the light had left the sky, Michael agreed to stop for the night at a roadside inn. He arranged for rooms for the entire group, paying for the rooms himself, along with a meal for each person.
That night, Michael lay awake, his mind and heart with Emmeline, praying that she was safe.I am coming for you, Emmeline. Hold on, my love. I am coming for you.
Chapter 29
Emmeline stood silently at the mouth of the bustling port of Dover, Norman’s henchman covertly holding a weapon to her ribs. Norman had instructed the man to kill her if she attempted to escape or draw attention to herself by screaming or asking for help. She would have cried, but she had exhausted all of her tears in the night.
Thankfully, no man had laid a hand on her during the night, and she had come through it relatively unscathed but for a lack of proper sleep due to her bindings. As Norman approached to take her aboard the ship that would take them to France, the realization that she would never see Michael or her family ever again, sank in.
Sorrow clutched at her heart and made her dizzy with the intensity of her emotions.Michael, I am so very sorry! I love you, and I am so very sorry that I did not tell you when I had the opportunity. I am so very sorry that I chose duty over love. I am so very sorry!Her heart cried out in silence what she could no longer say.
“Load the paintings. I have spoken with the captain, and we will not be questioned on their provenance,” Norman commanded his henchman.
Nodding, the man did as instructed.
Norman stood by Emmeline’s side, never taking his eyes from her. He was not willing to risk anything where she was concerned. While he did not hold a blade to her ribcage as his henchman had, his iron grip on her arm did not allow her to move a hair’s breadth from his side.
Once the paintings were loaded, they moved toward the gangplank that led up onto the ship. A call rose up from the ship’s deck, beckoning its passengers to come aboard. Norman dragged Emmeline onto the ship’s gangplank, pushing her forward ahead of himself.
Emmeline balked at his pushing her, turning to glare at him for the needless roughness, only to find that Norman was no longer behind her. Instead, he was rolling around on the ground with a man that looked like Michael.
Confusion, then relief, flooded Emmeline’s system as she confirmed that it was indeed Michael.
“Michael!” she exclaimed in impassioned relief and excitement.
He did not hear her as Norman had pulled a weapon and was attempting to kill him. Colin emerged from the crowd and immediately moved to help Michael restrain Norman. Bow Street Runners poured forward, disarming Norman and taking him into custody.
Emmeline was so busy watching the kerfuffle unfold that she did not see Norman’s henchman coming up behind her. Grabbing her by the hair, he pulled her back up onto the gangplank. Crying out in pain, Emmeline whirled around and kicked him square in the shin. The man howled in pain and released her hair, allowing her to race back down the wooden incline, pushing her way through the other passengers.
