The Black Knight of Ashfern

Chapter 27

"Phillip!" Nan spun at the sound of Clara's shout, finding the small woman waddling her way toward her with a look of severe displeasure on her face. "Have the carriage readied for Miss Harris. She'll be leaving," she ordered, her eyes never moving from Nan's.

"Mrs. De'Mont, there's really no need for this display. I've already told you that I will leave as soon as I find William. Just please let me find him first," Nan pleaded.

"Of course, you're going to find him. It's because of you he's gone," Clara declared. "John and Will will go with you. They'll know best where to find him," she informed Nan, holding out her hand to her husband as the Captain came through the main doors, straightening his coat as he approached his wife and kissed her cheek reassuringly. A man who could have very well been William's brother followed some seconds later, patting Clara's hand as he offered her a comforting smile. A few seconds later, a maid came to Nan with a thick cloak, helping her into it as the carriage and a lone horse were brought to the front of the house.

Once John was mounted and Nan took her seat within the carriage, followed by William's look-a-like, the vehicle lurched into motion.

"Not to worry, Lass. We'll find him," the look-a-like smiled at Nan confidently, his accent thick and familiar.

"It's not the finding that worries me. It's the how of it," she replied, staring into the night's darkness.

"Bruised, bloody, and beaten, most likely," he admitted with a matter-of-fact shake of his head. "He always had the Horton temper."

"So this is how you look. Mr. Stuart?" Nan asked, though she'd surmised who he was when he had arrived after Captain De'Mont. "Will," she voiced, confirmed by the large smile that broke across his lips as he nodded. "He was there the whole time," she whispered, dropping her eyes to the floor, "Wasn't he?"

"Aye," his cousin confirmed with yet another nod.

"And what you told me? His words or yours?"

"His, for the most part. He wanted you to enjoy the ball. He thought you'd do it better without him. And when you walked in looking as you did, and he saw the looks others gave you," he explained with a proud grin.

"What looks?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

"You didn't notice?" Mr. Stuart queried.

"I came with William. I entered the ball, looking for William. I'd no mind to look for anyone else," she shook her head, her words quick and sharp as she declared them.

"William? Does he know you call him this?" Mr. Stuart commented, sounding intrigued.

"He told me to call him that," she huffed, folding her arms under her breast as she looked out the window.

Nan had a good idea of where they were headed, and when they passed through town and stopped a few miles outside of it, she knew she'd been right. The carriage swung to a standstill just outside a rather large inn that sounded more boisterous than the norm. Through its warped glass windows, figures could be seen making hasty movements, and the sound of yelling and broken items filled the air.

Nan watched with half-interest as Captain De'Mont dismounted and walked to the carriage door. Placing a hand on the dark, smooth wood, his attention remained on the movements of those within, much like her own. A fight had most assuredly broken out within the building, and the riotous dance of bodies crashing into one another confirmed this.

"You wait here, Miss Harris. I'd like to be sure that what I think is happening here is. And that it's our cantankerous William that's caused it," he instructed, trying to sound cheery and reassuring, though it was hard to miss the edge of dread that tainted his tone.