Duels of Every Sort

by Sarah Brown

  I turned to Fitzwilliam next. “Fitz, you and your men will secure the perimeter. Take out the two sentries; then you and Mr. Gray take their places—keep an eye out for Wickham and Billings to return. If they do, you know Wickham’s skill with a blade well enough to be able to keep him from getting inside to surprise me. Detain them both if you can. Send your other two men inside to sweep the upper floor to apprehend Mrs. Younge—only the upper floors!” I cautioned. “I do not want to mistake your men for Wickham’s by accident.” Fitzwilliam nodded. He and Mr. Gray moved off to consult the two men who were observing the castle.

  “And what are we going to do?” John asked.

  “You and I are going after Elizabeth.”

  Chapter Eleven

  John and I crept to the edge of the tree line, our horses in tow, and surveyed the castle while Fitzwilliam and his men moved forward to remove the sentries. The castle had obviously been abandoned for quite some time. Only one of three towers remained standing in a crooked sort of manner. Nature was reclaiming its ground as ivy—brown and dead for the winter—covered the walls and grasses took up residence in cracks between the stones. The door to the main entrance hung from its hinges, and firelight could be seen flickering through the broken shutters in one of the second floor rooms. The entire building was covered in frost from the frigid late December air.

  After a few minutes, a faint chirping came from the direction of the road where one of the sentries had been placed. It was the same chirp that Fitzwilliam and I had used as boys while playing pranks to signal that it was safe to continue. I chirped back to let him know John and I were moving. We each removed our coats for better maneuverability and secured them to our saddles; then, dropped the reigns of our mounts and left them to await our call once we emerged from the castle.

  We ran as silently as we could from the cover of the trees to the front doors, our swords drawn and ready. Darkness enveloped us as we entered the main hallway. Faint torchlight could be seen farther in, and we stealthily continued, all our senses alert for any sign Elizabeth’s captors.

  As we reached the entrance to the hallway from which the light was coming, I took a quick survey of the foyer’s layout to determine if this was indeed the most likely hallway to take to find the stairs to the lower level. At a sound from behind, I spun about, sword at the ready, to see two men slipping in the main door through which we had just passed. I relaxed when they saluted John and I and headed for the main staircase. Fitzwilliam’s men were beginning their search of the upper floor for Mrs. Younge.

  John and I continued down the lighted hallway, the torchlight flickering and casting odd shadows on the damp walls. We peered into each doorway we passed—most of them had no remaining doors to obstruct our view—but found no one and no stairwell. At last, we rounded a corner and the vague sound of voices drifted to us from a doorway about a few farther along. I motioned to it, and John nodded.

  As we neared, we could see that the doorway was actually the archway to the stairs leading into the bowels of the castle. We were but a few feet away when two men came walking casually through the arch complaining about the cold and drafty building. Both men froze when they saw us, our swords gleaming in the flickering light. For a breath, no one moved, in that silent instant before chaos erupts. Then one of the men blinked and shouted, “Alarm! Alarm!” while yanking his sword from its scabbard. His companion followed suit, and we were instantly engaged.

  John and I each took one of the kidnappers, who quickly realized their skills were no match for ours and started backing down the hallway, farther into the castle. “Go!” John yelled at me. “Find Lizzy! I’ll deal with these two.”

  I did not hesitate. I turned and ran full speed down the narrow, curving steps trying to get to the bottom before any help that the man’s warning may have summoned could bottleneck me in the stairwell. My headlong dash came to an abrupt halt when I burst through the doorway at the bottom into a large and dank, dungeon like room lit by several low hanging chandeliers.

  Six rather large men—their clothes despicable and their hair matted and dirty, clearly shivering in the chill—stood between me and the far wall where Elizabeth was tied, wearing nothing but a long-sleeved muslin dress, her cheeks pale with cold. I skid to a stop before I barreled straight into one of the hulking degenerates. Again, silence echoed off the stone walls for a moment before Elizabeth yelled, “Will!” snapping the room out of the startled trance.

  The six men charged as one, and I narrowly avoided being skewered by each of their swords. The battle was engaged, and whilst avoiding thrust after thrust from the rascals’ weapons, I wondered at Wickham and Billings having so many men at their disposal—and silently raged at John for leaving me with six foes to deal with while he only had two.

  Somehow, Elizabeth and I exchanged a volley of verbal wisecracks while I narrowly avoided death by rusty rapier. One of the scoundrel’s swords skittered across the floor to stop at Elizabeth’s feet, and she used it to free herself from her bonds. When she ignored my command to leave and instead joined in the sword fighting too, I was nearly punctured again, so great was my shock. Where—and when—had she learned to fence like that? She certainly had shown no such skill during our fencing lesson.

  When I had dispatched my last two opponents, I stood transfixed as I watched Elizabeth wield her borrowed blade with a skill that was nearly the equal of John’s, her movements confident and practiced. With a quick series of parries and thrusts, she won her battle, tossed aside her blade, and turned to me.

  I had not thought it possible to love her anymore than I already did, but her show of strength and poise in the very worst of conditions made her all the more perfect in my eyes. She had risked herself to help her sister escape and then had actively joined the fray because I was outnumbered. Could there be a more extraordinary woman? I could not imagine so.

  “Where on earth did you learn to fence like that?”

  Her smile brought out the customary sparkle in her eyes. “My little secret,” she replied. At that, I sheathed my sword, crossed the few steps between us, and gathered her into my arms. Her own arms encircled my neck, and for all her bravado, I could feel the slight trembling of her knees as she hid her face against my shoulder. I wanted to hold her, safe in my arms, and banish any fear, forever. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “For what?” I asked, holding her tighter still.

  “For coming after me,” came her muffled reply.

  I pushed her away just enough so that I could look into her perfect eyes. “Elizabeth, darling, I love you. Of course I came for you. I always will.”

  I gently tucked one of her disheveled curls behind her ear and leaned down to kiss her. But before our lips met, I heard John’s sarcastic drawl from the doorway as he admonished, “I hate to interrupt such a touching scene, but may I point out that we are still in a den of thieves and, regardless of the fact that the majority of them have been dispatched, we should probably repair to the safety of your fine coach, Darcy.”

  Smiling, Lizzy looked up at me and said, “He is right. Please, I do not want to be here anymore.”

  I nodded and smiled back. “Yes, let us leave this place.”

  John nodded too and headed back up the stairwell. I disentangled myself from Lizzy and turned to lead her from the room, but she grasped my hand, and I paused. Standing on her toes, she whispered in my ear, “I love you, too. I always will.” Then she pressed her lips lightly to mine, turned, and, her fingers still entwined in my own, started up the stairs.

  As we ascended, she asked, the worry in her voice evident, “Have you seen Jane?”

  I squeezed her hand. “Yes, she is safe. She happened upon us as we were planning our infiltration of the castle. Charles and your father are guarding her and the carriage some distance away.”

  She sighed her relief. “Thank goodness. I was so worried that she might get lost or recaptured, but I had to get her away from here before Wickham came back.” I shook my head i
n wonder at her selflessness. Even after what Jane told us Wickham had tried to do to her, she was still more concerned with saving her sister than with her own well-being—willing to sacrifice herself for those she loved.

  As we reached the top of the stairs, I unsheathed my sword again and pushed Elizabeth behind me, still holding on to her hand. John had his sword drawn as well and led the way down the corridor. As we entered the main entranceway, we met Fitzwilliam’s men as they descended the stairs, Mrs. Younge in tow. One of them reported, “We cleared the upper floor, sir. Had to take care o’ a couple o’ Wickham’s boys what we found with her. Tryin’ to keep warm by the fire, they was.”

  I nodded. “Good work. Take her outside to Fitzwilliam and keep watch over her personally until we reach London and the authorities.”

  The men acknowledged and turned to precede us out the main door, but Elizabeth called out, “Wait!” then turned to me. “Will, Mrs. Younge protected Jane and me as best she could. She would not let Wickham hurt me.”

  I looked from Elizabeth’s pleading eyes to Mrs. Younge’s downcast and defeated gaze. She was shivering with cold, her coat nowhere near warm enough, and a large purple bruise covered her right eye where I assumed Wickham had struck her in anger. Fitzwilliam’s men were dragging her about by the arm without the slightest protest from her, though her hands were unbound. When she dared a glance up at me, I could see tears in her eyes. “Please, Will,” Elizabeth entreated.

  “Very well. Take her to my town house and have Mrs. Glenn see that she has something to eat and gets warm. Tell her to keep her locked in a room until I can deal with her.”

  “As you say, sir,” the man said. He, his companion, and Mrs. Younge disappeared through the front door and into the night. I did not know where they went, but knew that Fitzwilliam’s men would do as I said.

  “Thank you,” Elizabeth whispered.

  I turned to her and realized that she, too, was shivering. She was wearing no coat and her muslin dress was rather worse for wear. I was quite cold, though my clothing was far warmer than hers despite the absence of my coat. She must have been freezing. I wrapped an arm around her and brought her close for warmth. “Come, we must get you warm.”

  We stepped carefully outside and I scanned the area to make sure it was still clear before whistling for Strider. John whistled, too, and both our horses came trotting into the courtyard. I retrieved my coat from Strider’s back and made Elizabeth put it on, buttoning it up as it engulfed her much smaller frame. She simply stood there and let me as she eyed the animals warily. Then I chirped to signal Fitzwilliam that we had been successful.

  Fitzwilliam and Mr. Gray came running from their posts and whistled for their own mounts. Quickly and quietly, I gave Fitzwilliam an overview of the happenings inside and the instructions I had given to his men, as we prepared to leave. He nodded. “Yes, they passed me and filled me in. One of them took Mrs. Younge on horseback to your town house. The other remained at the sentry post. You take the Misses Bennet back to London. Mr. Gray and I will stay with my man and wait for Wickham’s return then apprehend him.”

  I wanted so much to stay just so that I could have pleasure of capturing Wickham and Billings myself, but I had to know that Elizabeth was safe in my home first. She was far more important. “Good,” I told him. “I shall see Elizabeth to London and then return with reinforcements to detain Wickham and Billings. They had quite a few men inside. I don’t know how many more they will have with them.”

  Fitzwilliam nodded, and he and the others mounted their horses to return to the carriage. I made to help Elizabeth mount Strider so that I could ride behind her, when she balked. “I thought you said there was a carriage. I am not riding that monstrosity of an animal.”

  I blinked at her, but John scolded, “Lizzy, we really need to get you out of here before Wickham comes back. We don’t have time for your silly fear of horses.”

  “Where is the carriage?” she asked again.

  “It is hidden about a mile down the road. We do not have time to walk it, I am afraid,” I told her. I moved to grab her waist to lift her, and she recoiled again. Despite the urgency of the situation, I was becoming amused. “Elizabeth you just wielded a foil with more skill than most men, but you are afraid to ride my horse?”

  Her eyes flashed with defiance, and she stepped toward Strider. I grinned as I grasped her waist and lifted her easily to sit across the saddle. I then mounted behind her, wrapped a firm arm around her waist, and kicked Strider into a quick trot. Elizabeth gasped and held on to me with all her might. This fear of hers would have to remedied after we were married.

  We had not been riding more than a minute before we met Fitzwilliam’s man on horseback galloping toward us and pulled up. He called out, “Wickham’s comin’. Nine others are with ‘im, all o’ them on horseback and all o’ them armed. Not two minutes down the road. They passed the carriage without seein’ it tho’.”

  “Blast!” John cried. That was ten men. We had already dealt with another ten inside the castle. What on earth had Wickham promised these men to get so many to participate in his heinous scheme? We were outnumbered two to one but had little choice but to meet him. I could already hear the pounding footfalls of horses approaching. There was no time to hide.

  Fitzwilliam and the others spread out to flank me on either side. Fitzwilliam and Mr. Gray both drew their swords as well as pistols and aimed them down the road. John and the others drew their swords and readied themselves for another battle.

  I spoke into Elizabeth’s ear as I released my hold on her waist to draw my own blade. “Just follow my lead, and the first chance you get, run down the road to your father and Charles. Tell them not to wait for us but to take you and Jane back to London.” She began to protest, but I cut her off. “Elizabeth, do as I say!” She flinched at my tone, and I softened a little looking straight into her eyes. “I need you to be safe.”

  She nodded, and we both turned to look in the direction of the approaching band. The moon was bright and the night clear, illuminating the road as Wickham and his men rounded a corner and saw us. He pulled his horse to an abrupt stop, the others following suit. Sure enough, Billings and eight other men were with him. “Darcy!” Wickham snarled at me. Then he eyed Elizabeth in my arms with a lascivious sneer. “Found your little trollop, have you?”

  I quickly sized up our enemy. Other than Billings, none of the other men appeared to be any better off than the rabble we had faced inside the castle. I had no idea of Mr. Gray or Fitzwilliam’s other man’s ability, but with Fitzwilliam, John, and my superior skill, I was sure we could dispatch them. However, Elizabeth was unarmed, and I was unsure how to get her to safety. Wickham knew she was my weak point, and he would use it.

  I ignored Wickham’s baiting and spoke to the men arrayed behind him, trying to even out the numbers a bit. “My men and I have already dispatched your comrades in the castle. The rest of you will not present any more challenge. Any man who turns and leaves now will be free and will not be pursued. I assure you whatever Wickham promised you will not be delivered. This is your only chance to leave unscathed.”

  Wickham actually laughed, but it was Billings who spoke. “These are my men, Darcy! They will do as I say. It was you who reduced them to their present state by stealing my fiancé, and now we shall have our vengeance.” He drew his sword, and the others copied him.

  “I never had anything to do with your fiancé, Billings. Your current financial status is your own doing. Perhaps your men should revenge themselves on you rather than following you blinding into kidnapping innocent young women.”

  Billings was fuming, his horse prancing nervously, its breath steaming in the cold. “Miss Cartwright broke off our engagement because she wanted you! This is your fault! You ruined my life just as you ruined Wickham’s.” My eyes went from Billings to Wickham, who was still smirking. “Oh, yes. I met Wickham in a gaming hall where he was trying to recover the fortune you had stolen from him the same as I.
Wickham told me what you did to him, stealing his fiancé away, too. You seem to make it a habit, Darcy. So we decided we would steal your fiancé for repayment.”

  “Billings, you are a foolish little boy. Wickham tried to elope with my fifteen-year old sister in order to get his hands on her dowry. As for Miss Cartwright, I have never had anything but the most trivial and passing acquaintance with her. Perhaps she broke off your engagement because she learned that you and your father had depleted your coffers. And taking my fiancé was the biggest mistake you will ever make in your life.”

  I noticed that then men behind Billings had started to shift anxiously. I tried one more time. “This is your last chance to turn around and leave peacefully.”

  Silence hung for a moment before two of the men turned tail and galloped back the way they had come as fast as their horses would carry them. Wickham and Billings turned to watch them go in shock.

  “Anyone else want to join them?” I asked.

  “That’s enough!” Wickham cried. He turned back, drew a pistol, and aimed it at Elizabeth. Before I could react, he fired. Strider jerked and Elizabeth was torn from my arms and fell to the ground. I spurred Strider forward to keep him from trampling her as Wickham drew his sword and charged me. Billings and his remaining men joined the charge and the battle was met.

  Wickham and I collided in a clash of metal and horseflesh. I tried desperately to steer the battle away from where Elizabeth lay prone and unmoving. I prayed that she had just been knocked unconscious by the fall and was not seriously wounded.

  I heard both Fitzwilliam and Mr. Gray discharge their pistols and saw two of the men fall to the ground as their horses fled from the fracas. Before long, Fitzwilliam, Mr. Gray, and the third man had the others unhorsed. Sparks flew all around as metal met metal in a flurry of swords. John engaged with Billings and easily knocked him to the ground where their duel continued on foot.