“I am sure you are correct. I am grateful that God saw fit for us to be together in this trial.”
“Shall we rejoice, then, in our sufferings, much like Paul and Silas did?” Katrina sat again and motioned for Lucy to do so as well.
“I doubt the prison cells will magically open and we will walk through unhindered.”
“Stranger things have happened, Lucy.”
“Let us sing and torture the poor guards with my lack of talent there.”
Katrina grinned and began a hymn that Lucy soon joined in on as most of the songs were different from those she had learned in the Highlands.
Footsteps could be heard coming closer. Katrina nodded for them to continue and Lucy forced the air through her lips as anxiety tightened her back muscles. The steps came to stop at the door and a key scraped in the lock.
The door creaked as it was dragged open by the guard. “Ladies, you have two visitors. We are generous here and as they minister to your spiritual needs you will be granted half of the hour to visit.” The guard bowed back and motioned. Lucy hated to pass judgment on anyone, but they were two of the ugliest women she’d ever seen.
The women came in and the door locked behind them.
Lucy stood still and in shock. Something about them…
“Oh!” cried Katrina launched herself at one woman, wrapped her arms around her, and they…they…
Lucy averted her eyes as they kissed.
The other woman had a silly grin on her face as she came to Lucy.
What kind of religion greeted each other like this? Greeting one another with a holy kiss was quite a different thing. She was sure of it.
“Sprite. You do not recognize me?” The woman spoke but it was not a feminine voice.
She gazed into blue eyes, saw that crooked grin, and knew. “Jared,” she hissed, “what are you doing here? Are you trying to get yourself killed? If you do I will never forgive you.”
Jared cocked an eyebrow. “As I would not be alive to notice, it seems a futile threat. Is Michael the only one to receive kisses from his bride?”
Lucy reached a hand up to touch his clean-shaven face. She pulled him down and gave him a kiss that certainly should have left no doubts about her desire for him, and her delight at seeing him.
When he came up for air, he hugged her close. “I was crushed to hear they had arrested you.”
Lucy nodded. “They have cared for us weel then. I suppose they don’t want skinny corpses hanging from the gibbet?”
“Do not even joke about that. Come, we have some work to do and little time to accomplish it.”
Thirty minutes later, the guard returned. He found his prisoners on their knees, facing the window and murmuring earnest prayers in soft whispers. The missionary women nodded their thanks and were escorted out of the tower. Katrina gave the guard a tip as a reward for his service to them. They exited to the courtyard, crossed it, and reached a carriage left for them there. They sat inside and rode in silence to the mews behind Remington townhouse. They paid off the groom and entered in the back gate, through the gardens, and into a side door.
Without a word, they moved down the hallway to the study where Katrina knocked three times at the door. A solid male “Enter” was heard from within. Katrina opened the door and closed it. Once Lucy had entered, Katrina locked the door.
Three men jumped to their feet. “Who…?” Marcus asked as he took a step forward.
Katrina untied her bonnet, removed it, and pulled off her wig. She nodded to Lucy to do the same.
30
“Your foolish brother and my husband dressed in these clothes to come and help us escape from the tower.” Katrina tossed the hat and wig down with a moue of disdain.
Lucy placed hers on top of Katrina’s.
“Where are the men?” Marcus asked.
“Pretending to be us, up in the tower,” Lucy offered. “It is a disguise that won’t work for long unless they brought their razors with them.”
“It will never work. They are taller than you and even in disguise could never pass for you both,” Phillip offered. “I wish I could have seen them though.”
Lucy raised an eyebrow. “They give women of faith a bad reputation. Not all are so ugly.”
Theo struggled not to grin but lost the battle. “I’m sure they donned many disguises over the years but this…?” He shook his head.
“We need to rescue them. Are my children well?” Katrina had one hand on her hip as she tapped her toe.
“Josie, Beth, Valeria, and your nurse have been caring for the children at Rose Hill. Everyone was well last we saw them,” Marcus stated.
“I miss them,” she pouted.
“We’ll need to visit with the Duke of Wellington,” Lucy stated. “Well, not us,” as she pointed between her and Katrina, “but one of you. I agree that we need to seek a way to rescue them.”
“Did they bring stuff with them?” Marcus asked.
“The new wigs and dresses, since ours would never fit them. Beyond that, we never looked in the basket,” Lucy offered.
“The basket!” Katrina ran to the door, unlocked it, and then tore down the hallway. Lucy watched her go and shrugged.
Marcus came to her and led her to a seat. “Can I order tea or something to eat?”
Lucy shook her head. “No. But I thank you. I do not think I could eat anything right now.” She set her trembling fingers in her lap.
Marcus sat down beside her. “You know my brother loves you.”
“That was never in question. Right now, though, I could seriously wound him.” She clenched her hands into fists and brought one up.
Marcus chuckled. “I do not envy him when he does get out of the tower. If he is smart, he will stay there until you cool down.”
Lucy frowned and raised a fist to him. “You would not be the first man for me to flatten.”
Marcus raised both hands. “You would not hit an unarmed man.”
“As both your arms are intact…” Lucy bit out.
Marcus rose and moved away.
Katrina ran back into the room and locked the door behind her. In her arms was the large basket the men had brought with them. Katrina sat it in front of Lucy and bent over to catch her breath.
They had not checked the contents of the basket.
She bent over and removed items from it. Gospel pamphlets, a prayer book, bandages? Lucy set them aside. At the bottom was a cloth that had covered the inside of the basket. She lifted the cloth up to find two letters. One for her and the other for Katrina. Lucy handed what she presumed was Michael’s missive to her friend. She searched further. Finding nothing she repacked the basket and set it aside. She considered the note from Jared in her hands.
Katrina had ripped hers open and devoured the contents.
Lucy looked at the letter in her hands and blinked back the tears. What could he possibly have to say to her that she didn’t already know? He loved her. She admired him for his daring rescue today. She feared for him as well. Especially if he were discovered.
Feet stood before her and she looked up.
Lord Harrow held his hand out. “Come, let me take you where you may be in private to read your letter.”
Lucy rose. How had he known? He led her to another room with a pianoforte on one end. “Return when you are ready.”
“Where else would I go?”
Theo pursed his lips and nodded his head as he pointed a finger at her. “Good point.” He bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Lucy touched the letter. This could be the last thing she might ever read from her husband if he did not survive. She finally broke the seal and carefully unfolded it, eager but also dreading the words that might lie within.
Dearest Pixie bride, my Lucy,
Terror gripped me when I heard of your capture. I pray you were not inopportuned by anyone. Both Michael and I regretted our departure as we never anticipated they would use you to get to us. Stand strong, Sprite. We wil
l defeat this enemy or die trying. If it provides freedom for others, it will have been worth the price paid.
My one regret would be that I never showed you our estate. The place I had dreamed of making a home filled with peace, laughter, and love. None of these ever seemed within my reach until I met you.
Now do me a favor. Pray and draw. Perhaps the Lord will reveal to you a way to defeat your father and free us all from the burden of the charges that haunt us. I believe in you.
All my love, forever,
J
Lucy reread the letter and folded it neatly. She tucked it in her pocket and let the tears fall. I love you, too, Jared. Please God, return him to me.
A soft click alerted her to the door opening. She wiped her eyes and turned to see who intruded.
“Luce? I apologize for disturbing you. Are you well?” Katrina had gone no further than a step in the room.
Lucy motioned for her to come further.
Katrina sat next to Lucy. “It was a good letter?”
Lucy nodded. “I’m still going to kill him when this is over.”
Katrina smiled. “Shall we string them up together? There’s an ideal tree at Rose Hill.”
“Not a hanging in the traditional sense. Can we hang them from their ankles and then tickle them to death?”
Katrina’s smile grew wider. “So maybe enough blood will get to their brains?”
“I know they only sought to rescue and protect us, but at what cost?” Lucy fidgeted.
Katrina frowned. “Only God knows the future.”
“Jared wants me to draw and pray. He believes God will show me the answer as I do so.”
“You don’t sound confident of that,” Katrina said.
“It’s an unknown and not a gift I can command. It is totally at the discretion of God whether He will reveal anything or not.”
“But you know when it happens?”
“Some of the time, yes.”
“I will send one of the servants out to get what you need. We will be staying here, out of sight. Michael suggested that since neither one of us is a stranger to breeches that we may want to be about the house dressed as men, just in case.”
“What of the servants?”
“Loyal.”
“This dress is far too big on me anyway. Could they have picked nicer colors? They have to be the ugliest I’ve ever seen,” Lucy complained as she pulled at the dark, olive green cotton with dusky orange trim.
Katrina smiled and pulled at her drab brown dress. “I once wore something similar to this when I was undercover. My disguise worked so well, Michael did not recognize me.”
“No!”
Katrina nodded. “Granted he had not seen me in a few years but I had always loved him. He did not recognize me until I got shot. I was dressed as a man and my secret was uncovered when they began to undress me. Phillip recognized me right away and was furious with Michael. Poor guy didn’t know what hit him. I’ll be glad to set this aside for breeches for a while.”
“Much easier to ride astride in breeches than sidesaddle.” Lucy shuddered.
Katrina hugged Lucy. “I knew we would be great friends. No rides of any kind though until we have our men safe and our names cleared.”
“Only if it’s an emergency,” Lucy offered.
Katrina smiled. “Oh, most definitely then.”
The two women rose and went to seek clothing to change into.
~*~
Lucy had been drawing and praying and her hand cramped. She growled. “Nothing. I’m not getting anything.”
“Give it time,” Marcus offered. “Set it aside for now and come have supper. No visitors tonight so it is safe.” He helped her up. “I suppose I have to allow you ‘men’ to stay for port after dinner?”
“I know it is a hardship, but I will acknowledge to a liking for the wine,” Katrina said.
“Well, then you can hold your own with us.” Marcus escorted her to the dining room, meeting up with Katrina, Phillip, and Theo.
The meal was punctuated by long stretches of silence. As the dessert plates were removed, Phillip complained, “It is not right that we sit here while Michael and Jared are in the Tower. We must do something.”
“We are. We are waiting for God to reveal what we should do. We are waiting to see what Lord Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, discovers and we are here waiting to see if Lucy’s drawings reveal anything.”
“I hate waiting,” Phillip complained.
“Don’t we all?” Theo countered. “Enjoy your wine. By that I mean the port, not your grumbling.”
Phillip glared at Theo but did as he bid.
Lucy took a sip and savored the rich, full-bodied flavor of the wine. She had never had it before leaving her home in Scotland.
Soon she was on her way to her room, sketchbook under her arm. She was tired but dreaded sleep. Time was running out and she wanted to find any clue that would lead them to capturing the Black Diamond and clearing them all of false charges.
~*~
Jared stretched out on the hard cot. He made sure his blanket covered his boots which were not those of a dainty woman. They had thus far avoided contact with the guards by pretending to pray. It was not all pretend though. There was not much else to do other than worry. And pray.
Since no hue and cry had erupted after the women departed, he grew confident that Lucy and Katrina were safe with Marcus. Had the women found their notes? Would Lucy be able to unravel a plan to defeat her father?
Michael had been a taciturn roommate. He spent time gazing out the one small window. If his friend felt as trapped and hopeless as Jared did, contemplating an end to their lives was appropriate. If the Black Diamond had his way, there would be no trial. Neither Jared nor Michael were peers of the realm and even if they were…Jared shuddered to think of the courtyard where hangings of high profile criminals took place.
Soon he heard Michael snoring on the other side of the small space. Jared yawned, closed his eyes, and prayed for sleep and a rescue.
He rested in the arms of his latest fount of information. He had not taken her virtue but had wooed her enough that she spilled her secrets. He wondered how valid they were. Somewhere in the night he was yanked from slumber and punched before he even opened his eyes.
She screamed. A gunshot. Silence.
He was dragged away. When he awoke, he was in the dark and stripped of all but his shirt and unmentionables. His toes were cold. His head ached. A one-way lantern shown in his face, blinding him. He couldn’t see the voice that taunted and interrogated him. Was it the same one who beat him and did other things to him? His back ached from the ripped skin from the whip that had been applied. He had mistakenly put his shirt back on. He ripped it off shortly after as the blood dried to the cotton. It all bled again when he managed to work the shirt loose. Cold. So cold. He hadn’t cried since he was a baby, had he?
Even in the faces of the dead corpses he had ridden through on his way to missions, he had been able to separate from and not react. Now those eyes haunted him. All the friends he’d lost and not had time to grieve combined with his agony. He was making up for it now.
“Jared?” A whisper. “Jared. Lucy needs you. Wake up.”
Lucy? Who was that? He searched his mind until he found an image of a petite woman, small but strong, with a kiss that chased away demons. Yes. His Lucy. Thank God for his pixie bride. Maybe she would save him again.
~*~
“The Duke of Wellington has returned, it is said to contest charges against his favorite aide-de-camp.” The scrubby child stood before the Black Diamond and showed no fear.
“And where is his favorite spy?”
“I dunno.” The kid shrugged.
“I need better information than that if you expect to be paid. Off with you, now.” The Duke flipped his hand.
The boy was dragged from the room, protesting his need for a crown.
“I’ll crown you…” the Duke hissed to himself. At least he had the wo
men. His son would always come to rescue his mousy bride. Would his despised son-in-law do as much for his daughter? Sure, she had grown into a stunning young woman, much like her mother. But he had plans for her. He grinned. She would be wishing for the noose after what he would do to her. Oh, he would have so much enjoyment and soon…he would be King. And his enemies? They would be quite dead.
31
Jared needs me.
Lucy tossed and turned and prayed that Jared would not have a night terror that would expose him to the guards as an imposter. She rose, lit a candle, took it over to the fireplace, and placed it on the table. The room was draped in shadow. She pushed the embers of the fire and threw some more kindling on. She was chilled more in spirit, but the shiver of fear was just as real. She grabbed a blanket, her sketchbook and pencils, and sat down. She curled her legs up and began to sketch. Drawing after drawing soon littered the floor and then finally—
She stared at the image before her and bit her lip. Would the Duke of Wellington go along with the ruse? Would the Duke of Diamonte fall into their trap?
She set it aside and yawned. Time was short. More than anything she wanted her husband beside her. She would do anything to make that happen. Anything.
~*~
Arthur Wellesley, also known as the Duke of Wellington, looked at the pixie who stood before him. He understood Jared was besotted with his bride, but the Duke’s most trusted aide-de-camp had described this lady well. This woman was the key to resolving this mess.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. Lady Allendale, I presume?”
“I am terribly sorry to interrupt your morning and disturb your staff, but it is important. I know we have never been introduced…” Lucy bobbed a curtsy.
The Duke smiled and held up a hand. “No apologies necessary. You are a highly-prized treasure and I’m surprised you managed to come here without some protection. There are many who would prefer to see you dead, I think.”
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