© Alan Richardson 2026

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The action takes place in the interior of a coaching inn. The Lanark to Edinburgh coach has arrived late one night and will travel no further, thanks to a damaged wheel. The five passengers have mixed feelings about their unexpected stay. Some are unconcerned. Others are unaccountably edgy. The nervous atmosphere is heightened by tension between the landlady and the coach driver. We discover that the same coach had been robbed at gunpoint a year earlier and the landlady's husband had been the driver. She forces the present driver, who had been the guard on that occasion, to relive the incident.

SANDY  I'll never forget that night as long as I live. It was stormy, no unlike tonight. The road was almaist impassable. It didnae seem worth the trachle. No wi' yin passenger, and him drunk and fast asleep. But Erchie, the driver, had never turned back. I mind him sayin tae me, "Jess'll be gettin' worried by noo", when we saw a figure at the side o' the road, aboot a hundred yards awa. As we neared I could see he was dressed in a long dark coat and ridin' boots. There was a saddle lyin' on the ground beside him. Erchie drew up the coach. I couldnae see the man's face for his hat and upturned collar.

GEORDIE (one of the passengers- an ex-soldier with a dubious past)  Were you no' invitin' danger by stoppin'?

SANDY  I said as much tae Erchie, but he jist laughed. "Get awa, Sandy, we havenae been robbed in the seven years I've been drivin' this coach." He stopped laughin' when we found oorselves starin' at a black mask and a pistol. The blunderbuss was at my side, yet I couldnae move a muscle. Erchie did. I saw him stretch tae release the hand-brake. There was a shot. At that range the highwayman couldnae miss. I could only watch as Erchie toppled tae the ground. And a' this time the black-herted de'il never uttered a word.

NANCY (another passenger - a woman with a doubtful background)  But afterwards, couldn't you describe whit he looked like?

SANDY  No. A' I remember is the ring. The ring on his finger, wi' a black shinin' stone. It seemed....it seemed tae match his merciless eyes. Then yin o' the horses suddenly reared. It distracted him, jist long enough. I took my chance. I leapt doon and made a run for it.

JESSIE (the landlady) You hear that? He ran away.

SANDY  Aye, I ran and ran. I never looked back until the daylight broke.

JESSIE  Have you wondered why there’s nae guard on your coach? Naebody’ll volunteer when he’s drivin.

MEICKLE(another passenger - who claims to be a town provost) I’m no surprised. I’ve heard enough. I’m no bidin’ here in fear o’ my life.

GEORDIE  I’d have thought you’d be safer indoors.

MEICKLE  I didnae speir for your opinion. You there, coachman, I want a horse saddled immediately.

SANDY Dae you noo? And whaur dae I find you this horse?

MEICKLE  In the stable, whaur else? There maun be a fresh team o’ horses for this coach. I’ll tak yin o’ them.

SANDY  You’ll dae nae sic thing. Those horses are company property.

MEICKLE  If money’s the obstacle, I’ll pey you double, treble whit the horse’s worth.

SANDY  Keep your siller.

MEICKLE  And somethin for yourself forbye…

SANDY  I said no! I’ll hear nae mair! Nae mair! (He rushes out)

JESSIE (shouting after him) That’s richt! Run awa again!