The Bride Thief

down her cheek. 'It could have cost ye your life as well, lass. I'd never be able to bear the guilt if harm befell ye. I want your promise that ye won't try to help me in my mission again. 'Tis far too dangerous.'

'But-'

'Your promise, Miss Briggeham. I'll not leave here until I have it.'

She hesitated, then jerked her head in a stiff nod. 'Very well, I promise. But I want you to know…' She slowly reached up and laid her hand against his masked cheek. 'I hold you in the deepest admiration.'

Warmth washed through him, and it required all his will not to turn his face and press his lips to her honey- scented palm.

'And the deepest affection,' she added softly.

He froze as if she'd thrown a bucket of icy water over him. Affection? And not just any affection, but the deepest affection? Bloody hell, he didn't want her holding another man in the deepest affection-even if that man happened to be him!

Miss Barrow joined them and he forced his unreasonable, not to mention annoying, jealousy aside. 'Is your coachman securely bound?' he asked the young woman.

She cast a look of disgust down at the man. 'Yes, sir.'

'Do ye still wish for me to help ye to escape, Miss Barrow?'

'More than anything, sir.'

'Then we must be off. Gather any belongings ye wish to bring.' He turned to Samantha. 'Fetch your mount and the horse ye brought for Miss Barrow.'

As they did as he bid, he walked to where Champion stood several yards away and reassured himself the stallion was uninjured. He then returned to where the coachman lay. He bent down, wincing at the pain in his head, and checked the coachman's bindings. A humorless smile touched his lips. Miss Barrow had indeed tied up the bastard tightly.

Miss Barrow emerged from the coach carrying a small traveling case. 'Wait right there,' he instructed her. He then turned to Samantha, who was emerging from the woods leading two mounts. 'Miss Barrow will ride with me. Ye lead your other horse, and I shall accompany ye back to the woods near your home.'

'No,' she protested, accepting his hand up into the saddle. 'You must be off.'

'And I shall be. As soon as I see ye safely back to your home. 'Tis more than an hour's journey, much too far for ye to travel alone, especially at this time of night. I'll not argue with ye, lass.'

A disgruntled sound came from her throat. 'Then at least take this.' She pressed her reticule into his hand. 'It contains the funds and passage aboard the Lady Seafarer I'd arranged for Miss Barrow.' He opened his mouth to protest, but she pressed it more firmly into his hand. 'Please take it. It would mean a great deal to me to be able to help her.'

It took all his strength not to pull her into his arms and kiss her. 'I've made my own arrangements for Miss Barrow. Since it is your wish, I shall give her the funds, but I will destroy the ticket. I want no evidence that could lead back to ye. And when ye return home ye must make certain ye destroy anything that could implicate ye. Do ye understand?'

'Yes.'

'Then let us be gone.'

He strode to Champion, and after assisting Miss Barrow into the saddle, swung himself up behind her. He then turned Champion around and led the way into the forest, heading back toward Samantha's home.

Hubert jabbed his spectacles higher on his nose and resisted the fierce urge to kick a tree trunk in frustration. What had started off as a grand adventure had somehow turned into an utter fiasco. Based on the information provided in Miss Barrow's letter, he knew where he was supposed to eventually be, but unfortunately he hadn't a clue how to get there.

How could he possibly have lost sight of Sammie? One minute she'd been no more than ten yards ahead of him, and the next she was gone. As if she'd vanished into a puff of smoke.

Irritation rippled through him. Dash it, how was he to protect her if he couldn't find her? And how could he hope to test his experiment to discover the Bride Thief's identity? He simply had to find her.

Continuing through the unfamiliar woods in the direction where he'd last seen her, he walked along, pausing every few minutes to strain his ears. After nearly a quarter hour, he halted at the sound of muffled voices in the distance. Crouching low, he moved cautiously forward. His heart jumped with relief when he spied Sammie sitting upon Sugarcane. His relief turned to excitement when he discerned a figure speaking to her-a masked man who could only be the notorious Bride Thief.

He had come! His gaze swept the area. A woman who was surely Miss Barrow stood by a coach, a traveling case clutched in her hands. A huge black horse stood near the side of the road. Based on what Sammie had told him, he deduced this was the Bride Thief's mount. His elation quickly turned to dismay when he realized the group was about to depart the area. He had to act immediately if he had any hope of testing his experiment.

Keeping one eye on the Bride Thief, he moved toward the black horse. With his heart pounding against his ribs, he opened the leather pouch clutched in his hand. He quickly sprinkled the contents over the animal's saddle, reins, and stirrups, then withdrew, hiding behind a dense clump of hedges.

Frustration mixed with exhilaration pumped through him. If only he'd had more time! Then he could have emptied his powder inside the Bride Thief's saddlebag and snipped a small hole in the leather to leave a trail he could follow. He cursed the failure of his original plan, but at least by spreading the powder as he did, he'd see if its long-term phosphorescent properties worked. And perhaps the Bride Thief might lead him to the cottage where he'd brought Sammie!

Seconds later the Bride Thief helped Miss Barrow into the saddle, swung up behind her, then led the way into the woods.

Making certain to keep Sammie in his sights, he followed behind the group. Disappointment filled him when after a time it became obvious they were heading toward Briggeham Manor, dashing his hopes of finding the Bride Thief's cottage. Fustian! Simply everything had gone wrong! Just before the woods thinned into the clearing that led to his house, the group stopped. On stealthy feet he moved closer.

'This is where we part company, Miss Briggeham,' the Bride Thief said in a low, raspy brogue. 'I thank ye again for your assistance and remind ye of your promise.'

'And I thank you as well, Miss Briggeham,' said Miss Barrow.

'God speed to you both,' came Sammie's reply.

No sooner had the words left her mouth, than the Bride Thief turned his mount and raced with Miss Barrow through the woods. Seconds later the darkness swallowed them, and they were lost from sight.

Hubert watched a slow smile ease over Sammie's face, then she closed her eyes and blew out the sort of long, drawn-out sigh his other sisters usually heaved. She then headed toward the stables.

The instant she was gone from view, he dashed across the clearing toward the house. In spite of his experiment not going as planned, he was barely able to contain his excitement over his adventure. He'd actually seen the infamous Bride Thief! Heard his voice!

Would he also, by some stroke of luck, learn the Bride Thief's identity?

Chapter Fourteen

From the London Times:

The Bride Thief strikes again! The infamous Bride Thief's latest kidnapping two nights past answered the burning question, When will he strike again? Stolen was Miss Anne Barrow of Kent, betrothed of Mr. Lucien Fowler. Miss Barrow's coachman, Nigel Grenway, informed the magistrate that just before he fell victim to an inexplicable malady, a hooded figure appeared behind him, leading to speculation that the Bride Thief has an accomplice. The investigation has intensified, and the magistrate has vowed to bring the kidnapper, as well as any other involved parties, to justice.

In related news, the Bride Thief Posse reports that since allowing any man with a marriage-aged daughter to