Chapter 3 #3
Rising from her chair, Emma responded, “Last week, Eliza gave me an overcoat pistol to keep in my reticule, and after much practice, I’m a decent shot.”
“That’s good,” Benedict said, “but that isn’t enough. You might not be able to reach for your pistol if the assailant is dragging you away.” He waved his hand towards the lawn. “Come. Let us show you.”
Once they stepped onto the lawn, Benedict turned back around, grabbed her arm, and yanked it behind her back.
“How do you get out of this hold?” he asked.
Rather than explain, Emma decided to show him. She lifted the heel of her kid boot and stomped it down hard on top of his Hessian boot. Immediately, he released her and let out a loud, pain-filled grunt.
“I am so sorry,” Emma said as she watched him limp around on the lawn.
To add to her embarrassment, Eliza, Josette, and Morgan were all laughing at Benedict’s discomfort.
“Well done, Emma,” Morgan praised. “The element of surprise is your greatest ally.” He waved her closer. “Come stand here.”
Emma came to stand in front of him as she explained, “When I was younger, my brother showed me some moves to protect myself.”
“Now you tell me,” Benedict mumbled as he limped back over to the table.
Giving her an expectant look, Morgan explained, “I’m going to grab you. I want you to stop me, by any means necessary. Understood?”
She pressed her lips together. “I’m not sure this is such a good idea. I might hurt you.”
“Hurt me?” Morgan huffed. “Fat chance of that.”
Without saying another word, Morgan lunged at her, and Emma grabbed his shoulders and kneed him in the stomach.
Morgan groaned as he staggered back and looked up at her in amazement. “I may have underestimated you, Emma.” He lifted his brow. “Again?”
“If you insist,” she replied, waiting for him to make the first move.
His movements were precise and quick as he approached her.
She went to jab him in his throat when he grabbed her arm, yanking it behind her back, and brought his arms tightly around her stomach.
Reacting quickly, she dropped down low, ignoring the pain when her face connected with his clenched hands, and wriggled out of his hold.
She turned quickly and punched his stomach.
Grunting, Morgan placed his hands on his knees and took a deep breath. “You have an impressive amount of agility, Emma. You said your brother taught you those defensive moves?”
She nodded as she brought her hand up to touch the throbbing pain in her right cheek. “He did. David was fiercely protective of me and wanted me to know how to defend myself, if the need ever arose.”
Morgan eyed her cheek remorsefully. “I am sorry I hurt you. That was not my intention,” he said as he straightened.
“I know that,” she rushed to reassure him. “And I am sorry if I hurt you.”
“You didn’t hurt me,” Morgan proclaimed forcefully, almost too forcefully.
Eliza spoke up from the table. “You are a woman with many hidden talents, Emma.”
Turning back towards Eliza, she replied, “I daresay that I have never been in a situation where I needed to defend myself, especially now that I live with Luke and Rachel. After all, Luke ensures that I always have a companion and footmen to accompany me whenever I go into Town.” She frowned.
“Mrs. Ruth Morton is the most dutiful companion when Rachel is busy with Matthew.”
Josette eyed her suspiciously. “You don’t seem pleased by the arrangement.”
“No, I am,” she rushed to explain. “I am most grateful for everything that Luke and Rachel have given me. But sometimes, even though I am surrounded by people, I still feel alone. And I feel like I’m hiding my true self from the world as I attempt to fit into Society.
” Her shoulders slumped slightly. “I know I’m probably not making any sense right now. ”
“You are making perfect sense,” Josette reassured her.
Benedict scooped Caroline up in his arms as he asked, “Have you told Luke and Rachel how you feel?”
She started shaking her head profusely. “Heavens, no. I have been so blessed that I have no right to complain.”
“Who is it that you want to be?” Eliza asked, tucking an auburn tendril behind her ear.
Emma bit her lower lip. “I want to be a writer like Rachel and write additional articles for the newspaper. I want to write about the Corn Laws and delve into how people are suffering from the exorbitant price of grain.”
“And what is stopping you?” she pressed.
“I don’t want to upset Luke.”
Benedict chuckled. “If Luke asks you to leave, we will gladly take you in.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Oh no, I hadn’t considered that he might ask me to leave. Do you think that’s a possibility?”
“Not at all,” Benedict corrected. “He would never be callous enough to even consider that.”
Rising from her chair, Josette started walking over to her husband.
“I think it’s fantastic that you had an article published in the newspaper.
Would you consider being a guest teacher at The Beckett School for Girls?
” She wrapped her arm around Morgan’s waist. “Perhaps one day, it will even be commonplace for women to write for the newspapers.”
“Wouldn’t that be lovely?” Emma responded. “And, yes, I would love to be a guest teacher.”
Morgan let out a scoff. “Women writers. What a terrible thought,” he mocked, earning a jab in the ribs from Josette.
“What do you say?” Eliza asked her. “Are you going to keep writing articles for the newspaper?”
Turning her gaze towards the grand townhouse, Emma took a moment to mull over her answer. What harm could possibly befall her just for writing a few articles? She would have to do some research periodically, but she had already proven to everyone that she could protect herself.
With a bright smile on her face, she brought her gaze back to the group and proclaimed, “I think that’s a splendid idea.”
“Then you will need this,” Eliza said, reaching into the folds of her gown and removing a small dagger. She placed it, unsheathed, on the table. “Tomorrow, we’ll start training you to defend yourself with a dagger.”
Emma put her hands up in front of her. “I assure you that I don’t need a dagger, especially since I already have an overcoat pistol.”
“You do,” Josette stated firmly. “Furthermore, you will need multiple weapons when you visit The Beckett School for Girls.”
Seeing that she was fighting a losing battle, Emma lowered her hands. “I must admit I am curious where you each went to boarding school. My school didn’t teach any weapons training but emphasized needlework instead.”
Eliza just laughed. “Why don’t you change back into your gown, and I will see that your carriage is brought around front?”
“Good idea,” she replied. “Luke would be furious if he saw me in these clothes.”
“What does he think you are doing here?” Josette asked.
Emma grinned. “I told him that I come to see Caroline.”
“Does Rachel believe that?” Benedict asked with a skeptical brow.
She shook her head. “Not at all. Rachel would have most likely joined me, if she wasn’t so exhausted from Matthew not sleeping at night.”
Glancing up at the position of the sun, Emma said, “I’d better hurry. I need to prepare for Mrs. Gupper’s garden picnic.”