Two Notorious Dukes (23 page)

Elizabeth galloped into the park at Grosvenor
Gate and brought the horse to a stop. It reared with the
harshness of her check on the bridle, but she was a fine
horsewoman. ‘I’ve never ridden astride before. It
certainly makes a difference, when you‘re in a hurry.’
Sarah smiled knowingly.

‘Where do you think we should look?’ Sarah
asked softly.
‘We should circumnavigate the park. Sooner or
later we will see the coach and then we’ll know where
they are.’ Elizabeth turned her mount towards the
Stanhope Gate and trotted on, breaking into a canter
after a few minutes.
‘Do you think they would actually be on the
King’s Private Road?’ Sarah asked scandalised.
‘No. That’s the last place they would be. In fact, I
think they maybe over by St. George’s Row. If they took
the west road, there are two Guard Houses, the King’s
Private Road and the south road are right by the
Barracks, so that only leaves the northern road.’ She
pulled her mount up again, turned and at the gallop
retraced their steps, passing Grosvenor Gate and
turning at Cumberland Gate. Elizabeth saw a coach in
the distance. ‘It’s getting light.’ She said ‘and I see a
coach.’
They slowed and watched the coach as it pulled
up. Elizabeth sucked in a sharp breath as Alexander
Audley got out, his hawk like face illuminated by the
lantern on the front of the carriage. He was followed by
a man she didn’t know and they set off into the trees.
Being led by someone. Elizabeth took her horse off the
road and picked her way carefully through the trees.
She could see a group of men up a head and stopped.
‘We have arrived.’ She murmured.
‘Good morning, Beresford.’ Argyll said
cheerfully. ‘I take it your principle is ready for this?’
‘I can see yours is.’ He muttered as Robert took
off his cloak and handed it to Burke, who had just
finished setting up a little table complete with a hunting
set and a bottle of brandy.
‘Shall we have a drink first?’ Argyll offered as
Robert accepted a silver cup full of the fiery spirit. The
gentlemen gathered around the table.
‘Just like old times, Sir.’ Burke said quietly. ‘Up at
the crack of dawn and death for breakfast.’
‘Yes, but this time we’re not cannon fodder!’
Robert replied with a wicked grin and took a sip of the
brandy. ‘Is that my best?’ he said and Burke nodded
smiling.
‘Took it out of the cellar last night, Your Grace.’
He said formally. ‘There are only four bottles left.’
‘I suppose I’ll have to get some more.’ Robert
muttered as he finished his drink. ‘Well, shall we get
started?’ he said looking at the lightening sky and taking
off his jacket.
Burke took the pistol case and on the little table
opened it up. He took out each pistol, broke it down
into its separate parts and re-assembled them for all
parties to see. He took the powder measure and the
powder flask, measured the set amount of powder out
and tapped it down the barrel of each pistol, followed
by the cotton wadding. Then he took a lead ball and
dropped that down the barrel too. Taking hold of the
ramrod, he rammed the charge down firmly, showing
his expertise with loading a pistol. Using the powder
flask again he primed the pan, released the striker,
checking the seating and then laid the pistols back in the
case.
All four gentlemen had witnessed the fair
loading of the pistols. ‘Satisfied, Beresford?’ Argyll asked
and Beresford nodded his head.
‘Gentlemen, choose your weapon.’ Burke said
and watched Robert take the first one out without
hesitation. Audley’s hand shook as he lifted the gun. He
looked as if he’d never had one in his hand before.
‘Gentlemen, please stand back to back. I will
count to twenty. At that point you will stop, turn and
fire when you are ready.’ Burke explained. Beresford
opened his mouth to say something and then shut it
again as Argyll looked at him with a frown. Burke was
giving the instructions for a standard duel. ‘Are you
ready?’ Robert nodded firmly. Audley nodded in panic.

‘One.’ Robert took his first pace forward and the lump
in his stomach vanished.

 

‘Two.’ Elizabeth heard the numbers and clicked her
horse forward.

 

‘Three.’ Argyll turned and helped himself to more
brandy.

‘Four.’ He offered the bottle to Beresford who nodded
and held out his cup.
‘Five.’ Audley was trying not to shit in his best silk
britches.

‘Six.’ Robert noticed the birds singing in the trees.
‘Seven.’ Audley stumbled over a tussock of grass.
‘Eight.’ Argyll finished his brandy.
‘Nine.’ Elizabeth slowed to a stop again.

‘Ten.’ Sarah pulled up beside her and felt her heart
hammering in her chest.

 

‘Eleven.’
He looks so dashing!
Elizabeth thought as her
eyes sparkled.

 

‘Twelve.’
I could do with a brandy!
Sarah thought as she
watched, fascinated.

 

Thirteen.’ Robert smiled to himself.
Like old times,
indeed!
He thought.

 

‘Fourteen.’ Argyll yawned, as if he didn’t have a care in
the world.

 

‘Fifteen.’
I’m glad that’s not me!
Beresford thought as
he looked at Robert.

 

‘Sixteen.’ Elizabeth clicked her horse forward again.
‘Seventeen.’ Sarah followed her.

 

‘Eighteen.’ Audley let out a definite sob. They all heard
it.

‘Nineteen.’
Nearly there.
Robert thought.
‘Twenty.’ They stopped and turned to face each other.
‘You may fire when ready!’ Burke said loudly.

Beresford was astonished at the cold, blank
expression on Robert’s face as he cocked and levelled
his pistol, placed his free hand over his right breast and
closed one eye.

Argyll almost burst out laughing at the look of
terror on Audley’s face as he tried to keep his pistol
steady.

Robert waited. Even at that distance he could
see Audley’s pistol moving around.
He won’t be able to
hit a barn standing inside it!
He thought, but still he
didn’t fire.

Audley broke first and yanked on the trigger,
making the pistol jerk, as the powder flashed in the pan
and the ball exploded from the barrel.

Half an ounce of lead hit Robert in his right
armpit and because Audley’s pistol was wavering so
much, the ball punched its way out of the pectoral
muscle on Robert’s chest, between the thumb and
forefinger of his left hand. He grunted at the pain and
almost folded over. Burke went to move to him and he
shouted. ‘Don’t! Stay there.’

Now he’s at a disadvantage
, Audley thought and
smiled evilly.

‘Oh! Dear!’ Argyll muttered. ‘I wish he hadn’t
smiled.’
Beresford looked at him sharply.
Robert looked down at his useless right arm, the
hand still clutching the pistol as his shirt filled with his
blood. He took the gun from his right hand, settled it
comfortably in his left and turned his body the other
way. Slowly he raised the gun and pointed it at Audley
again.
Audley’s smirk turned into grimace. Robert held
the tension and then he gently squeezed the trigger.
Another half an ounce of lead exploded free of a
pistol and began its trajectory towards its target. Audley
prayed in that split second that Robert would miss
because he was shooting with his left hand. And then
there were no more thoughts in Audley’s head, as the
bullet passed through his frontal lobe and exited from
the parietal lobe, taking half his skull with it. He stood
upright for a few seconds as his eyes rolled up in his
head and then he literally fell backwards like a tree
falling over.
Robert dropped to his knees as Elizabeth
galloped in, throwing herself off the horse and reaching
him before he fell on his face.
‘Robert, my love?’ she spoke to him clearly,
without panic as she put her arms around him and
carefully steered his body onto his side. Suddenly Burke
was beside her. He had a wad of cotton and he thrust it
into Robert’s armpit and proceeded to strap his arm to
his side.
Elizabeth leaned over him, talking all the time.
‘Robert, can you hear me?’
‘Yes.’ He gasped and groaned as Burke moved
his arm. ‘Oh! God! That hurts!’ he sobbed and she could
see the tears on his face.
‘Burke is securing it, and then we must get you
home.’ She said firmly, as she could see the emptiness
in his eyes. ‘Can you understand me?’
‘Yes.’ He whispered and closed his eyes.
‘Sarah? Go and get the surgeon. Have him meet
us at the house.’ Elizabeth ordered as Burke, Beresford
and Argyll lifted Robert and carried him to the carriage.
She retrieved the pistols and replaced them in the case,
snapping it shut. She could see the little basket that
Burke had taken the hunting set out of, so she swept
everything in there, folded up the table and carried it
and the basket to her horse, gathered up the reins and
walked to the carriage. Burke took the accoutrements
from her as Robert was settled inside, and climbed up
with the coachman. Argyll swiped the bottle of brandy,
stepped inside and the carriage was on its way.
Elizabeth stood and looked after the coach,
watching it disappear on its way to Cumberland Gate
and Park Lane.
‘My Lady?’ Beresford attracted her attention.
‘You should leave, now.’
‘I will in a moment.’ She said and walked her
horse to where Alexander Audley the last Earl of
Craanford, was lying on his back, with the whites of his
eyes showing. ‘Honour is satisfied.’ She said softly. ‘Will
you move him, My Lord?’ she asked.
‘No, my Lady. As soon as you depart, I shall get
in my coach and go home for some breakfast.’ He
laughed coarsely. ‘Would you give the Duke of Goring a
message for me?’
‘I will, My Lord.’ She said and turned to him
expectantly.
‘Tell him I agree with him and will wait for the
arrival of the child.’
She arched her eyebrows in surprise. ‘Just that?’
he nodded. ‘Very well.’ She held out her hand. ‘Good
morning, Lord Beresford.’
He took her hand and gently kissed the back of
her fingers. ‘Good morning, Lady Audley.’
Elizabeth smiled and climbed onto her horse,
settling herself in the saddle, she turned the horse’s
head away from him and kicked it into a gallop and
headed straight for the Grosvenor Gate.

The Doctor that had attended to Elizabeth the
previous day was standing on the steps waiting for the
carriage. He helped Burke, Argyll and the coachman get
Robert inside and up to the Green Room.

Lady Verity was standing in the hall as the men
passed by, holding Sarah’s hand. ‘Where is Elizabeth?’
she whispered.

‘I must assume she will be here soon.’ Sarah
whispered back, but Verity could hear the shock in her
voice. She yanked Sarah into the main drawing room.

‘Don’t tell me you watched the duel?’ she asked
in horror.
‘I didn’t have any choice really.’ Sarah said and
the tears arrived like a dam bursting. ‘I didn’t realise he
would be shot or that the other one would be killed!’
she gabbled out as Verity engulfed her in her arms and
held her heaving shoulders.
‘Ladies are not meant to see that kind of thing,
my dear.’ Verity patted her back and rocked her
consolingly. ‘I think Elizabeth needed to see it, but you
didn’t.’

Upstairs the Doctor ushered Argyll out of the
room and he and Burke started to deal with Robert’s
injuries. The first thing the doctor did was open his case
and take out a cauterising iron, which he placed in the
coals of the fire. Burke started to get Robert’s shirt off
and the doctor took out some scissors to help. They had
just finished when Elizabeth arrived.

‘I’m sorry but you must wait outside.’ The doctor
said huffily. ‘And you’re supposed to be in bed, not
gallivanting around on a horse.’

‘Doctor, I’m fine. Now I will hold him while you
deal with this!’ she said firmly, stripped off her jacket,
climbed on the bed and manoeuvred Robert’s head and
shoulders into her lap. He was actually better
positioned, so the doctor didn’t say another word, just
slowly lifted the arm and carefully removed the pad.

The blood pulsed over Robert’s chest and
Elizabeth started to pray in her mind that he would
survive this.

‘I see, yes, the ball has passed straight through.’
The doctor murmured. ‘I’ll need to check his ribs first.’
And promptly he started to press on the side of Robert’s
chest above and below the hole in his armpit. The
further up he pushed the arm, the more Robert
moaned. Eventually the doctor had the arm upright, but
bent at the elbow. He asked Elizabeth to hold it there
and it took both hands to stop Robert from pulling it
down.

Burke bustled in with a stack of towels and a
bowl of hot water and the footmen were on the landing
waiting for whatever would be needed next.

‘I need to irrigate this.’ The doctor muttered.
Burke asked for a jug.

Argyll went down to his study and opened the
safe. He removed fifty guineas and dropped the coins in
a small leather bag, tightening the drawstring as Verity
barged straight into his study without even knocking the
door.

‘Johnny you must come and see to Sarah.’ She
demanded and he followed her.
He saw Rogers on the landing and handed him
the little bag. ‘For the surgeon.’ He said softly and
Rogers nodded.
He went into the drawing room to find his
fiancée in such a state of distress that his first thought
was to sweep her up in his arms. He sat on the same
ecru brocade settee and hugged her to his chest,
rocking her like a child. He shushed her and whispered
endearments in his ear.
‘I think you should be in bed, my dear.’ He said
softly as Verity bustled out of the room to see to the
doctors requirements.
‘Take me to bed.’ She whispered, ‘please?’
He lifted her in his arms and practically ran up
the stairs to his bedroom in the ducal apartment. He
slammed the door shut and locked it.
Frantically they removed each others clothes;
until naked they stared at each other. ‘This should
happen on our wedding night.’ He whispered hoarsely.
‘I can’t wait that long!’ she said just as hoarsely
and suddenly she was trying to burrow into his chest.
He picked her up and almost threw her onto the bed.
There was no finesse for either of them; it was like a
burning need. A need to be fulfilled. Argyll was aware
that she had only had sex once, so he was a little more
restrained than he wanted to be, but he still forced his
knee between her legs. He kissed her harshly as he
slowly entered her. ‘Yes!’ burst from her throat as she
arched her back to receive him and he made love to her
with long quick strokes, until her body was trembling on
the verge, when he slipped his hand between them and
stroked her in just the right place. Her orgasm exploded
like a firework, making her cry out and groan as her
internal muscles contracted and pulsed with her
hammering heartbeat and he shuddered with the
strength of his release. She clasped her arms and legs
about his body as if she was drowning.