A wheel of the carriage had broken, the culprit—a large rock, similar to the one she tripped over earlier, making it easier for Lord Ross to abduct her. The shattered pieces of the wheel lay scattered around the area.
The carriage had toppled onto its side and was lying on the ground, the horses were struggling to get up. The driver lay sprawled on the road, the bright colors of his uniform visible even from a distance.
From inside the carriage she heard Lord Ross pounding the walls and shouting for help.
Serves him right. She picked up her skirts again and resumed her escape.
“Seraphina! Please, you must help me,” Lord Ross called out, presumably knowing she had not gotten far.
Well, he could starve to death for all she cared. Or maybe a wild animal would come and attack him.
“Seraphina!” he called louder this time and she turned to see him struggling to get out of the door, though he was only able to hoist himself up enough to hold on to the door frame with his arms. “I am injured. You must come to my aid. The horses need you too. Look at them.”
Against her better judgment Seraphina allowed her gaze to drift to the horses who were tangled in the harnesses which had twisted when the carriage had toppled over. They were flailing about but could not get up. Their shrieks of terror tore at her soul.
No! Surely someone else would be along on their way home from the assembly and they could assist Lord Ross and his horses.
Her gaze moved to the driver. At first, she had assumed he was dead, but now she saw one of his arms move.
Bloody hell! Why could she not simply leave them all to their own suffering? Had not the driver been complicit in his master’s evil actions?
But what about the horses? They are innocent animals.
With a groan of aggravation, she heeded her conscience, mindful of her husband’s words just hours before when their time together was cut short by a pounding at the door. “Someone might need my help.”
As she strode toward the wreckage, she focused her attention on the horses. She had little experience with horses, and so she approached the frightened animals with particular caution and hoped she would know the right thing to do.
Surveying the situation, she saw the reins were tangled in the harnesses holding the horses to the carriage. Despite her shaking fingers, she loosened the reins and the horses managed to stand immediately and when they did, the carriage righted itself.
A huge sense of relief washed over her and for the first time since this ordeal began, she smiled. She carefully walked around the horses looking for any signs of injury, but it appeared they had been frightened but not injured.
With a happy feeling of accomplishment, she turned to check on the driver. Though she had told herself her only concern was the horses, she could not walk away from an injured man.
As she leaned over him trying to determine the seriousness of his injuries, a pair of arms grabbed her about the waist. She shrieked loudly the horses took off, dragging the broken-down carriage behind them.
“I knew you would come back to me because you know you are mine.”
The voice of Lord Ross hit her like a bucket of cold water and she froze. How could she have been so stupid?
In her worry over the driver, she had somehow forgotten about Lord Ross. But once the carriage was upright, even if it tilted to one side and was not driveable, he had managed to exit and now held her captive again. Why, oh why, had she not continued on her way to safety?
She struggled against his hold. “I thought you had injured yourself,” she said.
“I lied.”
Fear turned to fury and she kicked backward with one foot and managed to land a blow to his manhood. His arms fell away, and Seraphina ran as fast as she could toward Briar Glen. Maybe, just maybe, she could outrun him.
She could not. Even with the injury she had inflicted, Lord Ross, fueled by anger and possible insanity, charged after her and tackled her to the ground. The two of them struggled but she was no match for him and he soon stood, holding her against his body, a gun to her head.
Lucas’ determination to make a stealthy approach vanished when he heard his wife’s shriek followed by the wild careening of the other carriage as the horses took off. He had no idea if his wife was in the carriage, but he could see it was damaged and unlikely to travel far, though with a team of frightened horses, anything was possible.
He was feeling rather crazed and frightened himself.
Although the other carriage had disappeared around the bend, two people were visible next to the road. When the moonlight glinted off of a pink dress, his heart soared. Seraphina. Only a few yards away.
Leaping from the carriage before it came to a complete stop, he raced toward his wife only to come up short.
A man he had never seen before was holding a gun to her head. A gun. To his wife’s head.
“Let her go,” he said, wishing he had brought a weapon along, but as a man who had seen and attempted to repair the damage caused by firearms, he had a general aversion to their use. Not anymore. Now he wished he had a mighty musket to blast the head off the man who dared to touch his wife.
Though she tried not to show it, he recognized the fear in Seraphina’s face and his blood continued to boil.
“I said, let her go.” As though repeating his demand would suddenly have an effect on a madman.
“She is mine. Bought and paid for.” The man with the gun tightened his grip around Seraphina’s waist, his beefy hand pawing at her slim form.
“She is my wife. You have no right to her.”
“I have a contract. She was sold to me by the owner of a whorehouse in London. Did you know your pretty little bride is the daughter of a whore?”
“I am well aware of her background and it is of no consequence to me. Let her go.”
“Lord Ross,” Seraphina said, her voice barely a whisper, “please, do not do this. I am sure one of the other girls at Lady Hartpence’s would be glad to be your girl.”
“I want you.” He turned her face to him and kissed her on the lips.
That was more than Lucas could tolerate. Gun or no gun. Lord or no lord. He dove on the two of them and all three fell to the ground. Lucas wedged himself between Seraphina and Lord Ross and grabbed hold of Lord Ross’ wrist, forcing the gun away from the tussle.
“Seraphina,” Lucas said, nodding toward the carriage, “get in the carriage. Go back to Briar Glen and get help.”
She stood over them. “No, I will not leave you.”
Lord Ross managed to stand, dragging Lucas up with him when Lucas would not let loose of his wrist.
“Seraphina, do not argue with me.”
“Seraphina,” Lord Ross said, wrestling his arm free of Lucas and aiming the gun at him, “if you leave, I will shoot him, right here in front of your eyes. I loaded this gun myself and I assure you, it will blow his head to bits.”
No, this could not be happening. She thought all was lost when Lord Ross captured her, but now he intended to kill her beloved Lucas.
She could not allow such a tragedy to happen.
“Go!” Lucas said. “I will be fine. Send help as soon as you get to town.”
Lord Ross cocked the gun and pressed it to Lucas’ temple. “One more step and I will kill him and still take you with me. Is that what you want, Seraphina?”
For a breathtaking moment she stared at the scene in front of her. The most horrific human being on earth threatening to kill the most wonderful man in the universe. What Lord Ross said made sense. He would kill Lucas one way or the other. At least if she gave in to his demands, Lucas would be spared.
“Fine, I will do as you want. Just let him go.”
“Seraphina, I said no. I will not allow it.” The anguish in Lucas’ voice broke her heart.
“I do not believe you are in any position to be giving orders here,” Lord Ross said with a sickening grin.
He pulled the gun away from her husband’s head and Seraphina let go of the breath sh
e had been holding. Lord Ross poked Lucas in the ribs with the gun. “Get moving.”
“I said I would go with you,” Seraphina said. “Let him go.”
“Ah, you are an eager one. I knew you would be. You must be patient, my dear. We have the rest of our lives for me to give you what you want.”
At those words, a look of sheer rage engulfed Lucas’ face. He turned on Lord Ross and snapped his arm behind his back. “I am not telling you again, Seraphina, go now and get help. It is the only way.”
Lucas had Lord Ross face down on the ground with his knee in his back. Lord Ross had dropped the gun and it was laying on the ground a safe distance away. “Go!” Lucas said again and Seraphina ran for the carriage. She could get to Briar Glen and be back with help quickly and she felt better since the gun was not in Lord Ross’ hands.
Seraphina jumped into the driver’s seat, not quite sure what to do, but she said a silent prayer for divine assistance. Picking up the reins, she changed her mind and drove the carriage closer to Lucas and Lord Ross. “Get in, Lucas. Leave him. We will send the authorities for him once we return to town.”
She was close enough Lucas could jump onto the seat next to her and they could be on their way before Lord Ross could get to his feet. Or so she hoped.
She watched as Lucas considered her suggestion. He gave Lord Ross a shove with his foot and then moved toward the carriage. Relief flooded Seraphina. They would be back in Briar Glen, safe and sound in just a few minutes. She was sure of it.
Before Lucas could take the two steps to the carriage, Lord Ross yanked on his foot and he landed on the ground with a sickening thud and he went very still.
Lord Ross leapt into the driver’s seat next to Seraphina, pulled a knife from his boot and held it to her side. “Give me the reins and don’t get any funny ideas.”
Was her husband dead? Seraphina could not stop staring at his lifeless body. Her own desire to live disappeared. She handed over the reins. What did any of it matter anymore?
Lord Ross took the reins in one hand and kept the knife at her side with the other. He turned the team away from Lucas and the road to Briar Glen and Seraphina felt her heart shatter into a million pieces.
Suddenly Lord Ross dropped the reins and reached both hands up to his throat, the knife dropping onto the seat next to Seraphina.
Lucas! He was not dead, though a large bump was already blooming on his temple. Undeterred by his injury, he had a tight grip around Lord Ross’ neck.
Lord Ross’ face turned red and he gasped for air. When he lost consciousness, Lucas shoved him backward into the seating area of the barouche.
Seraphina glanced into the carriage. Mrs. Fisk, of all people, was seated back there. She had gotten hold of the knife and held it to Lord Ross’ throat, despite the fact he was unconscious. “I am sick and tired of people stealing my carriage,” she said as Lucas steered them back toward home.
Epilogue
Two days later
“What are you doing?” Seraphina chided her husband as she carried a breakfast tray into their bedchamber, finding him sitting on the edge of the bed getting dressed. “You are supposed to be resting.”
“I am done with resting.”
“Dr. Thorpe says you must stay in bed,” she said, setting her tray on a table and turning to confront him.
Lucas’ hungry gaze roamed up and down her body. “Well, if it is a matter of staying in bed, I am certainly in favor of that.” He halted his attempts to get dressed and drew back the covers of the bed, raising his eyebrow to her in invitation.
“Lucas!” Seraphina said, his raw desire for her stirring up the longing she had been holding in check since their return to Cherry Grove Manor after the harrowing night when Lord Ross had abducted her.
They had arrived in Briar Glen with Lord Ross under the watchful eye—and knife—of Mrs. Fisk. The deranged lord had been turned over to the authorities with Lucas’ recommendation, backed up by Dr. Thorpe’s evaluation, that he be committed to an asylum.
Since then, Lucas had been under strict orders from Dr. Thorpe to rest. Seraphina had kept a vigil by his side since then. The blow to his head had been minor, but Dr. Thorpe had still insisted Lucas remain at home and Dr. Thorpe took over his rounds. “You are not doing anyone any good by running yourself into the ground, Lucas.”
Dr. Thorpe was probably the only person who could persuade Lucas to halt his frantic pace.
Once he had been assured of his wife’s safety, and Lord Ross had been placed in a straitjacket, Lucas was finally able to sleep, which he did solidly for more than twenty-four hours. During that time, numerous townspeople, including Mrs. Fisk had called to check on his welfare. Mrs. Fisk had even announced an assembly was scheduled for the following month and she hoped Dr. and Mrs. Spencer would be able to attend. Seraphina assured her they would. It seemed there had been a thawing of relations between the combative Mrs. Fisk and Dr. Spencer.
Even Mrs. Boyd was rapidly on the mend and had returned to the kitchen at Cherry Grove Manor where she devoted herself to preparing all of Lucas’ favorites to entice him to build up his strength.
All was well in her little corner of the world.
Except for her husband’s refusal to follow doctor’s orders. However, seeing the love in his eyes, she could not fault him.
“If the doctor says you are to stay in bed, and I have assured him I would do everything in my power to make sure you comply, then I do not seem to have any choice, now do I?” She worked the fastenings of her dressing gown and dropped it to the floor, joining her husband between the sheets.
“You are all I need, my sweet Seraphina,” Lucas said, his voice a heated whisper against her ear.
The End
Celeste Jones
One day while out to lunch with my mother, she leaned across the table and whispered, "Have you ever heard of spanking...you know, like with sex?" A friend of my mother's had confided in her that she wrote spanking stories for Discipline and Desire. My mother, convinced that her daughter could do anything, suggested I give it a try. I guess mothers do know best because I've been having a great deal of fun writing spanking stories and I owe it all to my mother.
Don’t miss these exciting titles by Celeste Jones and Blushing Books!
Maid for a Lord
Lady Katherine’s Comeuppance
Lady Katherine’s Conundrum
Willful Miss Manchester
Laying Down the Law
Regency Matchmaker Series
His Tempestuous Bride - Book One
His Mischievous Bride - Book Two
Lessons For His Bride - Book Three
Anthologies
Milestones
www.writercelestejones.blogspot.com
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Lessons for His Bride (Regency Matchmaker Book 3) Page 16
