All three ladies nodded.
Libby did not want to be separated from her husband. “Micah?” She stepped toward him.
Micah bent and kissed her temple. “You’ll be fine, sweetheart. Here take this pistol?”
“But you need something to defend yourself,” Libby protested, holding up her hands.
“I’ve got arms in my wardrobe. Rowena, you want a pistol?”
She nodded.
“Sophia, can you use a firearm?”
“No.” Sophia paled. She shook her head.
“Here.” Micah pulled his knife from his boot and offered it to Sophia. “Jab, stab or wound wherever you can if someone is trying to reach for you. Stay here, ladies, I’ll be right back. Light the candles.”
Micah returned with a pistol for Rowena. He left two more knives on the small table along with two more pistols. “If something should happen to us, and the Brown Coats come for you, shoot to kill; aim for the heart, head, and gut. Knives work well on the face, neck and hands.” Micah moved to leave the priest hole. “Keep safe. I’ll be right outside.”
Rowena nodded. Sophia leaned against her. Libby ran toward Micah again, “Micah! Let me stay outside with you! I’m a good shot.”
“No, sweetheart, you can’t. You must stay safe.” He saw the determination in her luminous sapphire eyes. He bent to whisper in her ear, “I need to know you are safe, Libby. Stay in the safe room with Rowena and Sophia for me, please? I couldn’t think straight if you were with me and there was trouble.” He walked her back into the priest hole.
Libby nodded. Her eyes misted as she turned to face him once again. Libby didn’t like the thought of Micah being left outside the priest hole alone, but she realized he would not have it any other way. She gave him a small smile.
Micah looked at his wife once more then turned his gaze toward Rowena. She gave him a nod. Micah closed the door.
“Come here, Libby.” Rowena held out her hand to her friend. “Ladies this is something you shall have to get used to. I learned during the trouble in Glastonbury that our men do not allow their ladies to remain in danger. It can be annoying at times, but there’s no arguing with them I’ve found.” Rowena motioned for Libby to join her and the teary-eyed Sophia. “We have to stick together, we three. Let’s sit. I should like to call upon the Archangel Michael to give us all strength and protect us all this night.”
“And keep our husbands safe,” Sophia sniffed.
“Yes, keep all of us safe,” Libby added.
Micah watched from the window. It was still too dark outside to see much. He didn’t have a clear shot at the Brown Coats he could see from his vantage point, so he didn’t take any. He did not wish to draw any undue attention to this particular room for the safety of the ladies.
Occasionally he would step into the hallway and yell down for updates. Someone would always answer him. Harry once. Owen once. Simmonds, his butler once. Simmonds assured him early on the female serving staff remained safely above stairs in their rooms.
It was well before dawn, but the sky lightened considerably as the time passed. Micah counted about seven Brown Coats from the windows in his and Libby’s rooms. He saw two of those receive fatal wounds, and another took a shot in the leg.
After a time, Micah saw some of the Brown Coats move toward the side of the house. He called down to warn Harry.
Micah did keep the ladies informed.
The shooting eventually died down.
Harry came upstairs a while later. “We think they are gone. Let the ladies out. Have them join us downstairs.”
Micah was hugged by three very happy and relieved ladies when he opened the door. “Get your weapons. You must bring them downstairs with you.” He left his arm around Libby’s waist. When Rowena and Sophia disappeared through the door and turned into the hallway, Micah paused long enough to quickly kiss his wife.
Libby sighed deeply. She held tightly to her husband’s hand as they descended the stairs behind Rowena and Sophia.
Rowena and Sophia rushed to the drawing room which seemed to be the nucleus of the sound of raised male voices. They deposited their weapons on a table.
“Harry!” Rowena rushed to her husband who opened his arms to embrace her.
“Lyon?” Sophia didn’t see him at first. She let out a sigh of relief when she spotted him in the corner talking to Lord Wyldhurst. She rushed to him. Lyon smiled at her and lifted one arm toward her. He tightly pulled his lovely Sophia against him. He kissed her on the temple. “I’m fine, Sophia. Fine.”
“Owen?” Libby left Micah and rushed to her brother. She gave him a hug.
“I’m fine, pet.” Owen kissed his little sister on the top of the head.
“Was anyone wounded?” Libby asked.
“One of the stable lads was killed, my Lord,” Simmonds informed Micah. “Young Luke, sir.”
Micah nodded. He frowned. “Simmonds, have some of our men take him to his mother in the village as soon as can be. Dawn is upon us as we speak. Take a year’s worth of wages from the safe to give to his mother. I’ll write a letter to her later. But you send one with Luke’s body telling her that Luke died fighting off intruders here at the Hall. Explain that Luke was one of our most loyal staff, and a great help to me, please. Have Cook send a basket of food for them.”
“Of course, my Lord.” Simmonds nodded and left the drawing room.
“Everyone else is fine, Libby,” Owen assured her.
“Elveston is still outside,” Charlie said as he entered the room. “He was winged in the arm. I don’t think it’s too bad. We have seven dead Brown Coats. Wyldhurst and Newt are securing two of their wounded in the cellar for questioning. That makes nine. Five or more got away. I counted seventeen at one point and Elveston swore he counted twenty-one when it began.”
“I’ll go to the kitchen to get some linens and hot water, and see if there is some salve for Lord Elveston,” Libby offered. She turned and headed for the door.
“Libby I’m coming with you.” Micah followed her. His long legs ate up the space between them. He reached out, took her hand, entwining his long fingers with hers. “Sweetheart, you’ll have to have myself or Owen with you at all times from now on.”
Libby nodded.
“The ladies cannot go anywhere alone or be left alone,” Harry ordered, with his wife Rowena still by his side.
Lyon stood with his arm about the slender shoulders of his wife. He gazed at his little hell-cat and offered her a smile.
“Cleve and Lachlan, go help Wyldhurst and Newt interrogate the two prisoners. The four of you ought to scare the devil out of any man. I want names and anything you can get on this Mr. Crow or anyone else involved.”
Lachlan brandished a grin. “I’ll get that and more.” He balled his large hand into a fist.
True, Sophia thought, the Scot was the largest man she ever saw. His wild, unruly sandy hair was kissed with lighter golden streaks. His light, pale blue eyes gave him an otherworldly appearance. She shuddered, thinking what he and the others would do to get information from the prisoners.
“It’s necessary, Sophia,” Lyon whispered to her. His hand slid down to rest at the small of her back.
Sophia nodded. “I know.” She felt her husband’s hand move up and down her back in a soothing motion. She turned to find him studying her. She allowed herself to lean against him. She offered him a smile.
Lyon returned his wife’s smile. His hold on her tightened as his fingers curved around her hip.
Sophia’s heart fluttered. She allowed her hopes to rise. Perhaps there might be a chance for her and Lyon after all. She hoped so. When she looked back to her husband, she noticed his eyes were now focused on her lips.
Chapter Eleven
Later in the afternoon the ladies were left in the parlour with Charlie and Lord Elveston as guards. In the morning Libby and her two new friends met with Cook and Mrs. Clarke the housekeeper. The rest of Libby’s clothes arrived from Mrs. Bingington’s shop in
Salisbury after luncheon. She was happy to have more than four dresses. She and the ladies went through them and assisted Martha in putting everything away.
Sophia cleaned, tended and stitched Lord Elveston’s wound. Their party was delighted to know Sophia possessed a thorough knowledge of the healing arts.
Currently Jack rested on the chaise with a poultice concocted by Sophia on his upper arm.
“I shall make some salve for you for Micah’s thigh. I made some for Lyon. He says it does help with his pain,” Sophia said to Libby.
“Thank you, Sophia. I am certain it shall help Micah. He still suffers some pain from his wound at times.”
Charlie moved to the window. There was a guard of Micah’s men posted outside, but still he watched for any signs of intruders.
Elveston dozed. Sophia made him drink a large brandy mixed with a special tea a half hour earlier.
“What are they doing in the library, Charlie?” Rowena asked.
Charlie answered, “Formulating a plan. They received some fairly helpful information from the two Brown Coats.”
“What sort of plan, Charlie?” Libby asked.
Charlie only grinned. He shrugged.
“Surely you’ve some idea?” Rowena posed.
“No, I don’t. I’m here with you, Ladies,” he stated matter-of-factly.
Rowena’s back was to him. She rolled her eyes and sighed in frustration.
“Clearly, if we are under attack, and the Chynoweth’s are as well, these Brown Coats must be of a sizeable number.” Libby pursed her lips. “I do not like the fact that we are pursued by them,” she said remembering her journey from Andover to Templecombe. “Nor do I like the fact that we must stay here, sitting and waiting for an attack.”
“Clearly it would be best to set a trap for them,” Sophia offered.
“I agree,” Rowena added.
Charlie stood with one leg propped upon the window box and watched for signs of intruders. He rolled his eyes and grinned. He turned his attention to Jack on the chaise. Elveston opened one eye and looked at him. The corners of his mouth turned up. He winked at Charlie and closed his eye.
“What do you think, Charlie?” Libby asked.
“About what? I wasn’t paying attention to your conversation, Miss Libby. I’m on watch.” Charlie still called her by his pet name he’d given her as a child, even though she married Micah.
“Why do we not set a trap for these men, as we did in Glastonbury?” Rowena posed.
“Three reasons.” Charlie began, “We have valuable treasures within these walls. We have three Ladies within these walls.” Three bored ladies. “And we do not have a contingent of twenty Cornishmen.”
“Oh, you mean we are outnumbered.” Rowena frowned unhappily.
“Exactly.” Charlie turned to peer out the window again, smiling. Having three strong-minded sisters, Charlie was used to the way ladies’ minds worked. He doubted he would ever grow bored by their antics and ideas.
“Charlie!” Harry’s voice bellowed from down the hall.
“Excuse me, ladies.” Charlie tapped Elveston’s shoulder. “You’re on watch, Jack.”
“Umm. Yes, go on, Charlie. I’ve got it under control.” Jack opened his eyes.
“How do you feel, Lord Elveston?” Sophia asked.
“Better, thank you, Lady Amesbury.” His eyes closed again.
After a few minutes of chatter, Sophia glanced at Lord Elveston. “Is he sleeping?”
“I think so.” Libby peered at him. His deep, even breaths and his closed eyes certainly made it appear that way.
Rowena rose. She walked toward him and scrutinized Lord Elveston as he slept on the chaise. She returned to the settee. “I do believe he is sleeping, else he would have stirred when I rose. Tell us, Sophia, were things any better last night?” The ladies had been unable to talk privately since their conversation the previous evening when Rowena and Libby escorted Sophia to her rooms.
Sophia shook her head. “I fell asleep before Lyon came in. He did get in the bed. He was holding me when the alarm rose this morning. I think he must not be attracted to me. Or perhaps he thinks ill of me for…what happened when I was drugged.” Sophia’s cheeks flamed. “Perhaps he sees me as whore because of that night,” she whispered sadly. “We did many things that I never heard of being done.”
“Nay, Lyon would never think that way of you, Sophia. You were a virgin after all! Though I do believe Lyon was in his younger years a thorough rake; even Harry and Micah were rumored to be. Many of their gentlemen friends still do possess such a reputation. Perhaps he merely feels guilty and fears hurting you again. Yes, Sophia, on second thought, I feel it must be guilt that keeps him from participating in the marriage bed,” Rowena offered.
She continued, “He’ll come around. What have you done to encourage him?”
“I – nothing. I’m afraid of his reaction. I – I don’t think I could bear knowing he just did not desire me, for whatever reason. And if he thinks of me as a whore and I encouraged him, why that would make it worse, would it not?”
“You say you fell asleep last night before he came in?” Libby queried thoughtfully.
“Yes.” Sophia nodded.
“Does he sleep close to you in the bed?” Libby asked.
“Yes, sometimes. Sometimes I wake during the night and he is next to me. Sometimes he is holding me in his arms like last night,” Sophia said with a wistful sigh.
“Ah! If you retire before him tonight, you must go to bed naked. When he reaches for you, he will notice right away. It will make him hard. At least, it makes Micah hard when I am naked.”
Rowena smiled brightly. “Most definitely! You must go to bed naked, Sophia. It has the very same effect on Harry. Good idea, Libby! Also, snuggle up to him when you are naked. That works well also.” Rowena grinned. “You can rub against him, there, you know. Or you can just reach out and grab his-“ Rowena stopped mid sentence when the sound of footsteps and male voices could be heard from the hallway. “Never mind, here they come. Try it tonight. If being naked doesn’t work, Sophia, then just reach over and grab his cock!” Rowena whispered the last of it.
The ladies laughed hysterically.
That’s how their husbands found them. Holding their teacups and giggling.
Harry’s brows drew together. “What devious plan are you ladies concocting?” He eyed them warily.
Of course they erupted into a fit of giggles. Each of the three ladies tried diligently to appear innocent, though each sported a pink tinge to her cheeks.
“Elveston, you’re doing a fine job on look-out,” Micah chuckled when he saw Jack reclining on the chaise, eyes closed.
Jack opened one eye. “I’m not asleep. I was just resting and enjoying the ladies’ interesting conversation.”
All three ladies’ mouths fell open in disbelief. They looked from one to the other and collapsed into another fit of laughter and giggles.
Micah, Lyon and Harry stood, with their arms crossed, and amused smiles upon their faces as they watched their wives’ futile attempts at concealing their mirth.
“Might we borrow your guard for a moment, ladies?” Harry asked. He arched a curious brow as his gaze rested upon his wife.
“Please do, Harry,” Rowena offered with a straight face, yet her lips nearly twitched into a smile. “We’ve certainly no need of him.”
Again, a round of laughter erupted from the ladies.
Jack grinned as he rose from the chaise. He left the poultice on a tray near where he reclined. He gave the ladies a nod and flashed them a devilish grin as he left.
The moment he disappeared out the door, the ladies giggled.
“I’ll stay with the ladies,” Micah said as he sat down next to Libby, an amused grin lighting his features.
“I’ll stay with Micah.” Charlie returned to the window seat and took up his earlier vigil.
Lyon cast a curious glance at Sophia before he turned and followed Harry from the room.
“Yes. I would love a cup of tea, Rowena, thank you.”
“Charlie, would you care for a cup?”
“No, thank you, Rowena.”
“So what plans have you come up with, Micah?” Rowena asked again after she handed him his tea, fearing he missed her question the first time.
“I can’t tell you until everything is finalized, Rowena. By orders of your husband,” Micah smiled charmingly at her.
“Oh.” Rowena frowned as she took up her own cup.
“What was so amusing earlier that you ladies were all laughing so?” Micah asked Libby as he sipped his tea.
“Oh. Nothing important actually, it was just silly woman talk,” Libby regarded her husband with a straight face. She tried to remain serious, but could not. The corners of her mouth turned up. She set her tea down on the table for her shoulders began to shake so. A bubbly giggle escaped her.
Rowena tried keeping her expression serious and failed, quite miserably. She snorted when laughter overtook her.
Sophia was laughing so hard, tears sprang to her eyes.
“Never mind.” Grinning, Micah shook his head. He set down his tea, stood and joined Charlie at the window.
“And what were the ladies about, Jack? Why were they laughing so?” Harry queried when they closed the library door behind them.
“I truly should not impart such information. They thought I was asleep. I’ve a distinct feeling your wives will not appreciate my repeating what was said,” Jack grinned.
“I would appreciate your telling me, so do it,” Harry demanded.
“It was just lady talk. Or rather married lady talk. They were sharing some things. It’s no different than our Gentleman, or rather ungentlemanly talk. I found it amusing, informative, and I’ve made up my mind; I am never getting married.”
Lords of Honor Page 18
