Chapter 14

Adjusting his hat, Will squinted up at the sun. It was only just past eight in the morning and the day was already surprisingly warm. Unbuttoning his coat, he smiled at the cool breeze that met him as he rode swiftly toward Bess and her inn. Aside from the heat, it appeared to be a perfect day. The sky was a deep blue and there didn't appear to be any clouds on the horizon. Will pulled his horse to a stop, spotting some wildflowers by the road. If he was going to take the girl to town, he might as well bring her some flowers. They weren't expensive or fancy, but he didn't think Bess would mind.

After he had made a small bouquet, Will dug through his saddlebags. He was pleased to find a useful bit of string that he could tie around the flowers to hold them together, and then he had mounted his horse once more and continued on his way. Bess opened the door almost the instant Will had knocked, making him wonder if she hadn't been watching for him.

"Hello." She smiled up at him, happiness evident across her face. Will smiled in return.

"Good morning, Miss Elisabeth." He looked her over. She had obviously gone to some trouble this morning in preparing herself for his arrival. She wore a pretty light blue dress he hadn't seen before, and Will would have put money on it being the finest thing she owned. One of Bess' hands moved down her dress, smoothing it slowly and Will reached out, taking her hand in his as his eyes moved over the rest of her. Her long black hair was elegantly arranged, with the red ribbon he had given her woven throughout and as he looked at her her cheeks began to colour with a light blush. He lifted her hand and gave her the bouquet of wild flowers.

"Oh…" Her smile widened, "Thank you."

Will followed her into the inn when she turned and carried the flowers over to the bar. He watched her fill a mug with water and then set the bouquet carefully into it. "You look lovely." He told her, and Bess turned to him again. She gave him a wide smile and a slight curtsey.

"It's not every day that a handsome highwayman comes to my window and asks to take me to town."

Will couldn't help a low chuckle. "I should hope not." He held a hand out to her. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Will cast another look around the room as he led her to the door. "Where is your father?"

"Around." Bess gave a light shrug as she pulled the door closed behind her, "He knows where I'm going."

"Alright." Will mounted his horse and then bent to pull Bess up behind himself. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You are aware that I can ride?"

"Of course." Will didn't even try to conceal his grin, "But I prefer this…" He felt her give a soft laugh and she leaned more firmly into him as he turned his horse for the road.

With Bess' arms around him, Will did not notice the perfect sky, the gentle breeze, the colourful wildflowers or the sweet birdsong all the way into town. He felt every move the girl behind him made. He felt her grip tighten and shift, he felt her fingers caressing his shirt and he felt her cheek against his back. Lifting a hand, Will lay it gently over Bess's at his waist. He was surprised by just how much he was affected by having her close to him in this innocent way. A strange contentment swelled within him, and Will was almost disappointed when they reached the town and he had to dismount.

The people of the town obviously recognised Will. Bess was surprised and a little uneasy about the attention they were receiving as she walked up the street on Will's arm. At first they had only received smiles, and for a moment Bess had thought it was because Will was an attractive man. Why wouldn't women smile at him in the street? After people had begun to step in front of them and greet him, asking how his day was and even commenting on the weather, Bess had realised that they knew who he was.

"You're quite the hero…" She commented.

"It's surprising what a few distributed coins can do for one's reputation." Will have her a small grin and Bess nodded. She raised an eyebrow when a group of giggling young women watched them pass.

"The honour." She said, her tone teasing, "Being able to walk with such a man…"

Will's laugh was low and he held her arm closer. "Don't let it go to your head now." She felt Will stiffen slightly as a pair of Redcoats passed them on the street and she looked up at him out of the corner of her eye.

"The posters Warleggan put up of you…"

"He evidently didn't see enough of my face…"

"True… but there is some likeness." She hesitated, "Even with many of the townsfolk worshipping you as a hero right now… are there not some who may still turn you in?"

"I've not done any of them harm." He replied, smiling down at her, "What's life without a little risk?" he apparently saw the worried look on her face, and continued "Maybe in a few days when they've used the coin I gave them and their hardships seem more dire again… I may hesitate to walk down the street. Today, however, I feel quite safe."

Nodding, Bess' eye caught on a boy being thrown out of a nearby store. She recognised him as the boy she had protected from a Redcoat when she had come into town with Tim not long ago. She told Will as much when he asked if she had known the child. Their conversation turned to hungry families and children desperate enough to steal in broad daylight. She told him about the harsher penalties being put in place for hunting and theft, and that the local magistrates were all too busy having their pockets lined by giving the poor less and less to care much for the consequences or to be lenient in their sentencing. She was unsurprised to hear that this was not an uncommon situation, and that Will had seen it happening all over the place. There were far too few men of standing who were willing to be a voice for the common people.

Bess remained silent for a few minutes, thinking about that. Was this the reason Will had become a highwayman? He hadn't had a high enough station to be able to stand up legally, and so he had begun to do what he could on the other side of the law simply because the law was blind to those truly in need? As he led her into a pretty little shop that she had only ever been to once before, Bess realised that she still didn't know much about where Will came from. She decided that the next time they were alone, she would ask him. She allowed Will to lead her to a table and pull a chair out for her. He then seated himself across from her and fixed her with a charming smile.

"I've never been here before." He said, still grinning widely at her. "Have you?"

"Once…" Bess replied.

"Seems like a … nice… place." She watched his brown eyes look around the room, and couldn't help a smile. This place looked nothing like the kind of establishment Will would choose to visit.

"Nice?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, it's a little foppish." He admitted, "But I thought it was the best in town to take you somewhere fancy."

"Fancy…" she echoed the word. Will suddenly looked away and Bess smiled more widely. He was trying to be impressive. "I don't need fancy." She told him quietly.

"I know you don't need it." He said, his eyes coming back to hers, "But sometimes you shall have it." He glanced away quickly before looking back to her, "And I told your father I would take you somewhere respectable."

Bess' breath caught in her throat. "You… you spoke to my father?"

The corner of Will's mouth quirked upward slightly and he gave a brief nod. "Seemed the gentlemanly thing to do." He told her, "As I intend to court his daughter." Bess swallowed thickly, feeling herself blush.

"Ah…" She had known that there was something more than simple interest between them, especially after the other night, but to hear him say that, to hear him use the proper words, sparked both heat and excitement within her. One of Will's warm hands closed around one of her own, and she met his gaze.

"Is that alright with you?"

"Yes." She murmured, unable to look away from his dark eyes.

"Good." He replied lightly, "Then enjoy our lunch in this foppish little shop." He grinned and Bess gave a small laugh. Will had just released her hand when someone stopped by their table and they both looked up. Bess felt her eyes widen as Charles Warleggan stood over them.

"Bess." The man said, his pale eyes looking her over.

"Hello." She replied, her heartrate just about tripling as she watched his eyes move across to Will. Bess' eyes didn't leave Warleggan's face, watching him for any sign of recognition. Will had told her that Warleggan hadn't had a good look at his face, and the posters that the man had put up had demonstrated that he only had a vague idea of what Will actually looked like. She found herself holding her breath as Warleggan raised an eyebrow.

"So…" the man began, "This is your man, is he?" Bess recalled having to tell Warleggan that she already had someone in order to get him to leave her alone.

"Yes." She told him, then watched as his eyes continued to look Will over, no doubt judging everything down to his boots.

"Forgive me," Will said, leaning back in his chair and looking up at Warleggan, "Who are you?"

Warleggan's lip curled as he looked down at Will, "I suppose we have not been introduced." The man said, "I am Charles Warleggan."

"William Sinclair." Will held a hand out, and Warleggan reluctantly shook it.

"Sinclair…" Bess watched Warleggan think, "Your family isn't from around here…"

"You are correct."

Warleggan raised an eyebrow and Bess watched as the man wrestled with his apparently ingrained manners. She saw the moment he realised that Will was going to offer no further information on where his family was from, before the man's blue eyes returned to her and he gave a slight bow. "Good day."

"And you." Bess smiled as Warleggan turned and moved away.

Bess looked to Will when Warleggan had left the shop completely and the door had closed behind him. "Well, I do believe that man has a bit of a fancy for you." Will told her. Bess made a face.

"No…"

"Yes."