by Claudy Conn
He had hemmed and hawed and came at her for a while with some nonsense about being comfortable together. She finally made him see it just wouldn’t work for her and that she wasn’t going to be cajoled, or sweet-talked into such a marriage.
It was sad to think about. A young woman, stuck in the situation she was in, with little or no prospects. No way out and she might have to marry for convenience, get a life of her own, and to have children just to get away from someone like Horwich. She had an out, but she didn’t want to take it.
Jacob hadn’t taken offense at her refusal, and even said he would try and stop by on the morrow.
As she walked, daydreaming took over and she sighed contemplating the uncertain future.
All at once, she was aware of seagulls flying with a sudden rush. She listened as she stood perfectly still.
She was on a wooded bridle path and one that was the shortcut to Cressly Towers. She heard the unmistakable sound of one horses’ hooves pounding a well-worn dirt path. It was being ridden not so very far behind her, unseen because of the bend in the trail.
She turned, and felt a wave of dread as the horse and rider appeared. David Horwich.
He was off his horse and striding hard toward her so fast that she blinked and then coughed at the dust his hard ride had created.
When she saw his fixated eyes, Exerilla had a sudden urge to call on her wand and stop him dead in his tracks.
What he needed was a good lesson. She would be leaving, but he would remain and no doubt terrify and stalk some other poor woman.
“Exerilla,” he said as he approached. “My father just told me. I can scarcely credit it. Sir Jacob has offered for —to court you?”
She waved this off. “Not that it is any of your business, but yes, he has.”
“You will not accept his offer,” David said and his eyes looked wild with frenzy.
X wondered if he was unhinged. “No? Why not?”
“Because you are going to marry me, and soon!” he said as he grabbed her and brought her in hard against his chest.
Before she could stop him, he pressed her into his embrace and his lips came down roughly on hers.
She pushed at him. When this proved ineffectual, she balled her fists and pounded at his chest as she threw her head to one side and demanded, “Get off! Get off!” she shouted thinking he had truly lost his mind. It was time to use her wand. It would be a calling card sent directly to her father. Use your brains, Xie girl, she told herself.
“You are mine,” he said with a low throttled growl. “I can have you now and prove it. I can throw you to the ground right now and take you, over and over again. I will ruin you for any other man.”
“Try it and before you have a chance to touch me, I will tear off your balls with one hand, and stuff them down your gullet!” Exerilla threatened.
He stopped, momentarily taken aback surprised by her language. “What are you? Where did you learn to talk like that…like…?”
“Like a harlot!” She cut him off. “Isn’t that what you said I am?” She sneered at him.
He reached for her as she stepped backwards and X nearly called for her wand in that moment. There was the sound of horses, she thought as she looked past him.
David spun around, but though Exerilla strained to see, she couldn’t see anyone coming down the trail. No doubt they hadn’t come round the bend yet.
She folded her arms across her middle and with one raised brow told him, “You better ride off and leave me be, or I shall tell whoever is coming that you are a scoundrel and that you tried to rape me.”
He gasped as he was evidently shocked. “Rape you? I mean to offer you my name, you stupid tart! Now we’ll just have to see if I do so. First, all you will get is my cock.”
“Creep! If you try forcing me into anything, we’ll see how it ends!” she snapped right back at him, enraged more than frightened. She didn’t want to use her wand. She couldn’t chance it, but if she had to she would.
The sound of horses drew closer. He cursed before he hurriedly moved off and flipped the reins back over his horse’s neck while mounted the gelding. He pointed his animal toward the woods in the direction of the main pike, but he looked back as he moved off and with narrowed eyes as he hissed, “This does not end here, Miss High and Mighty bitch!”
She watched him ride off and realized she was shaking.
Her entire body was in a convulsion of tremors. She hadn’t been frightened, but she had been angry. She never liked losing control. Her mother had often warned her, she was a white witch with her father’s darkness. Her temper stemmed from his DNA. If she lost it, she could hurt someone. She always tried to keep it corralled.
She brought herself back under control as she walked down the trail as she wondered who the riders had been and where they had gone off to.
She walked some distance when she noticed a small creek so she cut into the thicker part of the woods to the water’s edge. She wanted to splash some of the cool fresh water on her face, when something made her stop and stand very still.
Not far away, she heard male voices. She amped up her witch’s volume and heard.
“Beloved boy, you know I must leave,” a stranger’s voice spoke sweetly.
“Not yet, stay Lucas. I’ve done what you asked,” Sir Jacob said pleadingly.
“What the hell,” Exerilla thought as she continued to eavesdrop unashamedly. She knew what she stumbled upon. She absolutely knew and it all began clicking together in her mind. She still felt the element of surprise.
“I cannot. People will wonder what it is I am doing in Dover. I have no real business here and no other acquaintances. In fact, I bumped into that Scotsman of yours earlier today. He is a downy one, not easily fooled. If he sees us together…he will know.”
“You could be visiting me, what is odd about that?” Jacob offered softly. “We are friends and you are stopping by.”
“Yes. that is precisely what I told him, but if he sees us together…for any length of time he will know.”
“I don’t care,” Jacob said.
“Ah, but I do. I enjoy my life, my status, and my friends. I don’t want that to change. I am not on a mission. I am simply trying to get through this life I was dealt. I mean to do so tolerably well. Don’t make demands of this sort, for I will give you up as much as I don’t wish to. I will protect the life I have chosen.”
“Do you not love me, Lucas?”
“I adore you, but remember this I love my way of life more,” Lucas answered.
A long silence followed, in which Exerilla was pretty sure just what they were doing. It was time to turn back and head for home. This was turning out to be one hell of an afternoon.
She never saw that coming. Here was the reason why Jacob had been courting her. It made sense. This was a time when men were still in the closet about their sexuality and forced to take desperate measures. She had always had a live and let live attitude, but this really opened her eyes. As she contemplated life in her time, she was happy she wouldn’t have to live in this era.
Suddenly, she received a jolt of sensation as right before her eyes the airwaves parted.
It happened, before she could stop it, before she knew what was going on, and before she could scream!
~ Chapter Two ~
HUNTER ENTERED THE Kings Head, and looked around. He grimaced as he could see why this place had been chosen over the Mermaid Inn. This tavern didn’t even try for an outward appearance of respectablility.
He pushed past two men who were involved in a heated argument, ducked a punch meant for another man, smiled at the barmaid and made his way to a dark corner. He took a wooden chair and positioned it, before he sat and watched the antics being performed by an intoxicated group of hard drinking sailors and fishermen.
He saw Swit as soon as the man entered the tavern, and waited for him to make his way to him.
Swit took a chair and sat opposite. He looked disturbed, nervous, and ill at ease as he blu
rted out, “I just met with Horwich. The man isn’t right in the head, I tell you.”
“No. He isn’t right in the head. Never mind that, did ye make the arrangements?”
“I did, and I told him like you wanted about Bellingham’s suicide. That threw him. He nearly went off into a convulsion. Thought he would spit blood, I did. He was already in a black mood and that didn’t help.”
“Are you set for this evening’s sail?”
“Aye. So we are, so I told him,” Swit answered.
“There is another matter, I need ye to take care of,” his lordship said in a soft voice. He had to study Swit’s face, unsure if Swit had heard him. He waited for a reaction. Patience had been something time had taught him.
Swit sighed heavily and leaned back a moment, chewed his bottom lip, and then rested his elbows on the square table. “I was wondering when you would be wanting more from me. What is it then?” Swit asked looking irritated.
“What do ye have on Sir Jacob?” Hunter put up his hand. “Doona try telling me ye have naught, for I know better. Why does the lad let ye hang on forever?”
“The truth is, I don’t really know. I was playing with him; testing him. I mentioned that I saw him with a flash covey. Not sure who the man was, well dressed though and didn’t belong in a seedy out of the way little Inn just outside London. When the boy saw me looking his way, he nearly fainted.” Swit shrugged. “Don’t know why. They must have been up to some illegal business they didn’t want me to know about. After that, all I ever had to do was mention the inn’s name and the boy gave me whatever I wanted.”
Hunter had gone very still while Swit talked. When he had met with Lucas Osgood earlier that day, something had nagged at him. He now knew Osgood was the man Jacob had met outside of London.
Hunter was a sophisticated man of the World. Swit being able to so easily blackmail the lad, told a story.
He knew now without a shadow of a doubt that Sir Jacob and Osgood weren’t in business together, illegal or otherwise. They were lovers. It all made sense. He was surprised…but only surprised.
He was an immortal wizard and understood things humans had yet to learn.
His lordship leaned forward and said quietly, “Jerry, I have an envelope for ye, and ye shall get it after this night’s work. I’m telling ye this, because it is important to me that ye change yer way of living.” He eyed him for a long moment. “The envelope holds a draft for an account I have arranged to be held in yer name at Barkley’s Bank of London.” He paused and allowed this to sink in before he continued. “This account will become active when I give you a letter of release. Ye will be financially comfortable for the rest of yer life. However, ye will only be allowed to spend the interest from this account until ye are forty years of age. I hope ye will have found yerself some good sense by then. I have also arranged for a separate fund to be created at the same time, that will allow ye enough to restore yer estate and make it an income producing property. Think on it, Jerry. Ye will be what ye are, a land owning gentry buying modern equipment for yer tenant farmers. See they do well, so that ye will do well. Ye have it in ye. I saw how ye handle the men. So then, Jerry Swit, after tonight ye will have enough of the ready for the rest of yer life. But tonight, ye best do all that I ask and earn it. Also, ye are never to bother Sir Jacob again. If I hear that ye have, I shall end it all for ye, quickly and simply. Am I understood?”
Jerry Swit opened his mouth then closed it, and opened it again. At first nothing came out of it, and Hunter smiled. He had never seen Swit speechless.
Finally Jerry managed, “Why would you do that for me? I know you despise me.” Jerry was incredulous.
“While ye doona deserve it, it happens that ye need another chance to start over. I think ye will be good at running yer estate. And, of course, I want Sir Jacob to be left alone from yer threats. Whatever he did, as far as ye be concerned is over, and should be forgotten. Are we clear?”
Jerry Swit agreed readily to this and surprised his lordship by taking both his hands and shaking them vigorously. “Ye won’t be sorry, Lord Scotsman. You won’t be sorry.”
“Och! I already am,” said his lordship as he chuckled.
Last minute plans were drawn up and every contingency was discussed. The only thing left to do was to get the false information to Napoleon.
It had to be tonight, before the battle of Waterloo which was only two days away.
Dusk had settled in and as they looked up, in walked Horwich none to happy to see them together.
The first thing Hunter noticed was that David looked intensely frazzled. Indeed, he looked like he had completely lost his mind.
~ Chapter Three ~
A DARK BLAST of smoke and shimmering mist, and Exerilla closed her eyes and thought, “oh no, my father has found me, oh no.”
Instead of her father, a stranger walked out of the mist.
He wore a black cone hat, threaded with silver and a matching robe. After she recovered from the shock, Exerilla wanted to laugh. No one in her mother’s coven wore such things and she had never seen any of the warlocks of her acquaintance do so either.
As he came forward, she looked past the clothes, to the grayish black long grizzled hair and the thick eyebrows and beard of the same gray black. His eyes were black as coal, unlit and unfeeling. X started to feel a certain amount of apprehension.
“Who are you?” she demanded. She thought that her father sent him. She could hear her mother’s advice, “your questions can give away answers you don’t wish them to have.”
“I am the Dark Wizard, Baudali,” he answered as though amused by her.
“Super, what do you want?” A wizard she thought wildly? Seriously?
“You will come with me,” he said authoratively.
“I don’t think so,” she answered. He thought she was human. She didn’t think he knew she was a white witch. Don’t let on. Careful now, Xie girl. Careful. She wanted to get his measure, because this was really bad.
He produced a wand, and Exerilla studied it. It was a different kind of wand than she was used to. She had never seen anything like it in her life. It radiated power and gave off a dark light. She knew he was more powerful than she was. Her mother told her White Magic was always more able, but dark more ruthless. She would have to find a dark warlock’s weakness to conquer it. So this wasn’t going to be about power, but about cunning. He had a purpose. She had to find out what it was, and thwart it.
“Don’t you, human? You don’t think so?” With scarcely a twist of his wrist, everything changed.
Exerilla could see him, but he looked far away. They were being thrown through a membraned tunnel, although he looked steadier than she felt. Suddenly, the tunnel was gone and she was falling on her face. When she coughed and looked, she saw his black satin boots at her nose. She looked up and saw him looking down at her.
“Holy Sweet Moly,” she thought as she closed her eyes.
* * *
As it turned out, David Horwich did not approach Swit and MacTorry. He instead, took a scantily clothed and buxom woman aside before leading her up the stairs where the bedchambers were housed.
Swit and Hunter exchanged looks. Swit said, “He said something earlier about teaching the Exerilla chit a lesson. Said she would learn what happens to a woman who dares spurn him, but I didn’t expect this.” he grinned.
“He’ll be dead before he ever gets near her!” Hunter’s voice was low and hard and he realized that Swit was looking at him when Swit whistled.
“Aye. So that is how it is?” He chuckled. “Should have guessed when ye didn’t want me near the pretty lady.”
“Never mind. While he is busy, I think it best that we get down to the docks. You and your men get ready to sail.”
“Aye. The moon is full tonight and we should have an easy crossing if the weather doesn’t change.”
“There’s a rider on the other side, at Calais ready to do his part?” Hunter eyed Swit.
“A r
ider on the other side. That’s right. He’ll take it to Boney, who is set to march right into Belgium.”
“Aye, but we’ll stop him before he gets there…”
“Will we? You say it like you know,” Swit said scrutinizing him.
“I know Wellington. If anyone knows how to stop Napoleon, he does.,” Hunter saved himself.
“Aye. So he may,” Swit agreed. “Then if you have no more wish for ale, let’s make our way to the docks. As you say, let’s leave Horwich out of this part of it.”
An hour later, Hunter watched as Swit and his crew quietly left port with Sir Jacob’s yacht.
He turned, and started for his horse which was tethered nearby, when a voice in the darkness halted him.
“You think you are so superior with your Scottish title and your never ending funds!” David slurred his words as he staggered toward him.
“Ye are in yer cups man. I doona fight when a man can’t hold his own,” Hunter said, not really meaning to taunt.
Apparently, David took it as a taunt. “Damn your soul! I can hold my own and mean to.” He pulled out a gun and swayed as he pointed it.
Hunter sighed. “What do ye want Horwich?”
“Her! I want her. She has her eyes filled with you right now, but if you leave, she will turn to me!”
“So ye are asking me to leave?”
“Telling you to leave.”
“Sorry, but I doona think I can. If and when I do, I canna leave her here with ye. That is the long and the short of it. Doona try warning me off, it won’t work. Another thing, David of Horwich, leave the lass alone. She is her own person and when she is ready, she’ll do her own choosing. That is what she deserves, not two men fighting over her like this. I canna do it and ye shouldn’t.”
“I am not going to fight you. I am going to kill you,” David said and took his shot.
Hunter had to do something, and all at once he knew just what to do. He yelped in pain and said, “Ye have shot me, ye fool!”
The sound of gunfire brought various seamen out of the shadows, and one shouted, “Who goes there? What are ye about?”
