No! Mrs. Hinton set down her cup with a clatter, looking genuinely shocked. Now, he hadnt ought to have done that, Miss Falcourt. Not to you. I mean, its one thing when its his She stopped abruptly, then added lamely, Well, theres no call to be stopping a lady like yerself.
Nicola smiled faintly. If you are worrying that I might tell the Earl anything you say to me, you neednt. Exmoor and I are not on the best of terms.
Its clear you havent visited them before all these years Lydia admitted. But blood is thicker than water, they say
Exmoor and I share no blood! Nicola snapped, her gray eyes suddenly silver with emotion. My sisters foolish decision to marry the man does not bind me to him in any way. I think you know me well enough to know that I have no interest in hurting anyone. Did I ask how young Harry got shotgun pellets in his thigh last month when it was clear as day that he must have been poaching? Did I tell Lord Buckminster or his gamekeeper that I had given him salve after his father had dug out the pellets and left him with a raging infection? I did not. I put it on and bound him up and never said a word to anyone. And Bucky is my dear cousinif I did not tell him, you can be sure I would never reveal anything detrimental to Lord Exmoor, whom I despise.
Lydia flushed. Its that sorry I am, miss. I know you wouldnt be tellin on anyone. It was just, well, you know, you are livin at Tidings now, and your sister is his lady.
I know. Nicola smiled at her. She understood the womans innate distrust of a member of the aristocracy. No matter how well one might get along with the common people, there was always the possibility that, when it came to something important, one would revert, would come down on the side of ones own kind. But Ill tell you this: even though he robbed me, I did not give a good description of him to the Bow Street Runner.
Runner! the other cried, alarmed.
Nicola nodded. Yes. The Earl has hired a Runner to investigate the highwayman and his gang. His name is Stone, and I talked to him this morning. He looks a hard man. I did not like him.
The other woman shook her head. The Gentleman shouldnt be taking such risks. I knew hed go too far one day and his lordship would go after him. The Earls not a man to be crossin, is what I say.
No doubt you are right about that, Nicola agreed. You sound as ifdo you know this man? Have you met him?
Lydia shifted in her chair, looking uneasy. I dont know him, exactly. Ive, uh, well, hes known around here.
I dont understand.
Lydia sighed, then straightened, looking Nicola in the eye. He is liked, miss, thats what Im sayin. Hes done things for people. He helps them out.
You mean gives them money?
Lydia nodded. Aye, he does. You know Ernest Macken, miss. Hes got a wife and five little ones, and hes worked in the tin mines all his life. Well, he come up sick and couldnt go to work for weeks. His lordship let him go, and he owns the house they live in, too, miss, and he was ready to turn them out cause they couldnt keep up the rent with Ernest not workin. But one night they hear a thump at the door, and Jenny, she gets up and goes to the door, and theres a sack lyin there, and when she looks inside, its got coins in it. Enough to pay their rent for six months and buy food and clothes, too.
And it was the highwayman who gave it to them? How do they know?
Who else? Theres none around here that has that much money to hand, except for the Earl or the Squire or Lord Buckminster, and none of them were riding about at night droppin off sacks of coin.
No, I am sure you are right.
It has happened to others, too. Some more, some less. Faith Burkitt, when her man died? His lordship would have turned her out, too. She got money at her door, too, but she got a look at the man when he left it, and she said he was dressed all in black, with a mask on his face.
He is a sort of Robin Hood?
Lydia nodded vigorously. Thats how people round here feel, miss. He helps them out, which is more than you can say for anyone else, and he hurts the Earl only, and theres none as would cry over that.
No, I am sure not. I would not imagine that Exmoor is a good landlord or employer. As the Earl of Exmoor, Richard had inherited not only tin mines but a good deal of the land in the area, both farms and much of the village, as well.
Lydia made a face. The old Earl wasnt a bad sort, and they say his father before him was the same. But when the new Earl came in She shook her head gloomily. The wages at the mines are a sin, and thats Gods own truth, miss. Not long after he got hold of them, he cut the wages. Says they werent makin enough profit. It was enough profit for the old Earl, now, wasnt it? Then he raises the rent that the mine workers who live in his houses have to pay. Its hard enough on the farmers, especially when they have a bad year, but what about the miners? Hes payin them less, and theyre havin to pay him more. Its a sin, thats what it is.
Yes, it is, Nicola agreed. It was this sort of inequity that filled her with righteous indignation and had fueled her venture into charitable projects in the East End. It had also gotten her into enough arguments with others at parties that she was generally termed a radical and a bluestocking by her peers. It is not surprising that the people have no qualms about his being robbed. Lady Exmoor told me it was mostly his wagons that were preyed upon by the brigands.
Lydia nodded. Aye. Oh, a carriage now and then thats traveling through. But not local people much. Once he stopped the doctor when he was driving in his new gig to see a patient, and when he saw who it was, he just waved him on, didnt take a cent from him.
He sounds like a saint.
Oh, Im sure hes not that, miss. Hes a man, after all, and Ive never met many of them that were saints. But hes after the Earl onlytheres no mistakin that.
I wonder why.
Why? After what the Earls done? Who better?
Im sure that is true, but thieves are not usually so selective. It sounds as if he has something against the Earl personally. Is he from around here?
Lydia shook her head. No. He moved in a few months ago. At first there was just him and the men that came with him, but after a while, some others joined him.
You mean local men?
Lydia nodded, her gaze measuring.
Oh, dear. Nicola frowned. I am afraid of what might happen to them. The Earl is dead set on catching him. Now with the Runner trying to find him
I wouldnt worry too much, miss. The Gentleman is a slick one. Theres none that know where he lives. The local men meet him at a certain place, but that aint where he and the outsiders stay. Theres four of them, and they live someplace hidden. Hes never told a soul.
Whatwhat is he like? Nicola looked down at her cup as she spoke, turning it idly.
Like? Im not sure, miss. Ive never seen him but the once. She edged closer and lowered her voice to a confidential whisper. One night Stethat is to say, a man comes to the inn, and he wont speak to anybody but me Jasper, so Jasper goes down there, and I gets up to see whats what. So I creeps down to the landing, and Im sittin there in the dark on the stairs, where no one can see me. Well, Stethis mansays to Jasper that he needs a tot of whiskey for someone outside. It was rainin and blowin something fierce, not a fit night out for man nor beast. So me Jasper says why cant the man come inside, its a sight dryer, and he says he just cant, and finally Jasper goes and pours a glass of whiskey. Then I hears the sound of boots and spurs on the stones outside, and the next thing you know, this man steps into the doorway. I next to keeled over with terror, Ill tell you!