Rose through time, p.20
Rose Through Time, page 20
"What is going on?" Mrs. Avery asked me.
"We think she might have eloped with Mr. Danby. We found out that he is a con artist and has seduced other wealthy women before."
"No!" Mrs. Avery exclaimed. "Not my Beth, she wouldn't run away with a stranger."
"I hope you are right," I said. "But Hugh is saddling horses for us in case we have to go after them." John emerged from the upstairs hallway and headed down the stairs with a crumpled paper clutched in his hand.
"Is she?" I said, but he shook his head.
"No! John, you have to find her, bring her back," Mrs. Avery said, frantically clutching her apron." I grasped her shoulders.
"We are going after her immediately. We will find her." John hurried down the stairs, and we left Mrs. Avery behind in the doorway, her hand lifting as if to wave us off but then she wavered and pressed her fingers against her mouth. Hugh handed John the reins to Brutus then proceeded to give me a boost to Damian’s back.
"Are you sure you'll be able to keep up?" John asked. I nodded steely. "Alright, let's set off then."
"Good luck!" Hugh shouted after us. We rode in tandem down the path leading to the main road which was lined with a green ditch on one side and a row of knotted willows on the other.
"Which way do we go?" I asked, looking at John's profile.
"You said they were headed to London. They could take the main road, the same one we took when we visited William, or the back roads. However, I doubt he would take the back roads; they might go unnoticed that way and be harder to follow but the point of leaving while we were detained at a ball was to gain distance fast. I hardly think that crook would worry about us following them any time soon."
"I agree," I nodded. John sped up and I spurred on Damian to keep up. "What was on the paper?" I shouted over hooves hitting the dirt. It was fortunate I returned wearing my jeans; the idea of horseback riding in a ball gown didn't sound appealing and changing in that case would have taken too long with the many layers that left me trussed up like a goose.
33
A Great Big Whack
We followed the main road from Hawthorn to the crossroad where we could either turn left for the center of Westbridge or right to follow the country road until we connected with the larger main road that led through the bigger towns and cities to guide travelers on their way to London. Our clothes were already getting dusty from the road and it was a chore to keep an eye on every bend and twist when it was black out except for the moon and stars which offered little light to guide us.
"Are you still alright?" John said, looking back at me. He was keeping up the gallop but both horses were winded, Brutus had spittle flying from his bit.
"You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. We just have to keep this up until we find Beth," I said, brushing flyaway hairs out of my face with one hand and holding on to the reins with the other.
"Ho, boy," John said, gentling his horse down to a trot and patting him on his flank. I pulled up beside him. We couldn't keep up the gallop the entire time, but neither could Mr. Danby and he'd be driving a coach with Beth and whatever things she brought. The extra weight meant they were traveling slower than us; it just depended on how much of a head start they had gotten.
"On the main road, a coach can reach up to eight miles an hour," John was explaining. "But that is in perfect conditions, depending on the horses and the state of the roads. Especially in evening conditions, it might be half that, whereas we are riding light on two of my best horses. If they aren't too far ahead or have taken a different route, there should be no reason why we couldn't find them before they reach London.
"London was about a four-hour ride, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it's about thirty miles away. However, we do need to get to them before they reach the city. Once they disappear into its depths, we'd be hard-pressed to find them. I wouldn't know where to start. Danby could be taking my sister anywhere; London is a large place to get lost in."
"We'll find her," I said, hoping my conviction would reassure John. He contemplated the situation while we rode on in the dark, a bristle from Damian here, a neigh from Brutus there, and the constant rhythm of hooves hitting the dirt.
Coming up on our right was a tollbooth, its guardian already stepped outside to welcome us. John leaped off Damian and led him to the round-faced man. I followed suit.
"Have you seen a carriage come by not too long ago?" John said.
"Perhaps," the man said, noncommittal. "This is the main road to London; we get a lot of traffic."
"Even this late at night?" John asked, looking around. We hadn't seen anyone on the road after we left behind the smaller ones that led back to Westbridge. "We are trying to find my sister. A man took her; he would've been driving a carriage with a young blonde woman; he'd be dressed like a dandy."
"Now that you mention it," the man said. "Might've seen them no more than a hour past, could be less. Tall fella, had an ornate cane just for show. He was in an awful hurry and tried to stiff me on the tolls. But as I always say, tolls gotta be paid, else we get no maintained roads, and no one wants to be riding o'er naught but potholes."
I gasped excitedly. "John, that has to be him."
"You are quite right," John told the toll booth man, and paid him his dues. "Is there some water for the horses?"
"Behind the booth, there's a trough," the man said, pointing in its direction.
"Thank you," I said, at which the man nodded, then John and I led our horses around to let them drink.
"If we hurry, we'll be able to catch up with them soon," John said to me when the horses were watered, and we were back in our saddles.
"I just hope William manages to get the police to us."
"We can hope for the best but assume that they may take a while. We probably will have to confront and stop Danby on our own." John let out a wry smile. "I might have to keep Beth locked up in her bedroom after this is all said and done."
"I know what you mean," I said, shaking my head. Then, more serious, I continued, "Mr. Danby is an asshole, taking advantage of Beth when she's seen so little of what happens beyond the walls of Hawthorne."
"I didn't know," John said, downcast. "I was just trying to keep her safe but by trying to protect her, I made her vulnerable, naive."
"It's not your fault. You did what you thought was best, as any parent would have done. You had to raise Beth after your parents died and I think you have done a marvelous job. Not every man would have taken up those responsibilities and been so caring with his kid sister."
"I didn't have a choice," John said plainly.
"That's not true. Everyone has a choice and your reaction right there tells me everything I need to know about who you are as a person. Beth is lucky to have you as a big brother, and I am lucky that I've gotten to know you."
"You say that as if we won't have more time to get to know each other," John said, staring at me, his gaze a bit uncomfortable.
"I don't know. I mean, when I left the first time, it was because of our fight."
"Do you want to go back after we find Beth? Did you only come back because you felt obligated to tell me about her well-being?" John asked.
"No, God no!" I exclaimed.
"Because I'd understand, if you wanted to return to your own time, that is. You must miss your family and the conveniences you have like that phone thing you showed me."
"I mean, I would miss them," I said. "And yes, I'd miss some modern inventions."
"You must tell me about some of them before you go," John interjected with a painful look.
"But I don't want to go. I'd like to stay here with you and Beth, if you'd have me."
"Are you completely sure?" John said, straightening his back. I nodded. "Just to make sure there are no misunderstandings then, I intend to court you after this, if you let me."
"I would like that a lot," I said. John grinned widely.
"That is settled then." I smiled a toothy smile as well and immediately guilt hit me that I was so happy when we were still racing to find Beth.
Our chase wasn't done yet. We had been riding for many miles and there were still more to go. My butt and calves were aching from being in the saddle for so long; my muscles would need a long hot shower to relax, something I couldn't do anymore.
"I think I can hear them," John hissed. I pricked up my ears and tried to listen past the sound of our own horses beating down the road. He was right; it was faint, but I could hear something heavy creaking and hooves hit the ground in the distance. We urged Brutus and Damian on and soon saw the dust kick up in front of us from a wagon riding fast ahead. I had to shield my eyes from the sand and grit being flung our way.
"Are you sure it's them?" I shouted towards John.
"No, but it has to be them. Who else would be out here at this time. A normal person would have found an inn to stay at." John sped up Damian even more.
"Beth," he shouted hoping for an answer from his sister. John caught up with the carriage and rode alongside it.
"For God's sake man, stop the coach," he shouted at the man sitting in front. Danby looked back at John and me with anger and determination written in the lines of his face. He slapped the reigns, so the two horses spanned in front of the carriage picked up their speed. "Danby, don't be a fool. Your coach won't be able to outrun my horses," John urged.
"Let us go," Danby shouted.
"I will not let you go but, if you stop so I can return with my sister, I promise I won't follow you." Danby shook his head and kept driving the horses on. John slowed down a bit and reached out and tapped the wooden shutters as hard as he could.
"John, what are you doing here?" Beth said, as she opened the shutters and saw her brother riding to keep up with the carriage.
"Beth, Danby isn't what he seems," John shouted out of breath.
"What do you mean?" Beth said, then she directed her voice at Mr. Danby. "Percy, please stop."
"Return to Westbridge," Mr. Danby slung at John.
"Beth he's trying to marry you to get to your money. He's done it to other girls." Beth looked horrified.
"He can explain," she yelled. "Percy, stop the carriage. Let us talk." She looked even more horrified when the man showed no intention of stopping, and he was instead urging the horses on, jostling the carriage erratically, shaking her around inside.
John hurried beside the two horses and made a grab for the reins. My heart skipped a beat seeing Brutus so close to the wheels of the carriage and John bent away from his horse, his right arm stretched out towards the leather leads. One false step could make him fall and get caught between hooves and heavy turning wheels; they'd turn him into pulp. Beth stuck her face out of the window.
"John, be careful!" His fingers tapped at the leather and slipped. I held my breath. He reached even more.
"Danby, stop this madness," he shouted. John lifted almost completely out of his seat and with a big heave, he grabbed a hold of the lead and leaned back into his saddle. Pulling the leather towards him, he managed to get the two horses to slow down. Danby was seething.
"How dare you," he said, but control of the coach was now fully in John's hands. A few hundred meters further, the horses and carriage made it to a full stop. John jumped out of the saddle and ran to the coach door. I jumped off Damian as John held the door open for Beth.
"John, look out," I screamed. Danby emerged from the driver’s seat at the front of the carriage with a gun pointed at us.
"I told you to let us go," he said. "Beth go back inside," he motioned with the gun.
"Beth, get behind me," John ordered. Beth's eyes flitted between the two men and the inside of the carriage, then backed up slowly to stand behind John.
"Percy, what are you doing?" she said, a tremble running through her every word.
"He was going to take you to London to get a hand on your dowry and then leave you with nothing, weren't you Danby?" John said.
"Is that true," Beth said, cowering behind John.
"You might've been the last one, with the size of your dowry," Danby sneered while he gestured with his gun.
"I trusted you," Beth said as if she couldn't believe the turn of events.
"I have to thank your brother for your naivety," Danby said, then straightened his aim and he returned his focus to John.
"How did you know where to find me?"
"Simple deduction," I yelled from the side of the road. Danby turned his head towards me, and John rushed forward to snatch the gun from him. Danby, however, noticed and reacted too fast; he pulled back his dominant arm and with the other, hit John square in the chest. John stumbled.
"Beth," I hissed at my friend and John’s sister, while wildly waving my hands. She ran to me just as Danby fired his gun and narrowly missed John. Beth ducked down next to me in the weeds at the side of the road. John had leaped behind the carriage for coverage, but Danby was still holding the gun. It wasn't a fair fight.
"You should've let us go," Danby said again, his attitude bolstered by the metal in his hand. "Perhaps I should settle down with your sister after all. Once you are gone, she would inherit the entire place, isn't that right? That's easy enough to take care of," he pointed the barrel towards the sky.
"Danby, man, see reason. The constable is coming for you. Your scheme is up," John said from his hiding place. There wasn't anywhere else for him to go and Danby was inching closer.
"Stay quiet," I whispered to Beth. Then I crept along the side of the road, hoping that Danby wouldn't notice me. I was glad it was nighttime, which helped hide us. It seemed I was in luck as he was too focused on his own ego at the back of the carriage, regaling John with what he would do with the money. I tiptoed my way to the front of the carriage on the left side. John noticed me from the other side and shook his head, but I held my pointer finger against my lips and continued to look for anything I might be able to use. My hand felt around on the floor by the driver’s seat and my knuckled bashed against something hard and smooth rolling around. I pulled it out as quietly as I could and recognized it once I had it in my hands. Danby's cane, he had used it for show when Beth and I met him when we went to Norah’s.
My fingers curled around the stick and I stalked close to the side of the carriage. I wasn't sure what I should do but then I heard Danby’s slick voice again.
"There you are," he said, together with a cocking noise. I could hear John trying to shuffle away.
"No," roared out of me and I leaped around the back and whacked the cane as hard as I could, aiming at Danby’s skull. It connected with his head with a hard thud. A deep grunt left him, and he sagged to the ground like a sack of potatoes. With my eyes closed, I gave him another whack for good measure; the man deserved it. John ran towards me.
"Are you alright?" he asked, then snatched the gun out of Danby’s hand and checked the man's breathing. "He's alive, but you hit him hard. He will most likely be asleep for a while." John took the cane from my hands. "Rose, you just saved me. Your bravery astounds me; I don't know how to thank you." I squeezed my arms around him. No reason to keep up propriety any longer, I thought. I needed a hug, and I needed his body against me. At first, he stiffened at my sudden attack, but then he relaxed and rested his cheek against the top of my head and squeezed me back.
"Are you both safe, what happened?" Beth said, as she tentatively walked towards us.
"Rose here gave Mr. Danby a great big whack with his cane and saved my life," John said as he let me go. Beth gasped.
"Good. I wish I would have." John looked back at the man passed out at our feet.
"Can you help find some rope? We should tie him up before the constable and William arrive and before he wakes up." Beth nodded.
She found some inside the padded coach benches which John used to tie Danby's hands and feet together. With a quick pat down, to make sure the man didn't have any knives or other sharp objects on his body, John carried him inside the carriage, dropped him on the seat. He fastened the end of the rope around a beam. Strung up like a chicken, Danby was unable to even hop away from us.
34
An Indecent Proposal
“I have to ask again," John said. "Are you certain you want to stay here, with me, and not return to your own time and your own family?" I nodded and opened my mouth to answer but he pressed his index finger against my lips. "Because, if you aren't, I will let you go even if it would pain me to do so. However, if you say you are, I will never let you go and you will not get the chance to change your mind. I don't think I could bear to say goodbye after I let you into my heart."
He grabbed a loose lock of my hair and tucked it behind my ear. We were standing in his study, dusty from riding, and a bit sore, but safe despite everything that happened. John and I explained everything to Beth, to her growing wonder and horror. Shock finally took its toll on her and she was now sound asleep in her own bed. The same couldn't be said for Mr. Danby; he was now in custody of the law and wouldn't be sleeping in his own bed for a long time, if not forever.
"I instructed my friend to explain my situation to my parents. They will know where I am and why I have chosen to go. I can't pretend that it wasn't a difficult decision, but I've grown fond of Hawthorne, of Beth, and Estelle, and Mrs. Avery, and Hugh."
"And me?"
"And you."
"Just fond?" John said, coming closer. "Or…"
"Well, let me think."
"Seems you need to do a lot of thinking," he grabbed me by my waist and pulled me towards him. "I think we might have to change that." His body pressed solid against me.
"Oh, fine, I give up." I said, as John nuzzled my neck. "I love you; I wouldn't have returned for anything else.
"You," he said, as he placed a kiss right below my ear. "Love," he murmured, kissing the tender skin on my neck. "Me," he finished with a kiss at my collar bone. John looked back at me with such hunger that a shiver ran through my body. "I think we need total privacy for what I'm about to do." He turned the key and locked the door to his study.
