“I want you to stay here where you will be safe.” Lucas nodded his understanding.
“Be careful my lord. Da’ is really mean.”
“I’m really mad, so we’re even.” The boy smiled at that and thought his father might have finally met his match. The men left him crouching behind some crates near the three horses to watch how the events of the night played out.
They moved down the dock toward a ship moored at the end. Each man had a pistol at the ready. They heard a creak and saw a shadow move. The others looked around them, but Derek had an uneasy feeling and glanced upward.
“Move!” he yelled and all four men scattered as a net full of cargo fell where they had been standing. A huge giant of a man stepped onto the dock from the ship.
“Brutus?” Derek whispered.
“I believe so,” Richard whispered back. Derek shot first, shooting him in the left knee. He kept moving toward them, looking angrier. “One of us should keep one bullet.”
“I agree,” Gabe said as he handed his gun back to Derek. “You are the best shot. They have to be here. He would not be far from his lifeline. Shoot to kill Derek, the boy’s not looking.”
Derek took aim, knowing he was about to kill the only man who could tell them with any amount of certainty where Danny took Tessa. He pulled the trigger and the ball made a hole in the center of his forehead.
He stood a moment and took one step forward before falling like a felled tree. The dock shook from the fall. The men turned and left him, heading for the four warehouses behind the dock when they heard a piercing, female scream come from the far left one. Derek had one hand on the door when each of the other men grabbed his arms.
“Derek, stop. We have to check it out first.” Gabe and Richard moved around the back before returning a few minutes later. “They’re in there.”
“I’m going in,” Derek said
“He has a gun to her head,” Richard said making Derek stop. His normally tan face lost all color.
“What?”
“Pull yourself together. Your wife is in there. The love of your life, remember?” Gabe asked.
“I’ll go in for you,” McKenzie said.
“No,” Derek said, pulling himself together. He handed the gun he held over to Gabe. “Here, I am going in. Give me five minutes to make it to the room. Is there a window in the back? Is that how you saw?” he waited for them to nod their agreement before going on. “Five minutes, and then shoot through the window, towards the ceiling. That is all I need.”
Gabe handed Richard the gun. “You have a wife that wants you in one piece, I will go with Derek.” Richard disappeared around the corner. Gabe looked around and found an iron bar and a plank that had splintered to a point. “Which do you want?” Gabe asked Derek catching up with him.
“Neither,” Derek showed him his cane and Gabe nodded in understanding.
“I will stay out here in case we have company,” McKenzie announced, feeling like an intruder on the friends.
Derek picked the lock on the outer door and walked across the warehouse floor, limping severely in case Danny watched him. He tested the inner door and found the knob turned easily in his hand.
“He has a gun,” he heard Tessa scream through the door.
“Bitch,” and the sound of a slap quickly followed the warning. He slammed the door open. Danny still imprisoned Tessa in a stronghold. She held a hand to her right cheek, tears running over her lower lashes, but she made no sound. She would not give this man the satisfaction of hearing her sobs.
* * *
“Tessa, I love you. I want to be with you. Can’t you see that?” Danny pleaded.
“You’re sick. Why did you do it? Why did you become a traitor after all that my family had done for you? Why?” She looked Derek in the eye. “He set up the attack. He shot my father.”
“I hated my father. I hated what he forced my mother to become. I hated that his love killed her. And I hated this country she forced me to come to, so she could chase after a man that didn’t want either of us. And I did not mean to kill your father, I meant to kill you.”
“Why? And why have you decided you now want me? I am English, and I do not want you.”
“I followed the three of you to the mission and realized you chose him over me. I could not stand the thought of his touching you.”
“So you were going to kill me?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, but now I have decided I will kill your beloved, and you will learn to love me.”
“I will not.”
“You will.”
“You son of a bitch,” an irate male voice came from the darkness at the back of the building. “You told me you were done with her.”
“Shut it, Smith,” Danny bit out.
“No. I ruined my career for you! You told me you could no longer trust women, that you and I would be together. We were going to use the money you received for trading secrets to move somewhere and be together.” The man had come out of the shadows, his gun still trained on Tessa. “You told me you loved me!” The man raged.
Tessa could not repress the shudder as she found herself with two guns held on her by men who could easily be classified as insane.
“You just used me, you sorry bastard!” Smith’s expression turned to utter hatred and he swung his gun ever so slightly. Tessa made herself go limp, making it difficult for Danny to hold on to her. She felt herself falling to the floor as the sound of gunfire ricocheted in the almost empty building quickly followed by another. Tessa landed on her hands and knees when she saw Smith fall to the floor, clutching his shoulder and moaning in pain. She tried to scurry towards Derek, but felt a hand fist in her hair.
“Why did you tell me that Derek was dead?” She demanded, seeking answers, her head pulled back to look up at Danny.
“I thought he was, at first. I was not looking for the Earl of Blackburn, and nobody I asked knew a Derek Simmons. Then when I discovered the truth, it suited my purposes for you to believe him dead. It is nice to have him back from the dead, but I am afraid he cannot stay very long.”
“You cannot kill him, too. I will not allow it. You have already taken so much from me. I would rather you kill me,” Tessa could hardly catch her breath. She saw the gun move above her to point at Derek.
“Goodbye Lord Blackburn. I promise I will make your wife very happy.”
“No!” Tessa screamed. She looped her arm around his lower leg and tugged throwing him off balance and his gun fired harmlessly into a wall. He let go of her hair and she scrambled to Derek who swiftly pushed her behind him. Gabe caught her, pulling her up beside him. He had a gun as well. All held pistols except for Derek who only had his cane. He would be killed. Gabe tried to lead her to a stack of old crates. “I...have to...be here,” she gasped for breath, unable to bring her breathing under control.
“He is going to kill me,” Gabe muttered under his breath, but let her stay because he knew she would be protected. At that time Richard and McKenzie came running into the warehouse. The three men formed a protective barrier, allowing Tessa to watch but keeping her safe too.
Derek gripped his cane in his right hand, leaning heavily on it. “Just give up man. It will go better for you in the end.”
“Better, how? By having my neck stretched a few extra inches? I think not.”
“Be...sensible,” Tessa pleaded.
“Dammit, get her out of here.”
Tessa ignored her husband and the other men who would not let her pass. “It is... over. Regardless of why... you did it... too many have... died. Give...up.” She continued to take deep breaths trying to breathe normally. She knew anxiety stole her breath. In. Out. Once more. Her chest began to ease.
“Tessa, you were always too good to me. I love you so much. I did everything for you.”
“Do not dare speak those words!” Tessa yelled at him. “You killed my father and my brother! You were responsible for so many deaths. Do not dare try and hold me as the responsible
party in the end.”
“But it is true. The life we could have had in the French countryside. The money they paid me for my actions. I did it all for you, for us, for our future.”
“Danny, there was never any ‘us’. I never thought of you that way, you must realize that. I love Derek. He is the only one for me. I cared for you as a brother, but you have ruined even that. You have to understand. I could never love you when you took so much away from me. We grew up together. I thought of you as a brother. Why can you not understand that?”
“If I cannot have you, neither can he,” Danny said calmly lifting a second gun. Just as he pulled the trigger, Derek swung his cane. The bullet embedded itself in the chest of Mr. Smith. Derek firmly gripped his cane, and removed the end to reveal a lethal looking blade.
“Do not let it end like this,” Derek said. “Be a man. Face your punishment head on.”
The haze seemed to lift from the man standing across from them. “I believe that is very wise, Lieutenant.” Tessa shook her head mournfully, a tear seeping from her lashes. In a flash of movement, Danny threw himself forward, impaling himself on the blade. Both Danny and Tessa screamed, and Derek quickly let go. Danny fell to his knees clutching at the sword-like cane protruding from his abdomen.
“No, do not move it,” Derek stopped his grasping movements.
“This hurts more than I thought,” Danny gurgled as he fell back. Blood trickled from his mouth.
Tessa scrambled to him, afraid to touch him, but yet needing to be near him in his final moments. “Danny, what have you done?”
“Don’t worry about me,” he gasped for breath.
“Derek?” Tessa looked at her husband pleadingly.
He leaned down next to her and put his arm around her shoulders lending her support. “There is nothing that can be done.”
“Tessa, can you forgive me?”
“It is not me you should be asking forgiveness from.”
Danny chuckled then winced as more blood trickled out of his mouth, “Always. Honest.” He gasped for air, but he could not get enough to fill his collapsing lungs. “I. Do. Love. You.” He whispered.
Derek tried to pull Tessa away from the death scene, but she refused to budge. She sat there and watched her childhood playmate, who had turned into a monster far beyond what she could imagine, fight for his last breath and lose. Derek reached over and closed the man’s eyes after turning Tessa into his shoulder while racking sobs overtook her. “He took everyone away from me,” she sobbed.
“You have me, my love. You will always have me.”
* * *
Gabe stayed behind to deal with the carnage. McKenzie headed for Castlereagh’s house to tell him the traitors had been taken care of. Richard and Lucas rode together while Tessa rode with Derek, no longer sobbing, but not really with them either. Richard promised to let Dru and Kala know all was well after seeing them home and dropping off Lucas.
Once they arrived home, Tessa seemed to remember something.
“Was Lucas with us?”
“Yes. He is down below being looked after by Ramsey.”
“And the big man that took me?”
“Dead. Brutus, Lucas’ father. From what I can understand from Lucas, he took some odd jobs that were dirty to make extra money.”
“Poor Lucas. Can I see him?”
“Stay right here, I will get him.” A few minutes later, Derek arrived in the sitting room with a grim faced Lucas.
“Lucas, I hear you are my hero once again.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I know it must be hard for you.” She watched a solitary tear slip down the boy’s cheek. “If it makes you feel any better, your father could be a decent man as well. I suffered some injuries many months ago, and on the boat coming home he took care of me.”
“Thank you for that. He was the only Da’ I had.”
“Son, you will always be welcome here.” Derek stated, his hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Go back downstairs and get some more to eat.”
“Thank you,” he ran to the door and paused, turning back to look at the lord and lady who had given him a home grander than any he had ever thought to have. “Lady Tessa, I’m glad Da’ didn’t hurt you. That would’ve been worse.”
“Thank you, Luke.” Tessa watched him leave the room, tears trickling down her cheeks. “He’s such a good boy.”
“Yes, and you’re exhausted. I’m taking you to bed.” He lifted her in his arms.
“I can walk.”
“I want to do this.” Once they settled for the night, the two clung to each other, knowing they were each other’s lifelines and above all, were finally safe.
Tessa and Derek stayed sequestered in their townhouse, not receiving visitors for almost a week. Tessa relived the confrontation over and over. She had nightmares almost every time she nodded off to sleep.
Finally, on the fifth day, she awoke and realized she had not had a nightmare. She went an hour that day without thinking about all that had happened, and that was when she realized all would be fine, eventually.
* * *
They were celebrating Christmas at Blackburn Hall three months later. All of the family had decided to come, Dru and her family, Kala, Elizabeth and her family, and Derek’s parents. This particular afternoon, Elizabeth and Derek’s mother had gone visiting. Kala had the children outside playing. Dru had retired upstairs and the men were doing who knew what.
Tessa had picked up a book and curled up on the settee to read but instead fell asleep. Derek found her there, the book lying open on the floor where it fell, and she made those odd snuffling little sounds of hers. He leaned over and kissed her tenderly. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him with a lopsided grin.
“I thought you were going visiting with the others?”
“I didn’t feel much like it,” she said, yawning and stretching.
“So you took a nap instead?”
“Not intentionally. I have been so tired lately. I just can’t seem to keep my eyes open.”
“Are you ill?” A worried look creased his face.
“No. Truly, I’m fine.”
“But you have been sleeping a lot. Perhaps our amorous activities are too much for you after everything. Should we call Mrs. Sikes? I am sure she would come over.”
“I am sure she would to, but there is no need, truly, at least not for a while. Drucilla and I talked, and she said it is perfectly normal. She used to sleep all the time as well.”
“What does Drucilla know?”
“Oh, Drucilla knows about lots of things.” She looked up and saw the worry lines etched across her husband’s face and took pity on him. Tessa stood up and took his hand leading him to the large family room where the Christmas tree stood. Even though it had yet to be trimmed, a number of presents already mysteriously appeared beneath. One was a little box at the front. She picked it up, turned around, and handed it to Derek.
“Merry Christmas,” she said. “Open it,” she insisted when he just stood there. He did, and he looked from the contents to her with a shocked look on his face. A pair of pink and blue baby booties lay in the box. She pulled him down and kissed him, plundering his mouth. “Congratulations, my lord, you are going to be a father.”
He scooped her up and swung her around in a circle before kissing her back. “I love you Contessa, with all my heart.”
Epilogue
Five months later, they were walking through the fair that Tessa worked so diligently to prepare. She waddled along feeling altogether miserable, especially knowing she still had another month before the birth of her first child. Derek cajoled and teased her, and the tenants came up to thank her for all that she had done.
“Come on, let’s have a little fun,” Derek teased as he led her to the fortune teller.
“If she tells me I’m with child, I will hurt her.”
“You will not.” He had secretly been worried about the size
of the baby for several months now. Never had Drucilla been this big with her children, nor Elizabeth. In fact, he had sent a note to Dru asking her opinion and Dru merely told him all would be well, which did not help his nerves at all.
“Go on in, I will wait for you out here.” She lowered her burgeoning body to a bench with Derek’s help.
“Are you all right?”
“Just my back. Nothing new there. Go on, I will be fine.”
Thirty minutes later, Derek was not smiling as he had been before going into the tent.
“Derek, what’s wrong?”
“Madame Serena said we were having twins, and they would be born on the full moon.” He looked at Tessa and then the large mound that had become her belly. He felt some relief that it would not be one large baby, but two smaller. Then again, that situation brought up an entirely new set of worries.
“That is a month away,” Tessa said focusing on the time. “Look at me. I look as if I might explode at any moment. I don’t know if I can stand this for another...” she broke off, wincing, and looked down. Her skirt became soaked rather quickly. “Ummm, Derek, I think we should get home.”
“What?” he shook his head, trying to focus on what she said.
She bent over as her backache made its way around to compress like a steel band around her stomach. When she could breathe normally again, she stood up straight with Derek’s support. “I think Madame Serena may have meant this full moon.”
“But that’s tonight.”
“I know. And she said twins?” They groaned in unison.
A scant five hours later, shortly before midnight, Tessa gave birth to a daughter and then a son. Mrs. Sikes reassured Derek over and over that for a first pregnancy, it was a relatively short labor and even shorter birthing, especially for twins. He had refused to leave the room though, and stayed by her side the entire time, calming and encouraging her. She feared she would regret some of the things she had said to him and called him, but after all she had just been through he would survive.
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