Part 6

That night, Adam sat in The Golden Goose pub among the noise and chaos of shouts for more ale, the curses of the barmaids and the angry blather of the very drunk who lost at cards. Hoss sat at the card table as well, but he had bowed out of the hand, having lost his stake; he was always amazed at how Adam usually won twice if not three times as much as he lost. All Adam would tell Hoss is that one had to learn to read faces; a mind's inner working was always expressed on the visage even if it is as minute as the lift of an eyebrow. The face, Adam said, reveals all.

Betty the barmaid had twice come over to Adam but both times he had merely given her a quick kiss and a slap on the rear and sent her to get more drinks for all at the table and to put it on his tab. Adam found that if one was generous, people felt more kindly about losing to him.

Adam still gambled at the Westwood Club where he and his father were members due to their peerage. One could win far more from those of high rank but the atmosphere was stodgy and the men took their cards too seriously. Although they always paid their debts considering them debts of honor, they handed their losses to Sir Adam begrudgingly. After all, Sir Adam already stood to inherit one of the finest estates and was handsome, educated, clever and young and honored for his service to the crown. The older men considered him a rogue.

So Adam preferred the pubs with their vivid atmosphere and life although the chances were greater that a poor loser would demand to meet him outside in order to engage him in a duel with either pistols or rapiers-so Adam always came prepared. He had never yet had to kill one of them but he did make certain the opponent remained wary of him-and respectful of his abilities.

"Adam," Betty whined, coming up behind him and running her arms down his chest from behind, "When're you of a mind to spend some time with your Betty? Shall I be off to sit in your great brother's lap and tickle him to stand to and make you jealous?"

Adam could feel her ample bosom against the back of his head and was tempted to turn around and bury his face in the vast cleavage. But, although he was fond of Betty, the last time he tupped her she had told him she loved him and wanted to marry him. Adam had the pearl earrings and necklace in his pocket and had intended to give Betty the necklace but once he was in the pub, he couldn't bring himself to give it to her-the pearl drop would have been lost between her breasts, never to be seen again.

"Here," Adam said, gathering a few coins from his winnings and handing them up to her. "Take these me love and buy yourself a bit o' somethin' to bide your time. Maybe, girl, ye can save enough to buy ye a husband and quit slapping your bosom against me-although I do admit that they are two beauties." He reached around and grasped one of her breasts. "Like yeasty bread dough," he said.

"Oh," Betty said, insulted, and attempted to slap Adam but he grabbed her wrist and kissed her hand, then let her go with a grin. The men at the table laughed and one shouted for Betty to bring them all another ale.

"I'll pour the ale in your laps," Betty shouted back. "Maybe then, what you got between your legs will finally stand up just to keep from drownin'!" The men all roared while Betty huffed off and the game continued; when playing the game of poker, women were superfluous.

Hoss had once asked Adam why he spoke differently in the pubs than in company of others and Adam replied that men found it easier to lose to someone who was on their same strata of society; if they knew that he was the son of Lord Cartwright, he'd never even make it into a game. He warned Hoss not to reveal his true identity either. Life was more pleasant if one indulged their vices such as gambling, drinking and whoring incognito, "or," as Adam explained seeing the confused look on Hoss' face, "with one's actual identify unknown." And Adam had also added that they certainly didn't want to bring shame to their father, did they? Hoss grinned and agreed that they certainly didn't want to do that.

Adam found that he was having difficulty concentrating on the cards-Julia Gosling's face with her green eyes and blonde hair kept interfering. So he excused himself and told Hoss that he was going for a ride to clear his head of all the smoke and noise and that he would be home some time later. But Adam was fighting the impulse to return Julia's jewelry to her.

Adam found himself heading to the Gosling manor. The night was clear and the moon was beginning to wane. Still, there was enough light by which to see. He arrived quickly once he left the city; Adam felt he could spit from the edge of London and hit the stone wall surrounding the manor, it was so close to the outskirts.

Adam tied Jupiter in a small stand of trees a distance from the manor house. It was relatively small considering his family's manor and the surrounding stables and carriage house and such.

He walked around the building, checking out what rooms had lights on. He saw through a downstairs window that Sir Gosling was sitting in his study smoking a pipe and reading. Adam continued and saw an upstairs room on the eastern side with a light still on. He decided that that side of the house would have Julia's room, after all, Sir Gosling's wife would prefer not to be wakened any too early by the sunlight streaming in. He checked out the face of the house and saw a tree that was close enough to the balcony outside the window that he could land on it. He pulled out his mask and slipped it on and became the persona of the highwayman who boldly put himself in danger. And he felt the blood pound through his veins and the music of excitement played in his ears. Yes, this was what it felt like to really be alive-the fear of losing one's life made it all the more valued.

The light in the room went out. Adam easily climbed up the tree and landed lightly on the balcony and peered into the room and smiled to himself; he had conjectured correctly. In the bed, with her back to the window lay the fair head of Julia, her blonde hair in one long braid and yet small tendrils had already escaped the bondage of the woven strands and made a nimbus around her head.

Adam took out his penknife and using it, pried the window open and gently moved the two doors apart and they opened easily allowing him entrance. He slipped in and quietly walked over to the bed. Julia suddenly turned over, her eyes wide and Adam clamped his hand over her mouth, his other arm slipping under her, binding her arms and pulling her close enough so that he could whisper in her ear.

"Aye, me lady, Julia, I've come to see thee again. Your beauty left such a mark on me heart that I couldn't stay away although, sadly, it's still viewed in the dark but your beauty must be glorious in the full light."

Julia's mind raced. The voice, that warm, honeyed voice that evoked such feelings inside her-it was so familiar. Where had she heard it recently?

"If I release me hand from your lush mouth, will ye swear to remain mum?"

Julia nodded. He wore a half mask and yet she could see the mischief in his dark eyes. His face was so close, his lips so near that she felt his warm breath on her cheek. She decided that she would scream-she must know who this brazen thief was who stole into her room and held her so tightly.

Adam looked down at her heaving breast and the direction of his gaze wasn't missed on her. Julia considered what it would be like should he ravish her, should he relieve her of the burden of her virginity. It couldn't be such a terrible event, she thought, as her mother had led her to believe; But Julia was now certain that it depended on who did the ravishing.

"I still have you in me arms, remember," Adam said as he slowly removed his hand and Julia opened her mouth to shout but Adam gave her no time to get very far; he clamped his mouth on hers and began to kiss her, and Julia's voice died in her throat and one arm flew up and wrapped around Adam's neck. She had never been kissed except on the back of the hand and on the cheek by her papa, mother and various old people of both sexes but this kiss took her breath away and aroused feelings that later, as she lay awake in the dark, quivering, she knew must be feelings of passion, of desire.

"Now," Adam said, releasing her mouth, "if you will hold to your word, I have something to return to you."

"I will…remain still and quiet-that is," Julia decided to add, "if you promise to kiss again me before you leave."

"Aye, Miss, I think that's a promise I will be able to keep-as unappealing a young woman as ye are." Julia began to take offense but when she saw his half-grin, she knew that he was teasing her. And she knew he wanted to kiss her again as she wanted him to do so.

Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace and the earrings. The pearls glimmered in the moonlight as Adam held them up. "Like small moons, milady. But even the velvet of the night sky itself can't do their beauty the justice that your skin does as they lie against it." He put them on the sheet and leaned down and kissed Julia again. He kneeled next to the bed and held Julia again in his arms and she, half lying on the bed and half in his embrace, returned his passion with hers and she heard his breathing become heavy as his mouth and tongue became more eager, exploring the warmth of her mouth.

Adam lay her back on the bed and stood up; he knew that he was becoming far too infatuated with the beautiful Julia. It would not do. He needed to remain logical and cool-headed.

" Tis time I be leavin'; I have business of the road." Adam moved closer to the window.

"Oh, can't you stay a bit longer?" Julia said sitting up.

"For a nice Catholic girl…" and Adam knew immediately that he had made a mistake.

Julia caught it and suddenly the voice and the eyes and the grin all came together; he was Adam Cartwright whom she had met earlier that day—she was sure of it—almost sure of it. But doubt crept in. "How could you know I'm Catholic?" she asked. She was certain she had caught him and smiled to herself.

But he was not that easily caught. "Well, unless the crucifix as the one ye have hangin' over your bed has now become a Protestant icon, well, milady, you be one of them. And it was my understandin'-as poor as it is-that all of your women are savin' themselves to live a life as the bride of Christ."

"Not all of us," Julia answered. Damn him, she thought; he was too quick.

Adam began to go out the window and with one leg out and the foot on the balcony, Adam tipped his hat to Julia, told her goodnight and quickly climbed down the nearby tree but before he could head for Jupiter, Julia ran out onto the balcony and saw him on the ground. He looked up and grinned and Julia waved. Then he loped out of sight into a stand of trees and Julia shivered-but it wasn't from the night air.