Part 2

The coach and four was going full tilt. The driver, nervous about the darkening forest, was hurrying to arrive in London. He looked around hoping to see nothing but the looming trees, but when he saw the two men with masks standing in the middle of the road, pistols aimed at him, he pulled up the horses. He groaned to himself; what he had dreaded had occurred.

"What is amiss, Peter?" A man's voice bellowed from inside the coach. "If you have stopped for any reason other than a washed-out road, you shall be beaten to an inch of your miserable life!" What he didn't know was that Peter, the driver, had already been pulled from his seat and now stood in the road with his hands on the top of his hat fearing for his life. Peter had considered using the coach whip and running the coach over the two men but his courage failed him. He'd rather face his bombastic master, Sir Gosling, than these two.

The coach door was pulled open and Mac, his blunderbuss pointed at the man and two women inside, told them to get out and to wait in the road and when they did, there was Adam sitting tall on Jupiter and holding a gun on the travelers, a well-dressed gentleman and a buxom lady who was clinging to a younger woman.

"Now, now, mother," the girl said patting the woman's shoulder, "it's just some rogue who'll die on the gallows to be sure." The girl looked up at the highwayman and couldn't help but think that even with the mask, he was handsome. He grinned at her and dipped his head in appreciation of her beauty.

"I may end up dancing on the end of a rope, my saucy wench, but not soon enough, I'm sure, to please you." He nodded to her and she sniffed in disgust. Adam appraised the young woman with a bold gaze. Even in the dim light he could see she was a beauty. Her fur-lined hood was down and her hair was a silky blonde and her cheeks were a bright pink. He couldn't decide if her eyes were blue or green-he would need more light to discern that. Nevertheless, they sparkled with spirit. Adam considered that if he were a cruder man, he would grab her, pull her on his horse and be off with such a prize-but he wasn't. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant thought. Then he turned his attention to the three passengers. "Stand and deliver your purse," He directed them in a stern voice.

"You heard the Cap'n," Dick said, waving his pistol at them. "Hand over your purse and whatever else you have of value. Now."

The man harrumphed; he knew about such things and had come prepared. He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a small purse. Mac took it and tossed it up to Adam who caught it in one hand and hefted it in his palm. He grinned; the passengers were always trying to deceive him.

"Now, give us your real purse," Adam said, "and we'll keep this one as well-it should buy me a pleasant evening with a 'lady.' Would you be interested," he said, directing the question to the young woman. She gasped and turned her head.

"But I gave you my purse," the man protested.

"Oh, Harry, give him the real purse," The woman said, her voice echoing fear. Adam noticed that the young lady had turned back to stare at him, watching him evenly.

"Ye should heed your woman, Harry. It's either your purse or your miserable life, but either way, I take possession of the money and God or the devil take your soul," Adam warned.

The man looked at his wife. "Mrs. Gosling, if I weren't against physical violence, my dear, you would receive the back of my hand for that." Mr. Gosling pulled off one of his boots, leaning against the coach for balance and popped open one of the heels removing a roll of paper money. He stared at it and then, regretfully, handed it over to Mac.

"My dear ladies," Adam said, grinning broadly, "allow us to relieve you of the burden of all the jewelry you may be wearing-my men will be pleasured to search you if you have forgotten where you have concealed any. And Mr. Gosling, please to hand over your watch and fob-and if you don't have one, well, you will be shot merely for not caring about the passing of time. After all, life is fleeting and some men's lives come to their close before they expect it. Every second is to be treasured."

Dick collected all the jewelry and Mr. Gosling's watch and shoved them into the pockets of his waistcoat.

"I do believe that's it, Cap'n," Dick said.

"Fine," Adam replied. "Now, I have one more small request," he said to the four standing in the road, "that you wait a few minutes before you drive on-you really do not want to come upon us again as we may not be so polite the next time we meet. Mount up, you two," Adam said to Dick and Mac.

They scrambled on their horses and took off in separate directions. Adam then tipped his three-cornered hat to the women, winked at the young beauty who blushed deeply, and turning his black horse, he took off in another direction all together.

"Oh, my," Mrs. Gosling said, "I think I'm going to faint. Julia, get my salts, please."

"It's all right, mother," her daughter said. "Come sit in the coach. You'll be all right." Julia struggled trying to help her mother back into the coach. Her thought was that her mother should cut back on the bon bons. Her next thought was of the handsome highwayman who had just robbed them. Julia knew she should deplore him but yet, her mind churned with imagining what it would have been like to have ridden off with him, to feel those lips that were so taunting on hers and his strong arms around her. And then the image of his long legs clad in the shiny, black, leather boots gave her a thrill that she had never before experienced. Julia didn't understand these feelings that coursed through her; she knew she wouldn't sleep that night and if she did, the highwayman would haunt her dreams.

"Peter," Mr. Gosling said, "I ought to box your ears! I told you to stop for no one or nothing and the first pistol that's pulled in your face, what do you do? You stop like the miserable cur that you are!" he raised his hand and struck Peter across the face.

"Yes, sir, I am a poltroon through and through-my mother would regret my birth if she were still alive. I valued my life over your worldly goods, selfish fool that I am." And Peter scampered back up to the seat and picked up the reins waiting for Sir Gosling to shout from the safety of the cab for him to continue to their estate outside London.