Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (76 page)

Pickpocket Countess

'You've got her, Stockport.' Witherspoon and his cadre reined in, Witherspoon's voice full of glee at the sight of Brandon with The Cat unconscious in his arms.

Witherspoon jumped off his horse and strode to Brandon's side. He flicked back Nora's cloak, revealing the bandaged wound and the rise and fall of breasts beneath the dark shirt.

'Aha! I was right, Stockport. The burglar is a woman.'

'So you were.' Brandon barely held his temper.

'I wager the woman is Eleanor Habersham.' Witherspoon reached for the mask and head scarf, pushing them off.

'Have you no decency? The poor woman is unconscious,'

Brandon rebuked him, 'You're mauling her as if she were a cheap doxy.'

'She treated us no better,' Witherspoon snarled. 'There, it is Eleanor, that tricky piece of baggage.'

Brandon looked down at Nora in his arms, expecting to see her mass of dark hair, but seeing instead the dun-coloured wig. He was safe for the moment. Her forethought bought them both some more time-more time for him to find a way out of this and perhaps another chance for them. Had she worn the wig out of concern for him? To avoid exposing him to censure?

The others turned their horses and began the trek back into the village. Witherspoon and Jack remained behind with Brandon to help him mount his bay with Nora.

Witherspoon flicked a glance over Brandon's torn shirt. 'I didn't want to say anything in front of the others, but you're getting soft. I wonder what else you might have done if we hadn't arrived so quickly. You bandaged her wounds. If she persuaded you to tend her wounds, perhaps she would have persuaded you to let her go.' His eyes gleamed

blue icicles in the dark.

'Speak plainly, Witherspoon-what are you suggesting?'

Brandon returned with a cold steel of his own.

'That you've a soft spot for thieves or, if you like, that

Scott

perhaps the reason you bandaged her wound was that you're in league with The Cat.'

'You're a slanderous fool!' Jack interjected with scorn.

'How dare you suggest such a thing about Stockport. He's an upstanding member of Parliament.'

Witherspoon

up into his saddle, fixing Jack with an intense gaze. 'All the same, Stockport's house hasn't been robbed.'

'You're welcome to your speculations,' Brandon said curtly, before kneeing his bay into motion and grabbing the reins around Nora's still form.

be watching you, Stockport. There's something not right about all this Wither spoon cautioned.

For Brandon, the night seemed an interminable hell. He rode back to Stockport-on-the-Medlock with Nora in front of him. Gratefully, she remained unconscious.

He argued with Witherspoon over where to take her and won. Witherspoon wanted to take her to the Manchester jail.

Brandon argued she ought to be held in Stockport-on-the-Medlock, at least until she was better able to travel and arrangements could be made.

The small town jail, which was nothing more than the Squire's root cellar, would be much better than the dirty city jail.

He stayed with Nora until he saw that she received medical treatment and was regaining consciousness. He ensured her privacy by counselling everyone to get some sleep and promised they'd meet in the afternoon to discuss their next step.

'What is there to discuss, Stockport? I say we hang her. We all know what she's done,' Wither spoon countered.

'There's protocol to these things and it must be followed,'

Brandon had responded tersely, wondering how much longer he could keep Witherspoon at bay. It was apparent Witherspoon was starting to believe his favour wasn't enough.

254

Pickpocket Countess

The sun had been up for an hour before Jack and Brandon returned home.

'To bed, then.' Jack stretched and yawned as they entered the house.

'I think

stay up,' Brandon said in desultory tones.

'She's going to need you in possession of all your faculties, old friend. It would be best if you slept. Perhaps things will look better after some rest.'

'I hope so, Jack, because right now I am flat out of ideas.

But you were right, she's got something on Witherspoon.'