A Wedding Code

by Jacki Delecki

  Her brothers and her father teased her relentlessly, first about her art, then when she began to sketch fashions. No one understood that creating was the only part of her life she could control. When her mother died and she was left responsible for her brothers, she used her art to assuage her pain. Her art was a refuge which allowed her to put on a brave face for her father and her younger brothers when they looked to her for comfort. She had always reassured all of them, but now she questioned whether she had the strength or the courage to comfort Hen if they didn’t find Edward. Her fear fed her resolve. She wouldn’t stop until they found the boy.

  “How do you know these woods so well?”

  “Edward, Colin, Drew, and I have spent many hours in these woods.”

  “You brought the boys out here by yourself?”

  “Mr. Marlowe would accompany me. We would explore for hours in the hopes of tiring the boys. But it was always Mr. Marlowe and I who ended up exhausted after our outing.” She shouted again, trying to quash her panicky feelings. “Edward! Gus!”

  Suddenly they all stopped at the faint sound of a wild, insistent bark.

  “Gus.” Amelia shouted again. Her mind raced to why Edward’s dog was responding but not Edward. The dog started a round of urgent howls.

  Amelia was about to roar when Derrick covered her mouth with his hand. He shook his head and whispered. “It might be a trap.”

  A trap? The French were using Gus to lure them farther into the woods—to the ravine? Her heart bumped loudly in her ears.

  “Stay here.” He nodded to the man next to Amelia, who pointed his rifle toward the sound of Gus.

  Silently, Derrick waved to the young man to circle to the right while he walked into the woods, directly toward the sound. But if it was a trap, Derrick would be the target. Now her heart sped out of control like a curricle race gone bad.

  She held still, taking care not to risk Derrick’s safety.

  But Gus’s bark had sounded like a cry for help. If someone held Edward, Gus would be snarling and barking crazily. She wanted to share this thought with Derrick, who, with his gun pointed into the woods, walked carefully and quietly ahead.

  Gus now barked frantically, yipping in a high-pitched howl, apparently set off by Derrick’s approach.

  She turned toward the nearby guard and whispered. “Gus is calling for help. Can’t you tell?”

  “I can’t say, m’lady.”

  It took all of Amelia’s self-control not to run after Derrick, but, keeping her promise, she restrained herself.

  “Amelia, I’ve found him,” Derrick yelled.

  Chapter Nine

  Amelia rushed toward the sound of Derrick’s voice, her heart and stomach performing somersaults.

  Derrick yelled again from a spot deep within the woods, “Over here, Amelia.”

  When she finally cleared the scrub, she skirted around the trees. Ten feet ahead, Derrick was on his stomach, leaning over the edge of the ravine with his arm extended. Gus was lying down too, peering over the edge, keening a desperate noise.

  “You can do it, old man. Gus is waiting for you.”

  Amelia couldn’t muster a breath, and the backs of her knees tingled. Edward had fallen down a steep incline that dropped fifty feet to the river.

  Derrick spoke in a calm, reassuring voice, without looking up. “Amelia’s here now, Edward. We’re going to take you home.”

  “I want Amelia.” Edward’s plaintive cry had Amelia jumping over the last bushes to get close to the edge.

  “Edward, I’m here.” She peeked over the lip of the cliff. Edward was perched on a rocky outcropping five feet down, the width of a small table. One false move and he would plummet down to the river.

  Icy shivers ran up and down her spine. Derrick leaned farther out over the muddy hillside while the young soldier held his ankles to secure him. The soft, muddy earth where she stood wasn’t solid or stable.

  Derrick was a very heavy man, at least sixteen stone.

  The weight of two large men could make the soft cliff easily give way.

  Derrick spoke evenly to Edward. “I want you to get to your knees very carefully. Since your ankle is hurt, you will be more secure if you kneel rather than try to stand.”

  Amelia covered her mouth to suppress a gasp. If Edward stood up…

  “Edward, do as Derrick says. Get to your knees. Slowly, now.” Amelia tried to sound as calm as Derrick.

  Edward’s face was ashen, and his eyes were wide with terror.

  “Any snack you want for you and Gus once we get home. I promise.”

  “Gus and I have been here all night. I thought…” His sob broke off.

  Amelia, realizing she had crept too close to the edge, quickly flattened herself to the ground. “We’re going to take you home and pamper you like a prince. That’s it, nice and slow, to your knees.”

  Rocks from the cliff crashed over the side, echoing in the silent woods as Edward extended his arms. He flinched, but completed the move from sitting to kneeling.

  “Come on Edward, almost there,” Derrick coaxed. “Now, slowly reach up with your hand, and I will pull you the rest of the way.”

  Edward stared down, following the path of the falling rocks that skittered down when he shifted his position.

  Derrick commanded, “Don’t look down. You need to give me your hand.”

  “Darling, please give Derrick your hand. He is very strong, and will be able to lift you, I promise. And the sooner you do, the sooner we can be on our way home to a fire and food and dry clothes.”

  Edward tentatively inched his hand upward toward Derrick’s outstretched arm. Derrick wrapped his strong, broad hand around Edward’s wrist. “Here you go.” In one, smooth move, Derrick pulled Edward into the arms of the soldier who waited at the edge.

  Gus immediately jumped on the soldier’s leg, trying to reach Edward.

  “Gus wouldn’t leave. I told him to go, but he stayed.” Edward sniffed.

  Derrick stood carefully, and then reached for Amelia to pull her to her feet. “I want to get all of us off this blasted, sodden cliff.” He took Amelia’s arm and followed the soldier carrying Edward. A yelping Gus tagged along, right next to Edward.

  Edward peeked around the younger man. “I want Derrick to carry me.”

  Amelia took off Derrick’s cloak and wrapped it around Edward.

  Derrick smiled. “Guess you know who is the strongest.” He winked at the young man, who was quite capable of carrying Edward.

  In the transfer, Edward cried out in pain.

  Amelia gasped. “What is it, Edward? Are you hurt?”

  Derrick said, “He twisted his ankle. We will take a good look at the ankle when we get back. Anything else bothering you?”

  “Yes, I’m cold and hungry. Any chance you brought snacks for Gus and me, Amelia?”

  Amelia mentally chastised herself for not thinking to bring food and a blanket.

  Hearing Edward’s plea reassured Amelia that the young boy and his dog were already recovering from the scare, far more quickly than the adults who had been searching for them.

  Amelia took off her cloak and laid the wool across the front of Edward. “You’re chilled, but we will soon have you warmed up.”

  Derrick raised his eyebrows, but chose not to say anything about her cricket dress.

  Chapter Ten

  Derrick strode quickly down the path, forcing Amelia to speed her pace to keep up. He wanted to get Edward back to the house. He pulled the boy’s slight frame closer against his chest, hoping his heat would start to warm him. The boy had spent all night out in the wet and cold. Edward’s relief at being rescued would quickly fade, and Derrick knew from personal experience that the physical and emotional trauma would soon catch up.

  Amelia hurried to pat the boy’s arm. “Are you starting to warm up, Edward?”

  Edward shivered again. “I’m cold, but not wet, since the cliff protected me from the rain. But Gus was in the rain all night.”

>   “Well it’s lucky that Gus has a warm winter coat.” Amelia squeezed his arm, and tried to look calm. “Edward, why did you go out by yourself in the middle of the night? Were you upset about something?”

  “It isn’t important now. I must speak with Cord right away.”

  “First we must get you warmed up and find you something to eat.”

  “I must talk to Cord first.”

  “He is out searching for you,” Derrick said.

  Edward swallowed hard. “Blasted, Cord must not be happy to have to search for me when he has other important matters to attend to.”

  Derrick refrained from commenting on the important matters, including trying to prevent France’s invasion of England.

  Edward sagged against Derrick. “Oh, I hope Aunt Euphemia isn’t looking for me, too.” Derrick understood Edward’s trepidation. Aunt Euphemia intimidated grown men.

  “No one will be upset with you,” Amelia crooned. “Everyone is going to be happy that you’re well.”

  A shout echoed in the woods. “Brinsley, where are you?”

  Gus barked at the familiar voice.

  Kendal came tearing around the bend in the path “Thank God. When I heard Gus’s bark…” His eyes filled and his voice cracked. “Thank God.” Kendal rushed toward Edward. “Where have you been? Are you injured?”

  “I twisted my ankle. And I fell partway down a cliff,” Edward replied matter-of-factly, as if falling off a cliff was a routine experience.

  “You fell off a cliff?” Kendal bellowed.

  Whether it was the sight of his brother or Kendal’s roar, Edward started to cry. “I was so afraid no one would find Gus and me.”

  Kendal lifted the boy out of Derrick’s arms, his face rigid with suppressed feelings. “I would keep searching until I found you.” He hugged his brother tight. “If anything had happened to you…” Kendal exhaled loudly. “But why in blazes were you out by yourself in the middle of the night?”

  Amelia’s eyes clouded with tears. Derrick took her arm and pulled her next to his side. She wrapped her arm around his waist, snuggling closer for his warmth. They had been out for hours. She whispered, “Thank you for finding him and pulling him off the cliff.”

  “At your service, my lady.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, wanting her closer. She was a loving, gentle woman who, after tomorrow, would be his.

  Amelia walked next to Kendal with Derrick on the outside.

  “I have something important to tell you,” Edward insisted.

  “Not as important as what I have to say to you, young man. If you ever pull a stunt like this again, I’m going to blister your backside.”

  Edward giggled, not in the least intimidated by his brother’s threat.

  Amelia had told Derrick that as a youth Kendal was constantly in trouble for his escapades. No wonder Edward wasn’t afraid.

  Derrick didn’t want to think about his father’s response when he fell into boyish pranks. His oldest brother bore the brunt of their father’s wrath, since he was the heir, and his brother had followed his father’s lead, and resorted to alcohol and violence as the ultimate answer to any problem. Since meeting Amelia, Derrick began to believe he wasn’t destined to follow in his father and brother’s footsteps. Amelia’s love and faith in him had changed him for the better.

  Kendal playfully shook Edward in his arms. “You have the nerve to laugh. I might have to send you to the black chamber.”

  “As if there is one in England,” Edward challenged.

  “The black chamber?” Derrick asked.

  Edward leaned around Amelia to see Derrick. “In the reign of Louis XIV, the cryptographers were held in the basement of Versailles. Louis had a very large network of spies and code breakers. He was very good at the spy business.”

  “I still think it’s the black chamber for you and Gus,” Kendal teased.

  Gus yelped at the mention of his name.

  “Michael, you have to listen. I heard two Frenchmen planning to kidnap Hen’s baby.”

  Amelia felt as if she could barely pull air into her lungs. “The baby? They want to take Hen’s baby?”

  Derrick tightened his hold on her shoulders before he realized he might be hurting her.

  Kendal stopped and looked down at his brother. “Is this one of your stories to save yourself from punishment?”

  “No, I would never make up a story to hurt Hen or Charles. You need to believe me. They plan to abduct the baby tomorrow night. The younger man is to bring Charles to the gamekeeper’s hut or the bad man will harm his sister.”

  Derrick’s brain battled with the possibility. Edward had gone through a trauma. Had he really heard Frenchmen on the estate plotting to kidnap Rathbourne’s heir? Tomorrow night was the wedding ball at Bonnington estate. Everyone would be away from the Rathbourne estate to attend the ball.

  “Were they in the woods? Is that where you heard them?” Derrick tried to gentle his tone.

  How had the French gotten on the Rathbourne estate? His men were guarding the borders, but the estate spanned acres, making it difficult to patrol the expansive area.

  “Gus and I were by the ravine. We hid in the woods when we heard them coming. I was crawling closer to get a better view of the men’s faces when I fell off the cliff.”

  Amelia cried out. “Edward, you could have…” Derrick felt her tremors of fear against his side. The last twenty-four hours had been a nightmare for Amelia. How could she handle any more stress? She should be excited and immersed in all the wedding folderol she had been working on for months, not facing a threat looming over her friend’s baby.

  Derrick’s muscles clenched, ready for action, ready to terminate and decimate anyone willing to harm an innocent infant and destroy his beloved’s happiness on the eve of her wedding. Kidnapping an infant had the dark and sinister mark of that foul mastermind, Fouche.

  Kendal was focused on his brother’s ashen face. “Go on. Tell me the rest.”

  “When the rough older man said he heard something, they started to search for me. I could hear them getting closer, and that was when I panicked and lost my footing.” Edward’s voice quivered. “And the ground gave out, and I fell through space. I thought…”

  Kendal rubbed his brother’s hair. “You’re safe now.”

  “I must have hit my head. The next thing I knew I was lying on the ledge with Gus looking down at me from above, and the men were gone.”

  Gus whined and jumped on Kendal’s leg, trying to reach Edward, reacting to the distress in Edward’s voice.

  Amelia pulled out of Derrick’s embrace and took Edward’s hand. “Dearest, it’s finished now. You don’t have to worry anymore. Derrick, Michael, and Cord will stop these men. Let’s get you home, and then you can tell them all the details after you’ve gotten warm and rested.”

  Amelia gave both men a look signaling a halt to any further questions.

  Kendal nodded to Amelia in understanding. “You’re safe now. Think about what a story you’ll be able to tell the Bromptons and Uncle Charles about falling off a cliff. But not a word to our sister, do you understand? Not a word to Hen. And definitely not a word about the kidnapping.”

  Edward nodded and then wiped his nose on Derrick’s cloak.

  “My back and arms are giving out.” Kendal pretended to drop Edward. “You and Gus have been eating too many of Bromie’s biscuits.”

  Edward snickered.

  Amelia sniffled and dabbed at her wet cheeks.

  “Not strong enough to carry the boy, Kendal?” Derrick joked, shifting the attention away from Amelia’s tears.

  Amelia wrapped her arm around Derrick’s waist and mouthed a silent “thank you.”

  Kendal’s eyes gleamed. “Edward, did you know that Brinsley stood behind a tree to guard my house in Paris for weeks?”

  Derrick feigned an aggrieved tone. “Do you know how cold and wet I was while standing in the woods watching your brother?”

  Edward looked up in awe at Der
rick. “How big was the tree?”

  Derrick chuckled. “A very big and very old tree.”

  “You were in Paris to protect Michael?”

  Derrick was about to respond, but Kendal beat him.

  Kendal shook his head. “He was assigned to spy on me.”

  Edward watched each man’s face while the two bantered.

  “My assignment was to keep you safe.”

  Amelia took Derrick’s hand, acknowledging his past jealousy of Kendal. When he met Amelia, she believed herself in love with Kendal because of their childhood friendship. It was true, he had been jealous of Kendal’s closeness to Amelia. But that was months ago. Kendal was smitten with his talented wife. And Amelia was his. Was she worried that the joking between the men was more than a game to distract Edward?

  “And look how that worked out. I was shot.” Kendal was enjoying himself too much at Derrick’s expense.

  “In your arse!” Edward snorted.

  “Did you know that your brother dressed up as a nun to escape Paris?” Derrick asked innocently. “He wore a white dress and an enormous, strange hat on his head.”

  Derrick didn’t like reliving the memory of when his charge, Kendal, left the house dressed as a nun and pranced up to Fouche’s dangerous and unpredictable Black Guards. But he had to give Kendal credit. It was a bold, brave act. And it worked. Kendal had escaped Paris.

  “Yes, he told me and Hen all about his adventure in France. I wish I could have seen it. Gabby tells me he made a pretty and convincing nun.”

  Kendal again shook Edward in his arms. “My wife would never say such an outrageous thing!”

  Edward started laughing. “You were there when she said you were a pretty nun.”

  Kendal huffed in feigned outrage. “Remind me to cut her clothing budget.”

  Derrick added, “Maybe we can have a masquerade ball, and your brother can dress up again for all of London to see.”

  Edward howled.

  Not wanting to be left out, Gus jumped on Kendal again.

  Kendal winked at Derrick.

  When they approached the road leading to Rathbourne house, Amelia pointed ahead to the dark, turreted Jacobean residence. “We’re almost home, Edward. I’m sure Mrs. Brompton has something special for you, and treats for Gus.”