Twins of Tenby Hall

Chapter 30

Walking tightly between Miranda and Matthew, Isabel Riley clutched a small purse to her chest, a small purse containing The Letter. As they neared the bridge in the centre of Windsdown park her eyes darted unceasingly to the shade laid by trees, and the paths winding through and around the park, searching for any figure that looked as though it may be watching with sinister intent. She took deep breaths to calm herself.

"What shall I do? How shall I hide it in a way that seems secret?" 

"You could drop something and tell us to go ahead." Matthew helped. 

"O-Ok, yes. That seems a sound plan." Isabel's eyes looked to her twin's in trepidation. 

"We will remain on the bridge for you, we will not go ahead; we will not abandon you, Izzy." 

Isabel nodded. They attempted to force a cheerful conversation, and, as their feet brought them onto the bridge Isabel stepped forward, laughing, and flung her arms wide (startling Em by nearly hitting her; she apologized with her eyes) letting her purse land below on the river's edge.

"Oh dear!" Cried she loudly, "You have caused me to lose my things in my exuberance." 

"Dramatic but effective." Matthew muttered in surprise. Miranda was speaking over him.
"Never mind, go back and retrieve what you have lost, we shall wait for you here!" 

With the urgency to be done with the uncomfortable task, Isabel rushed back down the bridge and down the steep little embankment to the sliver of rocks that bordered the small river she had fallen into a few weeks before. She did not immediately see any sort of box.

Isabel turned to venture into the dim shadows under the bridge and found herself facing none other than Lord Miles himself! She stifled her scream.

He smiled lovingly, tenderly, reaching a finger to her lips and his other hand beckoned her to approach. Glancing up she could see the backs of Matthew and Miranda turned to her. Isabel had the immediate thought to call to them and have the man seized in that very moment but a gleam caught her eye. The man had equipped himself with a pistol!

A mere second passed in which Isabel's mind worked at a frenzied, adrenaline-induced speed. He would not try to abduct her here, in public, in the light of late morning; and if she called for help he may behave rashly and wound, nay kill, someone. Act! Coaxed she to her terror-stricken self. ACT! She forced a shaky smile and crouched to join him under the bridge; brushing her fingers to his but not having the stomach to actually take his hand. 

"What are you doing here, you may be caught?" whispered she as quietly as possible, trying to hide the repulsion in her voice with a smile and hoping it was dim enough that he would not see the insincerity there. She added, "I thought there would be a box.." 

"No box, I surprised you did I not?" returned he cheerfully, then, "My beloved Isabel, you need not fear for me." spreading a hand across her cheek with his words brushing her jaw. "I have remained undetected from these fools for an age. I thought I had lost you; but lo, I overheard Lady Bradshaw in London telling how she had come upon you here...Lovely Angel, it was as though you had sent her; you had begged for me and look, but our prayers have been answered and fate has aligned for us!" She attempted to remove his hand from her face but his fingers roped tightly around her wrists, stopping her. "I feel you tremble for me as I do for you my sweet pearl, do not contain it. Trust we shall be together soon, for all eternity." 

She opened her mouth to speak, and there emerged naught but a strangled whimper. She tried again. "I-I must return to my sister...lest she discover us. H-here, I have written a letter; for you." She scrambled to procure it for him. Lord Miles moved with snake-like speed to kiss her lips; she moved with equal speed to dodge it. "Oh merciful Mary! I mean. My Lo-" she gulped. "My Love, I could not until our," she wheezed "wedding day." 

His eyes widened, he grasped her hands and pulled her to his chest. "You are too pure. Yes, my Angel, my Life. Now go!" He snatched the letter. She fled. 

Miranda and Matthew observed the expression on her face with bewilderment; her features contorted in fear and eyes shining with unshed stress-induced tears. She shook her head at them while attempting willfully to produce a steady, cheerful voice. "Let us finish our walk! Now then, Em, do continue telling me the stories from your London season!" and as they rushed away from the bridge at nearly a jog she begged in hushed tones "Go! Go! For heaven's sake, go!"

It was not until they were safely in the Blackstone carriage that Isabel divulged what had just transpired. And then back at Blackstone Abbey she was obliged to re-tell her story. The brazen-ness of the criminal, the shocking fact that he carried on his person a pistol! The threat of danger from Lord Miles was greater than they had predicted!

~~~

The house waited in heavy anticipation for Friday evening; then, when the time came, the five ladies waited with Mr Dunsworth Sr for the others to return with the news of Lord Miles's capture.

It was late into the night when Lord Riley returned with Matthew Westbrooke and Eugene Dunsworth; they appeared drawn and tired, evidently wishing to be seated comfortably before divulging any details. Eugene, immediately meeting Isabel's expectant eye upon emerging from the night into the entry hall, allowed them all relief by speaking softly, "it is done." 

The details were divulged thus:
They had stationed plain-clothed constables, and themselves, inconspicuously around the area. The carriage had arrived, an armed man within swathed in a cloak, no bonnet. Ten minutes in approximation had gone by when Lord Miles appeared, hailing from the opposite street, and approached the carriage hesitantly; then rushed it, all but diving within by all accounts. The carriage had been immediately surrounded and a wild clamor had erupted from inside. The door was opened, firearms drawn, when shots began to blast through the air, two in succession then one a few moments later. Lord Miles had shot the man in the carriage after a scuffle (the man was shot through the thigh Lord Riley assured, not a fatal wound, but another man was not so fortunate). Lord Miles briefly thereafter realized he was caught; he shot again, missing Matthew very closely and grazing his ribs (this information bringing forth a short cry from the twins more than the others, and Miranda rushed to inspect him), hitting the man behind him in the chest. That man did not survive. Once Lord Miles came to the realization that his beloved had betrayed him, and that he would undoubtedly be imprisoned and later hanged for murder, he turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger before he could be stopped. 

A long silence hung in the room after this account was over. 

"Well," Sicily broke it. "As morbid as this may be, I am glad of it. We are safe from him now." 

"We are safe." Isabel repeated, staring into her steaming teacup. 

"It is late. We all need our rest." Mr Dunsworth Sr flipped closed his pocket watch. The others agreed.

~~~

"It seems odd to just go to bed after a night such as tonight." Isabel confessed to Miranda under the blankets of her sister's bed. 

"I dare say for those who were witness to the event, it is more so. How traumatic to see two men die so climatically in one evening, one after the other." 

"Yes, I cannot imagine. Poor papa, poor Mr Dunsworth." 

"Poor Matthew." 

"You are safe now though Isabel." 

"My mind is not convinced; it doesn't yet seem real; though I suppose no part of the events these many months has felt real." 

"Believe it Izzy. There is most evidential proof for you to believe in, in any case. You trust Papa and Matthew..and Mr Dunsworth. Every time you look on one of them you will be able to think to yourself 'there, they ensured my safety, they saw with their very eyes the end of my cause for fear'." 

"That is very macabre assurance." 

"I know. I am sorry. It was badly said indeed." 

"Not badly said; in all honesty you are correct. I know it will be a long while before I feel safe and secure in life without one of them nearby." 

"You will be able to come home now." 

"Beloved Tenby, how I've missed her. I cannot wait to see those marbled walls and painted ceilings once more!"