Page 24 (1/2)

Within a few mo their horses carefully along the edge of the woods to the open road

Mounted on her gelding with her blonde hair wrapped in a black bandana and a billycock hat angled low over her forehead, she smiled at her brother She wore his shirt and a hooded cloak, over a pair of breeches (also his fro boots She was thrilled to be out in the fresh air and on horseback, even if it was in broad daylight No one would get close enough to discern that she wasn’t a lad

“It is so good to be outdoors, isn’t it Neddy?”

“Aye, I’m prime for a bit of sport,” he said and chuckled

“Ned, let’s have a bit of fun with Skip,” Mandy suggested

“How?”

“I’d say we look every bit the high toby, don’t you think?”

He laughed, “You could say that I do, but you? Naught but a slip of a girl, no size to you” He shrugged “Besides, what toby worth his salt robs a coach in broad daylight?”

She took out her horse pistol and waved it with a laugh, “A daring one! And I can talk cant with the best of ‘em Now, stubble it covey What I lack in size…I make up with this” She lifted the pistol

“Gaht”

They passed through the glen to onto Abbey Road and took up strategic positions They hadn’t long to wait as the carriage could be heard lu toward them They pulled up their scarves to their eyes and their hoods over their heads and Mandy was struck by hoarm it was even with the sun on its way down

“He is co—there just around the bend,” Mandy said excitedly

As the viscount’s coach slowly ed the curve in the road and approached the clump of woods that would border it on either side, Mandy could hear the viscount’s driver whistling She turned and un lazy in her hand

They rode onto the road, blocking it

The carriage slowed to a complete stop at her brother’s couised voice It nearly ed to restrain herself