Chapter Six

T heodosia's heart pounded. She was tightly caged in Saville's embrace as they raced across the dirt road. No. In his arms. One could not call this an embrace. Embrace implied affection, gentleness, and even comfort. This hold was hard, muscled, and all the things that alerted her to the raw strength of this man, stretching from his thighs clamping around hers, to his chest supporting her back, to his arms circling her. She couldn't even tell anymore whether the erratic beat in her heart was because of the fear of being chased or the man at her back.

Collect yourself, Theo.

Now was not the time to notice things like raw strength! Not while they were being chased down by angry people whose horse had just been stolen! Not at all, in fact. Not with this man.

Had she been swayed by that one little—yet undeniably grand—question. Can you just trust me this once? She had no other choice but to trust him. And in having no other choice but to trust him, Theodosia had a rather shocking revelation.

She did trust him.

She trusted him to be himself. And while the infuriating Earl of Saville might be many things, and while he might go about doing things in an unorthodox way, he had always operated as a protector.

Even the primitive scent of dirt and sweat wasn't half as annoying as it might have been yesterday, or the day before that. Though in truth, she could very well just be smelling herself!

But then it wouldn't have smelled as good.

Urgh, Theodosia!

Apply your focus to the matter at hand!

She glanced over their shoulders, still unable to detect any riders because of the fog. But she could hear them. Hooves of several horses hitting the ground. Whether they were gaining on them or not, Theodosia couldn't tell.

"Hold on." A rough voice tickled her ear, sending sharp shivers down the base of her spine.

"Hold on?" Theodosia exclaimed, rather rattled. "Hold on to what?" Just as the words flew from her mouth, Saville drew the horse to a sharp halt and yanked on the reins. Her fingers dug into his upper legs, and she braced her back against his chest as he maneuvered the protesting beast into a patch of bushes.

Note to self : Riding a horse astride without a saddle is not fun. Never do so again after this!

Saville's legs clamped tighter around hers, holding her secure on the beast.

Another note to self: Weeds are more than useful.

That term must have truly stung for him to be going on about it still. And perhaps weed was too much. He had gone to pick her apples, after all. A small gesture, but given how hungry she had been at the time, that sour apple had meant everything.

He also insulted your chewing. Rogue.

Half of her sympathy evaporated at the memory. But the half that remained advanced him from a weed to a seed. What the seed would sprout into remained uncertain. He may very well sprout as a weed again, but she would remain hopeful for now.

"Where are we going?" Theodosia asked when he brought the horse to a halt.

"We're hiding."

"What if they catch us?" She didn't want to say it out loud, but the thought terrified her. Saville may very well have been right about those farm residents.

"We have to take a chance. They are gaining on us too fast. We have to use the advantage of the fog while we still have it."

"How can they be this fast? Were we not outrunning them at all?"

"Their horses are younger, and we are two people atop ours," Saville answered. "And even if we did outrun them, what would happen if we blindly dashed straight into the highwaymen? That would be a disaster. No. It's better to hide and regain our stealth and slower pace."

Theodosia begrudgingly admitted he made sense.

Saville had had a point earlier. They were agreeing with each other so much that in some ways, it was rather disconcerting. They went from one extreme to the other, giving her an unsettling feeling or being yanked back and forth. But they had no choice but to rely on each other for the time being.

I suppose it's not all bad.

Well, except for being chased.

A breathless silence fell between them as the hooves of horses drew nearer and nearer until they were just about on them.

Theodosia swore her heart stopped for several beats as she waited for them to be discovered. But that didn't happen. The hoofbeats passed right by. One horse. Two horses. Three. Four riders.

She let out a shaky breath.

We weren't caught.

Theodosia almost couldn't believe it. With everything that had gone wrong lately, it seemed rather refreshing for something to go right for a change.

"I told you, you can trust me."

"There are some things that aren't in even your control, Earl."

He chuckled. "You can let go now, my lady ."

"Let go?" She glanced at him questioningly.

"Your hands." A finger gently tapped one of the hands still digging into his legs. "At this rate I might lose all feeling in my legs if you don't."

Oh! She snatched her hands away. How mortifying, clutching onto him like that! "My apologies. I don't know what I was thinking."

"No need to apologize."

Her cheeks flushed as she surveyed their hiding spot. "How long must we wait?"

"I'm not sure myself."

Theodosia's gaze arrested on a particular spot on the bushes. "Saville, look."

He followed her gaze. "Is that . . .?"

"A path," she finished for him. "It seems so. I wonder where it leads. Should we follow it?"

"The path has been hidden behind these bushes."

"You mean it's not a good idea to follow it, correct?"

He didn't look happy at the discovery. "From my experience, if something is hidden, it is hidden for a reason."

"It could also just be due to the overgrowth of the bushes, and no one saw fit to trim them," she countered.

"If they didn't see fit, they didn't see fit for a reason."

"What else, then? We can't go back that way. What if they catch on that we've hidden? We'll definitely be caught if they start searching the verge."

His body tensed against her. She could feel the reluctance vibrating through him. He did not want to take that path. His whole being resisted. Honestly, she had her reservations as well. But hope outweighed them.

Her desire not to get caught with a stolen horse was greater than her fear of whatever they might find venturing into the unknown.

"I believe the risk is worth it," Theodosia cajoled. "How much time do we have left before they realize we aren't ahead of them anymore? What if they know about this path, too? That means we need all the head start we can get."

A curse flew past her ear.

This man. "You have a foul mouth. Has anyone told you that before?"

"Constantly," he said. "Damn it, I don't know what the right choice is here."

Theodosia suddenly understood. Of course, he would be hesitant. It wasn't the hot-tempered earl protesting, it was the protector earl.

"Think about it this way," Theodosia said frankly. "I am the one pressing us to take the path. I made the choice."

"I'm steering the horse."

"See?" She sent him a smile over her shoulder. "A team effort. That is the best we can do in this circumstance. Work together."

"A team effort..." He let out a long-suffering sigh. "Very well. We shall do it your way. But you better not blame me if what we find at the end of this path is worse than being chased by a posse."

What could be worse ? Theodosia wanted to ask, but she held back. Nothing ever good came from tempting fate with such a glib question. Fate might just decide to show exactly how much worse it could get.

"Do not worry. If what we find is worse, then I shall be sure to not allow you to get caught."

"Words I shall take to heart," Saville said a bit mockingly. But he still directed the horse to the hidden path, the muscles in his thighs flexing as he nudged the animal into a trot. Again, Theodosia questioned her life choices. She should have insisted on sitting at his back this time.

"I can't wait to get off this dratted horse," she muttered.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Clearly, it's not nothing. Nothing doesn't sound like I can't wait to get off this dratted horse ."

"Why are you so tactless? Did they not teach you in school not to provoke ladies?"

His shoulders shrugged against hers. "We don't receive that sort of instruction."

"Of course, I suppose there are no finishing schools for boys to teach them basic etiquette. They should incorporate this in your studies."

"Aren't there books for these things?"

"Have you read them?"

"Are you one to speak? It doesn't seem as though you went to any finishing school, either, or read any books."

She hadn't.

"Why would I attend finishing school when I had a governess?"

"Forget I asked. There is no winning against you."

"Not even your sister attended finishing school."

"An oversight on my part. Perhaps she would not be so rebellious had I sent her."

A snort. "You are such a man. It's most annoying." It was a true accomplishment the degree to which this man had set her teeth on edge in the past with this sort of nonsense.

"What else am I supposed to be then, a woman? I'm rather happy to be a man."

"I just bet you are. Very well, you man , just get us to those dratted highwaymen so that we can retrieve the book." Then they would be done with this adventure. Done with each other.

"Will I be less annoying if I do?"

"Of course." Her voice turned syrupy. "I'd be so happy."

"Then who am I to keep you from such happiness?"

Happiness . . .

The sooner they could get out of each other's hair, the better. Yes, that would be happiness.

*

Saville didn't know the last time he had felt so damn powerless as he nudged their horse further down the overgrown path. He shared her sentiment—he wanted to get off this horse post haste, as well. However, he was certain their reasons weren't the same. He couldn't feel anything but her, and he was ready to be done with that. He wasn't even spared her breath. The movement of every inhale and exhaled played against his chest.

Distracting.

Lord, what he wouldn't do for a hot meal. And a bath. A river, a brook, or anything to wash the sweat from his skin would do right about now. A soft bed.

Anything but this torture.

Admittedly, this "torture" was still better than hiding beneath a desk from her brothers in London. Hell if he knew why. He just knew that it was.

The body between his arms squirmed.

Not bad, this feeling.

He stiffened. Where the hell had that thought come from? Not bad? Very, very bad!

Theodosia King didn't like him. In fact, there were moments when he might even say she loathed him. He had known this much to be true from the start. They didn't get along, and he understood why. He'd made too many mistakes, plus he had a bad personality. Not brooding, yet not that cheerful either. An in-between mess with a hot temper.

Field had no illusions about himself. He'd been called a waste too many times in his life for that. While he didn't believe he was an actual a waste—for that meant his father would be right—his character was not the sort that mamas and their daughters flocked to.

Women didn't like him. They found him the exact opposite of charming.

He leaned closer and sniffed. Even having gone through all they'd gone through, she still smelled of spring. Her soft body against his also...

No, Field. Stop there.

It must be because this was the first time he had ever ridden on a horse with a woman. Honestly, it was the first time a woman had remained locked between his arms with their clothes still on. A sobering thought.

This was much more intimate.

A moment he didn't hate.

"What's wrong?" came her voice.

He jolted. "Nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?"

"Then why did you go stiff as a stick?"

Field wanted to laugh. They were having nearly the same conversation over again, only with roles reversed.

"You caught that?"

"How can I not? We are cramped with each other on the back of a horse."

Cramped? That would be one way of putting it. He cleared his throat. "I thought I saw a snake slithering in the underbrush." A lame excuse, but the only one he could come up with.

"In the pitch-black dark?" she asked skeptically. Rightly so. He couldn't see a deuced thing. "Wouldn't the horse have skittered?"

He glanced up at the moonlit sky. The fog had already cleared here. "It's not pitch-black dark."

"Fine, don't tell me."

It's not like he could. I sniffed your hair, and I liked it . That would earn him no points.

They fell back into silence, and Field wisely directed his attention to the road. Lady Theodosia was far too sharp for his tired and fog-filled brain at the moment. Then again, the minx always had been. Though she must also be tired—why else refrain from raking him with a cutting remark?

As the horse plodded onward, Field reflected on his recent decisions. This hidden road would not have been his first choice. But the only other he could think of was to abort all plans and head back in the direction they came. Field didn't need to be a prophet to know about how well that suggestion would have been received.

As they rounded a bend in the path, however, their new prospect came as a surprise. A small town spread before them. This one was not abandoned. A few men stumbled about, and the drone of enthusiastic laughter in the distance grew louder and louder as they approached. Even though it was night, the town still bustled with activity.

Saville had a bad feeling.

From an abandoned village to a secret road leading into another village. No, he didn't feel good about this at all. Was this road simply a shortcut? But used by whom? And for what purpose?

Not a good feeling at all.

Because the only answer Field could come up with was that of a certain highwayman and his gang. He dismounted and held out his hand to help Lady Theodosia down.

She didn't protest his assistance and, looking around the town, merely commented, "Well, this is quite the rapid change."

Field nodded absentmindedly. "That, we are in an agreement about."

"More agreements. I declare," she said, a grin in her tone. "Our tides are changing."

Don't speak too soon, sweetheart.

Field hailed a man who was passing them.

"Is there an inn in town? One where we can get a good meal and a hot bath?"

The man didn't even look at them, just pointed to a building in the distance.

"Much obliged."

A few minutes later, Field retracted his sentiment. They stood before the door of a three-story building, their hopes dashed with the shake of the innkeeper's head.

"We don't have any more rooms available tonight."

"Is there another place that can grant us a bed and a meal?" Lady Theodosia asked.

The man pointed to an establishment opposite them. "But I don't know whether they will have rooms for you, either. Prickly hosts, too."

Well, they didn't have much of a choice but to ask, did they? "Let's go," Field said, casting a parting glance at the potbellied man. Who was calling who prickly?

"It's rather strange to have two inns in such a small village?" Theodosia murmured as they walked away.

It was. Though the town was active enough that it might be larger or more popular than it seemed at a nighttime glance. Even if it was off a hidden path. In the middle of nowhere. "While it's odd, nothing can surprise me any longer. The world is tipping on its axis already. This is a mere drop in the ocean of strangeness."

"Well, don't despair," Lady Theodosia chirped with a brightness Field didn't share. "This inn should have rooms for us."

"I would say let's hope, but hope does not spring eternal, as one might be inspired to believe."

"Oh pish, do not be such a bore," she chastised. "Hope with me for just one minute more."

Field wanted to say no , but one look at her face, and all that came out was, "Fine, one minute. I'll hope."

One minute later, Field once again retracted this damnable sentiment of hope. Disappointment shall forever rule eternal.

"We only have one room."

Field and Lady Theodosia stared at each other. "See? Hope has proven fruitful." An undeniable sparkle lit her eyes.

Fruitful? This was fruitful ? They would need to share . Anything else would require him to be a man with luck . He lowered his voice to a mutter, "You do realize we'd be sleeping in the same room."

Her head turned to him, her voice dropping even lower, "What are you so fussy about? Didn't we sleep in the same room before?"

"Calling that dwelling a ‘room' is a bit farfetched, don't you think?"

The innkeeper of this establishment was an older woman, tall, resolute. She jabbed her chin toward Field. "He is not welcome."

Field's head snapped back to her. "Excuse me?"

"Only women allowed."

Mentally, his jaw dropped. "I'm not sure I take your meaning, madam."

"No? Then allow me to make it clear. This is a women- only establishment. No men allowed."

No, Field was not a man with luck. What the bloody hell were the chances that of the two inns in this town, the only one—with only one bed left—was a female only business? He pinched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to glower. Just glower—at anything. He drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Then what about your stables?"

"They are women only stables, as well."

God above. "Do you have only mares in there, too?" Give me strength .

"That's right. We only have female horses, too."

Christ, calm him. "Do you have women standing guard at the stables too? Stablewomen?"

"No." A flat look accompanied the next statement. "But we do have girls patrolling the property at night."

Could his world turn more upside down?

"How grand," Theodosia murmured softly, sending him a louder smirk. "Women on patrol."

"This is madness." He could only go back to the other inn and ask if they were willing to open their stables to him. But that meant being separated from a minx who reveled in snapping rules in half. Who could say what trouble she'd start in his absence in this strange, boisterous town?

Everlasting damnation.

The minx stepped forward. "It is not at all possible? We are in a bit of a pickle, you see, and would rather not be separated."

The woman did not move an inch. Not even her facial muscles twitched. "The rules are the rules."

"Are there no inches between these rules?" Field asked. "Room for a man in trouble?"

"That is not our establishment's problem. We will take the girl, not the man." The flat look never wavered. "No men allowed."

"I see," Theodosia murmured, peeking up at him. "I suppose then it cannot be helped."

Cannot be helped?

Cannot be helped ? What the hell did she mean by that ? And what the hell was wrong with this town? "Am I allowed to ask why there are no men allowed?"

The woman said simply, "Our guests prefer a setting with no men."

What in the blazes did he just hear? He stared at the woman. "That is rather fascinating."

"We adapt to the fashions of our guests."

Field's eyes turned to Theodosia, who was glowing with delight. "I see." Fashions . Meaning the current little rebellions of the ladies, he suspected. "News must travel fast from London."

"We do keep up with the papers."

Of course.

"Well, that is fabulous," Theodosia declared.

"Fabulous?" Field bit out between teeth that wanted to remain clenched. The minx and her heiresses had caused half of England's female population to revolt! However, he was not foolish enough to think he could fight this. And quite frankly, he didn't have the bloody strength to even try.

Theodosia ignored him, asking the innkeeper, "Is there room for negotiation? We were robbed by a highwayman, you see, but I am Lady Theodosia King, and I always pay my accounts."

The innkeeper's eyes softened a fraction of a bit. "I am not opposed to discussing arrangements."

Well, that was something, at least, Field supposed. At least Theodosia would be able to negotiate for her own stay at this inn and pay later.

His temples were starting to throb.

I need sleep.

But he also needed peace of mind. Perhaps he could try to sneak into the stable without them knowing and stay as close as possible to Theodosia. He could sidestep a few women on patrol, could he not?

He cast a quick glance at their noble companion. A mare. Thank God. The horse would also have a place to sleep tonight. Fortunately, while the smell of horses would be unpleasant, he actually liked them. Given the state of his body after sharing a horse with the lady in question, sharing a barn with the mare wouldn't be all that bad. And he'd be close.

He leveled a look at the innkeeper before grasping Theodosia's arm. He pulled her a few feet away, lowering his voice to a whisper, "You and the horse stay here. I shall make another plan."

She blinked a few times. "No."

"Yes. This is the only way. Get some sleep."

"What about you?"

Field squared his shoulders. "I shall find a spot to rest, don't worry." Even if he couldn't manage to sneak into the stable, there had to be a soft patch of ground somewhere nearby he could occupy for a few hours.

The stare directed at him lasted three seconds too long for his comfort. A sparkle suddenly entered her gaze, and she said, "Take the horse to the stable. I'll meet you there."

"What are you going to do?" Field couldn't keep outright suspicion from his tone. "No silly business."

Her lips quirked. "Trust me."

"No need for tricks and schemes. I'll be fine. If that woman is willing to negotiate payment, take the room."

"And what if any one of the people we're currently avoiding finds you being fine in whatever spot you chose to rest? They all know your face, and I'd rather not have your blood on my hands."

"Then what do you propose?"

"Let me talk to the innkeeper, I shall make an arrangement for us both. I have a marvelous suggestion for her. One I think she will take pleasure in."

Why did that sound like it wouldn't bode well for him? "That woman won't move an inch."

"Not with you grumbling about, no. Take the horse to the stable," the minx urged again. "I'll meet you there. Trust me for once, if you can."

Theodosia stepped up to the inn again and addressed the innkeeper directly. "Will it be all right if he settles our mare in the stables?"

The woman looked between the two of them before nodding.

I'll be damned .

Field didn't wait around; he led the horse around the side of the building to the inn's stable. He'd do as she asked. Because God help him, he did trust her.

He didn't catch sight of any women on patrol, and entered the stable without being stopped, choosing the first empty stall on his right. "There you go. You ought to be safe here for the night." His gaze flicked over the other stalls. Were they really all mares in here? And just what arrangements was Theodosia trying to negotiate for them ?

He scrunched his eyes shut.

If they were very lucky, he supposed the innkeeper might soften a bit more and allow him to sleep on a patch of hay. Then tomorrow, they would continue their search for lawless highwaymen while also trying to evade a bunch of farm folk hunting for them. Could this country trip get any worse?

"We are in luck!"

Field nearly jumped from his skin at the sudden sound of Lady Theodosia's voice at his back. He placed a hand over his heart, applying pressure to settle the beat. How much time had passed? A minute? An hour? He turned to find her flouncing into the stables with a big grin.

He had another bad feeling.

"Christ, woman. Can you not sneak up on a man like that?"

"Did you not hear me? I said we are in luck!"

"I heard you. I'm just not sure you and I define luck the same way."

She tossed a bundle of clothes at him.

"What's this?"

"Your way into the all-women inn."

What was this now? Field lifted the garments to inspect them. His mood promptly turned from suspicious to outright bitter. "You want me to wear a dress?"

She nodded. "It should all fit, I believe."

"And just where did you find these clothes?"

"I borrowed them from the innkeeper."

" This is your grand plan? Have me dress in women's clothes to get into a women's inn?

She plopped her hands on her waist. "Why not?" She waved a hand over the stables. "Or do you want to sleep where danger lurks around every corner?"

"I won't be in danger," Field denied.

"We don't know that. I'd rather not spend the entire night worrying about whether you are well or not."

"Why, Lady Theodosia, you are that worried about me?"

"Oh, pish. Stop wasting time and get dressed so we can go inside and rest."

"Fine, you win," he muttered. "But did the innkeeper actually say I could enter if I don a dress?"

A slight pause. "Not exactly. But she also didn't say no. However, I do believe her lips pursed with a moment's worth amusement when I brought up the suggestion."

He glared at the clothing in his hand. "This is never going to work, you know." That woman would surely only amuse herself at his expense and then send him off.

Her grin brightened. "I think you'll be surprised."

Christ, at this point, nothing could surprise him anymore.