A Wedding in Wottfordshire

There, I suspected, Rob awaited me.

No, I hoped he awaited me.

I became increasingly nervous as we made our way through the forest, wondering what he would say and what he would do when we were reunited and I could face him as he was rather than behind the hood and mask. So much depended on that.

The dark shadows of the canopy overhead began to reflect my mood when I saw a signpost for the road to another village and I realized we were over halfway through the forest. My lover wasn't coming for me, he wasn't going to meet me after all. What was formerly nerves became crushing disappointment as I started to see patches of light among the shadows when we neared the far edge of the forest.

Just then, I heard Renald go "Whoa! Whoa!" and the carriage began to slow, coming almost to a stop before we turned from the road into what looked like an overgrown lane. Traveling a few more minutes, we came to a halt.

Getting closer to the window so I could see better, I saw nothing but the forest, only to hear Hilary saying, "—no need to tie us this week, sir. Lady Catherine is in the coach awaiting you. We will go off a way for a while so the two of you can talk in private."

The dear girl. While I'd never admitted to her exactly what had happened in the coach the week before while she and Renald struggled to escape before succumbing to their situation, she'd learned quite enough during the past week with him that I suspected she knew quite well but kept my secret nonetheless. I smiled and whispered a silent "thank you" to her, promising myself that I would do something special for her after we arrived at home.

A knock on the opposite door started me and I turned to see Rob, dressed all in black like the week before with the black hood secured by the mask about his eyes and his rather rakish hat. Unlike the week before, his pistol wasn't drawn; this time, it was tucked securely in his belt, probably knowing that it wouldn't be needed.

"Come in, Rob. Welcome."

"It's not every day, milady, that a brigand such as myself is welcomed." His voice was gruff under the hood, as if he was trying to disguise it but I thought I could tell.

I smiled. "It's not every day that a brigand really isn't one at heart. Please, have a seat."

He sat on the bench opposite me and I reached out to take his hands. "Rob, please, take off your mask and hood. I know you are."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. I found the record in the little office at Mister Andrews' stable where you keep your horse. You use the whitewash that he's using to repaint his stable to add the mask and the sock on your horse, and probably wash it off as soon as you're away."

I touched the sleeve of his jacket, a light summer one. "I suspect this black jacket is reversible and probably a different color inside. With it reversed and unbuttoned to show your shirt, and with your hood and mask off, you would look very little like the brigand who'd stopped me. Only, I looked into your eyes, Geoffrey White, and I watched you this week. You seemed so shy that I thought for a while you couldn't possibly be my Rob, but it wasn't shyness, was it, for everyone told me you weren't normally shy in the least. No, it was embarrassment, shame even, for what we'd done, right? And the horse, you've admitted to wanting to own a stable, so the horse is your first stock for it. Tell me I'm right, Geoffrey, Third Stableman. Take off your mask and show me. Take it off and tell me you love me."

I was smiling, expecting him to reach up to untie the mask, to take off the hood but I believe he was quite shocked under that hood at my deductive powers. Therefore, I sat silently for a time, giving him a few seconds to come to grips with what I'd said, to comply with what I was asking.

Then he did, slowly gave a nod and my grin widened further as he started to speak.

"Lady Catherine, if circumstances were correct, I might do that, to see if love could possibly be true, but circumstances are what they are and, quite frankly, right now, they're not. I can't remove my hood for you. I could have my neck stretched for what I've done, and, personally, I'm quite partial to keeping my neck at its current length so I'm sorry, I can't do it."

He'd been looking me in the eyes through most of his disappointing oration, but he glanced out the window then, seeing the trees just a few feet away. When he turned back toward me, his eyes in those little slots seemed to grow wider as he saw Uncle John's pistol that I'd had lying by me on the seat, already cocked and hidden under the fold of my skirt.

"Milady, you surprise me completely, but I know the truth in my heart, that you would never intentionally hurt me," he said. "I'm as sure of that as the sun rising in the east. If you think you can, do it. Shoot me dead. Most likely, I won't feel it for more than a few moments but you'll feel the guilt for what you did, for the potential love you ended, forever."

He knelt down on the floor of the coach and leaned forward, setting his chest against the barrel of Uncle John's pistol. "Kill me, Catherine Debane, if you can, or else let me go."

He was right. I could never harm him, for I would live with the guilt as he said for as long as I lived so I nodded and pulled the gun away. "Geoffrey, you're right. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you."

I'm sure he was smiling under that hood until he saw me turn the pistol and place it against my own breast.

"But I can't live without knowing either."

"No, Catherine, please no," he said, shaking his head almost violently. Reaching out slowly, he added, "Please, milady, let me have it."

He loves me, I thought as I let him have it. He eased the hammer down, only to find no powder in the pan and the pistol unloaded.

His laugh was a thing of beauty, and I looked forward to him taking off the hood and the two of us making love once more right there in the woods, just like the week before when I'd given myself to him.

"Milady, word in these parts is that you are among the most intelligent women around. I must admit, you had me completely fooled with this." He shoved the pistol to the side as he continued. "I also can't believe you figured all of this out..."

My heart raced at his compliment, the thrill of knowing him, of having him—

"...and got it so completely wrong."

My breath caught and my heart practically stopped "What?" I exclaimed. "I know you—"

"No, milady," he said. "Despite what you think, you know nothing about me. You see, all week since our last meeting, I've thought of only two things. One, I'm a robber and a robber should never leave the goods with his victim. And two, I've looked forward all week to being back in your sweet cunny. After all, you're the loveliest lady around for many miles and, though quite inexperienced, not an all-together-bad fuck. In fact, I feel myself quite fortunate to have had the opportunity to fuck such a beautiful lady and a real Lady to boot, and I look forward to remembering it for many, many years to come."

He drew his pistol from his belt as he was speaking and pointed it at me. "But in thinking all that, it came to me, why just one time? And that's when I knew it didn't have to be just once. No, now take off your clothes like a good girl like last time. I'll plow you good and then take whatever you have as I go and no one will get hurt."

"Oh, Geoffrey, you bastard," I breathed, completely shocked. "I can't believe you'd do this to me."

With the pistol still pointed at me, he shrugged a single shoulder. "Oh, it's nothing personal, milady. In fact, if it will make you feel any better, I'll tell you I'm quite sorry. But I'm a brigand, remember? So, in truth, I'm not. Off with them now."

He was quite demanding, making me realize I was completely deceived, that Geoffrey wasn't the kind-hearted, loving soul I thought. As such, my thoughts of love for him, so strong only moments before, melted in a heartbeat and I wanted to cry out for Renald and Hilary to come save me.

I held my tongue though, knowing if I did that Geoffrey could cut one or the other of them down with his pistol and would likely use the knife at his belt on the other and me as well. Therefore, I gritted my teeth, hating him even more intensely than I thought I'd loved him just minutes earlier.

"No, Geoffrey, I'm not doing this. You're not doing this."

"Oh, yes, I am," he said, reaching for my bodice and slipping his hand inside, tight between my breasts. The week before, he'd initially used his knife to slit the laces on my clothes to reveal my locket but this time, he used it to bodily pull me close.

"Listen, Lady Catherine. This is going to happen one of two ways. You'll take these clothes off and let me fuck you good or I'll take them off you and have my way with you, and believe me, I won't be gentle. And if you call out to your friends for help, I'll kill them both and then have my way with you. So, what will it be?"

Worried for them and for what he would do, I acquiesced and started undoing my clothes. Seeing me complying, Geoffrey, now sitting on the bench opposite me once more, put his loaded and cocked pistol on the bench beside him, unbuckled his belt, and started to lower his pants.

The carriage door opened suddenly.

Geoffrey grabbed his gun and raised it toward the doorway.

A pistol boomed, almost deafening me in the confines of the coach. My eyes burned from the thick, acrid smoke and I coughed as Geoffrey went out the door.

"No!" I screamed, thinking how he'd killed Renald or possibly my sweet Hilary, so crying at what had happened and blinking to clear my vision, I went out the door after him, determined to hit and claw and bite and do everything I could to stop him from making the terrible situation even worse.

A bit of sunlight shone through a break in the trees above as I landed on Geoffrey, my lover-turned-villain. Or rather, his body, lying twisted on the ground. A hand took my arm and I looked up to see Geoffrey helping me up.

"What?" I yelped, "I thought..."

He stood me in front of him and then pulled me into his arms. "Oh, Lady Catherine, I was so worried that he would harm you."

"Geoffrey? I thought that was you!"

"What?" he exclaimed. "Me? Why?"

As he spoke, Renald and Hilary, looking disheveled, came running through the woods toward the coach calling my name. "Lady Catherine, we heard a gunshot! Are you safe?"

Geoffrey, still holding me close as my heart raced against his chest, replied, "The brigand who tried to take advantage of Lady Catherine is dead. Miss, if you'll be sure the inside of the coach is clean, you can help her inside to adjust her clothes."

It was only then that I realized the top of my dress was completely open and Geoffrey was covering my breasts by holding me tight against his chest.

Hilary climbed in and came back out a moment later. "Cat, come in. Oh, your dress!" She tried to help hold it up as Geoffrey released me and I climbed back in the coach.

Inside, Hilary and I held each other for quite some time as my pounding heart slowed to something approaching normal.

"I'm so sorry, Cat," she said. "Renald had the guns your father gave him and would have used it to defend you but we thought it was safe."

"We all did, dear, but it is now. Here, help me with my dress. I don't think Geoffrey or poor Renald should see me like this," even while knowing they already had.

Minutes later with both of us straightened up once more, we exited the coach to see Geoffrey holding the reins on two roan horses, the red roan I recognized from Nigel's stable, next to the bandit's slightly lighter roan with the white blaze and sock. Seeing them side by side for the first time, I could see the differences, with Geoffrey's being redder and a half hand taller and Rob's having the markings and being a bit lighter in color and build. However, the biggest difference between them was the bandit's body that Geoffrey was tying over the saddle. The mask and hood were now completely removed for me to see a clean-shaven brown-headed man that I didn't recall having ever seen before.

"Do you know him?" I asked as I approached.

"No. And I never will now," he said wryly. He tested the rope holding the man in place and then pulled it just a bit tighter before tying it off. He wouldn't have to worry about the dead man's comfort either.

Turning to me, he added, "Lady Catherine, I've reloaded my pistol, but it might be a good idea to check the other one in case we run into any of his compatriots or anything else unexpected on the road.

I agreed and loaded the pistol Uncle John had lent me while he checked Rob's, confirming that it was indeed loaded and that Rob hadn't had a chance to fire it. He turned to me then. "Milady, I will be escorting you home. I can ride ahead a short way—"

"No, Geoffrey. You can ride in here with me. Please."

He gave me a smile and agreed before tying both horses to the back of the carriage so they could trail along behind us.

Turning to Renald and Hilary, I said, "Renald, please keep the coach gun and pistol handy in case you need them and let us know if you see anything ahead. We'll be armed in the coach as well." She was still holding his arm so I nodded for her to continue riding up top with him. They climbed up and Geoffrey helped me inside before entering after me. Moments later, Renald was turning the carriage around and we were on our way home once more.

Inside the coach, Geoffrey and I sat opposite each other where we could look at each other just as the bandit Rob and I had minutes earlier. Scooting forward on the seat, I reached out and took his hand in mine.

"Geoffrey, I must apologize to you. I am so sorry, I was completely convinced that...that you were the bandit."

He shook his head. "You said that earlier, milady. Why?"

"He, the bandit, stopped us last week but didn't take anything, making me believe it was someone that I knew. That it was safe. That's why we didn't resist this week, thinking it was you, coming to...to play a prank on me. Instead, it seems he was probably setting me up to steal everything I had this week on our return trip."

That I thought he'd stolen my heart in addition to my virginity, I didn't bother mentioning because neither of those mattered to me anymore.

He was still confused. "But me, milady? Why did you think it was me?"

"Your horse looks similar to his. With a bit of whitewash from Nigel Andrews' stable, they could look practically the same and you could wash it off when you're done. Then, there was how shy or embarrassed you'd been around me all week. I thought it was that you were ashamed of..."

There was no way I was going to admit to what Rob and I had done, so I softened it a bit as before.

"...of the prank you'd played on me last week. See, I was so sure it was you. It just had to be you! Until it wasn't."

We were back to the main road; we grabbed the seats and the side walls to steady ourselves as Renald made the turn and then cracked the whip to speed our team forward.

"I don't know, milady, but it seems so—what's the word they use?—circumstantial?"

"Completely, but it was enough to convince me, though I must admit that I've learned my lesson. Now, tell me, how did you end up here?"

"I'd seen the horse you described in the distance a couple of times during my rides, but I didn't know who the rider was or even think anything about it until you sought him. From the questions you asked, I knew it had to be the same horse, right down to the sock. You see, when I suggested a stocking instead of a sock, you corrected me at once—rather forcefully, I might add—"

I put my hand over my mouth, embarrassed, remembering my thought at the time that he wasn't listening, never dreaming that he was testing me.

"—and I knew it had to be the same one so I asked some questions around town. I learned that a highwayman had pulled a few robberies on the roads some distance out of town in recent weeks so I approached Lord John last evening about following you to make sure you got home safely. He gave me the matching pistol to the one he lent you in case I needed it to protect you or me. He also gave me a letter explaining my mission in case I might run into any of the King's men on the road. Now...here we are."

He slumped back against his seat and his eyes, focused on me while he spoke, drifted down to look at the floor, much like how he'd avoided my gaze earlier in the week. Frankly, after seeing him looking at me for the longest period yet, I was quite tired of his shyness and decided something needed to be done about it.

"Geoffrey, you're doing it again."

Sure enough, he looked up, surprised. "Doing what, milady?"

"Being shy. There's no reason for that between us. We're friends, right?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Geoffrey, what? Please, talk to me."

The man took a deep breath, causing him to sit up straight, before slowly exhaling. "Lady Catherine, please forgive me. It's because..."

It was a pregnant pause but one that I could see was painful to him rather than like those used by the few actors I'd seen playing characters on a stage.

"What, Geoffrey? Please?"

There was a pained look on his face, as if he was struggling to get it out, to tell me the truth but when it came, it gushed out like a fountain. "Because, milady, I have been in love with you from a distance for years, seeing you when you came to Wottfordshire with your mother when we were young, as a teenager as you started to blossom, and then afterward, when you came by yourself after your mother died. All those years, I saw you but I was all but invisible to you and I never said a word to attract your attention. This past week, I finally got to meet you in person, to talk to you, and to get to know you and my love was confirmed and grew, even though I know it can never be. And, sad to say, that makes it all the harder that when we get you home safely, I must go and will never see you again."

It took courage and a great deal of fortitude to admit that and say it all so quickly as if trying to get it out before that courage failed him. I was holding my lips tightly sealed, trying to fight off the smile on learning the truth, to prevent the shout of elation over his declaration, and to avoid the giggles over my own silliness in not having this out with him earlier. Still, his closing statement had raised an important issue...

"Why will you never see me again, Geoffrey? Because you're a stableman and I'm...almost...a Lady?"

"Yes, milady, but more importantly, because you're you and I'm me."

I reached out again but took both of his hands this time and pulled them forward against my chest, dropping my face forward so my cheek just touched one. "And that, Geoffrey, is exactly why you will see me again."

He'd moved forward when I pulled him to me. He shifted a bit, allowing his thumb to gently rub my cheek as he gave me a little smile.

"Lady Catherine, I appreciate the thought. It means the world to me, but we both know it's not so simple and that we can never be together as more than friends."

"Perhaps, Geoffrey, but only time will. You see, I like you a lot, too, probably not as much as you profess to love me, but you do have a head start on me." That I'd thought sure I loved Rob with all my heart and that I'd even thought that he was Rob for a while and that I loved him as a result was left unsaid.

"No," I continued, "it won't be immediate because I've learned a lot this week and now understand the importance of getting to know someone well, in all aspects, before making silly assumptions and charging forward, but I want us to be together to give us time to really get to know each other to give us a chance for the long term."

He sighed. "But there is no chance, milady, and you getting your hopes and my hopes up is cruel and unfair to both of us when we already know that. A Lady and a simple stableman, remember? I'm below you, without a drop of noble blood in my body."