The Countess and The Baron: Lady Prudence Baggington (The Nettlefold Chronicles Book 3)

by Isabella Thorne

  On silent footsteps she crept from the house. It would not take long to walk across the fields to the neighboring estate, where Jasper had claimed to have taken residence. Only a few months ago his words would have had her obeying without hesitation, now she attempted to skirt his demands as best as possible without his knowledge. Once Lord Halthaven discovered the note, she knew that he would act with discretion.

  Her walk across the fields was a lonely one. The first rays of sun had yet to creep over the tops of the trees. The world had yet to come alive for the day and all seemed silent save for the snap of twigs and grasses beneath her feet as she picked her way toward her demise.

  The neighboring estate seemed friendly enough, except for the bleak darkness of its windows. Despite the call for her arrival, there was not a single light that was lit within the manor. A shadow stepped out from the edge of the garden just as she entered the property.

  Jasper.

  “Darling,” he said with a snarl. “How I have missed you.”

  She did not believe a word of it. In fact, he seemed all too pleased with himself and the prospect of her suffering to be taken at his word.

  All she offered in response was a hardened glare.

  He leered at her, and launched. His hand lifted and stung her cheek in the blink of an eye. The skin smarted and she knew that she would have a bruise that would cover most of the right half of her face. Already, her eye seemed determined to remain closed from the pain of it. She refused to show him her fear and so she stood tall all the same. Her response seemed to infuriate him as he stuck her again, this time splitting the skin upon her brow.

  His fingers wrapped around her arm and she cried out in pain.

  “Jasper, please,” she gasped. “Set Marietta free.”

  “Oh, shall I?” he laughed. “At first, I might have, but once I saw what a shameless hussy you have become I knew that I must make your man suffer as well.”

  “What are you talking about?” she feigned innocence.

  “He’ll come for you,” Jasper glowered.

  “No, he won’t,” she cried. Again, his fingers twisted the skin upon her arm and she sunk to her knees as she begged for mercy.

  “He will,” Jasper spat, “and he shall suffer as well.”

  “He doesn’t know where I am. I told no one just as you asked,” she pleaded. “He won’t come. Please release the child.”

  Jasper hummed as he considered her words. He seemed bolstered by the knowledge that she might have followed his instruction. There was nothing that pleased Lord Fondleton more than feeling like he was in control.

  He began to drag her toward the stables. She stumbled along beside him, her bag long forgotten at the edge of the wood. Her only thought was that she needed to ensure that Marietta was set free. Do what he may to her, Prudence would endure. She only wished for Marietta’s safety.

  “I honestly did not expect to find you here,” Jasper continued. “What sort of mindless fool goes to their only relation who has moved away? It was too simple, really. I wonder why I didn’t think of it from the start. I suppose I expected that you might have more sense than that. It appears that I was wrong.”

  Lady Prudence remained silent as he slung insults at her one after the other.

  “Where are the clothes that you wore last evening?” he asked. “This scrap of garbage is not fit for a pauper. At least last night you had some minor appeal.”

  Lady Prudence did not care what he thought of her attire. She was dressed in the plain grey frock from the abbey, for she had not wished to make her departure in any of the fine clothes that Lizzie had made for her.

  “You were there?” she gasped before she could stop herself.

  “Of course I was there,” Jasper growled. “I saw you, prancing about like the harlot I know you are. Hanging upon your gentleman, really? Are you so easy as to throw yourself at any man with a title? A baron at that? One who lives in a hovel of a manor in the middle of this god-forsaken forest?” Lord Fondleton shivered as if the very thought was repulsive. “Perhaps if you put half as much effort toward me I might find you the least bit appealing. We shall need to work on that. As it is, I think you’ll do well to be locked away. Your meals shall be brought to you, and your clothes…well I don’t see that you will need any.”

  “You bastard,” she spat.

  “Female Melancholy is a truly terrible disease.” He laughed his evil laugh and Lady Prudence did not even deign to answer. Of course he had spied on her. She should have known that on the best night of her life Jasper would have been there to hang a black sheath over even its memory.

  As they entered the barn a muffled cry from the back stall had Lady Prudence jerking her arm free of her husband’s grasp and racing toward the terrified child. Jasper followed behind at a causal pace, as if he were not the least concerned about the state of things.

  Lady Prudence took note of Perry, Lord Fondleton’s henchman as she pushed her way into the stall. Of course he would come with extra muscle on hand.

  Marietta was curled in the corner with her hands and feet tied and her mouth gagged with a soiled cloth. Prudence hands worked like a horse on the wind as she freed the girl from her confines. Still, the latch of the stall door clicked shut behind her and she knew that they were trapped. It was no matter, she crooned to the child. They were together. She would protect Marietta.

  “Your face!” Marietta exclaimed as soon as she was set free and Prudence removed her gag. She wrapped her tiny arms around Lady Prudence and buried her head at her neck.

  “It is nothing,” Prudence whispered. “Marietta, you must tell me true. Have they harmed you in any way?”

  “Other than causing a me fright and binding my limbs…” Marietta shook her head. “No. Though my mind was filled with all sorts of terrible things. I thought for sure I’d be killed.”

  Lady Prudence brushed her hands over the girl’s forehead and whispered promises that she would do all in her power to set Marietta free.

  “Who are they?” the girl whispered. “What sort of terrible man would do such a thing?”

  “Shut up in there!” Perry’s voice came from over the wall. “Another word and I’ll give you a wholloping.”

  “You have permission to do so, such as you please as long as the ladies are fit to ride,” Lord Fondleton’s voice chimed in a cheerful cantor. “I’ll be in town for a short while to get the last of our supplies,” he informed the man in a whisper. Lady Prudence strained her ears to hear each word. “We shall be off before the full sun. I expect the horses ready and the Ladies tied before my return. We shall take them both I think, just to be sure that Lord Halthaven knows to keep his filthy hands off of my wife.”

  Marietta gasped at the final word and Lady Prudence hushed her before the sound escaped her lips.

  “My lady,” Jasper’s mocking face peered over the edge of the stall and down upon the cowering women. “I am pleased by your willing return. Perhaps, for that, I shall lessen your punishment.”

  “I hope you rot,” Lady Prudence spat. Now that she knew that he had no intention of releasing Marietta, she had no intention of complying with any of his demands.

  “Oh, it is too late to strike an iron now,” he laughed. “Though, I cannot deny that I find your spirit most amusing. Perhaps your spawn will be just as lively.”

  Lady Prudence screamed a very unladylike insult and threw a handful of crisp straw ineffectually in his direction. The stalks fluttered down in the air between them, never having reached the full length of their intended destination. Lord Fondleton laughed all the more for her effort.

  They listened as he walked away. It was not until the door to the barn swung shut that Marietta allowed herself to give in to her fear and sob into Lady Prudence’s skirts.

  “What are we to do?” she whispered. Lady Prudence hushed her once more.

  Perry was still standing guard outside of the stall, though he seemed more interested in the bottle of wine that he was uncorking to p
our down his gullet.

  “Are you truly a lady?” Marietta asked with awe.

  “Yes,” Lady Prudence replied. “That pile of scum that just left was Jasper, the Earl of Fondleton, and my husband by unfortunate mishap.”

  “Did you ever love him?” Marietta’s eyes were wide. It was clear that her mind had clung to the thought that there might be something between Lord Halthaven and Lady Prudence. Jasper’s outburst had even confirmed as much.

  “Could anyone?” Lady Prudence said sadly. “I had once hoped that he was a decent man, but I should have known better from the off. I do not believe Jasper Numbton has a kind bone in his body.”

  “Me either,” Marietta confirmed. “He kicked Posey and threatened to shoot her if I didn’t come quietly.”

  The girl buried her face in her hands and cried anew.

  “Posey is fine,” Lady Prudence assured her. “Her paw is injured but I am certain that she will heal up in time. Right now we need to focus on getting you out of here and back to George so that he can protect you.”

  “What of you?” Marietta asked, unsatisfied with the answer.

  “My future is set,” she replied with a resigned sigh. “Lord Fondleton is my husband. I am bound to him to whether I wish it or no. It is your safety that I am concerned with. I shall be fine, I promise you.”

  “No, you won’t,” the girl argued with wisdom beyond her years. “Look at your eye! He has darkened your daylights. He’ll kill you as soon as keep you!”

  “Don’t you fret,” Lady Prudence tucked Marietta’s hair behind her ear and did her best to put on a brave face. “I can deal with him. It is you I wish to keep from harm.”

  Marietta threw her arms around her companion’s neck once more and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

  “I’ll be brave if you will,” the child said with a nod. Lady Prudence agreed though, to herself, she thought that Marietta was thankfully for the moment unharmed. Perhaps the innocence of her mind might be preserved with quick action.

  Prudence thought that if they could just wait long enough for Perry to be well into his bottle, they might stand a chance of convincing him to let Marietta out to relieve herself. Then, the girl could make a run for it. She was fast, for a small thing, and could easily outrun the drunken blundering fool.

  Lady Prudence did not want to think about the consequences of such a risky actions, but she cared not. Her main concern was that Lord Fondleton might return before Perry had reached the point of inebriation in which he could be manipulated. Lady Prudence remembered that the man was quick to his drink and would not stop until his words slurred and his feet fell out from beneath him. She hoped to play upon that habit if at all possible.

  16

  The minutes ticked by at an agonizing pace. When the drunkard began to laugh and speak to himself, Lady Prudence knew that it was time to enact her plan. She whispered into Marietta’s ear the instruction and, though the girl seemed loathe to leave her, she gave a firm scowl and demanded that she must be obeyed.

  “You run straight home, fast as you can and don’t look back for anything,” she hissed. “Find George and tell him that I went away. Can you do that?”

  “He won’t believe me,” Marietta argued. “He shall come after you.”

  “You mustn’t allow it,” Lady Prudence pressed. “Tell him I returned to my husband, if you must. He’ll be hurt but free of danger.”

  “You can’t go with that monster!”

  “Hush now!” Lady Prudence scolded. “You must do as I say and all will be well. Lord Halthaven will keep you safe. That is all that matters.”

  “I want you to come home with me, with us!” Marietta cried.

  Perry heard her tears and shouted that the ladies remain silent. Lady Prudence gave Marietta a firm look to silence her objections.

  “She is in need of relief,” Lady Prudence called to the slow fool. “You’ve kept her here all night without it and a poor captor you’ve turned out to be.”

  “Piss in the stall,” Perry said.

  “She cannot,” Lady Prudence replied. “I should have known you know nothing.”

  “Shut up, woman!” Perry shouted.

  “She’s a child,” Lady Prudence replied in kind. “Unless a mere child is too much for you to handle…”

  The door to the stall was yanked open and Lady Prudence leapt back in fear. Perry’s glowering face was shoved through the opening. His breath stunk of wine and his eyes shifted between the females.

  “You!” he jabbed a finger toward Lady Prudence. “You stay here. She can go but I swear if there’s any funny business Lord Fondleton won’t be happy. You know how he gets…” The leer in his eyes told her that he was looking forward to her punishments.

  “I do,” Lady Prudence said with a proud nod. “She shall be only a short while and then return.”

  Marietta nodded in agreement but her feet were restless upon the ground. Like a filly upon new legs she was preparing to test the strength of her muscles as she ran as fast as her growing frame would permit.

  “I’ll skin ya alive if ya aren’t back in a blink, do ya hear me?” he breathed into Marietta’s face. “You don’t want Lady Prudence here to suffer for it. I’ve seen the Lord break her skin more times than I can count and I can assure you he’ll break more than skin this time.”

  Marietta’s eyes grew wide with fear and she trembled with uncertainty.

  “She understands,” Lady Prudence replied, pushing the girl from the stall so that she might not change her mind. The door slammed shut between them and Lady Prudence heard one small whimper before Marietta followed the slovenly servant from the stables.

  A moment later she heard a masculine cry of pain as if Marietta had kicked her oppressor. Perry shouted and cursed but it was clear that he was in no state to race after the young girl. Lady Prudence felt the fear settle upon her. She was relieved that Marietta was free but afraid of what might come in reply.

  Perry stormed back into the stables and ripped the door to the stall open.

  “You lying wench!” he growled. “SHE BOLTED!”

  He reached forward and grabbed Lady Prudence by the front of her dress until she was forced to raise to her toes lest he choke her with it.

  One sharp shove had her back slamming against the wall. She cried out in pain, unable to contain the sound as the air was thrust from her lungs.

  “I’ll kill you myself,” he slurred. He raised his fist between them so she might see his intent.

  She closed her eyes in anticipation of the blow. One eye was already swollen shut, what need had she for the other at this point.

  Rather than his fist landing upon her face, she was jerked forward by some unforeseen force.

  She landed upon her knees amongst the straw. When she opened her eyes, Perry was lying unconscious on the floor beside her with a dark figure standing between them. The figure turned around and Lady Prudence looked up to see none other than Lord Halthaven standing above her. When he had jerked Perry from behind, she had been pulled forward by the fiend’s firm grasp.

  Lady Prudence scampered to her feet and gaped open-mouthed at her savior.

  “How did you know where to find me?” she stammered. Marietta had only just made her escape. She could not have sent for help so soon. She realized at once that his primary concern would be the girl. “Marietta escaped,” she explained before he could ask the question. “How is it that you are here?”

  “I knew where to ask the right questions,” he explained.

  “You ought to have come to us first,” Temperance said as she stepped out from behind Lord Halthaven with a look of shock and relief upon her face. “This is the only estate that is let for the winter and the Abbey keeps track of the tenancy. Reverend Mother knew at once that you must be here when Lord Halthaven said that you had left on foot. We came straight away.”

  Lady Prudence tried to explain that she had been too flustered in the moment to do anything but solve the situation as instructed. Even h
er note had been hurried and vague. George and Temperance excused her mishap by expressing their pleasure that she, and Marietta, were safe in the end.

  “A touching sentiment,” a cool voice came from the isle.

  The trio turned to look down the barrel of a gun that was pointed straight at Lord Halthaven’s chest.

  “Miss Baggington,” Jasper said with approval as his eyes traveled up and down Temperance’s slender form. “What a perfect waste of flesh, in my opinion, that you should commit yourself to celibacy. It appears that I’ve got myself the least of the Baggington sisters. My, but if I could have had you…”

  Temperance’s lip curled in disgust.

  “How dare you speak to a lady that way,” Lord Halthaven positioned himself further to block both of sisters from Lord Fondleton’s disgusting gaze.

  “Are you referring to the insult to my whore of a wife, or the compliment to her exquisite sister?” Jasper added without hesitation. He enjoyed the game and seemed to be reveling in the excitement.

  “Both,” Lord Halthaven hissed. He seemed slightly caught off guard by the mention of Lord Fondleton’s wife, but recovered quickly.

  “Ah, I see you were unaware that Lady Prudence was already kept,” Jasper pressed the barb further. With each verbal blow his grin widened. “Yes, I am afraid she was forced upon me. Faithless as she may be, she is still my property.”

  “My father will kill you when he finds out how you’ve treated her!” Temperance shouted.

  “Ha!” Lord Fondleton laughed. “As if that vile creature would have any right to criticize me! After he had his turn with, I suspect, all of his daughters. Oh I noticed my wife’s reactions straight away, her repulsion for intimacy. She’d been tainted and ruined long before me. There’s no pleasure left in her. No man will ever bring her satisfaction, of that I am certain.”