Chapter 30
THIRTY
It all happened so quickly.
At first, I thought perhaps, just perhaps, the other carriage held someone who had lost their way and were asking for directions. Or a customer for Nancy, wanting the pellar.
It was neither of those things.
Lord Albert Trevarron jumped from the door of the carriage he rode in and hit the ground before it had stopped moving. I heard Aunt Bill gasp beside me, then run to the carriage.
I think we both wanted to get to Hermione and Violet before Albert did, but he was too quick for us. He pushed past William and flung open the carriage door, exposing Hermione and Violet inside. They cringed away from the open door, terror on their faces.
‘What a disappointment,’ Albert snarled. ‘Get out of there immediately.’
Rather than hold out a hand to help Hermione down, he stepped up into the carriage, grabbed her arm and wrenched her out of the door as if she was a lost coat or doll. Hermione stumbled, losing her footing, and crumpled onto the ground.
I ran to her and helped her up. She got to her feet with some difficulty, tripping over the hem of her dress. She was shaking.
‘Leave them alone.’ I squared up to Albert. ‘Get away from her.’
‘Aren’t you the entertainer we hired for Violet’s birthday?
What is this?’ Albert sneered and pushed me roughly to one side.
‘Kindly leave my family affairs to me, whoever you are.’ He stood over me and shook his head.
‘I suppose you thought you could hatch a kidnap and issue a ransom. Unfortunately for you, it is not the first time that someone has tried to inveigle money out of me. You will pay for your dishonesty.’ He snorted in fury and kicked me in the ribs.
He strode back towards the carriage for Violet.
William helped me up.
‘Are you all right, my darling?’ he breathed, horror on his face.
‘I am all right,’ I whispered, holding my ribs. A sharp pain cut across my chest every time I took a breath in.
‘That brute. How dare he?’ William muttered. ‘Bill. Look after her. Don’t let her near that man again.’ He handed me to my aunt, who nodded.
‘All right, my duck. Stay out of his way,’ she said. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t let Albert Trevarron within two feet of Hermione or Violet. Especially not Violet.
William caught up with Albert and stood in front of the carriage door, his mighty arms crossed at his chest.
‘Stand aside, sir,’ Albert ordered. ‘That is my daughter, and you have tried to kidnap her and her mother for your own devious ends. I will have you arrested. Get out of my way.’
‘I will not.’ William fixed Albert with a steely gaze. ‘You do not deserve your wife and daughter, and I will protect them with my life if necessary.’
‘Will you, indeed? Who are you to demand anything from me?’ Albert scanned William’s face. ‘When I saw you before, I confess there was something familiar about your face, but I know we had not met before. What is your interest in my family, sir? Speak, before I give you a whipping.’
Albert was showing a distinct lack of sanity if he thought he could whip William. Part of me thought, I’d like to see him try.
‘My interest is that of any good man. I wish to protect the women in your care, because I know – they have told us, from their own mouths – that there is no care to be had for them under your roof. That you are a violent, cruel man. I find that unacceptable. Who I am is of little importance.’
I knew William wouldn’t disclose his identity, but I also knew that everything in his being was crying out for him to reveal to Albert that he too was a Lord of Trevarron and exert his power.
It must have been so frustrating for him not to be able to wield his power as lord in a situation when he really needed it.
‘I will hear no more of this tomfoolery.’ Albert scowled.
He pushed William out of the way, but William grabbed Albert’s arm and then the other, holding both of them behind his back. Albert kicked and screamed like some kind of unhinged psychopath, which was more or less what he was.
‘Listen to me. You have assaulted and beaten both your wife and your daughter on numerous occasions. You are a monster, and must be stopped,’ he said, in a calm and clear voice.
‘You must let Lady Hermione return to her family in York, which is her intention. If she desires to leave you, she should be free to,’ he continued.
‘Take your hands off me now!’ Albert screamed, his face red.
He struggled against William, but there was no way he was going to be able to free himself.
I knew how strong William was – not that he had ever or would ever hurt me.
‘Hermione! You will get out into my carriage and come with me now. Violet. Obey me,’ he thundered. ‘Or it will be very bad for you.’
I could see the war being fought in Hermione’s eyes. I knew that she longed to be with her family, hundreds of miles away from Albert Trevarron. It had taken so much willpower for her to come with us, even when she was afraid.
I knew that she was still afraid of him. And who wouldn’t be? Albert Trevarron was a raging, furious beast of a man. I was frightened of him.
‘I… I…’ she stammered.
Violet watched on from where she still sat in our carriage. My heart broke for her. She had that same blank look on her face again, but, as I watched, a tear rolled down her cheek.
I watched as Hermione looked up at her daughter, alone in that carriage, and at Albert, struggling and livid as a caught pig in William’s clasp, and I saw her resolve weaken.
‘No, Hermione!’ I shouted. ‘Don’t stop now! Think about what he did to you! To Violet!’
But Hermione was looking at Violet, and I knew what she was going to say.
‘We… will go back,’ she said, in a cowed voice. ‘My husband is correct.’
Albert’s expression was a picture of corrupt victory. I hated him. I wanted to spit on his disgusting, red face.
‘No!’ I yelled. ‘She’s just afraid of what he will do!’
‘She is afraid,’ William said, continuing to hold Albert’s hands behind his back. ‘If you hadn’t have come, she would be on her way to her family in York. To be safe and free. You have no right to order them around after what you’ve done. The audacity to even show your face is astounding.’
‘You have to let me go sometime. And when you do, I will fight you to the death, and then I will take my wife and child home,’ Albert spat, still struggling.
William laughed.
‘Do you think I am afraid of you?’ he asked.
‘As you wish.’ William released Albert, and turned to catch my eye.
I knew, in that moment, what he was going to do, and I screamed.
‘William, no!’ I cried, but William smiled.
‘I love you, Tegan Penrose,’ he said. It was a quiet, pure moment, where his words hung in the air like a charm.
Then, he drove his fist into Albert Trevarron’s face.