Nicola turned the handle of the door and open it, stepping out with what she hoped was cooled aplomb. She thought of her friend Alexandra's American habit of carrying a small pistol in her reticule. Everyone had looked askance at her for it, but right at this moment it seemed a remarkably good idea.
She paused on the step of the carriage, standing ramrod straight, and looked at the leader with a steady gaze . She was determined not to appear cowed. The man on horse back stiffened and mutter a curse.
"Well done,"Nicola said with icy sarcasm. "You have managed to capture an unarmed woman."
"No woman is unarmed,"the man returned, his mouth quirking up into a smile. He dismounted in a smooth muscular sweep and step forward, making a formal bow to Nicola.
The man was tall and well built in his dark clothes,a figure of power and even grace. Watching him Nicola felt an unaccustomed quiver dart through her. Most of his face was covered with soft dark mask, only the square jaw and chin visible, and a neat black goatee and mustache further disguised those features. But there's was no way to conceal the clean cut, compelling lines of his face,or the wide firm mouth, now curved in a mocking smile. He straighten and move toward her, reaching up to help her down. His black gloved hand closed around hers, neatly pulling her the last step down to the ground . He continued to hold her hand for a moment, his eyes boring into hers.
Nicola raised one eyebrow disdainfully." Let me go".
"Oh, I will,my lady,I will."
But you must pay a toll first, for passing through my land ."
"Your land?"but I thought we were on Extmoor property."
"In a legal sense."
"What other sense is there
"One of right.Does not the land belong to those who live upon it?"
"A radical notion. And you, I take it, claim to be the representative of the people?"
He gave an expressive shrug of his shoulders,a more genuine smile parting his lips. "Who better?
Most of the people who live upon this land would not consider a thief a proper representative of themselves."
You wound me, my lady . I had hope we could be ...civil." there was a faint caressing tone in his voice.
Once again something stirred in Nicola abdomen, shocking her. "It is difficult to be civil when one is been threatened."
Threatened?" He raised his hands in gesture betokening innocence." My lady you shock me. I have made no threat to you ."
" It is implicit,is it not,in stopping my carriage and demanding money? She glanced around significantly at the men waiting silently on horseback, watching their exchange." Why else are these men pointing gun at us ?"
One of the men let out a soft grunt," I'm afraid she has you there,my friend."