Two Notorious Dukes (24 page)

The Doctor delved in his bag for a funnel and
tube. Burke obviously knew what to expect for he rolled
a towel into a bolster, placing it carefully against
Robert’s chest and then placed a towel around the
wound, to catch any spill.

The doctor manoeuvred the tube into the
entrance of the wound and slowly poured hot water
down the funnel. Robert groaned and jumped, as if he
was trying to move away from the heat and Elizabeth
watched the blood and debris run out of the hole on his
chest. Using another towel, the doctor swabbed the
water away and checked the bones again. ‘He’s lucky.’
He whispered.

The doctor looked up, as if he’d forgotten she
was there. ‘Because the ribs are intact. It is just a flesh
wound.’ He kept pressure on both ends of the wound as
he debated how to cauterise it.

‘Do you need powder?’ Burke asked suddenly.
‘Yes, I think that would be best. Cauterise the
inside first and then seal the ends.’ The Doctor said and
Burke left the room.
‘Do you think all of the debris is out?’ Elizabeth
asked looking at the bits of material and lead on the
towel.
‘I’ve cleaned it as thoroughly as I can, but any
material left in there will be destroyed when I cauterise
it.’ He explained.
Burke returned with the powder flask, complete
with pouring nozzle. The doctor forced the nozzle into
the wound and poured gunpowder into it, making
Robert moan again. He did the same on his chest and
then Burke handed him a spill from the fire. He looked
at Elizabeth. ‘Hold him tight!’ he ordered and she
strengthened her grip on his arm.
The Doctor touched the flaming spill to the
wound and the gunpowder burst into flame and shot
through the hole, spewing out like a firework, singeing
the hair on his chest, making him buck and cry out. The
doctor sat back to wait and watch. Elizabeth was
surprised, because the blood stopped flowing, just like
that. After a couple of minutes, the doctor nodded,
picked up the iron from the fire and sealed the outer
wounds with a smell of roasting pork and Robert bucked
again.
‘He won’t want to move it for a few days and he
shouldn’t. Let the burns scab over and give him some
laudanum if he has trouble sleeping.’ He nodded and
smiled. ‘How does your back feel this morning?’
‘Much better thank you, Doctor. I shall get Mary
to put some more of the ointment on, now that this is
finished.’ She smiled at him. ‘Thank you.’
‘Don’t thank me until you’ve seen my bill!’ he
said and packed his instruments away in his bag. ‘Don’t
let him have any more alcohol for now.’
Rogers showed the doctor out, downstairs in the
hall Rogers offered the bag of gold. ‘His Grace’s
compliments and could you please not speak of this
incident?’ The doctor nodded, took the gold with a
smile and vanished into the morning sun that was just
spilling over onto the Square.
‘The bed needs changing now.’ Elizabeth said
and suddenly an army of maids and footmen were in
the room moving Robert, stripping him and the bed,
making the bed up afresh and putting a nightshirt on
Robert.
Elizabeth didn’t think it wise to leave the burns
exposed, so she had Mary get some cotton and made a
couple of pads, which she strapped in place with cotton
bandages. When the footmen laid him back on the bed,
Elizabeth manoeuvred his arm a little so that it wasn’t
rubbing on the wound.
Once all the staff had gone, she took off her shirt
for Mary to treat her back and dressed in just her
chemise and the green morning gown. She sat patiently
in the chair, beside the bed and waited for Robert to
wake up.

‘It was such a shock to see him die.’ Sarah
whispered. ‘I didn’t think anyone would die.’ She lay
with her head on Argyll’s shoulder, her arm and leg
carelessly thrown across his body and her golden hair
splayed across his chest where it glinted in the sun.

He squeezed her shoulder. ‘That’s what duelling
is like. That’s why the King banned it and made it illegal.’
He sighed. ‘Our biggest problem is that Robbie
challenged him in the House, in front of all the peers,
including the Lord Chancellor.’

‘Yes, but there’s no proof that Robbie did it, is
there?’ She asked innocently.
‘Not as long as everyone concerned keeps their
mouths shut about it.’ He looked down at her and
kissed her forehead. ‘And that includes you my love.
You were never there and you’ve never seen a duel.’
‘Make love to me again and I might forget I ever
saw it.’ She said and smiled lasciviously.
‘Do you know you’re a vixen!’ he stated as he
rolled her on her back and kissed her tenderly.

Half an hour later Robert moaned and opened
his eyes. Elizabeth was immediately on her feet. ‘How
do you feel, my love?’ she asked as she stood over the
bed.

‘Like I’ve been shot.’ He said incautiously and
then she saw him thinking about it. ‘I killed him, didn’t
I?’

‘Yes, my love.’ She smiled down at him. ‘Honour
has been satisfied.’
‘What did Beresford do?’ he asked softly.
‘He left him for the crows.’ She said harshly, ‘as
befits a monster.’
‘You do realise this is the first place the Runners
will come, when they’ve identified the body. Every peer
in the land heard me challenge him yesterday.’
‘Really?’ She said in surprise. ‘When was this,
before or after he took me?’
He squirmed but said, ‘Before.’ Then he sighed. ‘I
think I forced his hand and made him move
prematurely. He might have taken you somewhere else,
if he’d had time to plan it properly.’ He tried to lever
himself up and Elizabeth helped to get him settled.
‘Why did you come?’ he asked as she leaned over him
and straightened the covers.
‘Because you slinked out of here without so
much as a kiss. And I wanted to be able to kiss you
goodbye if he got it right,’ she stroked her fingers over
his chest. ‘It was close at that.’ She whispered. He put
his good hand on the back of her head and pulled her
slowly to his face. Softly, but provocatively, Robert
kissed her. Slowly he manipulated her lips open and
delicately he licked the inside of her lips and when she
moaned, he kissed her a little harder and deeper. The
more she moaned, the deeper he kissed her, until he
went to engulf her in his arms and groaned at the pain
in his armpit.
She pulled away from him. ‘Yes, the doctor said
you shouldn’t move it too much.’
‘I feel stiff, more than anything.’ He said softly.
‘It doesn’t feel like this one did.’ He pointed to his
shoulder.
‘That’s because you didn’t break the bones, this
time. It would have been infinitely worse if the ball had
smashed your rib.’
‘Send in Burke.’ He said as he sat up and pushed
aside the bedclothes. ‘I need to be up and around if the
Runners call.’ He said and although Elizabeth disagreed,
she didn’t argue with him. ‘I will also need to show my
face in the house and hear the gossip.’ He added as he
swung his feet to the floor. She nodded and went to
find Burke.
As she was on her way down the stairs, she saw
Burke, talking to Mary and sent him to help Robert. As
she got the ground floor, Lady Verity came out of the
drawing room. ‘Ah! Elizabeth. I’ve ordered breakfast, so
we can get back to normal.’ She said briskly. ‘But I don’t
know where Sarah and Johnny are.’ She said innocently.
Elizabeth laughed coarsely. ‘Really Lady Verity!
Where else would they be. I’m sure Sarah was very
shocked this morning. She has led a very sheltered life, I
think. And I know the only thing I’d want to do would be
to make love to the man I love, unfortunately the man I
love was injured, so I couldn’t.’
‘Oh!’ Verity said, surprised. ‘I didn’t think of
that.’ She said chagrined.
‘I’ll send Carter to inform them of breakfast.’
Elizabeth smiled as she turned and went to look for
Carter.

‘Oh! Johnny!’ Sarah sighed as her internal
muscles relaxed. He rested on one elbow and stroked
his hand down her body from shoulder to knee. He was
still huge within her and he knew he could make love
again. ‘I love you so much!’ she gasped as he pushed
against her contracted passage.

‘I know.’ He said arrogantly as he looked in her
sparkling blue eyes. He pushed again and she moaned
and lifted her hips for him. He smiled gently ‘More?’ he
asked and she smiled back and nodded her head in a
shower of golden curls so Argyll moved slowly and
gently he made love to the woman whom he would
share the rest of his life with. It was slow and
voluptuous and in the end Sarah was shuddering as her
body demanded but Argyll would not be rushed and as
she tripped over into her orgasm she cried out and
started to giggle. An uncontrollable laugh that soon
turned to cries of ecstasy for them both as Argyll
copiously spurted the last of his hot sperm into her
womb. As he collapsed down onto her body, he
clutched her golden curls to his face and she wrapped
her arms and legs about him.

There was a sharp rap on the door and Argyll
shrank away from her and lifted his head. ‘What?’ he
shouted.

‘Her Grace’s compliments and breakfast will be
in half an hour, Your Grace.’
‘Very well, thank you.’ He shouted and looked
down into Sarah’s eyes. ‘I love you, more than I can
possibly say.’
‘I know.’ She whispered. ‘But I think you have an
empty stomach, like I do.’ She smiled ‘and breakfast
sounds good!’

Breakfast was a lively affair, as Verity wanted a
blow by blow account of the duel. After each of them
had told the story from their own unique prospective
Argyll called the gathering to some sort of order.

‘Ladies and Gentleman.’ He said gruffly. ‘It has
been amusing to laugh about this affair and get rid of
the stress and tension it created, but a man died this
morning. This matter is now closed. The event never
took place and we were never there.’ He sighed deeply
and looked at Sarah firmly. ‘It must never be talked
about again, especially to people outside this
household. I’ll deal with the staff after breakfast.’

‘I would expect the Runners to arrive here soon.’
Robert said calmly. ‘So, we must all be shocked at the
Earl of Craanford’s demise and ignorant of any duel,
threatened or realised.’ He looked at Elizabeth,
‘especially you, my love.’ And he lifted her hand to kiss
her fingers.

‘The crown.’ Elizabeth said softly. ‘Unless there is
a cousin I don’t know about.’
‘We had better get to the House.’ Argyll said to
Robert, who nodded.
Out in the hall, Rogers was waiting and fetched
the cloaks with alacrity. ‘Rogers?’ Argyll spoke softly.
‘Inform the staff that each of them will receive a guinea
in their pay packets this week. The doctor was never
here and there was no duel. Make them understand. I
shall be most displeased if one of them should let the
cat out of the bag.’
‘An unfortunate choice of words?’ Robert said
with a smirk and Argyll sniggered.
The House was bustling, as usual. ‘Good
morning, Roding, Goring.’ The Duke of Norfolk said as
he took his seat in the house.
‘What’s Norfolk doing here this morning?’ Argyll
asked.
‘Isn’t he normally holding Prinny’s hand?’
They watched the faces of the men they knew.
Fiery, red haired, the Earl of Rathbone made a beeline
for Robert. ‘Is it true?’ he asked without any pretence of
pleasantries.
‘Is what true?’ Robert asked him with a lift of his
eyebrow.
‘That Beresford is back?’ he asked in a softer
voice.
‘I have no idea.’ Robert whispered back, ‘but
we’d all better be on our best behaviour if he is.’
There was a hush in the foyer as Lord Beresford
stepped through the door. Rathbone scurried into the
chamber, but Robert stood and stared him out, as the
members expected him to do. Beresford sauntered past
with a non committal nod and took his place in the
chamber.
Robert pretended to breathe a sigh of relief and
followed with Argyll a few minutes later. They took their
seats and the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Eldon, opened
the session with a discussion on the army in the
Peninsular.
‘That’s why Norfolk is here.’ Argyll muttered.
The session seemed interminable to Robert, but
suddenly the Chancellors private secretary ran into the
chamber and urgently whispered in the Chancellor’s
ear. Their earnest discussion went on for a few minutes
and then the Chancellor stood.
‘My Lords, I have very grave news for you. The
Earl of Craanford was found shot in the head in Hyde
Park this morning. Do any of you know anything about
this incident?’
Robert had already composed his face with an
innocent expression and exhibited as much shock as the
others as he jumped to his feet and shouted ‘no!’
The Chancellor let the lords present have a few
moments of chatter then he shouted for order. Slowly
the voices died away as all the eyes in the house turned
to Robert Bosworth, Duke of Roding.
‘Why is everyone looking at me?’ He demanded,
affronted by their attention.
‘You did threaten him yesterday,’ Lord Eldon
voiced every man’s opinion to a few hear, hears. ‘You
did say you would meet him with pistols in Hyde Park
this morning, did you actually fulfil that wish?’ the
Chancellor accused.
‘Who me? Never!’ Robert spat back. ‘I only wish
I had!’ He shook his head. ‘Were there any witnesses to
this supposed duel?’ The Chancellor shook his head.
‘Then how do you know it was a duel? He might have
been attacked and killed for his purse, we all know he
dressed like a dandy and it doesn’t pay to advertise how
rich you are in the park, the footpads will have you.’
Again the house erupted with hear hears and a
general discussion took place over the footpads that
lurked in the city streets and how dangerous it was to
be abroad alone at night. Robert had effectively steered
the house away from him as a suspect in a duel and
given them another alternative. The Chancellor let it run
for a few more minutes while he watched Robert
Bosworth.
Did he do it?
He asked himself,
he doesn’t
look as if he did and there is no self satisfied look or a
sigh of relief.
And the Chancellor decided he didn’t want
to know about it and brought the House back under
control.
‘I shall open a debate on the safety of our parks
at a later date, now can we return to the Peninsular
War. My Lord, the Duke of Norfolk!’ he called Norfolk to
his feet and gradually Craanford was forgotten.
By the lunch break, Robert did not look well and
Argyll decided to take him home. ‘I need the licence.’
Robert said distantly. So they approached the
Archbishop of Canterbury before he left the house.
‘A special Marriage licence?’ the Archbishop
looked at them. ‘For both of you?’ his eyebrows were
almost at his hairline in surprise. ‘I suppose I shouldn’t
be surprised, it was only a matter of time until you were
caught.’ He laughed delightedly. ‘Come to my office.’
And he stalked away still laughing.
‘This is embarrassing.’ Argyll muttered.
‘No. It isn’t.’ Robert said and smiled wanly, ‘It’s
necessary. Elizabeth is already pregnant and after this
morning I’m sure Sarah will be too!’
Disconsolately they followed the Archbishop to
his office and stood there stoically waiting for the
documents. ‘Let’s see this one is for you Bosworth?’ he
looked up and laughed. ‘Bosworth, the biggest rake in
London caught in matrimony, ha! Ha!’ He giggled like a
little girl. ‘So what’s the lucky lady’s name?’ he asked,
his pen hovering over the form.
‘Lady Elizabeth Audley.’ Robert said softly.
The Archbishop laughed again and penned the
name into the form. Before he realised what he’d
written, he flicked the licence at Robert and said. ‘Here,
now what’s your intended’s name, Argyll?’ and again
amidst a lot of mirth he filled out the form.
‘Lady Sarah Trevanon.’ Argyll said evenly.
‘So, you can marry in any church, at any time
you’d like.’ He said seriously. He stood and held out his
hand. ‘All mirth aside. Congratulations, Your Graces.’
They shook the proffered hand and left with alacrity.
Argyll helped Robert to get in the carriage and
they drove home.