A Lady's Guide to Courtship

XXVII. Simply Ysa

Dearest William,

Ah, bandits. They do make things quite difficult for us on the road, yes?

But surely they do have their own people to feed, own homes to protect. Mayhap like us, they too are struggling in a community.

Mourn not on what you lost for they are replaceable. Your life was spared and that is the important thing.

Your friend,

Lady Weis

*****

Wakefield could not believe what was happening. He gaped at Ysabella. "Friends? But they're—"

"Bandits?" Alex asked, voice threatening. "Speak carefully, guv, for ye might hurt our feelings." She looked over at her cousins. "We dinna like gettin' our feelings hurt, right Barto? Ned?"

"Aye!" the cousins answered. "We bandits have honour, see?" Barto said. "An pride," added Ned.

Barto and Ned freed Wakefield from his bounds and walked up to Alex.

"Happy now, cousin?" Ned asked.

Alex nodded and went up to Wakefield. "D'ye feel alright, guv?"

Wakefield's nostrils flared. Embarrassed was not enough a word to explain how he felt. He was tied by bandits and dragged like a common cattle!

"He is, Alex, do not fret," said Ysabella, pulling Wakefield to stand close to her. "Now, you said there's a feast, aye?"

His head snapped down at her. She was trying hard to talk like these people. And she was having fun. He saw it in the glimmer of her eyes.

"'Course, Ysa. Come," Alex said, motioning with her head. She walked toward a large cottage. "My 'Pa's away, see? He would love to see ye again, Ysa."

Ysabella chuckled beside Wakefield as they followed Alex toward the cottage. From another cottage, a young girl was poking her head out of the window, curiously looking at them.

He grabbed Ysabella by the hand to stop her. "Ysabella, I do not think this is—"

She moved her hand so she was clasping his, giving it a squeeze. "It is going to be all right, my lord. They are good people. They are friends." She looked over her shoulder. "But do promise me that you will not speak of this to anyone."

Wakefield hesitated but did not say anything as Barto and Ned walked past them.

"I merely wanted to visit Alex and her family. It has been a long time since, see?" Her eyes flickered with desperation and when he heard her next words, he understood why. "I do not have many friends in Wickhurst, ones like Alex and her cousins. They are different and the kind of different that I like."

With a sigh, Wakefield nodded and her face brightened. She tugged at his hand and let her lead him inside the cottage.

*****

It was indeed a feast.

Alex and her cousins prepared a sumptuous meal for them. Wakefield wondered then where the young lady bandit's mother was but refrained from asking for he was afraid the chit would not take it lightly.

A few other bandits came as they ate and to his surprise, none of them dared to even bother him as he sat in one corner, brooding as Ysabella talked with her friends.

Barto and Ned disappeared for a while and when they returned they were carrying a box of wine. They offered Wakefield a bottle—a bottle!—and laughed when he simply stared at it with wonder.