Primrose did not need any more urging, nodded in complete agreement with Lilybet’s words, patted Boudicca on the head for luck, and followed her brother and the other men. Bevan had slipped away earlier to go around to the window of the room Augusta had put Bened in while she, Morris, and Simeon now sneaked up on the men who were proving to be very lax in their guard on the house, laughing and drinking ale as they lounged in the shade. Perhaps they thought there was no threat to worry about now that Augusta had Bened but she was pleased to be a part of proving them wrong. Just as they had discussed on the way, they spread themselves out in the trees in the hope of making the men think there were more attackers than there actually were.
Primrose took a deep breath and fired the first shot, hitting one man in the shoulder. She loaded her pistol as Morris shot another. As Morris reloaded, Simeon fired. Her aunt’s men fired wildly back and Primrose could feel her heart pounding with fear so hard and fast she was surprised she could catch her breath as she fired again and got a man in the leg. With four men wounded, the others decided leaving was the best plan but then Augusta suddenly walked out of the house. Primrose could see her brother take aim at the woman but Augusta was no fool. She heard the gunfire, saw her wounded men running away, and raced back inside the house just as Simeon fired. His shot hit the side of the door just as her skirts cleared it.
Seeing that her aunt’s men were completely intent on getting themselves away, Primrose raced for the house. Shots echoed behind her and she hoped none of her people had been hurt as she struggled to find her aunt inside the warren of a house. The slam of a door drew her gaze to the far back of the house, and she ran that way as fast as she could only to look out the door and see the figure of her aunt disappearing down the lane toward the inn.
Deciding she would never catch up, Primrose went looking for Bened and found Morris and Simeon instead. “She escaped out the back, Simeon, and I last saw her going for her carriage.”
“Then her men were right to run or she would leave them behind,” said Simeon.
“And we are very lucky that they did not find what she was offering worth fighting hard for, not when half their number got wounded so quickly. Fine shooting, Primrose,” said Morris.
“Thank you but I think I would rather not recall it right now. Have never shot a man. Never even shot an animal.” She looked around the surprisingly large house. “I need to find Bened now.”
“Then you are in luck for there he is.”
Primrose saw Bened striding toward her with Bevan right behind him and a man she recognized as Jenson hurrying to keep up. She ran toward him and he caught her up in his arms. Despite her joy over his apparent good health she felt him wince a little and stepped back, holding his arms as she looked him over.
“They hurt you,” she said, “but I cannot see where.”
“A few slaps with a cane and an aching head from the blow that took me down. I will be fine.”
“Well, I will be sure to look over both things if only to put some salve on those cane wounds.”
She hugged him again, careful to do so gently. Bened held her close and looked over her head at the others. A man with guinea gold hair and strikingly blue eyes glared at him and Bened sighed. It appeared Simeon had been found. Although Bened was pleased for her and very pleased he had been rescued himself, he was sorely disappointed at the fact that there would be no more long, sweet nights of lovemaking.
Primrose finished tending the cane marks on Lilybet’s back and sat on her heels to clean off her hands. “She did a nasty job on you. You must have made her very angry.”
“I did. Had no intention of telling her what she wanted to know. Did find that I can lie beautifully when inspired, though.” Lilybet exchanged a grin with Primrose. “She is a very angry, selfish woman, you know. She will not stop until someone stops her permanently.”
“I know.” Primrose sighed. “How did you find Simeon? I swear I have been over half this country looking for him.”
“He was in the alley at the side of my house. I see things, you know.”
Primrose nodded. “Like the woman Chloe the Wherlockes told me about.”
“Well, I do not know of this Chloe but suspect she is much like me. I saw your brother and that he needed help, even where to find him. I also saw that I had to go along with him on the rest of the journey and that would help me find my mother’s family.” She glanced at Morris. “I have.”
“He is but one of many. And I mean many.” She was not surprised to see Lilybet’s eyes brighten with hope and pleasure. The woman had been alone for a long time and, she did not know it yet, but that would never be the way of it again.
“It will be good to know people who can understand what I am.”