“Then Charles had no need to pardon him.”
“But he had past crimes. The tale made the London rounds, and when Charles heard it, he commanded Nevison to court to tell the story himself. The king laughed until tears came to his eyes and then dismissed him with a signed and sealed pardon for all his prior misdeeds. I’ll never forget it. So you can see that Charles might be prevailed upon under the right circumstances.”
“Perhaps he can be swayed by a bit of humor,” Kendra said, “but how could that help Trick? There’s nothing funny about his situation.”
“True,” Jason admitted. “But when Charles hears only Roundheads were robbed, it may soften his heart.”
“Possible,” Ford said. “And let’s not forget that he knows and likes Trick as the Duke of Amberley.”
“And Trick just brought him all that treasure.” Kendra grasped at a wisp of hope. “But are you really willing to bring all of this up? Admit that my husband and the Black Highwayman are one and the same?”
“We’ll do whatever it takes,” Jason said. “Considering the alternative, I hardly think Trick will care if the Caldwell name is tarnished.”
“And our name?” Trick’s life took precedence for her—but he was her husband, not theirs.
Yet their expressions told her, unquestionably, they felt the same. Which chased away whatever resentment was left in her heart.
“Thank you,” she said softly, knowing they were right. Not only about this, but about how she always jumped to conclusions without giving them the benefit of the doubt. “I know you married me to Trick with the best of intentions, and I shouldn’t have blamed you for his lies.” She drew a calming breath. “I’m sorry I got angry. It won’t happen again, I promise.”
Jason released a choked laugh. “Of course it will happen again. We’re family.”
Ford’s blue eyes twinkled. “Besides, those times when you storm off not speaking to us are the only peace and quiet we get around here.”
“We’re your brothers,” Jason said, “and we’ll always be here for you to lean on.”
“And abuse,” Ford chimed in. “That’s part of our being family, too.”
Once she’d told Trick something similar. Her eyes flooded at the memory. “But I’m going to try to do better anyway. I love you both.”
“We never doubted it,” Jason told her. “Shall we go ask for that pardon?”
“It cannot hurt to ask,” she said with a sigh.
No matter that the Chases and Trick were all intimates of Charles, she had little confidence they’d get him to pardon another infamous highwayman. One prank on that order made for a rollicking good story—Charles might feel that twice would make him look like a man with no care for his subjects’ welfare. Appearances counted in politics.
Besides, the king might not even be at Whitehall for all they knew.
But they had to try. She began to rise. “Let’s go ask now. I have my doubts this will work, but the sooner we find out, the better. Trick is ill.”
“You’re staying here.” The gentle, forgiving smile on Jason’s face disappeared as he pushed her down to the couch and shoved the wine back into her hands. “Ladies are rarely granted audiences, as you’re surely aware, unless they take place in the Royal Bedchamber. Just sit tight, and we’ll be back before you know it.”
SEVENTY-SEVEN
WHEN HER brothers left, Kendra was still wearing her disguise, and she was still determined to see Trick. Having heard that gaolers were fond of bribes, she pocketed some coins and slipped out into Lincoln’s Inn Fields to hail a hackney cab.
On the bumpy ride to Newgate, she wondered what she could say to him. Though she was still furious at his lies and infidelity, this was not the time for hurling accusations.
Then the cab jolted and she heard his voice.
I’m sorry, leannan, but there are things I cannot tell you. You’ll have to trust me. Once you promised you’d trust me…
A surge of panic overwhelmed her.
Could it be she’d misjudged her husband as badly as she had her brothers? Had she jumped to conclusions there, too?
Her heart raced as all the memories rushed back. The way he’d been slowly revealing himself; the hushed, earnest words; her conviction that he always wanted to do right.
Do you know how much I care for you? Enough to make me question my loyalties.
What had he meant by those words? What if he really did have a explanation for all that had gone on? He’d been trying to tell her something at the trial and been cheated of his chance.
My love, T.
Heavens, she loved him, too.
She could have been wrong. As she’d been many times before, she could have been so, so wrong.
And now it might be too late.
Her brothers had to get that pardon. They just had to. And if they failed…
She would go to the king herself. The hanging wasn’t scheduled until noon tomorrow, so she had all night. She didn’t care if she had to go into the Royal Bedchamber. She would do whatever it took to save her husband from the noose.
But that was for later, after Jason and Ford returned. For now, she just wanted to get into that gaol. She just wanted to see Trick and wrap him in her arms and tell him she was sorry, so sorry…
When the cab rattled to a halt, she unclenched her fists and hurried to climb out.
Newgate Prison had burned in the Great Fire two years earlier and was only partially rebuilt. The new entrance was magnificently decorated. Four figures represented Liberty, Peace, Security,
