The Robber Bride (Regency Historical Romance) by Jerrica Knight-Catania
***
Fin descended on the office of a High Court judge the morning after Victoria’s arrest. He had to do something. He couldn’t simply sit back and watch her be hanged. He would rather die. And he certainly wasn’t going to let them take her to her death without a trial. She had a right to speak. She had a right to a jury. She had every right to live and be free.
The judge looked up from his mahogany desk. “Ah, Lord Leyburn, what brings you here today?”
“Justice Powell.” Fin gave a slight bow and then quickly got to the point. “I am here about Miss Victoria Barclay.”
Justice Powell shook his head sadly. “Such a shame. I hate to think of sending her to the gallows. What in the world would have driven her to a life of crime?”
Fin stepped forward, desperate to plead her case to the man. “You see, Your Honor, that is just the reason I am here. Her life was not truly one of crime, but rather of good deeds. She did not steal for her own gain, nor did she do it out of some sick obsession. She did it to help others. And if you’d only hear me out—”
Justice Powell held up a hand. “Lord Leyburn, I would love nothing more than to acquit her of her crimes, whether good-hearted or not. It truly pains me to have to sentence such a bright, young woman to death. But my hands are tied. Too many victims have come forward and demanded her punishment. The evidence stands hard against her.”
“At least let her have a trial,” Fin pleaded. “Please, Your Honor.”
The judge sat quietly for a moment, staring out the window before finally turning kind eyes on Fin. “I don’t see what good it will do, Leyburn, but I can tell you won’t let anyone rest until she is tried in a court of law.”
Fin nearly cried with gratitude. “Thank you, Your Honor.”
“Gather your witnesses. We will assemble the jury and set the date for late next week.”
Twenty-One
Victoria sat alone in a dark and dirty cell in a prison somewhere in London, but where exactly, she didn’t know. Nor did she know what day it was or how long she had been there. Several times a day, someone brought her food, but it was always the same awful bowl of gruel—nothing to indicate what time of day it might be.
She had long ago accepted her fate. She’d accepted it from the moment she decided to become a highwayman. And the end was near, so she didn’t worry about how dirty she was or that rats and vermin came out to nibble on what was leftover of her meal. It didn’t matter that she had to relieve herself in a hole in the middle of the cold, stone floor—the same floor upon which she slept at night. Nothing mattered anymore, except one thing. She’d never had the chance to tell Fin how much she loved him, and she would go to her death regretting it.
What a foolish woman she was! Not for putting herself in danger night after night for two years, and not for getting caught. No, the only thing foolish about Victoria was her silly pride, and her refusal to admit when she cared for someone.
When a key turned in the lock of the door to her cell, she didn’t pay it much attention. It was probably the guard bringing her next meal. Besides, she was done getting her hopes up. After all this time, no one was coming to rescue her. Her parents were certainly disgraced, and Fin probably hated her. But what about Tom? He was her only hope, if she had any at all.
“Well, well, well,” came a familiar female voice. “You look like the dregs of the earth, Victoria.”
Victoria looked up, and her mouth dropped open. Before her stood her cousin Katherine in all her crimson glory. Her black hair was pulled into an elegant coiffure, jewels dripped from her neck and wrists, and her dress was probably worth more than all of Victoria’s combined. She looked decidedly out of place in the dank prison cell.
“What—” Her voice caught, having not used it in a while. She cleared her throat and tried again. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve come to tell you that we’re doing everything we can to clear your name.” Katherine’s eyes turned soft, and she gave her a sad smile. “I can’t make any promises, Vickie. There’s too much evidence against you to even bother with a trial, but…”
“What?” Victoria wondered. It had to be good news, whatever Katherine was about to say.
“Oh, Victoria, you’ve done so much good, despite your criminal activities.” She knelt down in front of Victoria. “There are people out there—nearly a hundred of them—demanding your release. They all have some story of how you helped nurse them back to health, or paid for medicine when they couldn’t afford it, or made a family member’s final days comfortable.”
Victoria swallowed over the lump in her throat. She couldn’t believe she’d touched so many lives. Yet, it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.
“When William and I heard,” she continued, “we knew we had to do everything in our power to clear your name. And we are trying, we promise you that, Victoria. You will not be taken to Gaol without a fight.”
Victoria couldn’t speak. She hardly knew her cousin, the elusive Duchess of Weston, who spent most of her time in the country with her brood of children now. Yet here she was, calling upon favors for her thieving relation.
“I must go,” Katherine said, rising again to her full height. “I pray to God I will see you again soon.”
She turned to go, but Victoria stopped her.
“Wait, please,” she begged.
“What is it?” Katherine asked, turning back to look at her.
It was time for Victoria to swallow her pride. This was an opportunity she’d been given that might not come again. She couldn’t go to her death with this regret.
“I need you to deliver a message to Phineas Dartwell, Lord Leyburn.” She paused, screwing up her courage, but when she opened her mouth again, she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. “Tell him…tell him that I love him, please.”
Katherine smiled. “I’m certain he already knows that, my dear Victoria. But I will tell him just the same.”
And then she was gone. Victoria wondered how Katherine would know how Fin felt about her. Perhaps she was only being kind, but it didn’t really matter now. Victoria could go to her death peacefully, knowing her message would be delivered.