Not daring to open her eyes now, her breath came and went in great pants, and Elizabeth slowly realised it was Charles who held her, and that he had carried her to safety within the castle.
Half a dozen rifles and pistols belched fire, smoke, and powder, rising like a vengeful fog, and she heard Adele screaming again and again, because Paul, who had raced toward Elizabeth alongside Charles, now stood directly in front of the animal, his pistol nearly empty, hot blood drenching his clothing and boots.
The great wolf lay still, its massive body riddled with black gashes and holes, but Paul bent down and fired the final round, point blank, into its enormous skull. Slowly, the earl returned to the castle, dropping the empty weapon onto the flagstones as he passed through the doors, and then wrapped his arms around his child, smothering her with kisses.
The earl looked up at Charles, who still carried Elizabeth, for she had now fainted, and he said softly, “Charles, you are right. Kepelheim is right. If we fight them, they will kill her. Take Beth, Charles. Please. Take her, and marry her. I am only a danger to her now. And to my Adele.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-Six
The following morning, Elizabeth slept late, Adele at her side, for the girl had refused to sleep elsewhere. As the duchess awoke, she could hear raised voices downstairs, and it was clear that her grandfather was upset with someone. Turning to Paul’s daughter, who slept peacefully despite the previous night’s events, Elizabeth kissed her and rang the bell for the young woman who had been serving as her maid. The door to the hallway opened.
“Yes, my lady?” asked a young woman wearing a black muslin dress with a long white pinafore and cap. “Shall I set out your clothes for breakfast?”
“Not yet, Agatha. Can you tell me what is happening downstairs?”
The young woman was in her twenties and had lived on the estate her entire life, working first in the kitchens, and then rising through the ranks to become an upstairs maid, and now hoped to serve as a lady’s maid permanently. “Well, my lady,” she whispered so as not to wake Adele, “it’s the post bag, I believe. After all of last night’s madness, begging your pardon, well, his lordship has been calling all over the house. More than that, I do not know.”
“Well, I suppose I’ll need to find out more then. Would you hand me that shawl there, please? I’ll just wrap it around my nightdress and slip down. Oh, and if you’d draw me a bath, I would love to soak for a bit. I shall be back in a few moments.”
She rose, wearing a cotton nightdress trimmed in eyelet lace. Still barefoot, she wrapped the tartan shawl about her shoulders and crept down the stairs until she could observe her grandfather, Paul, and the butler in a huddle.
“When did she leave, man? Did no one see her?” the duke asked, tossing the post bag to the butler, clearly angry.
Laurence remained calm, as was his way.
“Before even Cook was awake, sir. We believe sometime in the night. No one saw her depart, but it is likely that she made her escape using one of our horses when all our attentions were upon the wolf. Black Button is gone, sir, along with her saddle and halter.”
Beth sat on the step, listening and watching, her mind replaying what had happened the previous night. The ‘woman’ must surely be Dr. MacKey, though why she would ride out into a rainstorm Beth could not fathom, unless it was to escape danger. Had the doctor known about the wolf’s plans? Why had she suddenly left off her strange pursuit of the earl?
“Spying, Princess?”
Beth jumped at the voice, turning around to find Charles behind her on the staircase. He sat down, joining her on the steps.
“Last night. That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said softly.
“Paul, you mean? Facing down that wolf? It was. But he might have been killed.”
“No, Beth. Not Paul. He’s accustomed to danger, and he was armed. I meant you. I cannot tell you how terrified I was when we ran to the foyer after hearing Adele’s scream—and thank God that she did scream!—and there you stood. You had nothing to use as a weapon except faith, but you placed yourself twixt Adele and mortal danger. I have never felt such terror nor such marvel all at once in my life.”
She leaned against him, glad to feel his strong arm around her. “If it looked like bravery, then you did not see my face. I was petrified, Charles. I know it sounds mad, but I—I had seen that wolf before. As a girl. And that was all I could think of then. That it was him. The same—I don’t know, entity. The Shadow Man who used to speak to me with his thoughts. Did you kill it? Is it really dead?”
He kissed her hair and held her close. “We saw it go down, all of us; but once we had made sure you’d not been injured—for you had fainted, and I know few men who would not also have done so, my darling—then Laurence and the duke and a few others went out to examine it, but I tell you this truly: the wolf was not there.”
She shivered. “Not there? Oh, how I wish it had been there, Charles! Then it would be possible to put this thought out of my mind. It is a demon, I believe. And it takes many forms.”
“Trent,” he said, for that was the conclusion all the men had drawn, based on Connor’s message.
“No. Not William. It cannot be William.”
He started to ask what made her so certain, but Paul and the duke came up to the steps, for they had heard Elizabeth’s voice.
“Princess, if you’re strong enough, we must talk,” the duke said. “Charles, would you bring her into the breakfast room?”
Charles helped Beth to her feet, noticing she wore no shoes. “Do your feet hurt? I noticed some of the rocks had left small cuts.”
She shook her head. “My feet took a little bruising, but I plan to soak them this morning, if I have time. I’ve a feeling we’re all about to travel.”
He held her hand as they walked toward the breakfast room, a sun-drenched space with many windows and a large oak table with carved legs shaped like great palm fronds, laden now with bread, fruits, cheeses, and blue and white china.
The duke came in and drew Elizabeth into his arms, tears in his dark eyes, holding her as if he dared not let go. “Princess, I thought last night that I would lose you forever! Do not ever do that again! Oh, but you made me proud, lassie. Della would surely be dead now if you’d not been there. I think that doctor may have drugged our guards, for all had fallen into a mysterious sleep. They’re fine now, though all nurse headaches. But that witch has left us, thank the Lord!”
“I’m glad of that,” she answered, kissing him on the cheek. “The wolf—Grandfather, I’d seen him at Branham, I think—and perhaps also here. I used to believe it all a childhood nightmare, but now I remember him. When I saw Adele in danger of that beast, I could not do anything else,” she said simply. “But wait, what else has happened? You look very worried. Is it about the mailbag?”
“Sit, Princess. Let’s eat our last meal here, and then we must all pack. Charles, this came for you in the morning post. It’s a telegram, and it’s not good news.”
Everyone sat and two footmen served a variety of hot dishes, which the men devoured. Elizabeth had no appetite, but she managed a bit of bread and a cup of tea.
“You should eat, Princess,” the duke said. “I don’t know how much food we’ll have on the train, since we’ve not given Armstrong much notice.”
“The train? Then we are leaving.”
“For London. As soon as we can pack and reach Glasgow.”
“It’s a shame Mr. Reid could not convey us in that beautiful airship,” Kepelheim said, digging into a plate of potatoes and sausages. “The view from the air must have been breathtaking!”
Charles set down the telegram and looked at the company, his handsome face now lined with worry. “Paul, have you seen this?”
The earl nodded. “Yes. And for the record, I was against telling Beth, but I was outvoted.”
“What did
you not wish me to know, Paul?” she asked.
The earl nodded toward Charles. “His telegram. It comes from Inspector Reid. But not to say he is on his way with the Queen of the Meadow. Rather he sends a message. One, I fear, was left for you, darling.”
“For me? I don’t understand.”
Charles sat next to her and took her hand in his. “Beth, in most circumstances, I would vote with Paul, but after seeing you last night, I know how brave your heart is. And I believe you are safest when you are given full information. Last night, a young prostitute was found murdered in Whitechapel. I will not go into detail, for Reid gives little information, other than to record a message found at the scene. It reads thusly: Duchess Violetta, Scotland will not protect you.”
Her face grew pale, but she did not tremble. “I had expected as much,” she said, surprising them all. “We have been watched all along, and we have been pointed this way and that. No more, gentlemen. No more. Last night, seeing that thing, that demonic creature threaten Adele was his first mistake. That fallen angel has tortured and tempted me since I was but a girl, and I grew up terrified that one day, he might consume me, but now he has dared to show his claws and teeth to another girl, another child. I will not permit Adele to live as I have. No, gentlemen. We take this battle to him now! How dare he snarl at me like I am his prey? No more will we hide. No more will we defend only. We must devise an offensive, and that offensive begins today.”
Charles broke into applause, and Paul joined him.
“Princess,” the earl said, “you are the bravest of us all. Woe to our enemy, for he has severely underestimated you, as have we, and I ask your forgiveness for that. And though I had originally thought to speak to you in private regarding this, I shall do so rather here, now, before all our company. For that is what we are. The Company of the Duchess. Beth, I have served as your knight errant all your life, and I had hoped that soon the ring you have been generous enough to wear would be shown to all as representing our love and our promise to each other.”
She had gone quiet, fearing what he might say next. “Paul, I…” she began, but he stopped her, moving around the table to sit next to her.
With himself on one side and Charles on the other, the earl continued. “Beth, it’s become clear to me that though you love me, and I know you would live with me as wife for the rest of our lives, that your heart now looks to another. No, don’t speak, darling. Not yet. I have already said all this before these good men, but you should hear it from me. I will continue to serve as your knight whenever needed. I will love you with all my heart until I die, but—but, I relinquish your heart and any pledge you have made to me, and I give both to the man you truly love. To Charles Sinclair, my cousin and my best friend on this earth.”
She had no idea what to say. “Paul, I... I don’t understand.”
The duke rose, too, kissing his granddaughter’s hand. “Princess, we all know that it is Charles who has won your heart. In fact, he has already asked me for your hand, and I have given it—with one requirement, that he vows he will always love and protect you. I think I can safely say that he will not disappoint.”
Charles fell to his knees now, taking her hands in his, his sea blue eyes moist and shining. “Elizabeth Georgianna Regina Stuart, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
Beth could hardly believe her ears. “Is this not a strange setting for a proposal of marriage?” she asked, looking at her clothing. “Here I sit, wearing a simple nightgown and shawl, and no shoes! Would you have such a shabbily dressed bride, Lord Haimsbury?”
“To me, Beth, you look like a queen, and yes, I would. Please, say yes.”
“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes glistening with tears. “Oh, my wonderful Captain, yes!”
He took her into his arms, and for the first time, in front of all their stalwart company, Charles gave her his heart openly, and they kissed, knowing that the joy they now felt might soon fall into tears, for their future—and the future of England and the world—was mobile, and Redwing watched.
End Book One
To be continued in
The Redwing Saga, Book Two: Blood Rites
www.theredwingsaga.com
About the Author
Science, writing, opera, and geopolitics are just a few of the many ‘hats’ worn by Sharon K. Gilbert. She has been married to SkyWatchTV host and fellow writer Derek P. Gilbert for nearly twenty years, and during that time, helped to raise a brilliant and beautiful stepdaughter, Nicole Gilbert.
The Gilberts have shared their talents and insights for over a decade with the pioneering Christian podcasts, PID Radio, Gilbert House Fellowship, and View from the Bunker. In addition to co-hosting SkyWatchTV’s flagship interview program and Sci-Friday each week, Sharon also hosts SkyWatch Women and SkyWatch Women One-on-One. She and Derek speak several times each year at conferences, where they love to discuss news and prophecy with viewers, listeners, and readers.
Sharon’s been following and studying Bible prophecy for over fifty years, and she often says that she’s only scratched the surface. When not immersed in study, a writing project, or scouring the Internet for the latest science news, you can usually find her relaxing in the garden with their faithful hound, Sam T. Dachshund.
Learn more about Sharon at her website: www.sharonkgilbert.com.
Books by Sharon K. Gilbert
Ebola and the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse (non-fiction)
Winds of Evil (fiction)
Signs and Wonders (fiction)
The Armageddon Strain (fiction)
Contributing Author:
God’s Ghostbusters (non-fiction)
Blood on the Altar (non-fiction)
Pandemonium’s Engine (non-fiction)
I Predict (non-fiction)
When Once We Were a Nation (non-fiction)
Blood Lies Page 50
