As the man grasped Edward’s hand, Mr Durand said in a voice that was jumpy as its owner, “I am most pleased to do what I can to see this matter cleared up.”
“Excellent,” Edward said as he let go of the man’s hand. “You did not actually hurt the man, did you?” Edward asked the question to Cantara who shrugged a bit.
An oily grin spread across Cantara’s face. “It might be best not to ask such questions,” Cantara said.
“I should have known better,” Edward said with a shake of his head.
Cantara came over to him and embraced Edward in a hug. “It is good to see you well,” Cantara said as he slapped Edward’s back before releasing him. “This place seems to suit you.”
“I am beginning to wonder if that is true,” Edward said with a frown. “Come let us go back to my home where we can rest. We have much to do now that Mr Durand is here.”
Chapter 16
The morning was a bright one with crisp winds and birds that sang too loudly. Edward thought it a good morning for his revenge. He nodded to one of the militiamen that he had met up with. The commander of the men looked at the order and then back up at Edward.
Edward knew that the men were not keen on assaulting peers, but the judge’s writ was specific, and the commander nodded. “Very well,” he said. “You shall accompany us, I assume?”
“Yes,” Edward said with a nod. “I should like to see this done first-hand if that is not a problem.”
The commander shook his head. “As you wish,” the man said. “We shall be ready to go forthwith. Just let me inform the men.”
There had been more than enough evidence against Oscar and James to warrant a court-martial for not only the murder but the subsequent deception that had almost led to Edward’s death. Edward was looking forward to the expression on James’ face once he realised who Edward really was. Edward smiled and stroked his clean-shaven chin. He no longer needed the beard to disguise his features.
Before long, the men were ready to set out, and Edward joined the militia as they rode towards the Dalton estate. The looks they received were of trepidation, but Edward felt as if they were on a march to set his ancestral home free of the conquerors who had taken possession of it. The ride from the barracks to the estate was long enough that Edward had time to think of all that had gotten him to this point.
When Dalton Hall loomed up in the distance, Edward smiled. His thoughts went to Emily for just a moment as he wondered if she would be there. Edward took his thoughts away from her. She had made her decision to be complicit with James when she had married him.
The militia stopped outside the house and was greeted by a very confused doorman who let them in with no trouble. Edward gave the doorman a nod and followed the militia. The commander was speaking ahead in the hallway. “Where is the Duke? We would see him.”
“So, you have come to arrest him then?” Emily’s voice asked. “He is in the study.”
The men filed past the woman. Edward made every effort to avoid looking at Emily, but his eyes betrayed him as they looked at her. Emily turned her face from him and was swiftly down the hallway away from the spectacle.
Edward followed the commander and a couple of the men into the study while the rest lined the hallway or waited in the courtyard. James was glaring at the commander. “How dare you come in here like this? Is this how we English do things now? You just barge into someone’s home.”
“We have orders to arrest you for the murder of Jasmine Durand and attempted murder of Sir Edward Dalton,” the commander said in a voice loud enough to make Edward wince. The man clearly was too used to yelling at recruits.
James’ mouth fell open. “Jasmine Durand? I do not even know who that is.”
“It is the girl you killed in France, James,” Edward said. It was then that James took notice of Edward.
James snarled, “You. What are you doing here?”
“You killed her, and then you framed me for the murder. Did you really think you would get away with that?” Edward eyed the man carefully. He had donned a black wig that lay neat and straight over his shoulders, much like Edward’s own dark hair used to.
James stared at him for a long moment before recognition finally came. “You, it was you,” James hissed. “I will kill you again, and make sure you are dead this time!” James lunged over the desk, but two of the militiamen grabbed him and hauled him back upright. James howled in frustration and lunged yet again at Edward.
“You have no right! I am the Duke of Danborough!” James screamed at Edward.
Edward struck James hard across the face. “I am Duke. You never were anything other than a charlatan. Now get out of my house.”
Edward had never seen anyone come truly unhinged, but at that moment, James was more animal, clawing and scratching, than man. The two men had to drag James away while the man screamed and fought to get to Edward. He grasped at the doorframes and walls all the while screaming that they would not take his title from him.
Edward followed them, and as they sought to put James in the back of a wagon, he snarled at Edward. “You think you will be happy now, but you will find no peace in this place! There is no peace to be had here. You will see!”
Edward looked around at the house. The gargoyle stared down at him, and Edward stared back at it. The commander came up beside Edward, “Will you accompany the Duke to the barracks or go with my men to see this other fellow arrested?”
Edward said, “I will be going with them to see Mr Turlington, Commander.” Edward had to make sure that things were done right. He had to follow this thing all the way through.
Oscar’s township was a short ride from the Duchy, and Edward saw many familiar faces. The amusement he got out of the shouts of recognition had waned by the time they arrived at the magistrate’s office. Edward dismounted and followed the men towards the door.
The building was low and squat. The only door in or out of it was the one directly in front of Edward and the men. As the men pulled the door open, Oscar looked up. He was seated at his desk with a pint of beer. “What’s this now?” Oscar asked. He opened his mouth to say something else, but his mouth forgot speech as his eyes landed on Edward. For a long moment, the man just stared at Edward as if he could not believe what he was seeing. “E—Edward?”
“Yes, Oscar,” Edward said as one of the men began reading the writ to Oscar.
Oscar’s eyes were wide, and Edward could not tell if Oscar had even understood what the writ was that was being read to him. Oscar allowed the man to come up and take his arms with no resistance. “How?” Oscar whispered as the men brought him towards the door.
“A friend took pity on me and help me escape,” Edward explained, “a friend who did not try to hang me.”
Oscar seemed to realise then what his fate was as he looked at the men that held his arms. “So it has finally come,” Oscar said with resignation. “I kept expecting it, even if James said it would not. I knew. It is right that it should.”
“Do not expect pity from me,” Edward said to his once friend.
Oscar shook his head. “Saint Edward,” Oscar whispered as the men tugged him through the door and to the waiting wagon.
Edward took a deep breath and looked around the room. “Saint Edward, indeed,” Edward said to the empty room.
***
Emily took one last look at Dalton Hall as she put her bags into the carriage that would take her back to her father’s estate. She did not have to leave just yet, but she knew that lingering would not stop what was coming. The writ had already been put into motion, and soon Edward would have his title back as he rightfully should. There was no place here for her.
She climbed into the carriage and looked up at Pearl who had come to see her off. “Do take care of yourself, love,” Pearl said as she looked up at Emily. “Are you sure that you would not rather I come with you?”
“This is your home,” Emily said with affection for the woman.
Pearl shook her head
and wiped a tear off her cheek. “What sort of man has the young master become that he would send you away so callously?”
“It is right that I go,” Emily reminded her. “My husband is no longer Duke, and I am no longer a Duchess. It is not Edward’s place to look after the wife of his enemy.”
Pearl scoffed. “I should cuff him about the ears.”
“He might take exception to that,” Emily said with a smile, “but if you do, cuff him one time for me.”
Pearl laughed at the very notion. As her laughter faded, Pearl said, “Promise an old woman that you will come to visit.”
“I promise that I shall try,” Emily said to the woman. In truth, Emily doubted that Edward would stand her presence anywhere near the duchy, but she would try if it would make Pearl happier about her fate. “Take care, Pearl.”
“And you, Emily,” Pearl said with a smile.
***
The trial of Oscar took little time. Edward attended each day that testimony was given. He had taken the stand himself, but thankfully Augustus was not called to face his old friends. Edward did not mind giving testimony in front of the men who had so profited from his death.
Cantara stayed to ensure that Mr Durand kept up his end of the bargain. The Frenchman’s statements were perhaps the most damning of all. Combined with Augustus’ statement, there was little use in defence.
Mr Durand eyed the barrister who asked him to repeat what he had just said. Mr Durand cleared his throat and said in a louder voice so that everyone could hear him clearly, “Captain Winchester offered me a substantial sum of money if I would testify that Major Dalton had committed the murder instead of him.”
“So you are saying that Captain Winchester killed your niece?”
Mr Durand nodded. “Yes.”
The barrister eyed Mr Durand. “How did you know that Captain Winchester killed your niece?”
“I saw him go upstairs with her,” Mr Durand said. “It did not take much to figure out. I told him that I would tell the authorities if he did not give me money.”
Edward felt sickened as he listened to the tale of this uncle who cared so little about his niece that he was willing to deny her justice to make coin. He thought back to all he had endured because Mr Durand had merely wanted to pocket some money. Edward left the courtroom feeling anger and sickness at the memories.
“Is your revenge what you wanted?” Cantara asked.
Edward looked over at the man who was leaned against the side of the building smoking a cigar. “I do not know what revenge should feel like.”
“I never had the luxury of it,” Cantara said.
Edward eyed the gang leader and said, “I suppose it is hard to rage at your very maker.”
“Does not mean that I did not try,” Cantara said with a deep rumble of laughter.
The two of them stood together for a long time outside where the trial was being held. The cold stone seemed to soak through the back of Edward’s coat. There was so little to say that it amazed Edward that people ever spoke.
Cantara asked, “Where is your Emily? I have not seen her, nor heard you mention her since I arrived in England.”
Edward thought back to all he had told the man of Emily. He supposed it would seem odd after all the time he had spent talking to the man of getting back to the woman and reclaiming his name. “She married James,” Edward said in a quiet voice.
Cantara pursed out his lips and leaned his head to the side. “Why did she do that?”
“She said it was to save her father’s estate,” Edward said.
Cantara eyed the much younger man and said, “Women have little power in this world of yours.”
“She had sworn herself to me,” Edward countered.
The man chuckled. “She should be chained to a ghost rather than help her family?”
“I do not think that I am any better choice than James,” Edward said with a sigh. “She is right. I am not myself anymore. I sometimes wonder who I am exactly.”
Cantara said, “People change. I do not think my wife would recognise me today. She would turn from me and shake her head in grief.”
“But she is dead,” Edward said. He looked over at Cantara. “I have to see that look on Emily’s face, and I cannot bear it.”
Cantara shrugged. “Perhaps you are right, and she is better off without you. Can you survive that?”
“I think after seeing her with James, I can survive anything,” Edward said with resolve. He shoved off the wall and sighed. “You should stay in England. There are plenty of fools with loose purses here.”
Cantara chortled with laughter. “It is too wet for my taste. I feel that I will sprout mushrooms any day now.”
“When will you leave?” Edward asked.
Cantara pursed his lips and gave Edward that one-sided grin. “As soon as this fool finishes his testimony, we shall head back. I do not think the men back home could survive too much longer on their own.”
“Godspeed then,” Edward said as he reached his hand out to the man.
Cantara grasped Edward’s hand and pulled him into an embrace. “And you,” Cantara said as the man thumped him on the back.
***
If Oscar had seemed repentant during his trial, then James made up for both of them by being defiant until the last. Edward watched as they dragged him bodily away as he raged against the guilty verdict. James would be taken to jail with Oscar, only James would be hanged. The justice of that felt right to Edward as he left the trial.
Edward went to the rented house where Augustus still stayed to tell the man the ruling. As Edward entered, he stopped. Emily sat with Augustus. She hurriedly stood up. “I did not know you would be back so soon,” Emily whispered.
Augustus stood up as well. He reached his hands out to Edward as if to soothe him. “She was just asking after me,” Augustus assured Edward.
“I will take my leave,” Emily said as she gave Augustus a nod.
Edward stood aside and let Emily pass to the door unhindered. When she was gone, he looked back at Augustus. “I was just coming to tell you that James’ verdict was handed down.”
“I assume he is not going to jail like Oscar,” Augustus said as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.
Edward shrugged. “He will for a bit, but he will not be serving a sentence. They ruled he should hang as a consequence of not only the murder but the attempted murder of an officer.”
Augustus nodded slowly. He looked up at Edward. “You look better without the wig,” he said.
Edward frowned. He had only worn the wig to make a point. He too did not like the notion of wearing wigs. “Yes, I feel more myself without it,” Edward said.
“You cannot go back to who you were before all this. Trust me. I know,” Augustus said with sorrow. “Will you attend when they take him to be hung?”
Edward stared at Augustus for a while. “I very much want the last thing he sees to be me. I remember very clearly his smiling face as I lost consciousness on the end of that rope, Augustus.”
“If that makes you happy,” Augustus said in a quiet voice.
Edward scoffed. “Nothing about this makes me happy. I was happy before my friends had me hanged. This is just … revenge.”
“My parents want me to live with them,” Augustus said. “I suppose that perhaps it is too late to rebuild here. I should go to them.”
The Revenge of the Betrayed Duke: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 25
