The Emerald Viscountess

~7~

"If the goal is merely to wound, where should my brother aim?" Benedict asked, the case of pistols under his arm. Eleanora followed behind him, tightening her hood over her face.

The doctor scoffed. "You think you have the skill to guide the path of a moving bullet? Then you are either a fool or the king's finest marksman. Which is it?" He turned to Eleanora. "And you, child, whatever do you think you are doing at a duel? This is no such place for a lady."

Before Eleanora could answer, Anthony said, "The young lady insisted. Miss Fitzwilliam is a very stubborn woman with great reason."

It hadn't even occurred to Eleanora as to what Benedict must be thinking of her accompanying the brothers at the duel.

Just then, Simon and Mondrich arrived on their horses. Eleanora's breathing became more unstable at the thought of how it all felt real at that very moment, as both participants were finally meeting - only one would walk away to live to tell the tale.

Anthony pulled Benedict aside to hand his brother their father's pocketwatch, closing Benedict's fingers over it.

"If anything happens to me," Anthony stammered, blinking back tears as he forced eye contact with Benedict. "You'll watch over Nora, yes?"

"Of course, Brother," Benedict promised. He glanced to Eleanora, who was observing Simon and his second man get off their horses, unaware of the responsibility promised involving her.

Simon and Anthony took position in front of each other with blank faces, neither knowing what was racing through the other's mind. Benedict opened the case holding the pistols, and Mondrich inspected one of them, giving a nod of approval to Benedict.

"For what it is worth," Simon prompted after what felt like forever. "I am sorry."

"Your apology is worth nothing to me," Anthony said flatly.

They were each handed their respected pistols, facing opposite ways so their backs were touching.

"Ready!" Anthony announced.

"Ready!" Simon announced.

Mondrich, Benedict, and Eleanora backed away to a safe distance, and the two began counting their twenty paces.

"Benedict, I cannot watch," Eleanora whispered. He put his arm around her and rubbed her arm reassuringly as her eyes watered. The two figures pacing became awfully blurry.

When they finished their twenty paces, Anthony aimed his pistol at Simon - but the duke's was aimed at the sky. Anthony's hand shook as he held the pistol, finally realizing that his dear friend's blood would be on his hands in less than a second.

Just then, a hooded figure rode in on their horse between the two men, and Anthony shot, with no reaction time to realize that it was his sister who was in his firing range. Her horse panicked, throwing Daphne off and hitting the grass with a painful thud.

Everyone ran to her to make sure she was alive.

"Stand aside," Anthony said as he checked on Daphne, who was still and not responding. Finally, she started moving and Anthony sighed, "Oh, good god."

"Are you hurt? Tell me!" Simon demanded.

"I am perfectly well," she snapped, standing up and fixing her hood bitterly. "No thanks to you idiots."

"What do you think you're playing at?" Anthony asked, on the border of hysteria that he could have possibly killed his sister.

"Says the man who just shot at me!"

"You just rode into the middle of a duel!"

"I require a moment with the duke," Daphne said.

Anthony stepped forward to protest and Benedict and Eleanora had to restrict him.