Grimacing, Suzette sighed and turned toward the trees, muttering, “Very well.”

“Where are you going?” Jeremy asked

“Where do you think?” she asked sarcastically, continuing forward. “I am hardly going to tend matters here in front of you and your driver.”

Much to Suzette’s relief, he released a frustrated growl, but otherwise didn’t protest. Not that it would have prevented her carrying her plan forward, but he could have made things difficult. She continued to walk for several feet until she found a nice wide stretch of bush for coverage. Suzettte considered it briefly and then glanced around to survey the area before hunkering down. Once assured she was out of sight, she called, “Sing or something.”

“What?” Jeremy asked with amazement.

“Sing or recite a poem or something,” Suzette ordered. “I cannot go if I know you are listening.”

“Oh, for the love of—”

“It shall speed things along,” she promised him.

Suzette heard him mutter a string of oaths and then Jeremy shouted, “You sing or speak then.”

“I will not be able to concentrate on what I am doing if I am trying to sing or recite. Besides, I might grunt in the middle of it, and that would be as embarrassing as—”

“Oh, very well,” Jeremy snapped, interrupting her. Apparently, he didn’t have the stomach to want to hear exactly what she was claiming to be doing. In the next moment, Danvers began to recite the Lord’s prayer, which was rather sacrilegious to her mind considering that she suspected he’d burst into flames if he dared enter a church, but she wasn’t going to complain. Staying hunkered down, she moved to the side under the cover of the bushes until she reached a line of trees, then she raised to a half crouch and moved more quickly, weaving her way toward the lane, using the trees and bushes as cover. She continued forward until she was almost at the edge of the trees behind the carriage. Suzette then paused and glanced back, waiting for him to grow tired of reciting. She didn’t have long to wait.

“Are you not done yet?” Jeremy bellowed impatiently after the third recitation.

She remained silent.

“Suzette?” he called, suspicion entering his voice. When silence was his answer, he cursed in a most impious way and started trudging forward into the woods. “Dammit! Where are you?”

She watched silently as he stomped up to where she had been and began to search the area, not surprised when he turned back toward the carriage and bellowed, “Thompson! Get over here and help me find the little bitch.”