Coupled Betrayal

Chapter 12

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August 22 1879

She's safe.

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As we neared my house, he tapped my shoulder to rouse me. "We're almost there."

My eyes slowly opened, and I realized I leaned on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around me, and I could smell the soap of his coat.

"Can I ask a favor? Another one."

He nodded, "Anything."

"Can you... can you come with me when I talk to my mother? I don't want to be a weeping mess when I tell her what happened."

"Of course I can. I didn't plan to simply leave you at the door."

"Thank you."

He smiled, and we remained silent, the sound of the wheels heightened by the rocky path.

The carriage came to a halt. The coach opened the door and Claude extended his arm once down to help me. I directed the coach to the stables where the horses could wait, and Claude accompanied me to the door.

I knocked and Mariah opened the door, confused to see me.

"My lady?"

"Yes. I need to see my mother, please."

"Yes, yes. I will bring her down."

The maid disappeared, so I led Claude to the nearest room to the door, the parlor. My mother's swift footsteps grew louder and louder, and soon, she appeared at the door.

She stated her dislike of Claude with one simple glare.

"Angelica, do you mind explaining to me why you're home instead of 10 miles away in Chester?" My mother took a seat directly in front of Claude and I. "My lord, I believe this conversation is between mother and daughter, could you please step out for a few moments, with all due respect."

She struggled to say the last phrase.

"Mama!"

"Yes, of course," he replied, standing up, "I shall step out."

Mariah took to only God knows where.

"You were going to say, Angelica?" my mother urged.

I took a deep breath and said, "Oh, mama. We were on our way to Chester, perhaps an hour along the way, when we heard gunshots! Emily and I were too scared to get out, but two men shot Charles and left him there.

She gasped.

"He'll be fine, mama. He's with a doctor. But then we were being watched by one of the men and Emily took his gun and she told me to run and I did, I jumped out of the carriage, but the other man caught her before she could run away, too. I hid like a coward and they left me there and- and- and they took Emily.

My chest heaved up and down, and my throat constricted as I heard her say "Oh, dear."

"If... If I had helped," I sniffled, "She would be here with us. Safe."

"Oh, darling." My mother sat beside me and hugged me tightly. "This is not your fault, dear. Nothing you did would have stopped two men with guns."

Any resolve to hide my tears shattered as her hand brushed through my hair.

My sobs wet her deep taffeta dress as she asked, ""How did you get to town, dear. And how did you find Charles?"

I choked down another sob and tried to breathe, "Claude, found me with Charles, and, and he lent us his horse."