Page 5 of The Highwayman's Bite

“Don’t lie to me, Rhys.” She drew away and eyed him solemnly. “You could get caught any time. The newspaper says that there will be more patrols on the country roads.”

“I will be all right. I know what I am doing.” Though she was partly right. Although it wasn’t the constables he had to worry about, it was others. In time, they could discover his activities and trap him.

Not wanting to think of all the potential and death looming over him, Rhys, pulled the sack of coins from his pocket and pressed it into Emily’s work-roughened hands. “Has he been by yet?”

There was no need to specify who he was. The Viscount of Thornton loomed over them like a dark specter. Due to Emily’s late husband’s foolishness with money and love of gambling, Lord Thornton held the mortgage on the family farm. The husband had fallen behind on repayment long before he died, and Thornton was constantly sniffing about, trying to oust Emily and her children from the farm. Only Rhys’s contributions staved him off.

Emily took the sack with a nod. “He says that unless I have paid the hundred and fifty pounds in full by the end of the month, my children and I have to leave.”

“That black-hearted scoundrel! The month is nearly half gone!” Despair pooled in Rhys’s belly. He’d never be able to steal that much money so quickly. “I’ll think of something,” he said, forcing himself to sound confident. “Use the money I gave you for food.”

“I’d considered buying a calf.” Emily sighed. “But it could not grow enough in a month to be worth the investment.”

More footsteps clattered on the stairs as Emily’s children raced down in their night shirts. “Cousin Rhys!” they shouted. “You’ve come back!”

Rhys embraced the boy and girl, amazed that even in little over a fortnight, they seemed to have grown. “Jacob, Alice, it is a joy to see you.”

“Stay this time,” five-year-old Alice pleaded. “You always leave.”

Rhys shook his head. “I have to leave, Poppet. There is important work to be done.” Such as coming up with a hundred and fifty pounds by month’s end. “But I can stay for an hour or so.”

Emily regarded her children with a weary look. “I’ll make tea.”

Once settled with his family at the polished maple dining table, the cloth long since sold, Emily told him about the farm. She and the children had managed to grow some herbs and vegetables and sell them at the market along with several bushels of apples from the orchard. They’d found a cache of coins her husband had hidden behind the barn after the cat had another litter of kittens. It had been enough to buy salted beef and fish to tide them over for winter and more importantly, an ox to pull the plow in the north field and seed to plant corn next Spring.

This news should have filled him with joy, but Lord Thornton had taken it away. Just as Emily, a young woman alone with small children, was bringing the farm back to life, the blackguard was going to foreclose it anyway.

Rhys did his best to conceal his grim disposition and focus on the children’s smiles as he gave them sweets, and the comfort of the house, warmed by the fire he started. After tea, he rose from the table.

“I’m afraid I must go.” Regret imbued his words.

“Must you?” Emily circled the table to meet him while the children echoed similar protests. “Surely it is safer for you if you stay here.”

Rhys shook his head. “I cannot be traced to you.” He took her arms and met her gaze. “I will find a way to either produce that money, or to persuade Thornton to give you more time.”

“Be careful, Rhys,” Emily whispered.

“Always.”

Once outside, Rhys gathered firewood. From the look of the diminishing pile, he would have to return to the farm soon to chop more.

Then again, if Lord Thornton was going to take the farm, perhaps he shouldn’t bother. The thought filled him with impotent fury. That nabob had plenty of land and money of his own. He didn’t need any more.

Instead of heading straight back to his cave, Rhys dashed to the outskirts of Thornton’s property. Making certain he stayed downwind, Rhys glared balefully at the stately manor house, with its elegant columns, covered veranda, and French doors. How could one have so much and others so few?

He didn’t know what drew him here, putting himself in danger like this. If Thornton’s guards caught wind of him, he’d be taken in an instant.

Then he heard the clatter of hooves and the roll of carriage wheels off in the distance. Who was this? Thornton wasn’t one to have visitors.

When the conveyance drew closer, Rhys’s jaw dropped as he recognized it. The beauty he’d robbed earlier in the evening was inside.

The front door of Thornton Manor opened, and his lordship stepped out to meet the carriage.

After the driver opened the door, Thornton handed the girl down.

Her voice was barely audible, but Rhys still heard one word as she addressed the viscount. “Uncle.”

Rhys covered his gaping mouth to hide his gasp. The viscount had a niece? On the heels of his shock came a plan. He’d have leverage.

---