Fenella J Miller - [Duke 02] (19 page)

“But
you
will not. A ceremony conducted under duress is not legal, is it?”

“No, that’s correct – it’s not. I see where your thoughts are going. You intend to go through with the wedding and then have it set aside using myself as corroboration?”

“Indeed I do, sir. If I pretend to be resigned perhaps Bennet will allow me a few hours to compose myself before demanding his …”

“I understand exactly. However, Westchester does not know where we are and I doubt anyone at Hadley Hall will tell him. They are all in the pay of Sir John.”

“You do not know the duke. I can assure you he will obtain the information. How far is it from Hadley Manor to Bennet's house?”

“About fifteen miles. Don't forget, miss, their horses will be blown.”

He had no need to spell it out. Ralph was going to arrive too late. She must contrive to delay the inevitable as long as possible. Convincing Bennet she was a willing participant was going to be all but impossible. After all, had they not just tipped Sir John from the carriage? They could hardly claim this was an accident as they had failed to alert the coachman when it happened.

“How much further is it to our destination, do you suppose?”

“No more than a quarter of an hour I should think. How are we going to explain the absence of Sir John?”

“I thought if I pretend to be in a swoon and you asleep they may assume he fell from the carriage without our knowledge.” Hardly a likely scenario but the only explanation she could think of that might do.

He looked dubious as well he might. “We have no alternative, Miss Hadley, so I will go along with your scheme. Wait, I have an idea that might help convince them.” He withdrew a length of twine from his pocket. “I shall tie your hands and feet again.”

“What an excellent notion; perhaps there might be another rug under the seat. Without that I'm sure those ruffians will see through our charade.”

The last knot was fastened around a second blanket just as the carriage turned in through the gates to Mr Bennet’s mansion. “There, Miss Hadley, you look more or less as you did before. You must feign a swoon and I shall pretend to be deeply asleep.”

He slumped into a corner and closed his eyes pulling his hat down over his straggly grey hair. Anna did likewise, taking several steadying breath as she could hardly pretend to be unconscious if her chest was heaving.

*

Bruno thundered around the sharp bend in the lane sending clods of earth flying out behind him. “Good boy, not much further now.”

The dust from the carriage still lingered between the hedges. Ralph raised his hand and sat back in the saddle. The gelding dropped from a gallop to a canter allowing Rupert and the grooms to catch up. All four horses steadied to a walk.

“They are just ahead of us. We must not arrive pell-mell, those villains might well be armed and I have no wish to receive a bullet through my head.”

“We have cudgels and two pistols; and you are big enough to frighten most men into surrendering.” Rupert was as filthy as himself but his eyes gleamed with excitement; his brother was enjoying himself. “I think it better to approach unobserved. Tom, can you shin up that tree and see over the hedge? Is the house we seek in view?”

His coachman dismounted and climbed into the branches. Seconds later he was back grinning broadly. “We stopped just in time, sir, the entrance is no more than fifty yards ahead. I saw the carriage approaching the house. There are two men at the back and the coachman and another on the box.”

“Excellent. We shall complete the journey on foot. We can turn the horses into this paddock; I doubt the cows will object. Conceal the saddles and bridles behind the hedge. With luck there will be fresh water somewhere in that field for them to find.”

The sun was sinking behind the distant trees. Dusk was the perfect time to mount his

attack; figures slipping through the trees would be almost invisible.

“Ready, brother? Make sure your pistol is primed but not cocked.”

Rupert snorted. “I'm not a nodkin, Ralph. I ain't as clever as you but I know how to handle a weapon.”

“I should hope so. You won't make much of a soldier if you shoot yourself through the foot.”

The horses drifted across the field with Bruno in the lead. The cows ignored the intruders and continued to munch contentedly on the lush grass. They would need milking in an hour or so, God knows what the cowherd would make of the equine intruders.

He told his small band of men to keep to the shadows, make sure their faces were hidden inside their collars. The building to which Anna had been taken was substantial but not overly large. No more than two dozen windows gleamed in the setting sun. The roof was intact but the place had an air of neglect. Paint was peeling and the drive weed infested.

His jaw tightened. Radcliffe had sold his darling girl to the highest bidder. All involved in this atrocity would live to rue the day they had mishandled Anna and his mama.

*

The carriage rocked to a standstill and swayed as the two men alighted from the rear of the vehicle. Violent tremors rippled through Anna. She was grateful she had an empty bladder. She daren't open her eyes and see what Mr Peabody was doing. Why didn't he pretend to wake up—exclaim loudly at the disappearance of Sir John?

The door was wrenched open. “Bloomin’ hell! What's going on here?”

The lawyer played his part to perfection. “Good God! Where is Sir John? Has he got out already?” Anna groaned and opened her eyes. She screamed, pressing herself back into the squabs. The hideous noise had the desired effect and all three recoiled. The most repellent of the ruffians recovered first.

“Shut that racket or it'll be the worse for you, missie.” He pressed a filthy hand across her mouth and she sank her teeth into it.

He swore and raised his fist to retaliate. She braced herself for the blow. Then as if by giant hands he was plucked from the coach and hurled aside like an unwanted toy.

“My darling, I have you safe, no one shall ever hurt you again.” Ralph grasped her and she was safe in his arms.

“Ralph, I can't believe it. Thank God! I didn't think you would reach me in time.” She wriggled, trying to free herself from the blanket so she could return his embrace.

“Hold still, sweetheart, I must cut the twine.” He delved into his boot top and removed a small dagger. “I shall kill the man who dared to do this to you.”

She peered past his shoulders and saw the vehicle was empty. The sound of fists meeting flesh and the grunts and groans outside meant her abductors were getting what they deserved.

“You must not hurt Mr Peabody. The lawyer helped me push Sir John from the carriage …”

“There, my love, you are free. Let me remove this blanket and then I can take you from the carriage.” Her previous statement finally registered. “You did what? Anna, how did it happen?”

She was lifted from the seat and swung into the fresh air. Rupert greeted her as if he spent every day punching villains to the ground.

“Anna, I'm glad to see you well. I say, I've never had such a lark.” He landed another telling blow and his opponent collapsed like an empty flour sack. “That's everyone accounted for apart from Radcliffe. Where the devil is he?”

“We pushed him out of the carriage and you will find him somewhere a few miles back, lying in a ditch.” She looked around anxiously for Mr Peabody but he was nowhere to be seen. Pleased he hadn't been injured in the melee she put his whereabouts out of her mind and smiled at her beloved.

“I love you. I just knew you would rescue me.”

He chuckled. “You are an original, my darling. I can see being married to you my life will never be dull.”

“Shall we go and find Radcliffe, Ralph, or clean up here first?”

“Go …” Ralph’s words were cut short as the crack of a rifle split the air. Rupert clutched his chest and toppled to the ground.

Anna landed with a thump on the dirt and Ralph placed his hand firmly on top of her head and prevented her from rising. “Stay down. One man with a rifle could kill us all. God knows why he should wish to do so.”

“Rupert … I must go to him—he was shot, he might die without my help.” His brother had fallen face down and wasn't moving. “Please, Ralph let me go.”

He crouched beside her and dropped his arm on her shoulders. Tarnation! She was shaking like a blanc-mange “No, sweetheart, it would be suicide. He wouldn't wish you to be harmed on his account.”

After the three shots no more had been fired. What the devil were they playing at? What did they hope to gain by killing any of them? She was right, someone ought to attend to Rupert or he could bleed to death.

“Tom, Fred, are you hurt?”

Scrabbling from beneath the carriage attracted his attention. He dropped to his knees and peered underneath. His coachman and groom were crawling towards him.

“We’re fine, sir, only one bullet found its mark, the other two are embedded in the carriage.” Tom elbowed his way through the dirt until his head was poking out. “I saw the blighter what fired at us. Scruffy looking beggar, an ex-serviceman I reckon. Two smart middle-aged gents knocked the rifle aside and they've all gone into the house.”

“In which case why are we still on the ground? Are you quite certain the rifleman is no longer there?”

“Positive, your grace. That don't mean he's not got it pointed at us from a window.”

Anna was strangely quiet. He glanced down. She was no longer there but beside his brother. He surged to his feet and flung himself down next to them.

She turned a tearstained face towards him. “He is still alive but his pulse is weak. Help me to roll him over.”

Together they grasped Rupert’s arms and slowly turned him. A sick dread filled him.

Rupert’s shirt was stained red and his face a deathly white.

“Quickly, help me rip up my petticoats. We must make a pad and bandages and attempt to stem the bleeding.”

*

Anna tried to sound confident, as if she knew what she was doing. She had once assisted the apothecary when a farmhand had sliced his shoulder open with a scythe but that was the extent of her knowledge. She stepped out of her undergarment and tossed it to him.

Pressure must be placed on the wound that much she did remember. “The bullet must still be inside as there is no exit wound on his back. That is far more dangerous than if it had gone right through.”

Ralph completed his task and handed her a wad of folded material and the torn strips. She closed her eyes and sent up a fervent prayer before ripping open Rupert’s sodden shirt. Her eyes widened. “Thank the good Lord it’s his shoulder that has been injured. I couldn’t see clearly before because of all the blood.”

Moments later the makeshift bandage was in place and the bleeding stopped. “We must find a doctor at once, Ralph. My ministrations will not do for long. The physician must dig out the bullet and suture the wound.”

“Tom, I don't give a damn about the rifleman. Run to the house and demand the address of the nearest doctor. If whoever’s in there had intended to kill us we would all be dead by now.”

Ralph’s topcoat was now a makeshift pillow for his brother. With both pistols tucked into the top of his breeches he looked like a buccaneer. His expression was grim, his eyes like brown flint as he removed the weapons cocked them and held one out to her.

“Take this, sweetheart. I doubt you'll need it but it’s best to be prepared. Do you know how to use it?”

She nodded. Her throat was clogged with unshed tears. They had gone from triumph to disaster in the space of seconds.

“Good girl. Stay with Rupert and keep him calm. I'm going to the house with Tom and Fred.” He ruffled her hair and stepped away. He turned back frowning. “Where the devil is this Mr Peabody? You said he was on our side?”

She nodded. “He must be hiding. He will not assist those in the house even if he doesn't help us.”

“Good, so long as he's not going to interfere. Fred, bring your cudgel it might well be needed.”

Anna smoothed Rupert’s hair pleased to discover his face was somewhat warmer than it had been a few minutes ago. He was a dear boy; she loved him as a brother and prayed he would not die from his injury.

“Miss Hadley,” someone called from behind a clump of rhododendron bushes. “Is it safe to emerge? Are those men likely to wake up?”

She scanned the four inert figures that showed no sign of regaining consciousness. “Mr Peabody, I'm so glad you’re unharmed. I should be grateful for your assistance. I'm sure it is quite safe.”

The lawyer peered out from the branches his pointed nose twitching like a rodent. Slowly he pushed his way through and scuttled across the open space in a crouch.

“I thought it best to absent myself, Miss Hadley. I would only have got in the way.” He mopped sweat from his brow before settling down in the shelter the carriage. “I don't know who the rifleman is—he must be someone Mr Bennet has employed. The other gentleman, the one wearing a plum coloured topcoat, is Mr Forsyth another friend of Bennet.”

“The duke has gone to the house. We must send for a doctor; I fear Lord Shalford will have to remain at this house until he's recovered.”