Quiet Meg (26 page)

There was another pause.

“That would be cruel, David. They have missed you.
And as for my schemin’ I understand the overture came
from Caswell. ‘Twasn’t my idea at all.”
“

“Caswell! I don’t recall ever harming the man! Perhaps
a token apple from his orchards now and then … Begad!
I’ve no interest in the unfortunate girl or anyone else. Why
couldn’t you have taken my part in this?”

I thought it might be in your interest. From what Caswell
implied … well, everyone wants you happy again.”

“Happy? I am happy. To be home-and let be! The problem with you, Myles, is that you’ve no idea how simple `happy’ can be. Some day you’ll find you don’t always know
best. Then I shall happily laugh myself hoarse!”

“Your laugh is one of your rare charms, David. ‘Tis a
pity, then, that I shan’t be hearin’ it.”

“Why, you arrogant popinjay. I ought to plant you a
facer.”

“Fightin’s not always the best solution-”

“What a philosophy to claim here this morning!”

Again there was a pause.

“I note you do have some brawn on me, major. At least,
we shall hope ‘tis muscle, not fat. But you forget I still hold
the record at Jackson’s for rounds”

“That does seem like you, Myles-simply wearing
down the rest of us ” There was a muffled laugh. “Though I
still believe Chas could whip you-if he chose”

“Chas no doubt could. But, you see, he hasn’t your intemperate thirst for blood. And then, there is that undeniable advantage I have always had over you”

“Advantage? Hah! I can’t think what that might be.”

“Naturally not. The advantage bein’ brains.”

David scoffed.

“Do you ever reflect on accidents of birth, Myles?”

“All the time, Major-Lord-David.”

When David retreated to superb gutter French, Chas
thought it wise to yawn and open his eyes. David was staring out the window into the dark, his open flask in his hand.
In the muted glow of the carriage lights, Hayden’s expression was grim.

“I had forgotten how truly comfortable your carriage is,
Hayden. I could not sleep much of last night-but I do
sleep here”

“‘Tis the springs,” Hayden claimed, yawning affectedly
himself. “Sometimes the only sleep I get these days is
transportin’ myself from one do to another.”

David proffered his flask.

“Will you have some, Chas?” As Chas shook his head,
David smiled. “‘Tis just coffee.”

“You’ve been most mysteriously sly of late, major,”
Chas said, accepting the flask. “To what purpose?”

“I cannot tell you. But ‘twill serve-I hope”

The landscape outside had perceptibly lightened. As the
carriage swayed gently, Chas settled back again into his
corner, only to feel Hayden’s assessing attention.

“You must not think of her,” he said pointedly.

“I can think of no one else.” At Hayden’s exasperated
glance, he added, “You needn’t worry. I’ve no intention of
thinking at all this morning-only of acting.”

“I cannot stress enough how dangerous this is, Chas.
Sutcliffe has only the most rudimentary of principles ..

“True,” Chas sighed. “Though I confess I cannot help
but have some sympathy for the man.”

“You are joking.”

“No. He is risking his life. For something that is, for
him, unattainable. Perhaps for me as well. In that we are
alike.”

“He does not love her.”

“Certainly not in the way you or I would understand. But
for him?” He shrugged. “Unfortunately, he cannot worship
from afar. He must possess. And I cannot let him. But, yes,
I sympathize, Hayden. I love Meg myself-how can I not
sympathize?”

“He is a different animal, Chas. Something quite apart. I wish you would not sympathize. He does not deserve the
compliment. Consider the company he keeps. Mulmgren is
not among those with hearts.”

Chas considered Hayden’s set profile in the gray light.

“Granted the man is unsettling. I don’t believe I’ve ever
seen as ugly a smile. But why do you dislike him so?”

“Dislike? That’s not the word.” Hayden looked down as
he fussed with a cuff. Then his glance shot to David. “Mulmgren is not sound”

“Sound?” Chas also looked to David. “We know Sutcliffe and Mulmgren are unpredictable and extreme in their
interests. But what have you heard?”

“There have been incidents,” David said. “On the Continent. Relayed by those whom I have no reason to question.
Mulmgren in particular is reputed to be immoral.”

“That might cover a host of defects”

“He is reported to like pain, Chas,” he said abruptly. “In
others”

Chas felt the shock of that to his heart. The thought of
Meg in the power of such a man filled him with revulsion.
His cousins could not have devised a more direct means of
strengthening his purpose.

At last the woods cleared for a corner of the heath. They
were first on the scene, giving Chas another opportunity to
get his bearings. Yet as he exited the carriage, he turned to
Hayden.

“No matter what happens-you will get to Meg immediately?”

“Immediately, Chas,” he said easily, his gaze moving to
watch the carriage pulling in behind them. Lawrence and
Ferrell had brought the surgeon. Thankfully, Lord De marest and George Gillen, in remarkable deference to Hayden’s wishes, had stayed behind in town.

“You didn’t tell me, Chas,” Hayden said, observing the
others as they arrived. “Apart from bein’ out of the city
proper-why here?”

“You forget I am a landscaper.” Chas surveyed the tranquil grassy clearing he had chosen. “If you can, you must
see that I have the north side” He indicated that direction.
“It gives me an advantage”

“How so?”

“Trompe l’oeil, cousin. Even that small deception might
aid me” He took his leave, to stretch his legs before Sutcliffe arrived.

The whole exercise had assumed an air of unreality, particularly here, in such an idyllic spot. The scent of fresh
earth lingered after the previous day’s rain, which had also
cleansed and heightened the varied tones and textures of
leaves. Moisture darkened the trunks of the watchful oaks.
A few birds were starting to sing. Soon, very soon, the sun
would seek them out in their coverts, warming them after
the night’s chill.

Chas flexed his fingers, then tucked his hands into the
pockets of his coat. He should have remembered his
gloves, but no matter-he would have had to remove them
soon enough. And Hayden had told him not to think of
Meg, though she was everything.

As he heard carriage wheels approaching, he turned and
walked back. It struck him that apart from the surgeon,
who had sensibly remained warmly inside Lawrence’s carriage, his party consisted entirely of family-his own, and
Meg’s. That recognition was unexpectedly fortifying.

A pale Bertie merely nodded to him. But Ferrell beckoned Chas over to one side, even as Sutcliffe’s carriage
halted. They watched Sutcliffe and Mulmgren descend and
turn to speak to someone, probably his surgeon, inside.

Chas smiled tightly at his new brother-in-law.

“It was good of you to come this morning, Ferrell,
though perhaps-impolitic?”

Ferrell smiled back.

“If Pitt could duel in ‘98-and Castlereagh and Canning
just five years ago-mere attendance is unlikely to redound
on me. But I feel I must say something impolitic.” He
glanced at Sutcliffe. “Any decent man might think to spare
him, Cabot. But I advise you against it. I have known Sutcliffe and the Lawrences some time. So I urge you, do not
reserve your shot. Do not be so much the gentleman. Do
not spare him. For he will have Margaret at any cost. And
then he will kill Bertram in the blink of an eye”

Chas drew a slow breath.

“The back rooms of Commons must be bloodier than I’d
imagined,” he said.

“My dear brother-you have no idea.”

At Hayden’s call, Chas turned. The mist was rising off
the high grass at the edge of the woods. The first flushed
pink of dawn had abandoned the clouds to filter softly into
the clearing. Pointless as it would be, they were bound to
make one last attempt to negotiate. He returned to Hayden,
who had reviewed the rules with Mulmgren.

I must again relay your conditions, Chas.”

“I have only the one-that he must cease to pursue Meg.
That he must leave her be”

Hayden walked over to speak with Mulmgren, who laughed shortly and sharply, then spoke with Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe responded with a shake of his head.

Hayden turned abruptly and returned.

“He accepts no conditions from you, Chas. Your very
existence is an affront to him. He wants you dead.”

Chas swallowed-it would have been difficult not toand grimly accompanied Hayden to the center of the field.
Even knowing how much the man hated him, even knowing
that he returned the sentiment, Chas had to admire Sutcliffe’s
poise. With proximity it was even more remarkable-no
flush of color to his cheeks, no bead of sweat on his browno sign of anything approaching a nerve. He was clearly a
proficient.

And yet there was something there all the same, for
though etiquette demanded that they not speak directly, Sutcliffe troubled to do so.

“I pay you last respects, Cabot.”

“Will you not yield, my lord?”

“I will have her.”

“You are not her choice”

“Because of you”

Chas shook his head.

“You were never her choice-and never will be”

Sutcliffe’s eyes narrowed. That simple fact was, for him,
the severest insult.

As Hayden touched his arm and paced with him to his
position, Chas could feel Sutcliffe’s unforgiving gaze. That
gaze did not waver as Hayden repeated their final instructions.

“Coat,” he said at last, and Chas shed his coat. The cold
morning air was bracing. Then Hayden handed him the primed and loaded pistol-a beautiful instrument, silvermounted and deadly. “He is exercised,” Hayden observed.

“Yes. Surprisingly. I think I would prefer him more so”

“Leave it be, Chas,” he said sharply. “If you press, he
will dispense with honor.” He glanced at the pistol, grasped backward and by the muzzle in Chas’s left hand. “The pistol is fine. I examined it closely. You have every reason to
best him. But do not forget ..

A shout from behind them drew their attention again to
their adversaries. Mulmgren was signaling Hayden to return.

“What is it?” Chas muttered impatiently. “What the devil
is it?”

“Calm,” Hayden cautioned, and strolled back to join Mulmgren, who was confronting an obviously discomposed Major Trent. Chas heard Hayden’s exasperated “David!” and
saw David fumble to remove his sidearm, which he relinquished to Hayden. Still carrying Chas’ coat over one arm,
Hayden dangled the offending weapon loosely from his
free hand as he regained Chas’s side.

“Sorry Chas,” David called out, with abashed good spirits. “Part of the kit, don’t you know. Forgot all about it “

“Half-wit,” Hayden muttered under his breath as Sutcliffe and Mulmgren sneered. “Sutcliffe objected to the
major’s sidearm. Within his rights of course .. ” He
frowned as he stood there burdened with a coat and a pistol, his gaze on Sutcliffe.

Chas could tell that something was amiss.

“I know you, Hayden. Something troubles you”

But Hayden grinned broadly.

“Just realizin’-that I never said goodbye to the man”

“Mon Dieu, if it is only that. .

“Groundskeeper!” Sutcliffe challenged. Even from twenty
paces his tone rankled. The pother over David’s pistol had
emboldened him and his callous companion. “I hope you
have chosen a fine plot on which to lie.”

“I have, my lord,” Chas countered easily. “I shall lie
with my new countess, Margaret, nee Lawrence”

Sutcliffe’s shoulders tensed as though he would strike.
But he clearly comprehended the truth, and Chas exulted in
acknowledging it. He had nurtured the news for just such a
moment, and Sutcliffe had called it upon himself. But the
earl recovered quickly-more quickly than Chas would
have.

“That will only ever be in name alone, Cabot,” he bit
out, and turned to speak to Mulmgren.

Hayden leaned toward Chas.

“You must wait ‘til I say ‘present,’” he counseled, his
voice low and even. “You must not risk firing beforehand”

“I have listened to you, Myles. I am ready”

“Bonne chance then, Chas”

Hayden stepped back and away from him, and Mulmgren moved from Sutcliffe’s side. Chas could feel a first,
warming ray of sunlight grace his left sleeve as he grasped
the butt of the pistol in his right hand and brought it around.
As Hayden called “present” he turned fully to face Sutcliffe and raised his pistol. But Sutcliffe was already firing.

Chas flinched and staggered at the sudden, sharp burn
along his left shoulder. His pistol arm fell, and he glanced
down numbly at his linen, aware that it was bright crimson
where it should have been white. But he could see. He was
standing. It would not affect his aim. And Sutcliffe had
fired too early.

Hayden moved closer.

“Chas! You must stop-you’ve been injured ..

“No,” he grated. “We had terms for firing-at pleasure,
were they not?”

“I cannot permit you to proceed.”

“You have discharged your duty, Myles. Now stand clear.”

For some reason the faint morning sunlight felt particularly hot and penetrating. Sutcliffe stood before him, relaxed, exposed. He boldly tossed his pistol to the ground.

“You should be dead, Cabot,” he called gaily, as though
it were all a joke. He was very certain-or very brave.

“And so,” Chas countered darkly, raising his pistol again,
“should you.”

He had never drawn a truer line. He knew that even as he
forced himself to look lower than Sutcliffe’s evil grin, even
as pain from his shoulder radiated across his chest-where
he held his breath. Do not spare him. In one quick, fluid
motion he cocked the hammer and fired. But he did not see
the result of his shot. Two reports, almost upon each other,
cracked hard after his. A powerful blow to his left side spun
him around and dropped him to his knees.