Chapter 22 #2
Her groom mounted to accompany her, his saddle hung with baskets and bags. Her mother clearly thought her poorly fed at home! She knew it was just caring, though, and turned to wave as they rode out onto the track leading across the fell to Wenscote.
Though broken by clouds, it was a lovely day, a dales day that sang to her of how fortunate she was in so many ways. She would not allow her losses to take anything from her blessings. As she looked forward along the path home, she looked forward to a good life.
She was in the last dip before home, Wenscote almost in sight, when four men rode out of some scrubby trees and trapped her startled groom between horses and pistols. What on earth … ?
She broke free of bemusement and whipped her horse forward toward Wenscote and help, cursing the fact that she was riding sidesaddle. Before her startled mount could gather speed, a gray horse charged forward to block her, and a hand seized her reins.
“Lady Overton, I assume.”
The Marquess of Rothgar! Rosamunde came close to fainting again.
“Sir, what are you doing?” she asked, not needing to pretend fear. He knew! He knew and he’d come to exact revenge. One thought screamed in her brain. She mustn’t let him hurt her baby.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said, his expression unreadable. “I’m simply taking you to safety.”
“My home is not far from here. I will be safe there.”
“Perhaps not—”
Rosamunde slashed for his hand with her whip. It was caught and wrenched from her, but for a second she was free and she urged her horse to speed.
Toward Wenscote.
Digby.
Safety.
She was gathering breath to scream when his big gray thundered alongside and cut off her horse again, making it rear. She needed all her skill to keep herself in the saddle.
When she faced him at last, hot and shaken, he seemed unmoved. A quick glance showed her poor groom on the ground, bound hand and foot and looking ashamed.
“This isn’t your fault, Ned,” she called to him. “You couldn’t be expected to fight four bullies.”
Lord Rothgar’s henchmen were as unmoved by her scorn as their master. They were already remounting, and soon moved to circle her, making any further break for freedom impossible.
“What do you want with me?” Her voice shook. This couldn’t be happening. Not now.
“You will be taken south, Lady Overton, out of danger. We have a coach on the road.” He indicated the way and set his horse and hers to a leisurely walk, as if abduction were a casual matter. Hemmed in, she had no choice but to go with him.
“I am in no danger, sir, except from you. Who are you?”
“You know well who I am, and you must know you are in no danger from me. Brand would never forgive me.”
Oh God. Brand was part of this? She’d trusted him, and he’d failed her. “No danger!” she snapped in anger. “I was nearly thrown, thanks to you.”
“I won’t underestimate you again.”
He was like a rock, but there must be words to chip at him. “Why are you so kindly abducting me, Lord Rothgar?”
“The New Commonwealth is being brought to an end, Lady Overton. Some members are already under arrest on charges of murder and assault. They have been using poisons to acquire estates, including, I fear, Wenscote, through the death of William Overton. I prefer to see you clear of all danger.”
Could he be sane after all? “But what of my husband?”
“My concern is with you and your child.”
“Child?” It was a foolish echo, but she couldn’t think what else to say.
“Surely you know the facts of reproduction, Lady Overton, being an animal breeder.”
“Of course, I do. I simply cannot conceive of any interest you could have in my child.”
“Cannot conceive is an interesting term, wouldn’t you say?”
“Brand told you,” she said bitterly.
“No. He has kept your secret most faithfully, as have your people here and at Arradale. It wasn’t hard, however, to find that Lady Arradale has a cousin to whom she is very close, and that the cousin is Lady Overton, devoted but young wife to Sir Digby.
Everyone knows that if Sir Digby does not produce an heir of his body, the New Commonwealth will spread its tentacles into Wensleydale.
And I’m afraid that Brand did carelessly put the final brick in the wall.
He visited Sir Digby’s estate, and suddenly his itch to know who you are died. ”
Rosamunde was daunted and impressed by his logical powers, but puzzled by one thing. “My lord, how could you possibly suspect a connection to Lady Arradale?”
“Rings, Lady Overton. As Lady Richardson you wore many, as Lady Arradale does.”
“That is not unique.”
“But the magnificent ruby you wore in Thirsk is. And the countess wore it at her ball.”
“I wish,” she said bitterly, “that I had thrown up all over you.”
“It would merely be another sin in your balance.”
Rosamunde fell silent. He knew all, and despite his cool manner, anger simmered. She could sense it, like a storm rumble on the air. She had to escape. She had to! Even if the marquess did not harm her, he was going to ruin everything.
She tried honesty. “Lord Rothgar, you are opposed to the New Commonwealth. Surely you see that my child is important.”
“The New Commonwealth is broken, Lady Overton, and Mr. Edward Overton with it. He will likely hang. There is no longer any concern about Wenscote.”
“But my child will still be heir to Wenscote!”
“By what right of blood or necessity?”
They were at the coach, and she let him help her off her horse, dazed by the unexpected blow.
“There is another heir, I believe,” he was saying. “A Dr. Nantwich, distant cousin of your husband’s. Do you intend to defraud him?”
Under pressure of this change of view, she could hardly think. Her child had no right … ? She had no right? Wenscote was lost to her?
He touched her arm, perhaps gently. “Do not distress yourself, Lady Overton. We will take care of you and the child.”
“We?”
“Rosa!”
They both turned to see a horse and rider hurtling down a steep incline toward the road and coach, tufts of grass flying from under scrabbling hooves.
“Diana!” Rosamunde gasped. She’d surely fall.
Lord Rothgar muttered something and his hand tensed on her arm. But the horse slithered onto the road, quivering and white-eyed, and Diana leaped off and raced over, her hat flying away. “Rosa! What’s happening? What’s going on?”
The marquess stepped back as if by instinct, leaving a path for Diana to Rosamunde. Diana stopped short of an embrace, however, and swung behind him. “I have a pistol pressed into your back, Lord Rothgar. Do exactly as I tell you.”
Everything froze. Rosamunde sagged against the coach. Could anything possibly become more bizarre?
“Most people are not truly willing to pull a trigger,” the marquess said. “Are you, Lady Arradale?”
Rosamunde could see that Diana’s hands—she was using both to hold the horse pistol—were shaking slightly. He could probably feel it.
“The man who taught me to shoot made the same point, my lord. He told me to prepare my mind to kill as effectively as I prepared the pistol. I have done that. If you think I’m directing the ball away from the most vital points out of stupidity, you are misjudging a woman again.
If I shoot you, it will be in a place that gives you a chance of living. Not a good one, but a chance.”
“I see. So, my lady, what now?”
“First, your men disarm themselves and release Rosa’s groom. I have a force with me, out of sight.”
“An interesting notion. Do we believe you?” Even so, he ordered his men to obey her.
Diana called, “Come forward!” and a small army did rise from over the hill. “I have chosen this route to avoid bloodshed, my lord, but if you want to make a battle out of it, we will engage.”
Shock and reaction made Rosamunde want to giggle. Diana’s army consisted of armed grooms and local people. Some of them had guns, but most just sticks or even farm implements. They came down the slope cautiously and hovered there, nervous, but clearly ready to fight to the death.
“Oh, well done, Diana!” Rosamunde said.
“Well done indeed,” the marquess agreed as if he were not defeated.
“So,” said Diana, a little more steadily, “do we fight, my lord?”
“Not at all, Countess.” He turned slowly. “The King would be displeased at open warfare between his nobles.”
“What were you doing with Rosa anyway?” Diana demanded, taking a few cautious steps back.
“Taking her to safety.”
“What danger is she in?”
“A complex variety. She will doubtless explain.”
“Even so, it is no business of yours.”
“I have an interest in her welfare.”
“You have no interest in anything here, Lord Rothgar. I recommend that you return south to your proper sphere.”
“No thanks for breaking the New Commonwealth?”
Diana inclined her head. “All thanks to His Majesty, whose servant you are.”
He returned her bow, cynically. “As are we all.”
A gesture had his horse brought over by one of his men, and he swung into the saddle.
“You have claimed your right to protect Lady Overton, Countess. Do it well. The end of the New Commonwealth has only just started, and Overton may not yet know his fate. If he knows of the child, he might try to destroy it. And consider carefully the legalities of your cousin’s situation.
None of us is ever served by selfish violation of good order. ”
He turned to Rosamunde and bowed quite deeply. “Your servant, my lady.” To Diana, he simply said, “Until we meet again, Countess.”
Surrounded still by storm rumbles, Rosamunde watched him ride away, his men and coach following. The army of Wensleydale let out a mighty cheer, shaking their motley weapons after the defeated southerner and loosing the ancient war cry of Arradale. “Ironhand!”
Diana laughed and, raising her cocked pistol, she fired it into the air. “Ironhand!” she cried.
A moment later, however, she sat with a thump on the ground, lowering her head as if she feared to faint. Rosamunde knelt beside her. “That was amazing. My heart was in my mouth when you rode down that slope!”