Chasing Eliza (Cavendish Mysteries 3)

“Let’s get out of here, I don’t think they are alone.” He bit out, studying the road behind them carefully. They usually hunted in packs of three. There had only been two men in the stable yard, so that mean there could be another lurking nearby ready for a surprise attack. He eyed the various buildings lining the road and studied them carefully for alleyways and places to hide.

“They aren’t.” Eliza replied, pointing to the group of men waiting further down the road. “There are at least three more at the end of the road look.”

Edward cursed as he counted them. There were four riders.

“Then we’ll go this way.” Edward murmured, eyeing a patch of green field at the end of a narrow alleyway between two buildings. “We’ll cut across country and take a circuitous route to the one we need. Are you alright?” He swept a firm gaze over her, searching for any signs of injury from her earlier skirmish and near kidnap.

“I’m fine.” She murmured, following him nervously down the enclosed space. Every nerve was stretched so taught she thought she would shatter into a thousand tiny pieces at any moment and wondered how Edward bore it. She was stuck in this situation through no choice of her own. Edward had a choice and readily accepted the challenges put before him without a qualm. She realised then just how much of a sacrifice Edward was making.

“I need to find somewhere to stop off and buy some more shot.” He shouted as they raced across the open field at the back of the row of tiny houses. “Keep an eye out for a town we can cut through.”

Chapter Seven

As they thundered down the country lanes, Edward tried to think of a way out of the mess they were currently in. There were more of Scraggan’s men in the area than he had thought. Although the two men in the stable yard had been clumsy and inept with a sword, they were brawlers and clearly prepared to fight to the death to carry out their orders.

He cursed their luck and Scraggan’s dogged determination. Clearly the men they had passed yesterday had recognised Eliza and had followed them, taking the opportunity to formulate a somewhat shambolic attack. They appeared determined to carry out their orders to capture Eliza but not kill her.

The brief, horrific sight of Eliza being carried off by one of the hoodlums was enough to send shivers down his spine and firm his resolve to protect her, whatever the cost.

Edward ventured a glance backwards and frowned. There wasn’t anybody giving chase.

“Wait.” Edward shouted to Eliza, motioning for her to slow down.

“What?” Eliza reined her horse in to ride beside Edward.

“Why aren’t they chasing?”

Eliza frowned and studied the empty fields behind them. The small hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end as she considered the rolling green lands basking in the hazy morning sunshine. Turning in her saddle, she studied the area around them, scanning the blanket of greens and trees for signs of life. They could be the only people left in the country, the area was so quiet and isolated.

“We are heading straight toward Scraggan.” She murmured, turning horrified eyes towards Edward.

“Are you able to ride fast across co

untry?” Edward studied the rolling fields around them. To the far left was a large wooded copse, clearly an ideal place for a gang of mercenaries. To the far right was the edge of the Great North Road, clearly out of the question now given their disguise was practically useless. Edward nodded to the fields to the right of him, leading around the outskirts of the village they had just left.

“If we ride across country we may be able to outride that lot.” He nodded back towards the village. “It will bring us a bit further down the Great North Road where we may be able to join the rest of the traffic. We can move faster in relative safety of others. They won’t be able to formulate an attack without attracting a lot of unwanted attention.” His gaze was hard as it met hers. “If they do try to capture you again, scream and make plenty of noise.”

“Let’s go.” Eliza murmured, wheeling her horse around and firmly putting aside all thoughts of the night Guinness had fallen from beneath them on the uneven ground.

“There they are.” Eliza gasped several moments later as they drew to a stop at the top of a small rise to look around them. Behind them three men on horseback were giving chase. Although they still looked some way off, Eliza knew the distance could be deceptive if they were on fast horses.

“Here, take this.” Edward snapped, thrusting the scabbard - handle first - towards her. Eliza clasped it warily, but any objection she might have voiced was quashed as she glanced over his shoulder. True enough, the men were now considerably closer.

“Run!” Edward ordered, kicking his horse into a gallop only to hold the lunging horse back until Eliza galloped past him. Keeping a little way behind her ensured he was able to keep her with him. They couldn’t afford to lose the precious time if he had to turn back because she became unseated.

All Eliza could hear were the thundering hooves beating a relentless tattoo with the wind thundering past her ears. The Great North Road lay like a twisting and turning finish line in the distance before them. The carriages already on the road looked like ants, they were so far away.

“We aren’t going to make it.” Edward shouted, glancing behind him. He pointed ahead of them to the left towards two more riders, moving to cut them off.

Instinctively they made to turn towards the right but that pointed them back towards the wooded copse, and undoubtedly Scraggan.

“Can you jump?” Eliza shouted, glancing across at Edward in time to catch his heavy frown.

“It’s suicide.” Edward studied the moving traffic on the road ahead and cursed roundly. If they did jump the fence before them, they could crash into one of the moving curricles. It would mean certain death for both themselves and their horses. If they didn’t die, then they would have to go to the wooded copse and that would inevitably give Scraggan the opportunity he had planned for. Eliza was quite right in wanting to avoid the woods.

Cursing fluidly beneath his breath he watched as Eliza began to slowly rein her horse in, studying the curricles as she rode. Behind them the heavy pounding of hooves grew louder as the riders giving chase caught up. The other three riders farther back had veered towards the trees, clearly intending to wait for their prey.

Sending a prayer heavenwards, Eliza kicked her horse forwards and with a lunge cleared the fence. She screamed when on clearing the fence, she was immediately faced with the white eyes of a large horse pulling a farmer’s cart. They were so close that Eliza could feel the huge beast’s breath on her arm as she sped past. The horse beneath her whinnied in alarm when it realised the other horse was so close.