A week after the ball all, Lord Fenworth and his guests are enjoying the mild English summer at his estate, Hollingdale. Major Warburton continues his pursuit of Lady Caro (including poetry), while Lady Anna continues to have convenient fainting spells when the major is nearby to rescue her. Lady Maria and her fiancé have procured a special license and have decided to marry the following week. Lady Emily has been seen in the company of Daniel Hamilton frequently, though little work has been done on the estate.
Mr. Lewis and his sister, as well as Charles DuBery and the scientist, MacDonald, continue to stay at Hollingdale as guests.
Madame du Motier and her son have returned to London, though not without the chevalier's widow singing the praises of her brave and noble cousin, le Comte de Chareau, to whomever will listen.
Fenworth spends an evening getting the Scotsman MacDonald drunk, though he fails to get him to reveal the secrets of his mysterious weapon. After a week of hearing the gloomy Scotsman talk of his device without revealing what it is, everyone has lost patience and the room clears whenever MacDonald starts to speak.
Fenworth has a master weaponsmith brought to Hollingdale, and the Duke of Warrington purchases a fine rapier from him. Chareau commissions a set of pistols with elaborate metalwork -- that also matches a handsome tailored jacket.
On Friday, the twelfth of July, a letter comes from Lord Somerset. A highwayman and a group of bandits have been terrorizing the road between his estate and London, and would Fenworth and his friends be up to the task of trying to apprehend the bandit? Sir Frederick Sutton arrives not long after and provides additional information: the majority of the robberies have taken place within the vicinity of the Boar and Fox, a popular but rough tavern. Both Chareau and Fenworth are familiar with the place.
All of Fenworth's daughters wish to come along, for they feel it would be very glamorous to meet a real highwayman. Fenworth tells them unequivocally "no" and sees that their drinks at dinner are drugged with laudanum to keep them quiet and at home.
"We should disguise
ourselves as fops."
"I don't think it'll be much of a reach."
Chareau works on their disguises and succeeds beyond expectation on everyone except himself, though he feels it is sufficient to keep most from recognizing him. With several bottles of Fenworth's best port, the group of men set out in an "unmarked" carriage to ride the road to London.
Warrington, nursing a hangover from the night before, attempts to sleep it off inside the carriage. This is made more difficult as Chareau has brought along his fiddle and begins to play. Sir Frederick Sutton gets into the spirit of things and sings along, though not well. He is not encouraged to continue.
They stop at the Boar and Fox where Chareau feigns drunkenness and demands the tavern's best port for their journey. He notices five men in the back of the building studying him intently. On his way out, he is stopped by Mary, the barmaid, who calls him Father O'Malley and warns him that he is in danger. Chareau denies that he is an Irish priest. Meanwhile, Fenworth bribes the stableboys and examines the fine horseflesh in front of the tavern; he could swear the shoes indicate the horse belongs to a solicitor named Hamlin, yet the stable boy tells him they belong to a man named Bartano.
After Chareau returns, the group sets off. Not twenty minutes later, Warburton spies men riding up on them, and after a shouted command, the carriage rattles to a halt.
A dark-haired man with an Italian accent opens the carriage door and demands valuables from the assembled men. Fenworth tosses him a bag of iron filings, but when the man - who identifies himself as il Bartano - demands they exit the carriage, Fenwroth draws his pistol. Chareau draws his pistol. Warburton draws his pistol. Sir Frederick draws his pistol. And Warrington draws his pistol - and shoots first.
The bullet strikes il Bartano in the chest, and with a surprised look on his face, the highwayman collapses to the ground, unconscious.
Chareau takes the initiative and says "Surrender now and we can go easy on you." The men do not surrender, but they do scatter to the winds, leaving the body of their leader behind. Fenworth and Warburton truss il Bartano up, deposit him on the floor of the carriage, then order their men to drive to Canfield Park so they can deliver him personally to Lord Somerset.
EP: 1