The Black Madonna (Roundheads & Cavaliers Book 1)

by Stella Riley

  She was also, now the initial crisis of Edgehill seemed to be over, able to think once more of that criminally stupid admission she had made about her betrothal – and the disaster that could befall her as a result. But although she knew that the most sensible course was to re-open the subject with Luciano so that – with the aid of a little cunning – she might nurture disbelief, she couldn’t find the courage to do so. He had never, in the entire course of their acquaintance, reacted as he was supposed to – and he was far too perceptive; so rather than give him the chance to cut the ground from beneath her feet, it was probably better to leave well alone and simply avoid him altogether. If, of course, he chose to let her.

  Miraculously, it seemed that he did – which, irritatingly enough, was less of a relief than it ought to have been. And during the hours that followed, in which they barely exchanged two words with each other – and then always in the presence of others – a second question began to plague her.

  Twice now he had accused her of regarding him with more than mere liking … and he was right. But how did he know? She did not think she was especially transparent and, in the last year, she had used every art of concealment at her command. No one else, moreover, appeared to have noticed anything. So how did he know? Instinct? Inspired guess-work? Sorcery? Or could it possibly be that he was rather more interested in the state of her emotions than he wanted her to know? The sudden closing of her throat told her that this concept was too dangerous to be pursued … except, just possibly, as a last line of defence.

  * * *

  On the following morning, the Royalists came.

  Meg Bennet’s father, Jacob, was the first to see them when, having set out to call at one of the outlying farms, he espied a cavalcade of horsemen wending its way up the hill towards him from Cropredy. Then, since he too was unfamiliar with the banners and devices that were the only means of distinguishing friend from foe, he had to tarry for several agonising minutes before a ragged burst of song gave him the clue he had been seeking.

  The cuckoo then on every tree, mocks married men

  For thus sings he – Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

  It seemed an unlikely choice for men serving under one who had for years been popularly known as the Great Cuckold; and that left only one alternative. Jacob set spurs to his horse and rode ventre à terre back to Thorne Ash.

  ‘Oh God,’ said Dorothy weakly, when she had heard him out. And then, to Kate, ‘What do you think? Have we any chance at all of defying twenty or thirty men?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Kate was already half-way to the door. ‘We’ll soon find out, I suppose – and it depends what they want, of course. Sound the alarm, make sure everyone does what they’re supposed to – and keep an eye on Celia. I’m going outside.’

  By the time the Cavaliers came into the view, the gate was securely barred, the ancient saker loaded with shot and Kate herself was on the wall, armed with a musket. She was just trying to see whether or not the Royalists had brought any pieces of ordnance with them when Luciano del Santi materialised at her side and said crisply, ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’

  ‘What does it look like?’ she responded without turning.

  ‘Lunacy. Half a regiment couldn’t hold this house – let alone a handful of women.’

  ‘I thought you were no expert.’

  ‘I’m not – but I know a lost cause when I see one. And this is no time for heroic gestures.’

  ‘Isn’t it?’ She turned suddenly and eyed him fiercely. ‘What did you expect? This is our home – and I’m not about to give it up to strangers without a fight. So if you don’t want to help, you’d better go and make yourself comfortable in one of the cellars because I haven’t got time to argue with you now.’

  Luciano looked back at her for a long, reflective moment. Then he said resignedly, ‘I must be suffering from necrosis of the brain. All right. What do you want me to do?’

  He had the satisfaction of surprising her. She said, ‘If you mean it – and can shoot – there’s a pistol over there. But we can’t afford to waste shot.’

  She half expected a tart response but he merely picked up the weapon with the ease of one who knew exactly what he was doing and said mildly, ‘Are we really planning to fire at them?’

  ‘If we have to – yes,’ came the grim reply. ‘My goodness – look! They’ve certainly come dressed to kill, haven’t they? And they’ve brought a cannon … though it doesn’t look any bigger than ours.’

  Luciano said nothing. Someone appeared to have gone to the unusual expense of providing two dozen men with matching grey coats, blue silk sashes and plumed hats – and the results were impressive. On the other hand, looks weren’t everything; and a troop in such pristine condition was unlikely to have fought at Edgehill.

  ‘With any luck, they’ll want to keep their nice coats clean,’ he said. And then, ‘Ah. They’re starting to deploy.’

  ‘Yes. But Eden said they can’t do anything until they send us a summons to surrender.’

  ‘God forbid that anyone should fail to play by the rules,’ observed the Italian sarcastically. ‘But no. Here it comes.’

  A solitary grey-coated rider had detached himself from his comrades and was approaching the gates. Then, reaching them, he produced a bugle from his saddle-bow and blew an inexpert fanfare.

  Kate peered indulgently down on his head.

  ‘I’d take a few more lessons, if I were you. However. What do you want?’

  For a moment he looked completely at a loss. Then he said importantly, ‘Captain Winter presents his compliments and asks that, in the interests of property and for the preservation of life, you open your gates to His Majesty’s troops. In such a case, the captain is prepared to guarantee the safety of all within your walls – for it is not our desire to make war on women.’

  ‘That’s nice.’ Kate temporarily withheld the obvious question. ‘We don’t want to make war on you either. So if your captain will withdraw his men, I’ll guarantee their safety. That’s fair, isn’t it?’

  The young man was baffled again. This wasn’t how the exchange was supposed to go and it made it difficult to know what to say next. He cleared his throat and tried again.

  ‘You don’t quite understand, madam. We don’t want to inconvenience you but – but we can’t permit you to hold this house in defiance of our sovereign lord, the King.’

  ‘Which is just a pompous way of saying that I’m supposed to let you and your friends tread mud all over the house and make off with the chickens.’ She was aware that, beside her, Luciano del Santi was sinking down on his haunches, laughing immoderately. ‘Well, I won’t. So you’d better tell Captain … what did you say his name was?’

  ‘Winter, madam. Captain Cyrus Winter.’

  ‘Ah.’ Kate shot a brief, quelling glance down at Luciano. ‘Then you may present Kate Maxwell’s compliments to the captain and tell him we’ve no intention of opening our gates to him or anyone else coming here with a similar demand. And, if it becomes necessary, we are prepared to meet force with force.’

  The envoy looked understandably downcast.

  ‘Is that your last word?’

  ‘Not quite.’ She smiled maliciously. ‘You may like to remember that – whatever customs prevail in the army – it’s usual elsewhere for a gentleman to remove his hat when addressing a lady. And now, goodbye.’

  Upon which note, she sank slowly down beside the signor.

  He had stopped laughing but the signs of it were still in his eyes. For a moment, Kate surveyed him in silence while something fractured helplessly in her chest. Then she said severely, ‘It’s not funny. That’s Cyrus Winter out there … the one Celia wouldn’t marry and I wouldn’t go to bed with. The very last man we want in the house and the one least likely to just go away. In fact, all he needs for the perfect day is to discover that you’re here too.’

  ‘I know.’ He gave his rare, devastating smile. ‘So we’d better have a damned good try at keeping him out
, hadn’t we? What words of wisdom did Eden leave you with?’

  ‘He said they’d probably just use a cannon to blow out the gates and that our best course would be to use our saker to stop them planting it. The only trouble with that is that we’ve only got about a dozen balls and no one with enough experience to get the range right without wasting most of them.’

  Luciano considered the matter. Then, ‘Mathematics,’ he remarked cheerfully, ‘are something I know a little about. I’ll see what I can do. But is this all the help we’ve got? Where’s that long-faced tutor of yours?’

  ‘In the house,’ said Kate. ‘He’d only get in the way. But there’s Adam ready to fire the saker and his brother Jack down there in the yard. Tabitha should be here soon and, though she can’t shoot, she can re-load. As for Flossie and the maids, their job is to fetch and carry for the rest of us … and Mother and Jacob are at that window with muskets, ready to join in when necessary. Ah – and here comes Selim.’

  ‘Amateurs’ day with a vengeance, then.’ He eyed her thoughtfully. ‘One more question. Are you willing to open fire before they do?’

  ‘I’d rather not – but we’ll have to if we’re to prevent them siting their gun.’

  ‘Good. Then let’s get to work.’ He stood up and looked out across the wall. ‘They’re still awaiting orders – but that can’t last long so we’d better make the most of it. If you keep an eye on them, I’ll go and see what I can learn about artillery.’ He turned. ‘Tabitha’s on her way. And Celia.’

  ‘Damn!’ said Kate irritably. ‘The only thing I ask Nathan to do and he can’t even manage that!’ And, since the last thing she wanted was to allow Celia up on the wall, she stamped down the stairs to meet her. Then, having sent Tabitha to watch the enemy, she said bluntly, ‘You’d have done better to stay inside, Celia. This is only going to distress you.’

  ‘As if you cared for that! You just want to stop me finding out what’s happening – but I’ve a right to know!’

  Kate sighed. ‘All right. I’ve just refused to surrender the house to a troop of Royalist Horse. Happy now?’

  ‘Happy?’ The periwinkle eyes widened incredulously. ‘You must be out of your mind! I know you always said you wouldn’t let anyone in without a fight – but I never thought you’d be stupid enough to actually do it.’

  ‘Well, now you do. So if that’s all --’

  ‘No, it isn’t!’ snapped Celia. ‘For God’s sake – have one of the men open the gates before it’s too late. Don’t you realise that we could all be killed?’

  ‘That’s extremely unlikely.’ Kate could feel her patience beginning to run out. ‘I’m not letting them in, Celia. So you might as well go back inside the house.’

  ‘Oh no – you’re not going to brand me a rebel! If you won’t open the gates, I’ll do it myself. Francis could be out there – or my father --’

  ‘Or Cyrus Winter,’ said Kate, with sudden deadly savagery. ‘Oh yes, I’m quite serious. And if you go one step nearer to the gates than you are now, I’ll have you forcibly removed and locked in your room. In fact, if you don’t get out of my way, I’m tempted to do it anyway.’

  ‘Kate?’ Tabitha’s voice drifted anxiously down. ‘They’re moving their gun.’

  ‘Tell Signor del Santi.’ Kate continued to fix Celia with an implacable gaze. ‘Well? Will you go on your own – or do you want an escort?’

  For a moment Celia stood her ground, shaking with outrage. Then, ‘Damn you!’ she said furiously. ‘I’ll never forgive you for this – never!’ And spinning violently on her heel, swept back inside the house.

  After that, everything happened very quickly. Having already drawn certain conclusions, Luciano had lined up the saker accordingly and, when Kate reached his side, he said calmly, ‘Just there, I think – that patch of slightly higher ground some yards to their left. Are you sure you want to go through with this?’

  She stared at the slow-match in Adam Woodley’s fingers and swallowed hard.

  ‘Now?’

  ‘If you’d prefer not to start by killing somebody – yes. We’ve a chance of ruining the ground and making them think again. Well?’

  Her eyes rose to meet his and, for the first time, he saw that she was only too aware of the enormity of it all. Then she said tonelessly, ‘All right. Do it.’

  His expression remained unchanged and, if he hesitated, it was only for a split second.

  ‘Stand back, then,’ he said curtly. ‘Mr Woodley?’

  Adam nodded and, without troubling to hide his satisfaction, applied match to powder.

  The time Eden had spent renovating the saker had not been wasted. It fired faultlessly and, half-deafened, Kate watched the ball explode the earth a mere eight feet or so in front of the point Luciano had indicated … while startled and choking but otherwise unhurt, the Cavaliers hurled themselves aside.

  ‘A bit short,’ remarked the signor critically, ‘but not bad for a first attempt. I think we’ll give them time to wonder what we’re doing and then try again. Who knows? If we can hold them off till dark, they may give up and go home.’

  Thus began the pattern of the next two hours. Every time the would-be besiegers tried to plant their cannon, Thorne Ash answered with a shot that caused confusion but little actual hurt. It began to seem like a harmless but surprisingly successful game and Kate’s spirits lifted accordingly until, during a brief lull, Luciano said dampingly, ‘Don’t get too optimistic. The only reason this is working is that they’re about as experienced as we are. And quite soon they’re going to chance relying on the fact that we’re obviously not trying to kill them – at which point we’ll be forced to stop playing and do some damage.’ He paused and looked up at the sky. ‘It can’t be much after three – which gives them a couple of hours of daylight yet. And we’ve only got five cannon-balls left.’

  ‘Call it four.’ Kate pushed her hair back with one powder-blackened hand and left a smear across her brow. ‘They’re trying again.’

  ‘Damn! Adam?’

  ‘Ready,’ said Mr Woodley. And nonchalantly performed his function.

  But this time the accustomed roar was followed by a sharp, ominous cracking sound and Adam leapt back clutching one hand to his chest and swearing.

  ‘What happened?’ Kate was at his side in an instant. ‘Adam – stop jumping about and show me your hand.’ Then, as he did so and she saw the shard of metal embedded in his palm, ‘Oh God. How on earth …? No. It doesn’t matter. Just go into the house and let Mother see to you. Tabitha – make sure he gets there, will you?’

  Rather pale herself, Tabitha merely nodded and helped Mr Woodley down the stairs to the courtyard. Kate turned back to find Luciano and Selim on their knees grimly inspecting a great crack in the barrel of the saker.

  ‘Now we are in trouble,’ said Luciano, looking up. ‘Personally, I think it may be time to make sure we’ve got a white flag. But I’m open to suggestions.’

  ‘We still have the muskets and pistols.’

  ‘Which are no use at this distance. Next?’ And then, when she said nothing, he rose to face her. ‘They’re going to plant that gun, Kate. We can’t stop them. And then they’re going to blow a hole through your gates. Again, we can’t stop them. So it’s only a matter of time before they get in – and the longer we hold out, the more excuse they’ll have for ransacking the house and being generally unpleasant.’

  ‘I know.’ Depression was filling every vein but she refused to let it show. ‘I know. But they don’t know our saker has split and you said yourself that they aren’t very experienced.’

  ‘True. But barring divine intervention, I don’t see how they can fail.’ He held her gaze in silence for a moment. Then, sighing, ‘All right. It goes against the grain, but we’ll give it another half-hour or so and see what happens. Or I will. You will go into the house. It’s not safe up here any more. And since there’s nothing you can do but watch, the fewer people there are out here, the better. Selim and I can manage. Now go.�
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  Kate stood her ground.

  ‘I agree with everything you’ve said,’ she replied amicably. ‘But you’ve overlooked just one small thing. I live here and I’m the one who won’t give up. So I’ve no intention of hiding meekly inside while you do all the dirty work. Sorry.’

  Luciano stared back at her, pure exasperation in every line of his face.

  ‘You,’ he announced bitingly, ‘are a bloody liability.’

  ‘No I’m not. I’m the one with the white flag,’ she grinned, hitching up her skirt to reveal an inch or two of petticoat. ‘You see? No detail too small, no sacrifice too great. So you could be glad of me yet.’

  ‘I feel more inclined to wring your neck.’

  She tutted reprovingly.

  ‘You can’t do that. Father wouldn’t like it. And --’

  ‘Efendim!’ shouted Selim urgently. ‘Get down!’

  Luciano didn’t waste time looking. He simply grabbed hold of Kate and, in the same movement, threw them both to the ground. Seconds later there was a roar, a massive vibrating thud and fragments of earth and stone were dropping on them like rain.

  Clamped hard against Signor del Santi’s chest, Kate lay mouse-still and looked into the blue-black eyes only inches from her own. It vaguely occurred to her that, given the circumstances, she shouldn’t be enjoying it. Then, before she could speak, he said dryly, ‘Don’t, Caterina. This isn’t a good moment for saying something clever.’

  ‘I know. I was only going to save you the trouble of saying that you told me so,’ she replied somewhat breathlessly. ‘How close was that?’

  He released her and got up to look.

  ‘Close enough. Slightly short and a few feet off course – but nothing that can’t be easily mended. Stay where you are!’ He dropped down beside her as the second shot arrived.

  This time the vibration was greater and splinters of masonry joined the falling earth. Luciano swore and sat up.

  ‘That’s it,’ he said. ‘Enough is enough. Are you going to give me a petticoat – or to I have to take it?’

  ‘You wouldn’t,’ said Kate struggling to her feet. And then, recognising the look in his eyes, ‘All right – all right. But at least turn your back while I --’