Two Notorious Dukes Read online

  ‘It’s sore, yes.’ Elizabeth said and held her hand out for the shirt. Quickly she dressed in the shirt, stockings, britches and wrap over skirt, jacket and boots. She left her hair in the plait and left the collar of the shirt open.

  As they strode down the stairs Lady Verity tried to stop them. ‘Lady Verity. I cannot let him go to his possible death without my favour.’ She said. ‘The damned arrogant rake left without so much as a kiss this morning and if he should die, I will never forgive him!’ Verity could see the tears standing on her eyelashes.

  Sarah led her out to the stable and supervised the saddling of a couple of horses and then the two ladies were in the saddle and trotting down the mews. ‘Do you know where this duel is taking place?’

  ‘Hyde Park, I think.’

  ‘That’s a big park.’ Elizabeth muttered.

  Robert had a lump in his gut. He usually had it before an action started, but once the bullets started to fly and the line moved, it vanished. In Flanders it had been so bad he’d puked. He walked away from the line, thrown up his breakfast and walked back. Nobody had said anything, except his Sergeant, Burke, who had shrugged his shoulders and said ‘Waste of a good breakfast, Sir.’ In Seringatapam, he’d had the Bombay trots and had to go, so again he left the line, dropped his britches, emptied his bowels and returned to the line. This time Burke had laughed. ‘Did you leave that for the 33rd, Sir?’ Robert smiled wickedly and replied. ‘No, the pipe major of the Highlanders!’

  Now it was here again. The hard lump of terror in his gut.

  ‘I have some bad news for you.’ Argyll said calmly. Robert turned and looked at his friend in the dark. ‘Beresford is back. He’s Audley’s second.’

  ‘Well, he can wait in line.’ Robert replied. ‘If he hadn’t left his whore of a wife at home, he wouldn’t have this problem. Did you explain that I wasn’t the only one?’

  ‘I did. We’ll see if it makes any difference this morning. But he may still call you out.’

  ‘Good. We can do it this morning and Abigail can go and buy her widows weeds!’ Robert said harshly and laughed roughly.

  It didn’t take the coach long to get to Hyde Park. The longest part of the journey was driving up Park Lane. The carriage turned in at Cumberland Gate and trotted down the northern road until the gate was out of sight. Argyll rapped on the roof of the coach and it pulled onto the grass. Argyll turned as Burke dropped off the coach seat. ‘We’ll go over there amongst the trees, Burke. Send them over when they arrive.’

  ‘Very good, Your Grace.’ Burke mumbled and turned to Robert. ‘Be clever, Sir. Make him fire first.’ He held out his hand.

  ‘I intend to, Burke.’ Robert said softly and shook the offered hand.

  ‘I’ll be with you shortly, Sir and we can have a brandy together.’ He nodded and followed Argyll towards the trees.

  The dew wetted his boots as his feet brushed through the grass. He could just see the glimmer of dawn in the east, like a lightening of the sky from black to dark grey and the stars looked weaker, not so bright. He stood and looked up at them, remembering the times he laid on his back in India and stared at the heavens.

  Argyll picked the spot he liked and they stood waiting for the dawn.

  Elizabeth galloped into the park at Grosvenor Gate and brought the horse to a stop. It reared with the harshness of her check on the bridle, but she was a fine horsewoman. ‘I’ve never ridden astride before. It certainly makes a difference, when you‘re in a hurry.’ Sarah smiled knowingly.

  ‘Where do you think we should look?’ Sarah asked softly.

  ‘We should circumnavigate the park. Sooner or later we will see the coach and then we’ll know where they are.’ Elizabeth turned her mount towards the Stanhope Gate and trotted on, breaking into a canter after a few minutes.

  ‘Do you think they would actually be on the King’s Private Road?’ Sarah asked scandalised.

  ‘No. That’s the last place they would be. In fact, I think they maybe over by St. George’s Row. If they took the west road, there are two Guard Houses, the King’s Private Road and the south road are right by the Barracks, so that only leaves the northern road.’ She pulled her mount up again, turned and at the gallop retraced their steps, passing Grosvenor Gate and turning at Cumberland Gate. Elizabeth saw a coach in the distance. ‘It’s getting light.’ She said ‘and I see a coach.’

  They slowed and watched the coach as it pulled up. Elizabeth sucked in a sharp breath as Alexander Audley got out, his hawk like face illuminated by the lantern on the front of the carriage. He was followed by a man she didn’t know and they set off into the trees. Being led by someone. Elizabeth took her horse off the road and picked her way carefully through the trees. She could see a group of men up a head and stopped. ‘We have arrived.’ She murmured.

  ‘Good morning, Beresford.’ Argyll said cheerfully. ‘I take it your principle is ready for this?’

  ‘I can see yours is.’ He muttered as Robert took off his cloak and handed it to Burke, who had just finished setting up a little table complete with a hunting set and a bottle of brandy.

  ‘Shall we have a drink first?’ Argyll offered as Robert accepted a silver cup full of the fiery spirit. The gentlemen gathered around the table.

  ‘Just like old times, Sir.’ Burke said quietly. ‘Up at the crack of dawn and death for breakfast.’

  ‘Yes, but this time we’re not cannon fodder!’ Robert replied with a wicked grin and took a sip of the brandy. ‘Is that my best?’ he said and Burke nodded smiling.

  ‘Took it out of the cellar last night, Your Grace.’ He said formally. ‘There are only four bottles left.’

  ‘I suppose I’ll have to get some more.’ Robert muttered as he finished his drink. ‘Well, shall we get started?’ he said looking at the lightening sky and taking off his jacket.

  Burke took the pistol case and on the little table opened it up. He took out each pistol, broke it down into its separate parts and re-assembled them for all parties to see. He took the powder measure and the powder flask, measured the set amount of powder out and tapped it down the barrel of each pistol, followed by the cotton wadding. Then he took a lead ball and dropped that down the barrel too. Taking hold of the ramrod, he rammed the charge down firmly, showing his expertise with loading a pistol. Using the powder flask again he primed the pan, released the striker, checking the seating and then laid the pistols back in the case.

  All four gentlemen had witnessed the fair loading of the pistols. ‘Satisfied, Beresford?’ Argyll asked and Beresford nodded his head.

  ‘Gentlemen, choose your weapon.’ Burke said and watched Robert take the first one out without hesitation. Audley’s hand shook as he lifted the gun. He looked as if he’d never had one in his hand before.

  ‘Gentlemen, please stand back to back. I will count to twenty. At that point you will stop, turn and fire when you are ready.’ Burke explained. Beresford opened his mouth to say something and then shut it again as Argyll looked at him with a frown. Burke was giving the instructions for a standard duel. ‘Are you ready?’ Robert nodded firmly. Audley nodded in panic.

  ‘One.’ Robert took his first pace forward and the lump in his stomach vanished.

  ‘Two.’ Elizabeth heard the numbers and clicked her horse forward.

  ‘Three.’ Argyll turned and helped himself to more brandy. ‘Four.’ He offered the bottle to Beresford who nodded and held out his cup.

  ‘Five.’ Audley was trying not to shit in his best silk britches.

  ‘Six.’ Robert noticed the birds singing in the trees. ‘Seven.’ Audley stumbled over a tussock of grass. ‘Eight.’ Argyll finished his brandy.

  ‘Nine.’ Elizabeth slowed to a stop again.

  ‘Ten.’ Sarah pulled up beside her and felt her heart hammering in her chest.

  ‘Eleven.’He looks so dashing!Elizabeth thought as her eyes sparkled.

  ‘Twelve.’I could do with a brandy!Sarah thought as she watched, fascinated.

  Thirte
en.’ Robert smiled to himself.Like old times, indeed!He thought.

  ‘Fourteen.’ Argyll yawned, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

  ‘Fifteen.’I’m glad that’s not me!Beresford thought as he looked at Robert.

  ‘Sixteen.’ Elizabeth clicked her horse forward again. ‘Seventeen.’ Sarah followed her.

  ‘Eighteen.’ Audley let out a definite sob. They all heard it. ‘Nineteen.’ Nearly there.Robert thought.

  ‘Twenty.’ They stopped and turned to face each other. ‘You may fire when ready!’ Burke said loudly.

  Beresford was astonished at the cold, blank expression on Robert’s face as he cocked and levelled his pistol, placed his free hand over his right breast and closed one eye.

  Argyll almost burst out laughing at the look of terror on Audley’s face as he tried to keep his pistol steady.

  Robert waited. Even at that distance he could see Audley’s pistol moving around.He won’t be able to hit a barn standing inside it!He thought, but still he didn’t fire.

  Audley broke first and yanked on the trigger, making the pistol jerk, as the powder flashed in the pan and the ball exploded from the barrel.

  Half an ounce of lead hit Robert in his right armpit and because Audley’s pistol was wavering so much, the ball punched its way out of the pectoral muscle on Robert’s chest, between the thumb and forefinger of his left hand. He grunted at the pain and almost folded over. Burke went to move to him and he shouted. ‘Don’t! Stay there.’

  Now he’s at a disadvantage, Audley thought and smiled evilly. ‘Oh! Dear!’ Argyll muttered. ‘I wish he hadn’t smiled.’

  Beresford looked at him sharply.

  Robert looked down at his useless right arm, the hand still clutching the pistol as his shirt filled with his blood. He took the gun from his right hand, settled it comfortably in his left and turned his body the other way. Slowly he raised the gun and pointed it at Audley again.

  Audley’s smirk turned into grimace. Robert held the tension and then he gently squeezed the trigger.

  Another half an ounce of lead exploded free of a pistol and began its trajectory towards its target. Audley prayed in that split second that Robert would miss because he was shooting with his left hand. And then there were no more thoughts in Audley’s head, as the bullet passed through his frontal lobe and exited from the parietal lobe, taking half his skull with it. He stood upright for a few seconds as his eyes rolled up in his head and then he literally fell backwards like a tree falling over.

  Robert dropped to his knees as Elizabeth galloped in, throwing herself off the horse and reaching him before he fell on his face.

  ‘Robert, my love?’ she spoke to him clearly, without panic as she put her arms around him and carefully steered his body onto his side. Suddenly Burke was beside her. He had a wad of cotton and he thrust it into Robert’s armpit and proceeded to strap his arm to his side.

  Elizabeth leaned over him, talking all the time. ‘Robert, can you hear me?’

  ‘Yes.’ He gasped and groaned as Burke moved his arm. ‘Oh! God! That hurts!’ he sobbed and she could see the tears on his face.

  ‘Burke is securing it, and then we must get you home.’ She said firmly, as she could see the emptiness in his eyes. ‘Can you understand me?’

  ‘Yes.’ He whispered and closed his eyes.

  ‘Sarah? Go and get the surgeon. Have him meet us at the house.’ Elizabeth ordered as Burke, Beresford and Argyll lifted Robert and carried him to the carriage. She retrieved the pistols and replaced them in the case, snapping it shut. She could see the little basket that Burke had taken the hunting set out of, so she swept everything in there, folded up the table and carried it and the basket to her horse, gathered up the reins and walked to the carriage. Burke took the accoutrements from her as Robert was settled inside, and climbed up with the coachman. Argyll swiped the bottle of brandy, stepped inside and the carriage was on its way.

  Elizabeth stood and looked after the coach, watching it disappear on its way to Cumberland Gate and Park Lane.

  ‘My Lady?’ Beresford attracted her attention. ‘You should leave, now.’

  ‘I will in a moment.’ She said and walked her horse to where Alexander Audley the last Earl of Craanford, was lying on his back, with the whites of his eyes showing. ‘Honour is satisfied.’ She said softly. ‘Will you move him, My Lord?’ she asked.

  ‘No, my Lady. As soon as you depart, I shall get in my coach and go home for some breakfast.’ He laughed coarsely. ‘Would you give the Duke of Goring a message for me?’

  ‘I will, My Lord.’ She said and turned to him expectantly.

  ‘Tell him I agree with him and will wait for the arrival of the child.’

  She arched her eyebrows in surprise. ‘Just that?’ he nodded. ‘Very well.’ She held out her hand. ‘Good morning, Lord Beresford.’

  He took her hand and gently kissed the back of her fingers. ‘Good morning, Lady Audley.’

  Elizabeth smiled and climbed onto her horse, settling herself in the saddle, she turned the horse’s head away from him and kicked it into a gallop and headed straight for the Grosvenor Gate.

  The Doctor that had attended to Elizabeth the previous day was standing on the steps waiting for the carriage. He helped Burke, Argyll and the coachman get Robert inside and up to the Green Room.

  Lady Verity was standing in the hall as the men passed by, holding Sarah’s hand. ‘Where is Elizabeth?’ she whispered.

  ‘I must assume she will be here soon.’ Sarah whispered back, but Verity could hear the shock in her voice. She yanked Sarah into the main drawing room.

  ‘Don’t tell me you watched the duel?’ she asked in horror.

  ‘I didn’t have any choice really.’ Sarah said and the tears arrived like a dam bursting. ‘I didn’t realise he would be shot or that the other one would be killed!’ she gabbled out as Verity engulfed her in her arms and held her heaving shoulders.

  ‘Ladies are not meant to see that kind of thing, my dear.’ Verity patted her back and rocked her consolingly. ‘I think Elizabeth needed to see it, but you didn’t.’

  Upstairs the Doctor ushered Argyll out of the room and he and Burke started to deal with Robert’s injuries. The first thing the doctor did was open his case and take out a cauterising iron, which he placed in the coals of the fire. Burke started to get Robert’s shirt off and the doctor took out some scissors to help. They had just finished when Elizabeth arrived.

  ‘I’m sorry but you must wait outside.’ The doctor said huffily. ‘And you’re supposed to be in bed, not gallivanting around on a horse.’

  ‘Doctor, I’m fine. Now I will hold him while you deal with this!’ she said firmly, stripped off her jacket, climbed on the bed and manoeuvred Robert’s head and shoulders into her lap. He was actually better positioned, so the doctor didn’t say another word, just slowly lifted the arm and carefully removed the pad.

  The blood pulsed over Robert’s chest and Elizabeth started to pray in her mind that he would survive this.

  ‘I see, yes, the ball has passed straight through.’ The doctor murmured. ‘I’ll need to check his ribs first.’ And promptly he started to press on the side of Robert’s chest above and below the hole in his armpit. The further up he pushed the arm, the more Robert moaned. Eventually the doctor had the arm upright, but bent at the elbow. He asked Elizabeth to hold it there and it took both hands to stop Robert from pulling it down.

  Burke bustled in with a stack of towels and a bowl of hot water and the footmen were on the landing waiting for whatever would be needed next.

  ‘I need to irrigate this.’ The doctor muttered. Burke asked for a jug. Argyll went down to his study and opened the safe. He removed fifty guineas and dropped the coins in a small leather bag, tightening the drawstring as Verity barged straight into his study without even knocking the door.

  ‘Johnny you must come and see to Sarah.’ She demanded and he followed her.

  He saw Rogers on the landing and hande
d him the little bag. ‘For the surgeon.’ He said softly and Rogers nodded.

  He went into the drawing room to find his fiancée in such a state of distress that his first thought was to sweep her up in his arms. He sat on the same ecru brocade settee and hugged her to his chest, rocking her like a child. He shushed her and whispered endearments in his ear.

  ‘I think you should be in bed, my dear.’ He said softly as Verity bustled out of the room to see to the doctors requirements.

  ‘Take me to bed.’ She whispered, ‘please?’

  He lifted her in his arms and practically ran up the stairs to his bedroom in the ducal apartment. He slammed the door shut and locked it.

  Frantically they removed each others clothes; until naked they stared at each other. ‘This should happen on our wedding night.’ He whispered hoarsely.

  ‘I can’t wait that long!’ she said just as hoarsely and suddenly she was trying to burrow into his chest. He picked her up and almost threw her onto the bed. There was no finesse for either of them; it was like a burning need. A need to be fulfilled. Argyll was aware that she had only had sex once, so he was a little more restrained than he wanted to be, but he still forced his knee between her legs. He kissed her harshly as he slowly entered her. ‘Yes!’ burst from her throat as she arched her back to receive him and he made love to her with long quick strokes, until her body was trembling on the verge, when he slipped his hand between them and stroked her in just the right place. Her orgasm exploded like a firework, making her cry out and groan as her internal muscles contracted and pulsed with her hammering heartbeat and he shuddered with the strength of his release. She clasped her arms and legs about his body as if she was drowning.

  The Doctor delved in his bag for a funnel and tube. Burke obviously knew what to expect for he rolled a towel into a bolster, placing it carefully against Robert’s chest and then placed a towel around the wound, to catch any spill.