To Have A Heart (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 7)

She wanted to help but knew there was nothing she could do. All she could do was cling uselessly to Callum and try not to hinder his ability to race for freedom. She knew the horse would run faster if he was carrying just one rider, but Callum’s hold was tight around her waist. She couldn’t slither free even if she wanted to. In a way, she felt protected, cared for. It was a heady experience and something she had never felt before. Mallory was used to standing on her own two feet and fending for herself. It was – odd – to have to sit back and allow someone else to take charge of her life like Callum was. But she did because there was nothing else she could do.

CHAPTER FIVE

“What’s that?” Mallory asked several miles later.

Callum didn’t take his eyes off the ploughed field. “I don’t hear anything.”

All he could hear was the thundering of Horace’s hooves and the occasional blast of gunfire from the guards behind them.

“Listen. That strange whistle,” Mallory persisted. “They are calling to each other. Is that what that noise is?”

Callum tipped his head and heard three short owl-like hoots followed by what sounded like a skylark. It was then that he grinned and winked broadly at her.

“What?” Mallory blinked at him.

“Do you see him? Your friend from the garden?” Callum asked.

“Is that him?” Mallory squinted at the shadows to their right and pointed at a solitary figure standing just a few feet to one side of a thick oak tree.

Again, several short whistles broke the silence.

“Look! There is someone else over there.” She pointed at a solitary man astride a horse as big as Horace.

Callum didn’t hesitate to head toward them.

“What are you doing?” Mallory cried. “How do you know they aren’t Melrose’s guards?”

“They aren’t,” Callum replied with absolute certainty. “I know them.”

Mallory couldn’t see how he could be so positive about that. All she could see were the distinctive shapes of people.

“You aren’t so sure, are you?” Mallory murmured, trying her best not to sound accusing. “I hope you know what you are doing.”

“Hold on,” Callum ordered, as if she had any choice.

To Mallory’s amazement, Callum nudged is horse to go faster. Horace dutifully raced faster and faster toward a low stone wall, and crouched seconds before flying high into the air. Within seconds, they were all crashing to the ground again, this time on the same side of the field as the shadows Callum felt he recognised.

“What’s his name?” Mallory asked as they approached the shadow closest to them, but Callum didn’t answer.

“Who’s that?”

When he reached his boss, Callum nodded to the spot where he had seen the second shadow on horseback only to find it empty.

Sir Hugo shook his head. “I have no idea. He wasn’t there when I arrived.”

Callum mentally cursed. He didn’t need to go and investigate to know that the second figure had been one of Melrose’s men, if not Melrose himself.

“We don’t have long,” Sir Hugo warned.

He looked around the huge horse and cursed when he saw several men on horseback charging closer. Callum had done a stupendous job getting Mallory out of the house and keeping her away from the guards. Given their closeness on the horse, it was clear that they had stuck up a rapport. Callum had done his best, as requested, to get the woman to trust him and she did. That, as far as Sir Hugo was concerned, was a successful mission. But it wasn’t over yet, though. There was more work to do, especially now that Melrose’s men had managed to intercept them and were now trying to surround them.

“We have to go into phase two of our operation now, Callum,” Sir Hugo announced. “We have been surrounded. Melrose’s men are all over this area. When they realised that they couldn’t save the house, or the people inside, everyone turned their attention to recapturing Mallory. I don’t doubt Melrose is around here somewhere.”

“Have you seen him?”

Sir Hugo shook his head. “He was in that house but escaped out of the front door. With all the noise, chaos, and confusion, I lost him. His carriage is still in the barn, but Melrose does ride. He might have decided to come after you himself.”

“I can get her to the safe house if you can distract them,” Callum suggested.