Lord of the Abbey (49 page)

As Harry was closest, he reached forward, grabbed Sarah’s arm and pulled her away to the side and into Lyon’s awaiting arms. Lyon quickly tucked his sister behind him.

Percy Davitt dropped the knife from his hand and dug inside his coat. He produced a pistol. He cocked the weapon. His finger moved to the trigger as he aimed at Harry.

Harry couldn’t move away, for Rowena was behind him. He turned, gathered his wife in his arms, lifted her off her feet and dove for the floor, holding Rowena tightly to him as they landed with a thud on the carpet covered oak floor.

The sound of broken glass was followed by two rounds of gunfire loudly reverberating in the room. The sound of glass tinkling upon the wood floor broke the ensuing silence. A pistol thunked upon the wood floor.

Wyldhurst peered in from the broken window, still holding his rifle.

Percy Davitt looked down at his bloody chest, one shoulder soaked in blood from the knife wound, the other shoulder bleeding profusely from the bullet wound inflicted by Wyldhurst’s rifle. Lyon’s shot landed in Davitt’s thigh which was now oozing blood. The arm of his coat was already crimson with the blood from his first gunshot wound in the gallery. He let out a panicked sob then limped backwards slowly, pausing to lean against the doorframe. He made strangled, pitiful sobbing sounds as he tried to remain standing.

Micah sprang from the bed, “Lyon, is Sarah-“

“
Sarah’s fine. Check on Harry! Rowena!”

Both Lyon and Micah rushed toward them.

Harry thought for certain he had taken a bullet, but didn’t feel pain anywhere. He looked down to a wide-eyed Rowena beneath him. “Are you harmed, love?”

“
I can’t breathe, Harry,” she croaked, struggling for breath.

Quickly, Harry scrambled to his feet. He saw no blood on his wife. Then a movement at the window captured his attention. Wyldhurst lowered his rifle, grinned at him. “I’d forgotten you were there, Luc.” Harry grinned back.

“
Good thing I was, Harry.”

“
Damned good thing, Wyldhurst, for if you hadn’t myself and possibly my wife might be dead now. Thank you.”

Micah was already helping Rowena to her feet. “She’s fine, Harry. The wind was knocked out of her, is all. You might want to check her ribs though. We’ve both landed on her hard tonight.” Micah cringed when Harry glared at him.
Poor choice of words.
His voice was calm and soothing as he returned his attention to Rowena, “Sit on the bed, Rowena. Take easy breaths, that’s it.”

Harry checked her ribs. “Any pain?”

Rowena shook her head, “No. Not really.” She gasped for breath.

“
Sorry, love. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Rowena smiled weakly. “Don’t be sorry, Harry. You could have been killed! Thank heavens Luc was there and Percy didn’t shoot you.” Tears filled her eyes then. “I can’t even think about your being hurt, Harry!”

Harry carefully stepped into the hallway. He saw the trail of blood leading toward the entry hall. “Where’s Davitt?”

“
He dropped down out here in the drive. I’m sure he’s dead, or close to it.” Wyldhurst turned from the window. He cursed, “Son of a bitch, the bastard’s gone. That man was near dead, I swear it! He fell on his face. Where did the blackguard go so quickly?” He left the window to run to the spot where he saw Davitt fall.

Harry ran through the Manor, met him there.

“
He couldn’t have gone too far. He’s apparently bleeding to death. And leaving a trail.” Harry pointed to the obvious trail of wet blood on the gravel drive and through the grass beyond.

Trevan and his relatives spilled out the front door then. Some of the others ran from their posts outside. They offered to check the entire Manor and grounds for Davitt. Some followed the blood trail. The constable was sent for. The ladies and Sir John rushed down the stairs. Everyone’s excitement was so great, none realized until about thirty minutes later that Lady Caroline was left alone with Tristan Chynoweth upstairs in her bedchamber. All realized the error when a widely grinning Tristan carried the young lady down the stairs. Caroline gazed dreamily up at Tristan. She appeared to be a bit flushed in the cheeks. Some thought her lips might have been a bit swollen.

Rowena smiled.

Harry glowered.

They found out that Lady Sarah left the chamber they awaited in, through a connecting door, to the neighboring chamber to take care of a private necessity,
which is something no one took into account when the ladies were cloistered above stairs with male company for an undetermined amount of time
. That was where Percy Davitt found Lady Sarah. He then forced the girl back downstairs so he might better convince Harry, Lyon and Micah to give him a scroll which he referred to as, the Jesus the Younger scroll.

The substituted cruets and sapphire were gone. A small price to pay really. The genuine treasures were safely stored in Rowena’s wardrobe press behind her unmentionables.

The only concern was that the door was found open to the small upstairs parlour where the Tor tunnel treasures were stored. Thankfully, the scrolls were locked safely away elsewhere. They would never know if Davitt had helped himself to some of the jewels or other abbey treasures.

It was just a small nick Percy Davitt made to Lady Sarah’s neck. Rowena recovered fully within a quarter of an hour from the wind being knocked out of her as well as the case of nerves which ensued. Obviously a result of all that transpired that night. Of course the full glass of brandy Micah forced into her hands helped tremendously. Mrs. Brimble cleaned Micah’s wound and applied a salve to his re-opened wound for Rowena was a bit tipsy by that point, and Harry would not permit her to touch Micah in her inebriated condition.

No one else in their party received any injuries that night.

Harry, Charlie and Trevan supervised a group of men who rode with the Constable to search with torches outside Stonedown’s grounds for Davitt. The trail of blood ended at the river Brue, and could not be picked up again. Of course it was very dark, as well as late. Or rather, early morning.

Percy Davitt disappeared without a trace. They returned to the Manor with the intention of picking up the trail the next morning in the daylight.

Wyldhurst turned over two of the Brown coats captured by the Cornishmen to the Constable. He arranged for George Whitely to go free upon telling the constable everything he knew about Percy and his plans. The Constable also took the body of Dalworth with him.

Joshua Davitt arrived, having heard at the George of the commotion. He expressed his deep sorrow at Percy’s part in the trouble at Stonedown, and assured Harry if he saw his brother he would alert them right away. As it was, Percy’s belongings remained currently undisturbed and unclaimed at the George and Pilgrim.

It was four o’clock in the morning when the Manor quieted and everyone went to their rooms.

Rowena lay wrapped in Harry’s arms. Both were breathless from the powerful release which culminated their somewhat fast and desperate bout of love making which started the moment Harry closed and locked the bedchamber door behind them. Their clothing lay in piles on the floor from the door to the bed. The scare that each might have lost the other that night frightened them both. They clung to one another desperately, while hungrily proving their love to the other.

Harry’s hand roamed over her ribs. “Are you certain you are not sore, my love?”

“
I’ll let you know tomorrow, Harry. Right now, I feel absolutely wonderful.” She snuggled against his muscled chest.

Harry brought the covers over them and pulled her close. Kissed her hair. They fell asleep in one another’s arms.

Rowena woke suddenly. Heard a floorboard squeak. She realized Harry’s arm was draped over her which meant he was still in bed. She heard the rustle of fabric. Someone was in the room.
Oh my God? Could it be Percy? Was he still in the house?
“Harry! Someone’s in the room!” She was terrified, but sat up quickly, holding the covers to her bosom. She couldn’t allow them to be murdered in their bed without a fight.

But, it wasn’t Percy in the room.
It was William Dulac!

She felt Harry sit up beside her. She wondered if he saw the ghost as well.

“
William Dulac?” Harry asked.

“
Aye, my Lord. My Lady. I wish you many years of happiness in your marriage.” The ghost was dressed in a fine blue doublet, and darker blue hose, similar to those he wore in his portrait. His graying hair was shoulder length. He sported a dark blue hat with a jaunty feather upon his head. “You are safe from danger, for a time. There are others who want the secrets. You are not yet finished. You must read the Scrolls, and must find the Secretum Domini. You must protect the secrets. Look there for the chamber.” He pointed to the old wardrobe press to which he pointed the first night Rowena saw him. “Look beyond. Look deeper.” The ghost bowed to them in a flourish, his light grew dimmer.

Harry and Rowena watched as he disappeared completely. They looked at one another, wide-eyed.

Rowena started to crawl from the bed.

“
No, Rowena!” Harry grasped her arm.

“
But Harry, we must look!” Rowena swept her hair from her eyes and tossed her wild curls over her shoulder.

“
We will, my love. But not tonight. The clock just chimed quarter to six, love. You took some hard knocks tonight and need your rest. We are both exhausted. Let’s rest. Looking for the chamber can wait until we rise, hopefully sometime late morning. Come back to bed.”

Rowena sighed, “Very well.”

She snuggled against him once again, and despite her excitement at seeing William Dulac’s ghost, she fell asleep in the warm cocoon of her husband’s arms very quickly.

Breakfast was served in the hour before noon. Most of the Manor’s occupants slept late. Which was anticipated.

Once seated at the long table, Harry informed the others gathered of the visit he and Rowena received from William Dulac. After their breakfast and the conclusion of the search for Percy Davitt, they would move the wardrobe away from the wall in Rowena’s room.

As the Faire on the abbey grounds and the Ball at Stonedown were days away, there was much more work to be done. The tunnel at the Abbey was ready to be searched for a secret chamber. But that task might have to wait until after the Faire.

Micah and Trevan were to decipher the scrolls found in the Tor chamber, and Rowena and Charlie would continue to catalog their finds still safely ensconced in the upstairs parlor. All of the men were given their duties to ready Stonedown Manor for the Ball, and Abbey Grange and the abbey grounds for the Faire. The ladies had their own duties to see to for their part in the preparations.

Percy Davitt’s trail did disappear at the river Brue. Twelve of the gentlemen led by Harry rode with the Constable in the hour before breakfast. There was no sign of Davitt anywhere. He had not returned to his family’s home or the inn. He had not been seen by anyone in Glastonbury. No one had summoned the doctor for him. He was gone. Vanished. They assumed his body would wash up downriver at some point.

By that time the rumors had reached them that George Whitely’s wife, Amelia, had disappeared the night before also.

It still frightened Rowena that Davitt’s body was not found, but Harry assured her, the man could not survive his injuries or the amount of blood loss he obviously suffered.

A small party headed upstairs to move the old wardrobe from the wall in Rowena’s bedchamber.

Lyon, Micah and Rowena stood back and watched as Harry and the four other men moved the massive piece of furniture away from the wall.

“
Carved oak panels set into the panelling! It looks very promising indeed.” Wyldhurst, being the nearest to the opening created between the wall and the wardrobe, was the first to get a glimpse of the wall behind the wardrobe. “And very old. Tudor is my guess. The carved panels are of a harvest scene.”

The others peered around the wardrobe as Harry set to work examining the panels. It took less than two minutes, and he found a trigger. The middle panel opened, revealing another trigger, which opened a door set into the paneling. The portal opened to a small rectangular stone chamber.