Chapter 1- A Horse Drawn Carriage

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,

And the highwayman came riding—

Riding—riding—

The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

-the Highwayman, Alfred Noyes

The moon was pretty pathetic, thought Sabrina. It was not the full blown orb of light in which, as children, you where lead to believe witches on brooms and aloof figures on rearing horses got silhouetted against. It was a toenail clipping in the sky. But thankfully the stars made up for the moons poor attempt of light. She had to rely totally on the light cast by the moon and stars to see, a lantern was out of the question. It would give the game away.

She was riding down a quite country lane, on a horse. The horse in question was not hers. Her horse was called Minneola (her mother had named her, Sabrina called her Minnie for short) and had a white coat and light grey mane. Sabrina loved Minnie but riding a horse with a white coat when your nighttime hobby isn't exactly legal and you don't want to get caught or recognised isn't the most practical thing.

So she was riding one of her dad's horses, one of his hunting ones, a fine stallion called Claudius or Maximus or some other strong, powerful, masculine name. He had a dark brown coat with a distinct white diamond shape on his forehead.

She had not been looking carefully enough when tacking him up in the shadowy gloom of the stable, but now in the half light of the moon she could see the diamond pattern clearly and she cursed herself. It was way too recognisable.

She never rode the same horse twice while out on one of her night treks in fear of being associated with a certain horse and then it being tracked back to her father. Her father was a lord, her mother a lady. And she was expected to grow up into a beautiful wife for some random figure of nobility and learn how to do sowing and embroidery.

The chilled night air sent a breeze her way. Feeling herself shiver she pulled her dark navy calf-length coat with silver embroidery, around her. Her jodhpurs and knee high leather boots made her rise in the saddle comfy.

She reached a part of the road that was shadowed in trees. Pulling the horse over to the trees, waiting. Hiding among the trees. Hiding and waiting. She knew how to be invisible, sit up straight, as long as you blended in with the silhouette of the trees and didn't make any sudden movements.

After about twenty minutes of waiting her ears pricked. Or more accurately the horses ears suddenly detected something, stood up straight and to attention. This was a hunting horse, it is bred because of its acute hearing. So seeing the horses ears Sabrina strained her own. And then she heard it, the anticipated noise of horse hooves thundering along the path. A horse draw carriage.

It was followed by the sound of haughty voices. Clearly in an argument.

"Goodness, Harold. I feel quite sick." Came the voice of a shrill young lady.

"What do you want me to do about it?" This time a young man. There was a tense pause.

"You know, I think I might tell the driver to slow down a bit." Said the young man. "Driver, driver."

"Yes sir?" Said the a third voice, gruffer than the first two.

"Slow down I say."

"I'd rather not do that, sir."

"Why ever not?"

"Because there are highwaymen in these parts, sir."

Sabrina saw that as her cue. Pulling her balaclava over her mouth and nose and placing her eye mask on, she cantered into the middle of the road, waiting for the horses to sense her. They would hear her before they saw her.

The carriage slowed to a stop.

"What is going on? Why have we stopped?"

Sabrina put on a false gruff voice and said, loudly and clearly;

"Stand and deliver, your money or your life."

And there you have it, what did you guys think? Please tell me in a review. I spent ages researching everything because it is set in 17th century England. Tell me if I get anything wrong.

Side note- shout out to all people in the UK, like me. I don't see allot of British writers on any of the forums that i have been on so it is nice (if i find someone else) to associate myself with other British (for want of better term) fanfic-ers.

-Dark