by Fanny Finch
“Would you risk your life to save someone you loved?”
He blinked a few times, looking at her with an odd expression. “I… I would, yes. If you were ever in danger, Lady Elizabeth, I would move mountains to save your life. You are a treasure to this world, the finest woman in the land.”
He stood up and took the few steps to her chair, dropping on one knee once he was close enough. He took her hand and looked up in her eyes. “Lady Elizabeth, I will make you a fine husband. I will protect you at all times. You need never fear harm as long as I am around. I want to make you the happiest woman in the…”
His words were cut off by the sound of a scream in a room close to the parlor.
Lady Elizabeth and the Marquess of Cramilton both shot to their feet. He spun around and stared at the open doorway. In moments, Phoebe was next to her lady.
“Lady Elizabeth! Did you hear that!” Phoebe cried out.
Lady Elizabeth turned wide eyes to Phoebe. “Yes. She screamed fire.”
The three rushed toward the door. Lady Elizabeth and Phoebe ran across the foyer to the kitchen, where they suspected the scream had come from.
When she reached the door, Lady Elizabeth looked over her shoulder.
the Marquess of Cramilton was running for the front door.
He was leaving.
Chapter 55
The Duke of Thornwall had spent the entire day in London, after traveling for several days, searching for Lady Elizabeth’s home address. His demeanor came across as sour and he found it difficult not to smack the people who could not tell him where she was. He immediately assumed they were just refusing to tell him because of the scar on his face.
He felt like a monster as he scoured the streets, looking for the woman he dearly loved.
Finally, he met an innkeeper who knew of the Owens family and was willing to tell him where they lived.
“I heard you inquiring of that gentleman,” the innkeeper said quietly, leaning over the bar where the Duke of Thornwall was sitting, looking forlorn. “You want to know about the Owens family.”
“I would like the address, if you please.”
“Of course, Your Grace.”
Α warm feeling passed over him, relieved that he had gotten the address he was seeking. It was a relief to him. She never mentioned it and he never caught her staring at it. She did not even see it now. He was willing to bet all he possessed on it.
The Duke of Thornwall almost lost his breath completely. It rushed out of him and he stared at the innkeeper in silence, just for a moment.
The man took out a piece of paper from behind the registration desk and picked up a pen, dipping it in the nearby inkwell before signing his name. He wrote an address at the top and then drew a small map for the Duke of Thornwall how to get there.
The Duke of Thornwall wished he was already there. He hurried from the Inn, tossing some coins in the man’s direction. The man pleasantly scoffed at the flying coins, waving his hand in the air.
The Duke of Thornwall felt as if he had wings on his feet. If he could have run the entire way, he would have without hesitation. Just to get to her. To be with her once more.
He climbed into his carriage, instructing his driver to make haste .
When he finally saw the road up to the Winterset mansion, his heart began to pound even harder. He thought if it beat any more, it might come right out of his chest.
His breath came and went rapidly. He was nervous that she would not accept him, that she had already chosen the Marquess of Cramilton over him. Lady Agatha said she had been forced to leave and that, given a chance, she would not have. He was hopeful she would come back with him to Thornwall Castle with her companion and they would court until their marriage.
He would take care of her for the rest of her life. He would keep her safe and protected. She would want for nothing.
He raced up the path to the house, jumping out as soon as the carriage.
The situation was so familiar to him, he had to press his fist into his eyes to make sure he was really seeing it.
He could see servants running back and forth on the front lawn, some of them simply standing in one place, staring at the house. The Duke and Duchess of Winterset were staring up at the building which looked fine to the Duke of Thornwall from where he was.
The closer he got the more the scene looked like it had the day of the Argyle fire. He lifted his head and stared at the drifts of dirty grey smoke lifting through the air.
He smelled smoke.
Terror filled him as his nightmare came flooding back to him. Chills covered his body.
He jumped from the carriage directly behind a man standing next to the Duke and Duchess of Winterset. Phoebe was standing in the side. She was staring at the house with agony painted all over her face and tears in her eyes.
“She was right behind me, my lord. I swear. I was pulling her hand and trying to get her to come out but she was so panicky, she ran in the other direction. I wanted to go after her but the other servants were telling me to get out and…”
“Where is she?” The Duke of Thornwall came around from behind him and stared him in the eye. He instantly recognized the coward before him, remembering him from several seasons while he was courting Sophia. He had the opportunity to dance with Sophia a few times before the Duke of Thornwall secured her as his own but there had never been any form of rivalry between them. It was the Marquess of Cramilton.
And now he was standing outside the house, watching it burn from the inside out, and did nothing to try to save Lady Elizabeth or anyone else?
“Where is she?” he demanded, grabbing the front lapels of the Marquess’ jacket and shaking him forward and back. “Where is she?”
“I… I left her in the… the foyer, sir,” the Marquess of Cramilton looked like he was about to lose control of his bowels. It was one time the Duke of Thornwall used his scarred face and scary appearance to intimidate someone.
“You left her! You did not even try to save her, did you?”
“I… I tried…”
“Liar! You are a liar!” The Duke of Thornwall shrieked the words.
“I am sorry.” The Marquess of Cramilton seemed to crumble. He dropped his head, his red face betraying his lies. “I… I had to get out. I am so afraid of fire.”
“You are afraid of fire but not losing someone you dearly love? You do not love Lady Elizabeth. Where did you see her last?”
“She was heading for the kitchen, sir. I think that is where…”
The Duke of Thornwall shoved the Marquess of Cramilton to the side, making the man fall on his backside.
The Marquess stayed on the ground and yelled after the Duke of Thornwall, who was running to the front door.
“That is where the fire is, my lord! That is where the fire is!”
The Duke of Thornwall took the steps up to the front door two at a time. His heart was pounding with fear but he was not going to lose another woman he loved to the curse of fire. He did not care if he lost his life this time.
He would rather die than go through the rest of his life alone and unhappy, having lost the only two women he had ever loved.
The front door was standing open. He could see the inside of the house was filled with smoke. He yanked a handkerchief from his front breast pocket and held it over his mouth and nose, running into the burning house.
Chapter 56
The Duke of Thornwall ran through the foyer, heading to the right. He had neglected to ask where the kitchen was. He was dismayed that he might lose time, Lady Elizabeth, and maybe his own life because he had forgotten that fact.
He ran to the right, where it seemed most of the fire was.
“Elizabeth!” he cried out, forgetting the proper title in his fear. “Elizabeth! Where are you?”
The door to his right was open. Smoke was billowing from it. Already boards from the ceiling were falling, the fire consuming the house quicker than he remembered from the last time.
H
e looked up when a loud cracking sound met his ears. He passed through the door to the kitchen, coughing from the smoke, just as the chandelier came crashing down, the crystals and glass exploding when it hit the ground. Shrapnel flew through the air.
The Duke of Thornwall ducked just in time to miss tiny glass shards that flew through the doorway.
He stayed in a crouched position, knowing the smoke would rise and the oxygen was closer to the floor.
He pulled the handkerchief from his mouth long enough to scream out her name a few times. Then, coughing violently, his lungs on fire, he began running through the large dining hall toward the door that would inevitably lead to the kitchen.
It did not matter where the fire started. Only that it was not eating up most of the left side of the house.
“Elizabeth!” he cried out once more. He would not be able to call out much longer. The smoke had filled his lungs and he was barely breathing already.
He heard the faint sound of a voice calling out to him. She was saying his name. She, too, had forgotten the proper address of a duke. She was screaming his Christian name.
Tears filled his eyes and he knew they had nothing to do with the smoke in the house or the heat of the fire burning around him. She loved him. He could hear it in her voice.
He had to save her.
He called out to her, despite the pain that ripped through his hot throat. She called back to him and he ran in the direction of her voice.
“Elizabeth!”
“I am in here!”
He heard her voice coming from the other side of the room and ran in that direction. A large cupboard was on its side, blocking a door from opening. Lady Elizabeth was banging on the door, screaming for him.
“Malcolm!” He could hear the fear in her voice. “Malcolm, help me! The door will not move!”
“Stay there!” the Duke of Thornwall cried out. “Just stay there! I will get the door open! Stay there and wait. Get down on the ground where the air is clearer.”
He stared at the burning cupboard in front of him, holding one arm up to block the fire and heat from his face. He looked at the cupboard from top to bottom, trying to think of a way to get it moved without burning to death doing it.
He turned and looked behind him, searching for something in the room he could use. His eyes settled on a large throw draped over the back of a chair. He moved his eyes again and they fell on a water pitcher on a table by the door.
Without hesitation, the Duke of Thornwall ran to grab the pitcher. He took it to the throw and began pouring the water over the blanket. He shook the pitcher as hard as he could to get every last drop as quickly as possible.
He yanked up the wet throw and ran back to the cupboard, throwing it on top of the cupboard, over the fire. It worked just enough for him to reach across to the back of the cupboard and pull it toward him.
He stepped back and let the cupboard fall flat at his feet. He yanked the smoldering blanket up and tossed it on the bottom, knelt down and put his shoulder against the large object. He pushed with all his might, shoving the cupboard away from the door.
He was on his feet again immediately. He took the few steps to the door, turned the knob and yanked it open.
Lady Elizabeth was standing on the other side, her blond hair a mess on her head, dark streaks of soot on her cheeks.
“Elizabeth!” The Duke of Thornwall cried out once more, throwing his arms out to her.
She ran into them, sobbing.
“We must get out of here!” The Duke of Thornwall put his arm around her shoulder and turned back to see the throw had now caught on fire and the entrance to the room was blocked.
He looked around, trying not to panic. He spotted a window on the other side of the room and without saying anything to her, he pulled Lady Elizabeth to it.
“What are we going to do?”
The Duke of Thornwall could hear what the smoke and fire had done to Lady Elizabeth’s throat. It was the same with him when he responded.
“We have to go out this window.”
“It will not open enough for an adult to get through,” Lady Elizabeth said, terror in her voice.
“I will make it open enough.”
Instead of trying to open the window, the Duke of Thornwall picked up a bust of Shakespeare sitting on a pedestal near him. He held it in both hands and smashed it against the window, splintering it down the middle. The second hit shattered the glass. He beat against the sill and the jam of the window until there were no wooden pieces in it.
He looked back at her, holding out his hand. “It is big enough now. Come, my love.”
Lady Elizabeth ran to his side and stuck her head through the window, gulping in fresh air. She could see servants running around as the fire brigade began putting out the fire. The servants were aiding them.
She wondered if everyone had gotten out. She wondered about Phoebe, who had disappeared while Lady Elizabeth was searching for servants that might still be in the burning inferno. Her heart was pounding hard.
She looked at the Duke of Thornwall with wide eyes.
“Go, Lady Elizabeth. Go!”
“Yes, my lord,” she said. “But you have to promise me you will be right behind me. I do not want to lose you. You have saved my life””
The Duke of Thornwall wanted to cry. His eyes filled with tears that did not fall. He swallowed hard and nodded. “I will be right behind you, my lady,” he said, softly.
Lady Elizabeth jumped through the window, landing lightly on her feet just a few feet below. She looked up at the Duke of Thornwall as he came through the window, stepping back so he would not land on her.
As soon as they were free of the building, the Duke of Thornwall grabbed her into his arms. He held her to him for a moment before pulling away and holding her at arm’s length.
“We must go around front so that your parents can see you are safe. Your mother is panicking.”
“The Marquess of Cramilton left me, my lord. He did not even try to help. He went straight for the front door at the first sign of danger. But you… you came for me. You are here and you came for me.”
The Duke of Thornwall shook his head, brushing her disheveled hair down so that it was smooth. They began to walk toward the front of the house.
“You need not worry about anything anymore, my love,” he said. “I will be your protector from now on. I will save your life as many times as I have to.”
Lady Elizabeth grinned up at him. “I do not want to be in any more situations where there is a need for you to save my life. But I do want to be with you only.””
The Duke of Thornwall laughed softly but it ended in a cough that ripped through his throat painfully.
They came around the front of the house to see the Duke of Winterset standing to the side while the Duchess of Winterset berated the cowardly Marquess of Cramilton. Phoebe stood in silence behind her.
The Duchess of Winterset turned to see the Duke of Thornwall and Lady Elizabeth approaching.
“Elizabeth!” she cried, holding her arms out wide. Lady Elizabeth broke away from the Duke of Thornwall to run into her mother’s arms. The two women shared hugs with Phoebe following as the Duke of Winterset gave the Marquess of Cramilton a scornful look and turned his back to him.
The older man marched toward the Duke of Thornwall, holding out one hand.
The Duke of Thornwall took his hand and they shook firmly, the Duke of Winterset slapping one hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “You have done well, son. You have saved the life of my daughter. I am most grateful.”
“I could have done nothing else, Your Grace,” the Duke of Thornwall responded. “She is very special to my heart.”
“Thank you, Your Grace!” the Duchess of Winterset came at him unexpectedly, with tears in her eyes.
Epilogue
“I have never seen anyone as happy as him,” Lady Elizabeth said. She looked up at Lady Agatha with a smile. “It makes me happy, too.”
La
dy Agatha grinned. “How can it not? He is adorable, Lizzie.”
They were sitting in the courtyard, which was now filled with people, light, and action. The Duke of Thornwall had opened the doors of the courtyard to the people in town, allowing them to sell their wares, visit, and offer crafts within the castle walls.
Lady Elizabeth and the Duke of Thornwall’s two-year-old son was sitting on a blanket in front of them, playing with one of the children from the town. Lady Elizabeth did not know what they were doing, but they were having fun doing it. Phoebe was a bit further away talking with a few other women but always watchful in case Lady Elizabeth needed her.
