The girls of the village were tending to their usual chores; washing, cooking and making baskets. Haley was new to the village and she had heard some legends about a mysterious man.
“Who is the highwayman?” she asked curiously. Some of the girls sighed at the mention of him.
“He is a stranger here who has a thing for breaking the rules,” Megan told her with a knowing smile.
“He isn’t a rogue,” said one girl.
“Neither is he a fool,” another giggled.
“He is dashing with a devil-may-care attitude,” Nicole added.
Julianne sighed contently. “He has this glimmer in his eye, and the way the wind blows back in his hair . . .” She trailed off in her own daydream. A couple of girls laughed and threw some cloths at her.
“Oh come on! He is handsome and strong!” Julianne cries, laughing with them.
“He seems rough but gentle,” Joyce added.
“They say he’s a nobleman who’s gone wrong,” Megan said, gently elbowing Haley.
“Apparently he has a style about taking a girl’s jewellery,” Nicole said as she snuck up behind Haley and startled her.
“That lady in the coach said that he flashed her a smile as he pocketed her diamond earrings,” Joyce said hurriedly, eager to get some gossip in.
“Yeah! She said that he’s like no one that she’s ever met!” Julianne squealed.
“He’s a hard one to forget,” Nicole said to herself.
“I saw her admiring him by the river!” Julianne marvelled.
“Admiring, or carefully watching?” Megan asked her. “He’s stolen from all sorts of royalty, she’s not that special.”
“I heard that he prefers stealing from girls,” Haley piped up.
“Apparently your heart sort of dies when you see him leave, like he’s unknowingly taking it with him,” Julianne sighed.
“Oh, you and your fantasies, Julie!” Megan laughed as the girls pelted her with cloths again.
“Who IS that highwayman?” Joyce wondered to herself.
