Free Taming the Shrew by Cari Hislop Page B

spoken...” She smiled as he kissed her cheek. “We’d better go before they steal my carriage and we’re stuck here all night in this creepy house.”
Chapter 11
    The carriage and its occupants swayed together as the road curved towards London, the carriage clock chiming a quarter past ten. Hervey glanced at the shadowy head resting against his shoulder and smiled. The musky scent of wild mallow was wafting into his heart bringing to mind happy summer days picking mallow flowers with his mother. Sighing he expelled his sadness for lost happiness and refocused on the present. His mystery evening had been a resounding success. The empty house he’d borrowed from the Duke of Lyndhurst had been the perfect setting. He’d never forget the look on Juliana’s face after showing her into the bare reception room. He’d clapped his hands three times and music had floated out of the darkness in the next room. He wiggled his sore toes in ecstasy as his tired body hummed with pleasure. Having his feet stepped on had been well worth the hour spent guiding his beloved through all nine steps of the waltz. Feeling her finally relax into his touch had been exquisite. He breathed in a lung full of mallow as he kissed the top of her head. It was too dark to see if she was sleeping, but if she looked half as beautiful as she did during their candle lit supper...he swallowed a groan as her hands on his arm clasped him tighter. His heart throbbed in delight as she repositioned her head and snuggled closer. He was starting to question his own sanity. His wife, the woman he adored, had begged him to come home and sleep in her bed and he hadn’t yet given her a definite answer either way. He was mentally entwining his limbs with his bride when a shot rang out in the darkness. The frightened horses were quickly reined in as the coachman felt a bullet wiz past his ear.
    All pleasant thoughts disappeared like frightened rabbits as Hervey fingered the travelling pistol in his coat pocket. He could hear three or more men on horseback surround his carriage. He always travelled with a specific purse for any inconsiderate Highwaymen, but he hadn’t calculated the debilitating terror caused by Juliana’s presence. What if he was unable to defend his beautiful wife from unscrupulous villains? She sat up still clutching his arm and looked around her in disbelief. “Where are we?”
    “Outside London, we’ve been stopped by...” A lantern appeared in the window lighting up a leering face on the other side of the glass. The woman sitting beside him paused as if uncertain and then scrambled onto his knee and wrapped her arms around his neck, nearly choking him.
    Holding her close didn’t ease the fear as the door opened and the man swinging the lantern sneered at someone on horseback, “It’s a Mr and Mrs Red.” His unseen companions all laughed in amusement. Hervey abandoned his hidden pistol to put both arms around Juliana as she lifted her head to glare at the footpad until the man pointed his large pistol in her general direction. Hervey sighed in relief when she returned her frightened tears to shoulder. The last thing he wanted was for her to be shot for upbraiding a heartless footpad. His own terror increased as the Highwayman cocked his trigger before waving his pistol in glee. “I’m going to assume you have some sort of firearm about your person, if only to protect the lovely young lady from scoundrels like me.” His companions laughed adding several rude comments that turned Hervey’s stomach as he flushed with fear. “Hand over a weapon or I’ll shoot you. Blood soaked leather is difficult to clean and this is such a comfortable looking equipage. We wouldn’t want your widow to have to buy a new carriage. I’m not waiting till sunrise; hand me a weapon or I shoot you. I don’t mind either way, but you will.” Cursing under his breath, Hervey reached into his pocket. “Don’t be stupid...you wouldn’t want me to