Ceasebury: Chapter Twenty-Three

We awoke sharply at the break of dawn. The early morning sun beamed in from across Virginia’s rolling hills and in through my windowpane, a ray of sun falling across the duvets on the bed. I tapped Valentine awake hurriedly, suddenly remembering what was going to happen this morning. He awoke sleepily, as if caught on the brink of some kind of impossible dream. Yes, that was it, Valentine had been dreaming some kind of impossible dream that I had been forced to awake him from. He was hazy at first, but then the enormity of this morning’s upcoming event seemed to dawn across his face and he jerked into action.

“What time is it?” he asked hurriedly. He quickly put on his duelling blouse and pulled his pocket watch out of his breeches, flitting his sea blue eyes over its glassy surface.

“Shit!” he shouted.

“Be quiet!” I whispered with alarm. He nodded apologetically.

“Okay, I need to go. I have my pistol; I’ll go out of the window so no one knows I’m here.” He took a deep breath and grabbed my hand and kissed it. “I love you, Theodosia.” He whispered, our eyes meeting.

“I love you too, Valentine.” I whispered. He pulled his hand away from mine. He made him way towards the window, hoisting himself out and climbing down the grid beneath my window where the jasmine flowers grew and allowing himself to fall the last meter, planting his feet firmly on the path. He ran down towards the Creek. Once he was out of sight, I quickly brushed my curls an pinned them back in a way which made me look slightly respectable and put on a pair of silk heels and a bonnet and ran down the stairs, careful not to wake Gabriella. But then it dawned on me that Gabriella was no longer in the chamber across the hall from mine.

As I ran out of the manor, the clock faced chimed its familiar sepulchral tone to mark the hour as five o’clock. The early morning air was thick with the scent of jasmine and a strong breeze blew from the east where the yellow sun was rising up over the mountains and turning the sky a subtle crimson. I ran out over the lawn and towards the Creek, past the roses and down the dirt path to the Summer House. Valentine stood on the opposite bank, polishing the barrel of his gun so that its metal gleamed in the light. Dorian was standing gingerly on the bank near me, loading his pistol with shaking hands.

“Right,” Valentine said in a booming voice that echoed in the Creek “first to shoot, not the first to kill.” Dorian nodded eagerly. “On the count of ten then.” Valentine paused. “One… Two… Three… Four… Five… Six… Seven… Eight… Nine – “

“Wait!” A strong male voice shouted from the east. Charles LeBolt emerged from over the hill, running towards Valentine. He was followed by a girl with messy blonde hair who trotted along behind him. It was Gabriella.

“Ten!” Valentine shouted. There was the click of pistols and the fire of a bullet. Valentine’s pistol had been pointed directly at Dorian’s chest, while Dorian had been aiming around Valentine’s shoulder. A bullet zoomed past Valentine’s left ear, burrowing into the tree trunk behind his head. Valentine’s bullet was nowhere to be seen. Dorian fell to the floor.

“You bastard!” shouted Gabriella at Valentine. Valentine ignored her.

“Get up, you idiot.” Valentine gestured for Dorian to stand. He lay there on the bank. “Get up.” He shouted. “It wasn’t even loaded.” He smirked.

“Well, thank fuck for that.” Said Charles. Gabriella fell to her knees in shock.

“You didn’t shoot me?” Dorian said in breathless disbelief.

“No.” Said Valentine. I made eye contact with Gabriella, she smiled back tentatively.

“Who are you?” said Dorian to Charles.

“Oh, well, I’m Captain LeBolt. But, all things considered, you should probably call me Charles.” He said.

“What do you mean ‘all things considered’?”

“Dorian, he means that he’s your brother in law.” Gabriella shouted across the bank.

“What?” Dorian said in surprise.

“Well, I suppose he’s your half brother in law, but still, call him Charles.” Gabriella smiled.

“When did this happen?” Dorian asked.

“Last night. We eloped and married in Williamsburg.” Gabriella said, pulling Charles closer to her.

“You must be Dorian Kingston.” Charles smiled. “I have heard all about you.”

“I bet you have. How I abandoned my sister? How I caused a scene last night?” Dorian shouted.

“No,” Charles shook his head “Gabriella told me how you risked everything to protect her back when your mother died. She told me how you saved her reputation by making sure no one knew of her parentage. You have to be one of the most honourable men I have ever met, even when you were 16 and in your last duel with Valentine.” He smirked as he finished.

“You think I’m honourable?” Dorian said, perplexed.

“Undoubtedly.” Said Charles “I feel honoured to have you as a brother in law. You have done everything you ever could to protect the women in your life.”

“Not mother, though.” Grief dawned across his face.

“You couldn’t do anything for mother.” Shouted Gabriella “You didn’t even know before he killed her.”

“I suppose you’re Gabriella LeBolt now.” Said Dorian.

“I am.” She smiled.

“Good.” Dorian said. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“Don’t mind if you do.” Gabriella laughed “All of Williamsburg already knows and is on the look out for me.” I was as she said this that I remembered the note from Mr Jameston. I pulled it out of my pocket and broke the crimson stallion seal and unfurled the parchment.

Dear Theodosia,

I have heard about Miss Gabriella’s misplacement after the ball last night and wish to tell you that all my prayers are on hoping she is okay. I have heard that she has eloped and wish to offer my help in concealing them both if this is the case. You know where I am if you need me.

Your Obedient Servant

E. Jameston

“Gabriella,” I said “Mr Jameston says that all of Williamsburg is looking for you two.”

“Who’s Mr Jameston?” Gabriella asked.

“Well-“ I was cut off by the sniggering of the three gentlemen at the scene. “He’s-“ I attempted to continue.

“He runs the brothel in Williamsburg.” Charles said decisively. Gabriella raised her eyebrows. “He’s an absolutely capital fellow.” He continued with a smirk.

“I know everyone is looking for us, Cheyenne showed up at about two in the morning and told me and Charles all about the duel and everything.”

“Does it worry you?” I asked.

“Yes.” She admitted “But what can we do?”

“Well, Mr Jameston is offering to hide you.” I waved the letter.

“Oh, well, we should take it.” Charles stated. “If they work out you’re married to me, the first they’ll look is the barracks.”

“Will you come with me?” Gabriella asked him.

“Of course, I will, I love you Gabriella.” He smiled, grabbing her hand. “And once this damned war is over, we’ll live out our days in a beautiful little cottage away from here.” She nodded eagerly. “Come on, we have to return to Williamsburg before its light.”

“Okay, we’ll go on the horse to tell Mr Jameston you’re coming.” Valentine said.

“Thank you, Valentine.” Charles smiled.

“Come with me, Theodosia.” Valentine smiled. I nodded. He thrust his pistol into a pouch in his breeches. “I’ll get Hermes.”

“Who’s Hermes?” I asked.

“My horse, the one you rode with me, the black stallion.” He said. Dorian, Charles and Gabriella smirked in unison.

“Oh, stop it, we all have our secrets.” I smiled.

Recommend Write a ReviewReport