Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
Arthur nodded, his heart tightening in fear. He turned to Mr. Greer. “You should leave.”
* * *
“Nobody leaves!” the brigand said. “If you try to leave, I shall be forced to shoot you.”
* * *
The accountant swallowed, nodding his understanding. The brigand stepped forward, putting his blunderbuss down on the ground so as to extract some keys from his pocket and unlock the gate. He picked up the blunderbuss and then stepped aside, leaving room for Arthur and the accountant to enter.
* * *
“What of the carriage? Mr. Greer’s horse?” Arthur asked.
* * *
“I’m sure they’ll be fine just where they are.”
* * *
Arthur looked back at his carriage. The horses had not yet realized that something was amiss and were busy grazing on the tufts of grass on the path. “What have you done with my coachman?”
* * *
“Don’t worry about him. He’s joined the rest of your staff in the cellar.” He pushed at Arthur with his blunderbuss, “Now walk!”
* * *
Arthur walked.
Janice didn’t know what happened. One minute she was escorting Lady Weasley back to her room, having sat with her in the garden to soak in some sun, the next, she was being hustled into the manor by a man she did not know. He pushed both she and the dowager into the parlor and slammed the door closed. Janice immediately tried to open the door, but it was locked. She began to bang on it, and shout to be let out but nothing happened.
* * *
And then the screaming began.
* * *
She turned to find the dowager huddled in a corner of the room, behind the curtains, her head covered by her hands as she whimpered. “Don’t hurt him…don’t hurt him.”
* * *
She stopped her banging and hurried to her mother-in-law, enveloping the older woman in her arms and trying to soothe her. The screaming was not helping. Neither was the shouting that followed nor the hurrying footsteps in the corridor.
* * *
After an interminable time, the noise quieted down, but her fear did not. She tried to peer out of the window, but the compound was empty. She opened the window, trying to assess whether she could slip through it and escape…but she looked down at Lady Weasley, cowering and terrified, and knew she could not persuade the older woman to follow her out of the window, and she could not leave her behind.
* * *
She curled up on the floor next to Lady Weasley, running a hand soothingly along her back. “It’s alright mother Weasley,” she murmured absently, her eyes darting around the room, “Everything is fine. You’ll see. Arthur will come and get us out of here.”
* * *
“Arthur?”
* * *
Janice turned to find her mother-in-law staring at her, eyes alive and aware. “Yes, Arthur. Your son,” she said, gently leaning in close to her and looking into her eyes. “You remember him, don’t you?”
* * *
Lady Weasley blinked a few times. “Arthur,” she said again as if in recognition.
* * *
“Yes.” Janice smiled, glad for this breakthrough. The door banged open, and Lady Weasley whimpered, tensing up and hiding her head in her apron. Janice turned with irritation towards the door.
* * *
A masked man was standing there. He pushed Clotilda into the room – holding a chamber pot of all things – and then slammed the door again. Clotilda was pale, her chest heaving even as she sweated.
* * *
With a last comforting pat to Lady Weasley’s back, she got to her feet. “Clotilda, what is happening?”
* * *
The lady’s maid had to breathe in and out a few times before she could answer. “Invaders ma’am. They came in and took all the staff down to the dungeons. They have pistols and rifles ma’am! Swords too. One of the footmen tried to attack and they put a musket ball in his leg. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him.” She put a hand to her chest, sweat pouring from her brow. “Then they grabbed me and pulled me away from the others. They gave me a chamber pot and brought me here.”
* * *
“Did they say anything to you about what they wanted?”
* * *
Clotilda shook her head, her hands still on her bosom even as they were shaking. “They said nothing. They were just pushing people around.”
* * *
“How many are they? Were you able to count?”
* * *
Again, Clotilda shook her head. “I-I don’t know. Everything happened so fast.”
* * *
Janice sat back down on the ground next to Lady Weasley. “Put down the chamber pot and have a seat,” she said quietly to her lady’s maid. “Try to calm down.”
* * *
Clotilda dropped clumsily onto the nearest seat, still holding the chamber pot in hand. She was still shaking and breathing erratically. Janice watched her for a while before turning her attention back to Lady Weasley. She still looked alert and was also watching the lady’s maid.