Mistletoe Magic, A Christmas Regency Short Story Read online

  Breathlessly, she waited until the voices faded, then lifted the hatch. All appeared clear. She pushed the hatch all the way open and climbed out, her stiff limbs protesting as she unfolded them. A long breath of chill air cleared her head.

  She stood in the courtyard of a busy inn situated off a tree-lined highway. Autumn had turned the trees all shades of gold and amber, like finely dressed guards standing at attention along the road. Her churning thoughts quieted as she beheld the magic of nature. After another bracing deep breath, she turned to retrieve her valise, but it was wedged between other bags. She had to tug hard before it finally sprang free. Before she could close the hatch, footsteps neared.

  “ ’Ey there! Wot you think yer a doin’?” A large hand seized her by the elbow and spun her around.

  A man with pocked skin and pointed teeth glared at her. She inhaled sharply as alarm washed over her like ice water.

  “I’ll ’ave no stowaways ’board me coach.”

  “Please, sir,” she gasped, “I’ll gladly pay you for passage. Only keep your voice down. I do not wish to be noticed.”

  He jerked her forward, his fingers digging into her arm. She nearly swooned as his foul breath filled her nostrils. He leered at her. “Well, then, mayhap an arrangement kin be made, eh?”

  “What is the fee, sir?” She held her breath, fearing his words.

  “You give me all yer money, and yeself for tonight, and we’ll see wot we kin do t’ keep yer li’l secret.” He pulled her in roughly until her body pressed against him and lowered his head toward her mouth.

  “No!”

  She swung her hand, but before it reached his face, he caught her arm and let out a chilling laugh. Cold fear seized her lungs. He jerked her into his arms, his mouth twisted into a sneer. Fear turned to fury. She would not escape abuse at the hands of a husband only to find it with a stranger!

  With all her might, she kicked him in the shin. He let out a roar and threw her to the ground. As she struggled to her feet, she tripped on the hem of her pelisse and fell to her knees. He raised his hand to strike her. With a cry of alarm, she threw her arm over her face, steeling herself for the blow, her heart thudding against her ribs.

  “Stop!”

  Abby looked up. A finely dressed gentleman strode toward the driver. Another gentleman, not quite so well turned out, followed in his wake, struggling to keep up with the other’s long-legged strides. It would have been comical if the situation weren’t so dire.

  The nearest gentleman raised a fist, his commanding voice ringing out with authority. “What kind of barbarian are you to accost a lady? Leave off at once.”

  Abby nearly wept with relief. A gallant hero to her rescue. But at what price?

  The driver’s face twisted in rage. “She’s no concern o’ yern.”

  “She is a lady in peril which makes her my concern,” the gentleman replied sternly.

  “She stowed ’way on me coach and I demand payment.” The driver seized her by the wrists, and jerked her toward him.

  The gentleman clapped his hand upon the driver’s arm. “Unhand her, or suffer the consequences.”

  The driver shook him off and rounded on him with a sneer and fisted his hands. But before he could make a move or speak, the gentleman leveled a pistol at him.

  “For heaven’s sake, don’t shoot him,” gasped the gentleman’s companion, a secretary or clerk, judging by his ink-stained fingers.

  Her rescuer kept his gaze and his gun trained on the driver. With his other hand, he fished out a coin and flipped it to the driver. “Here. Cool your head in a pint and leave us in peace.”

  The driver caught it and a greedy light entered his eye as he examined it. Then he crassly bit down on it, a direct insult to the integrity of an obvious gentleman of means.

  With no outward sign of annoyance, the gentleman added, “And another for your silence regarding the lady and her mode of passage on your coach.” He tossed anther coin.

  The driver snatched the coin out of the air and turned a sneer upon Abby. “This’ll buy me better company than yern, anyway.” He turned and touched his cap to the gentleman. “Milor’.” He strode away without a backward glance.

  As the enormity of her danger hit her, a deep quiver gathered in the pit of her stomach and sprang into her chest. She gasped for breath, her heart hammering, tears burning her eyes. The adventure was, indeed, a very bad idea.

  The gentleman knelt beside her and swept off his hat, revealing golden brown hair glinting in the setting sun. His brown eyes filled with concern. “My lady, are you hurt?” His gentle voice contrasted with the harsh tone he’d used with the driver.

  “He nearly…I almost….” Her voice cracked and she dissolved into tears.

  Still kneeling next to her, he removed his gloves and silently handed her his handkerchief. She struggled to take herself in hand, and, after several shaking breaths, managed to silence her sobs. After wiping her tears with his handkerchief, she looked up into warm eyes

  His handsome, smooth-shaven face boasted strong features and a square jaw. A long, ragged scar ran the length of his left cheek, standing out white against his sun-bronzed skin. But what drew her gaze were his eyes, light brown with gold and green flecks and rimmed with a wide, deep green ring. She wondered if his eyes appeared completely green when he wore similar colored clothing, just as they now echoed the color of his coffee-colored frockcoat.

  She searched those fascinating eyes, looking for lust or greed but found only kindness.

  “My lady?” he prompted, turning his head slightly as if to shield his scar from her sight.

  “No, I’ve come to no harm,” she managed, still lost in his eyes. “Your aid was most timely, sir. I’m in your debt.”

  “Not at all. I’m unable to resist a damsel in distress.” Humor crinkled the corners of his eyes as he extended his hands to help her to her feet.

  With her gaze still locked in his, she placed her hands in his outstretched hand. As his fingers closed over hers, he gentled his touch, as if fearing to hurt her. She looked down, amazed at how small her gloved hands looked in his. He pulled her to her feet and stood very near. Her head barely reached his chin and his powerful shoulders looked sturdy enough to carry the weight of the kingdom.

  “You’re trembling,” the gentleman said softly. “May I assist you inside? Perhaps you should eat. I can assure you the food is excellent.” He offered an arm and waited, watching her expectantly.

  “Thank you.” As she placed her hand on his arm, she glanced at his secretary and saw only concern in his expression as well. Abby bent to retrieve her reticule and swayed.

  The gentleman placed a hand under her elbow to steady her. “Do you have any other bags?”

  “My valise.” She indicated the bag lying on the ground next to the carriage.

  He made a quick gesture and his companion picked it up. “Forgive me, miss; we have not made the introductions.”

  Alarm coursed through her veins. She must not be found out! “Y-yes, well this has been a rather unusual day. Two strangers meeting under unconventional circumstances,” she laughed nervously, then cringed at the hysterical sound she made. “Let’s keep it mysterious and prolong the adventure, shall we?”

  One corner of his mouth lifted. “Are you an adventurer?”

  “I’ve always wanted to be. Now is my chance...although it hasn’t gone according to plan but then, since it’s an adventure, I suppose I should expect a few surprises.”

  “Indeed.”

  “So let us continue as friendly strangers, shall we?”

  His eye glittered in merriment. “I see your point. We’d better not mar your grand opportunity with such common customs as names.”

  “Exactly.” She glanced up at him, amazed that a fine gentleman would be willing to play along with her little charade. At last she’d met someone not so deeply entrenched with social customs that he couldn’t enjoy a little mystery.

  “However, I can’t exactly call you
‘miss’ throughout the meal, can I?”

  “Well, I suppose you could call me Marie.” Her middle name ought not be recognized.

  “Marie,” he repeated with a smile. “Very mysterious, Marie with no last name. Perhaps I should be equally mysterious, you know, to further your grand adventure filled with mysterious strangers. My friends call me Will.”

  Grateful she would not be required to give her full name, thus risking discovery, she ignored the breech in etiquette regarding calling a man—a stranger, no less—by his given name. After all, she had already broken a dozen rules of behavior, one more couldn’t matter. “Delighted to meet you, Will.”

  As they entered the inn, the smells of bread and sausage greeted her, and her stomach rumbled in response. Hungry diners feasting upon their dinner filled the main room. No sign of the coachman. A serving girl noisily cleared a table, stacking dishes on a tray, and an innkeeper hurried to them while drying his hands on a towel.

  Will led her to an empty table and gestured to the innkeeper. “Bring a plate for the Lady Marie.”

  “At once, m’lord,” replied the innkeeper.

  Abby sank into a chair, grateful to be off her unsteady legs and smiled at Will. “Lady Marie?”

  “For all I know, you are a visiting foreign princess, but Princess Marie seemed a bit too fantastic so I settled for Lady Marie.” His lips curved into a charming smile. As if remembering his secretary, he nodded to the man. “Haws, inform the driver there will be a delay in our departure.”

  Haws paused, his eyes widening, but quickly regained his composure. “Of course, my lord.” Haws set Abby’s valise on the floor next to her feet, inclined his head in a brief bow, and withdrew.

  Will settled into a seat next to her, close enough that she could touch him if she were to reach out. “Are you certain you’re unharmed?”

  “He didn’t hurt me. Only frightened me.” She realized she still clutched his handkerchief in her hands. She held it out with a look of apology.

  He waved it off. “Keep it.”

  She dropped it in her lap. With shaking hands, she removed her gloves, frowning at the sullied white kid leather, and pushed back her disheveled hair.

  He looked her over carefully, his expression full of sympathy. “You look fatigued.”

  “And rumpled, no doubt.” Truly, she must look a sight.

  “Pray tell me; how long were you hiding in that storage compartment?”

  A blush warmed her cheeks that this elegant gentleman had caught her in such a childish and scandalous act. What must he think of her?

  “Since early this morning. I didn’t dare leave when we stopped at the last inn. And now I fear I’ve been rash. It was foolish of me to travel alone. It seemed wildly romantic at the time.” She glanced up to find him watching her with a direct gaze. There was something quiet and melancholy mixed with the kindness in his face. “Thank you for buying the driver’s silence. I do not wish to be found.”

  “Is that why you stowed away?”

  “Yes. I have the money, but I was afraid my movements would be traced if I purchased passage. Someone might have remembered me.” She opened her reticule and handed him the equivalent coins which he’d paid the driver. “Please allow me to repay you.”

  Will held up his hand in refusal. “’Tis all part of the damsel-in-distress service.”

  “Please. I do not wish to impose upon you more than I already have.”

  “It would offend my sense of honor were I to take it.”

  “I’m already deeply in your debt for your aid with the driver. If you hadn’t come when you did…” She stopped and concentrated on breathing lest she fall apart again.

  Very gently, he asked, “Are you in danger?”

  “No, merely....” she toyed with the rejected coins. “I fear you’ll think me a terrible coward, but I’m running from an unwanted marriage.”

  His brows rose. “One that is about to take place, or already has?”

  To read the rest of The Reluctant Bride click here

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