Serena (21 page)

~ Twenty-One ~

MOTHER NATURE IS perverse and a damned nuisance
, the squire thought as he sat bolt upright to the crack of thunder.
What the devil?
He had not expected a storm, for the day had been beautiful.

He got up, shrugged on his brocade dressing gown, and slid his feet into his slippers. He then padded over to the window just in time to see what had been his large, grand old and noble oak as its roots tore from the ground and it creaked as it fell over, a victim to the storm.

The old oak had been there for as long as he could remember, and he sighed sadly. Serena had warned him that the tree appeared to be dying, and he should have been prepared for this, but … ah well.

He looked at his mantle clock and saw that it was just past midnight. As he stared through the darkness he suddenly realized the tree’s huge branches had hit Serena’s terraced balcony.

His hand went to his heart, and with a loud shout he hurried to his bedroom door, flung it open, and made his way down the hall to Serena’s bedroom.

He pounded with some force at her door and called out her name. “Serena! Are you all right …? Serena!”

He tried the latch, found it unlocked as was her habit, and opened it wide. By this time, both Davis and his valet were up and rushing towards him, asking what was amiss.

He stood and stared at the damage. A goodly part of the tree had crashed through her lovely French doors, and the hangings were covering a portion of its huge branches.

Davis lit some candles, and the three men stood staring for a moment before the squire said foolishly, “Serena?”

All three men stared at a bed that had not been slept in. “Where is she?” he turned and asked of Davis.

Davis cleared his throat. “I can’t say, squire, but I noticed her quietly leaving the house about two hours ago.”

“Did you by God! And why was I not told?”

Davis hung his head, the squire’s valet looked the other way, and the squire said, “You have all been covering for her, all these years, and now see what comes of it!” He was pointing towards the tree in her bedroom.

Davis cleared his throat and dared to say, “As it happens … ’tis a good thing … for if she had been sitting in her chair where she sometimes reads into the night … well, Miss Serena could have been hurt.”

The squire glared at him. “Right then, there is nothing we can do at the moment, is there? I shall need a fire set for me in the library, where I mean to await our lady’s return, and by God, I shall have some answers!”

“Yes, Squire.” Davis bent his elderly head and sent a sideways glance at the valet, who said, “I shall come and help you …”

The squire looked at the damaged room, the empty bed, and thought,
Serena, what are you up to now?
A slight smile curved his lips, for he adored her. Still, even though he knew who she was at bottom, this late-night disappearance had him worried.

He hoped it was not a romantic assignation, because he had come to notice that his dear niece had eyes for only one man, Lord Daniel Pendleton. He had also noted the way his lordship looked at Serena. Something definitely was in the air.

Would she meet the blasted fellow in the dead of night? Would his lordship ask her to steal away in the dead of night? No, it was something else, and he was terribly concerned because of this business with the gold shipment. She was far too interested in the matter. What to do now?

What could he do now? He would wait until she returned. She had to return safe and sound. She simply had to, for the thought of any other possibility took the breath from his lungs!

* * *

Guns were pointed with deadly intent as Serena calmly said, “You may want to think this out, gentlemen.”

“Your flash covey won’t kill the reverend,” Joe Reed said.

“Perhaps not, but he would most definitely shoot him, which might allow the reverend to shoot you or your friend over there. That’s right, then what? Oh, I know, then he turns to shoot Freddy, but you see, I will have had the opportunity to take your gun because you are dead and I am quick, and I have no qualms about killing him dead, no, I don’t. So, what say you to all of that?”

Eustace saw his chance.

Joe Reed and Mack were looking at Serena and Freddy. He got off a shot. It was quick but accurate, and he got Mack squarely in the chest. Mack cried out and went down in his corner.

Freddy took his opportunity and shot Joe Reed, who let out a howl of pain. As Joe went down his gun went off and hit the lantern, causing it to burst into flames.

Serena saw Eustace make a wild dash out of the crypt and said, “Freddy, he is getting away!”

“No, he isn’t!” Freddy said and gave chase with Serena at his back.

They lost sight of him in the dark of the woods, and they stopped to look at one another. “Where would he go?” Freddy asked.

“I would guess he will need to make his escape. He will need money, clothes, and a horse. He has backtracked and gone to the rectory!”

“Right … Serena, but I want you out of this now. Go and get help, and I will—”

“No, it will be too late. Come on. I have a plan.”

“What?” They were already rushing through the trees, but instead of going up to the house, Serena led him to the stables.

“What are you doing?” Freddy hissed.

“He can’t go on foot … can he? So …” She smiled widely.

“Certes!
Bright girl,” Freddy returned.

A few moments later they had put halters and lead lines on both the carriage horses and Eustace’s riding horse, and led them as quickly as they could out of the barn. Their goal was to get to their horses as fast as they could, but they hadn’t gotten far when a hard, angry voice warned, “Stop right there!”

* * *

Billy and his lads hadn’t run far when Billy stopped and said, “Right then, I think something is towards, don’t ye?”

“Aye, but Billy, it has naught to do with us,” Al said.

“Maybe it does, and maybe it doesn’t,” Billy said enigmatically and eyed each of his friends.

“But, Billy,” Al said on a groan.

“Listen to me, lads, something big is going on in these woods, somethin’ we best be having a look at. Since when do we run like cowards?”

“Aye, but, Billy, that isn’t why we are here.”

“We can poach anytime, anywhere, but tonight we are for somethin’ bigger … are ye not with me?”

They grumbled in different ways but all said they were with him.

“Then, this is the plan. We go back and see just what the reverend is doing this late at night. Right? We stay low, and we don’t get caught,” Billy told them with the self-assurance of natural command. He knew his friends would follow his lead. They always did.

“Aww, Billy,” Al tried one more time.

Billy put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Al, ye got m’back?”

Called to order, Al stood up straight. “Oi do, Billy, as always, Oi do.”

A few moments later they were weaving their way through the dark woods when a gunshot rang out. They all stopped dead and looked at one another.

“Just as Oi thought,” Billy said.
“Trouble.”
He grinned and said, “Let’s lay low another moment or two before we go see just what kind of trouble it is,
eh, lads?”

* * *

Serena and Freddy moved closer to one another, and with like minds, they each released the horses they had been leading away.

Serena rolled her eyes as the horses lingered beside them. Eustace waved his gun in their direction and told them to stand aside as he reached for one of the steeds.

One of the three horses snorted and suddenly swerved away, causing a bit of a commotion, and Serena managed to clap her hands and shout at the steeds, “Off … off with you!”

Eustace forgot himself as his temper evidently got the better of him. He dropped the lead line of his horse, hauled off with that free hand, and hit Serena hard across her face.

She reeled backwards with a cry and went down. This spooked the horses to further unrest, and one of them took off at a gallop. Another followed as the horse Eustace managed to recapture pulled on his lead.

Freddy started to lunge at the reverend. “You despicable scoundrel!”

“No, Freddy … no!” Serena shouted as she saw Eustace level his gun for his shot. She was up and rushing Eustace, and he turned, aimed his gun at her, and said in a deadly voice, “
Don’t.”

A masculine voice full with authority and the promise of death said at Eustace’s back, “Precisely what I was about to say. Don’t. And, if I were you, no sudden moves.”

Serena almost started to cry. He had come. He was here. She didn’t have to think anymore. She didn’t have to worry that Freddy would be killed
. He
was here.

Lord Daniel Pendleton’s gun poked Eustace’s back, and Freddy was exclaiming in high glee that there was no one like his uncle, who was the best of all Corinthians.

His lordship said, “Freddy … pick up the gun Eustace has dropped, and then, let’s search his body for another.” Even as he kept his gun pointed at Eustace, he glanced at Serena, now on her feet and said, “Come to me, Serena …”

She did as he asked, and he looked down at her and said, “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head, for she was momentarily speechless and nearly overcome by emotion. He eyed her and said to the reverend, “
Damn your soul to perdition
. I should beat you into the earth. I should drain you of your blood and then pour it down your gullet till you choke on it.”

“But you won’t,” Eustace sneered.

“Won’t I?” his lordship said and handed his gun to Freddy. “
Won’t I?”
A moment later, he was doing just that.

Serena screamed and called his name. “Daniel …
stop,
Daniel …”

His lordship stopped and saw that Eustace was nearly unconscious on the earth. The reverend’s face was covered in blood, and even so, he wanted to keep on beating him. Serena had stopped him, and he put an arm around her, drew her in close, and told her, “He deserves to die for laying a hand on you.
And you
, what do you and Freddy mean going off like that? You shall never do so again, do you hear me?
I shan’t have my wife
roaming around the country chasing blackguards and scoundrels unless I am with her. Are we clear?”

She couldn’t answer in words so she got on her tip toes and kissed his lips, her own trembling and her heart soaring.

Freddy watched them with astonishment, and then a slow smile curved his lips. As though suddenly remembering him and their surroundings, his lordship and Serena turned and looked at him, and Freddy told them, “Zounds! You see, I knew she belonged in our family, didn’t I?”

A shaky laugh resulted, but as his lordship turned and made a decision about what next must be done, Billy and his lads arrived on the scene.

“Coo,” Billy said admiringly. “So, you have this all wrapped up nice and tight, don’t ye, guv?”

“Do I?” his lordship said. “I don’t have a notion what
you
are doing here, but I am happy for it. I would like you and your boys to see Miss Serena safely home while my nephew and I collect this scoundrel and deliver him to the authorities. Can you do that?”

“Can Oi?” he asked, well pleased. “Whot say ye, lads? Can we do that?”

The boys all mumbled that this was great sport and that, yes, they could do just that.

Serena however, objected. “I want to go with you and Freddy.”

“I am sure you do, but I want you well out of this.” He grinned at her. “After all, I can’t very well take you into town with you dressed like that, now can I?” he teased.

She smiled shyly and bantered back, “Then I am dismissed?”

“Never will you be dismissed, my love. I have been a fool, but no more. Is that understood or shall I say it again?”

“Yes, you shall say it again and again,” she answered softly.

“Agreed. Now I want you out of this weather, my girl, and safely home. I shall see you tomorrow when I call on you and your uncle,” he returned quietly.

Freddy watched and shook his head. “Lovesick puppies!” he said and laughed out loud.

~ Epilogue ~

HIS LORDSHIP STOOD tall and handsome at the altar. How had she been so lucky as to win his heart? His smile as she walked towards him was so full of love that she wanted to cry.

Had only a month gone by?

How had things turned out so well? She had almost given up hope that she would ever win Daniel Pendleton’s love.

What a month. So much had happened since that blood-thirsty night.

Afterwards his lordship told her that he and Freddy had loaded Eustace’s unconscious body into the wagon, during which Freddy rang a lecture over the wicked man’s head.

The bodies of Joe Reed and Mack were recovered with the gold the next morning, and his lordship decided to try and give Tuthill as much credit for it as was possible, to keep both Freddy and Serena’s names out of the affair.

She had been escorted home by Billy with his friends in tow. Two of the lads had taken one of Eustace’s carriage horses, while Al and Billy took the other two. All the lads rode bareback.

Billy had eyed her with a smirk and a laugh and said, “Just can’t stay out of trouble, can ye, Lady Sunshine?”

“Apparently not,” she had answered. She had laughed as they took their job so seriously and returned her to Moorely. She had insisted they go inside and was surprised to find Davis, his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at her.

He advised her that her uncle awaited her in the library, and she gave the boys to his care, asking him to kindly see them all fed.

She had gone to her uncle immediately and begged his forgiveness. He was so relieved that she had returned to him safely, although he saw the bruise on her cheek and muttered quite a few unintelligible sentences when she finally explained how it got there.

He was proud of her in spite of his wagging finger and the lecture that ensued.

His lordship, as he had promised he would, came to her the next morning and immediately took her uncle aside before he returned to her and told her that he would not live another day without her in it.

Her Daniel went down on one knee and begged her to forgive and marry him. She pulled him up and threw herself into her arms. They laughed and kissed and laughed and kissed some more.

Freddy went off to school and had a couple of weeks’ work to make up, so it wasn’t until he returned for their wedding that they heard from him again.

Eustace was taken to London to stand trial not only for robbery but treason. The leak was traced to his cousin, who held a high-ranking position in the Home Office and threw it all away for a share in the gold, which thankfully safely made its way to Wellington.

A reward for the recovery of the gold was in order, and Serena demanded and collected it so that she was able to turn it over to Billy, who said, yes, he would share it equally with his lads. The reward was such that these four families would never know poverty again.

Before she turned from her giggling bridesmaids, she took a long look at herself in the mirror, savoring the moment. This was her wedding day, and she wanted to remember everything from the long white lacy veil that covered her honey-gold locks, to the silky white gown embroidered with pearls throughout and how it slinked in a straight line over her figure, to the train of lace and pearls at her back … everything.

Her uncle had knocked at her door and opened it, and she had rushed to him so fast that he had chuckled and told her, “Slowly, sweet Serena … slowly.”

All she wanted was to get into his arms once more, but she moved as slowly as she could as they made their way to the ballroom, decorated in flowers and ribbons for her wedding day.

She smiled at Freddy standing in as his lordship’s best man, an honor he fought with Sir Jasper to win. His lordship’s sister and Freddy’s siblings were all there grinning with pleasure, and she looked forward to getting to know them all better.

She smiled at Warren, who had proposed finally to Miss Parker, and hoped he would make the young woman happy.

Suddenly she was there being given by her uncle to her Daniel.

Words went over her head as the minister spoke. She trembled as her beloved slipped the ring onto her finger.

When the minister said “You may kiss the bride,” her heart rang out,
Oh yes, oh definitely yes, Daniel, kiss the bride
. She could contain herself no longer, and to the chuckles of their family and friends, she threw her arms around him and kissed him so that he knew,
this was love
.

~ * ~