Page 61 of Almost a Countess

“I pray so.” Dora squeezedhis hands, kissed his lips once more, sweet but fleeting, and rannimbly up the steps.

His body thrumming with desire forher, Finn shook himself and stooped to drag his clothing throughthe bars. The jug was a bit of a problem, but after he licked thelast crumb from the plate, Finn poured the water into the plate,using it in place of a basin, and, tearing off a piece of hispetticoat, began to wash, humming a cheerful tune.

Perhaps a quarter hour later, Finnstood in the cellar, once again attired as a man. The experience ofdressing as a woman had been eye opening. He had a much healthierrespect for women and what they had to go through with theirtoilettes, though he was quite certain he never wished toexperience such a disguise again.

Heavy footsteps above told him he wasabout to begin the next part of the ordeal. Mr. Perry came intoview, Lieutenant Scarlet right behind him.

“Good morning, my lord.”Mr. Perry produced his key and set about releasing him. “I hopeyour night wasn’t too unpleasant.”

Considering his lovely interlude withDora, Finn was able to reply, “Nae, sir. I found theaccommodations…stimulating in several ways.”

Scarlet cocked an eyebrow at that, butwhen Mr. Perry opened the cellar, Finn was too preoccupied withgetting the hell out of there to pay him any further mind. He tookthe stairs at a quick clip, arriving at the kitchen and breathing asigh of relief. That small taste of imprisonment had convinced Finnthat he would do whatever act of contrition necessary to keep frombeing locked up again. Pray God, Major Collins was a level-headedman who could see reason.

Shielding his eyes against the brightsunshine, Finn strode out into the courtyard, breathing deeply toshake off any lasting effects of his confinement. Dora and theduchess stood in front of their carriage, so he headed towardthem.

“Where do you think you’regoing, Aberfoyle?” The zing! of Scarlet’s sword leaving itsscabbard stopped Finn, his hand dropping naturally to where his ownsword should have been. “I’ve arranged your transportation overhere.”

Bracing himself for some nasty trickfrom the lieutenant, Finn turned to the officer. Scarlet pointed toa small, open cart, with bare planks hitched to a single horse whohad passed ancient some years before. The only gait the animalcould be expected to attempt was a walk, which would make thejourney an entire day, rather than the half day it would take on afit animal or in the duchess’s carriage. A jouncing journey on hardplanks in the blistering sun for eight hours or more would betorture.

Exactly what Scarlet intended. If hehad to relinquish Finn at the end of the journey, he’d make thelast hours under his authority the most unpleasant onespossible.

“Nae.” Finn reared back,crossed his arms over his chest, and stared the officerdown.

“It’s not a request,Aberfoyle.” Scarlet advanced a step, sword dancing before Finn’schest. “Put him in the cart, Gates.” His lips curled up in a nastygrin. “Or do I need to teach you a lesson, my lord?” With asudden flick of his wrist, Scarlet sliced Finn’s upper left arm,deep enough to draw blood.

Finn danced backward, looking aboutfor some weapon but found none. The yard was ringed with thesoldiers, each of them with a gleam in their eyes. Two had drawnand trained their pistols on him. The third had drawn his ownsword, making escape impossible for an unarmed man. They didn’treally want to take him in. Not at this point. There would be toomany witnesses to speak on his behalf.

Scarlet advanced toward him, bladeextended. “Get in the cart, Aberfolye, or I’ll put you in piece bypiece.”

If Finn could be killed escaping, oreven defying Scarlet’s orders, the army would be within its rightsto dismiss his murder as justified. With no weapon to hand, theonly course Finn had was to knuckle under, much as he hated to, andget into the bloody cart.

“Come for me, Aberfoyle.”The lieutenant opened his arms wide. “I’ll give you a fightingchance.” The man’s smirk said otherwise.

No, Finn’s capitulation likelywouldn’t satisfy Scarlet in the end. He’d already drawn Finn’sblood and, like any animal, was excited by the smell of it. Thelieutenant would only be appeased when Finn finally lay dead at hisfeet.

“You are making a mistake,young man.” The duchess stepped forward, thumping the ground withher walking stick. “Allow Lord Aberfoyle to ride in my carriage. Hecan hardly escape if you and your men surround theconveyance.”

Scarlet didn’t take his gaze off Finn.“You may follow after us if you must, Duchess, but my prisoner goeswhere I please, how I please. You have interfered with the king’sbusiness too much as it is.”

“And will do so oncemore.” She handed her stick to Finn. “Swordstick, my lord. Now lethim see what a fighting chance really is.”

Completely captivated, Finn took thewalking stick then said, “Duchess, ye are my favorite person in theworld at this moment.” He twisted the silver knob and drew a slim,sharp rapier from the hollow cane. Well balanced and rather light,the blade sliced the air in front of him with a deadly hiss.Tossing the cane aside, Finn snapped en garde oppositeScarlet.

The lieutenant smiled widely, his smugface attesting to his confidence in his own prowess.

Well, the officer might have someskill. Most did. However, Finn had grown up with a sword in hishand from the age of eight, thanks to his Uncle Abernathy. Aheavier and wider one than the elegant weapon he now wielded, butthat mattered not at all. After days of helplessness, it was as ifhe’d been given his soul back.

Scarlet feinted forward then left butdidn’t draw Finn out. Instead, he bided his time and attacked hisopponent’s exposed flank. The lieutenant countered, whipping hissword around toward Finn’s shoulder, but he parried that easilythen dropped his blade down, seeking to cut upward and slice theman’s thigh. An unexpected ploy that had worked before.

The lieutenant, however, didn’t blink,but parried and beat Finn’s blade away. Finn spun to his right,being mindful not to run over Dora or the duchess.

They danced out of harm’s way andhurried behind the odious cart.

Finn re-engaged Scarlet’s blade with ahigh approach, attempting to bind the sword and bear it and itsowner to the ground. But the officer, nimbler on his feet than Finnwould have allowed, skipped back, withdrawing his blade from harm’sway. Well, then, there was nothing for it but to pressforward.

Raining blows left and right in quicksuccession, Finn pushed the lieutenant backward, crossing theentire courtyard and fetching him up against the wall of thestable. A glancing blow nicked Scarlet’s upper arm, though hedidn’t draw blood due to the thickness of his uniform.

The blow incensed the soldier,however, and with a cry of rage, he mounted an assault on Finn thatgained Scarlet back half the dusty yard. As good a place as any toend this.