Chapter 27 #3
Timothy crawled from his hiding place, but he did not make a run for it. Rather, he looked at Caspian with obvious concern. “Is Arabella… Is she in danger?”
“She is,” Caspian said, seeing no need to lie. “But she will not be for long. Trust me, Timothy. I will find her. I promise.”
In response, Timothy threw himself at Caspian. His little arms wrapped around Caspian’s neck, and he held him as if in so doing no harm could come to him. And Caspian, not expecting the gesture, accepted it, holding Timothy back, wanting to never let go.
This is what it means to love another…
“Now go,” Caspian said as he pulled away. “Quickly, Timothy.”
Timothy did as he was told, darting down the hallway and vanishing from sight. With that taken care of, Caspian made his way back to his study.
“Mr. Tibbs.” Caspian stepped into his study, closed the door, and pointed his pistol at Mr. Tibbs. The gangly man was on his knees, blood pouring from his face, and the cool confidence he had been possessed of moments ago was nowhere to be seen. “You and I have much to discuss.”
Mr. Tibbs spoke quickly after that.
The large man who now had two missing eyes sat on the floor, weeping and thoroughly defeated. Mr. Tibbs skulked back to his chair, sat down, and told Caspian everything he wished to know.
“She is being held in a small cabin to the west of here,” he said bitterly and with a snarl. “Just beyond Rumheshire Grove. If you follow the main road, you cannot miss it.”
“Thank you for that,” Caspian said to him.
“Now, as to what to do with you…” He eyed the large man with no eyes, figuring that for now, he was not a problem.
“I would like to tie you up, but I am out of rope. And seeing as I cannot just leave you here…” He smirked down at Mr. Tibbs so he might see what Caspian had in mind.
Mr. Tibbs’s eyes widened. “No! Ple—” His plea was cut short as Caspian drove the butt of the pistol into the side of his head, knocking him out cold.
“Three down, one to go…”
As Caspian made his way through the manor, he ran through as many scenarios as he could for overpowering the final armed thug.
The man had a pistol, as well as several hostages, and while Caspian could have burst into the dining room and taken his chances, that would have put people’s lives at risk.
What he needed was to be careful, sneaky, and catch the man by surprise somehow. Or, barring that, he could have used some help.
As it turned out, the second option became available.
It was as Caspian started down the stairway that the front door burst open and in charged none other than George and six armed men.
“Caspian!” George cried when he saw him. “Have you started the search? The Dowager told us everything!”
“George…” Caspian sighed with relief as he went to his best friend. “Your timing is impeccable.”
“Caspian…” George took note of the pistol. “Why do you have a gun?”
He was quick to tell George of the situation and just as quick to concoct a plan.
The dining room, while large enough to house the staff, was by no means impenetrable.
As well as the main doorway, there was another entrance via the kitchen, and as there was only one man in that room whom they needed to worry about… I almost feel bad for the man.
They charged the room together.
Through the front door, Caspian swept with three of the men whom George had brought. At the same time, George came in the rear, all with their gun out, all quick to converge on the large man before he realized what was happening.
People screamed. Some shouted. A vase was smashed. But no shots were fired, and within seconds the threat was secured.
“Go to my study,” Caspian instructed three of the men. “There you will find two more men. Neither are armed, but they need to be secured.” He then turned to two others. “On the third floor, you will find another large individual. Also unarmed but dangerous.”
The men hurried away to secure the danger and bring the house back into safety.
“George, I ask that you stay here and keep a watch on my home. Timothy is hiding somewhere; if you can find him and convince him to come out, good. If not, leave the boy. He will be safe.”
“What about you?” George asked. “Where are you going?”
It was a straightforward question with an equally simple answer.
Once, it might not have been. Even just a few weeks ago, the idea that Caspian would feel such peril for another’s safety, that he would do whatever he must to save someone whom he loved, was unthinkable. He was not one to care for others, and he had made it his life’s mission to be alone.
That was then, and this was now.
His wife was in danger, and until she was brought to safety, Caspian would not rest. With how he felt, he might very well set the world ablaze if that was what it took.
There was no sense in lying to himself anymore.
No point in denying his feelings. The simple fact was that he loved Arabella, as he knew that she loved him in return.
“I am going to rescue my wife,” he said.
With those words, Caspian swept from the house, climbed atop his horse, and took off into the night.