Chapter 21

CHAPTER21

“Anthony?” Susanna’s words came out breathily.

Anthony jumped down from his saddle as the constables closed in on their horses. His eyes went straight to Susanna, his heart leaping in his chest when he saw the grasp that she was in.

Lord Keats had a tight hold of her. One arm was wrapped around her waist, keeping her against his front, and in the other hand he had a penknife. It wasn’t quite lifted toward her, but the threat was a subtle one, for Lord Keats held it down at her side.

“Susanna,” Anthony said, stepping forward. Behind him, the constables and the steward hovered, clearly wary of advancing now that Lord Keats had a weapon. “Are you all right?” He wanted to hear the words.

She smiled rather weakly, clearly glad to see him, but that smile quickly faded. He could see the streaks on her cheeks where she had been crying. The thought that the man beside her would drive her to this point sent Anthony mad. He turned his gaze on Lord Keats and found that gaze hardening.

“Release her,” Anthony ordered.

“You can just turn your horses around and go back the way you came.” Lord Keats raised that knife. “This is your warning. If you do not back up, then I will be forced to do something drastic.”

“What?” Anthony barked the word, aware that Lord Keats flinched at that sound. “Are you going to hurt the very woman you are forcing to marry you?”

“It is not forced; it is necessary.”

“It is abduction!” Anthony roared with the words, aware that the horses behind him snorted, spooked by the sound. “Release her. I am telling you now, Lord Keats, release her.”

“No… no.” Lord Keats backed up, still holding onto Susanna. She stumbled in his hold, not looking where she was going.

No! He cannot leave with her now!

“We are going to Gretna Green, and you will not follow,” Lord Keats warned holding that penknife so close to Susanna that she whimpered in fear. Anthony found his hands balling into fists beside him.

I will not let him hurt her!

As Lord Keats backed up, Anthony followed.

“Are you deaf?” Lord Keats barked. “I said, you are not to follow!”

“If you hurt her, then you will have me to answer to,” Anthony warned. The threat seemed to do nothing. Lord Keats apparently thought he still had the upper hand, for he backed up further, dragging Susanna to the carriage that had stopped a distance behind them. Anthony quickly saw that Susanna must have attempted an escape — one that had not gone well.

This ends now.

“This is your chance, Lord Keats.” Anthony kept his words firm and solemn. The three of them came to a stop when they halted outside of the carriage, for Lord Keats was unsure how to get Susanna into the carriage without being attacked himself. “Release Susanna.”

“Or what?” Lord Keats sneered in his direction. “You do not care for her. She means nothing to you.”

“Would I have ridden all the way to stop you if that was the truth?” Anthony countered, his voice just as strong. He could feel Susanna’s eyes on him at these words, but he couldn’t return that look right now. He was too busy staring at the penknife, fearing how it hovered in Lord Keats’ shaking hand. “This is your last chance. Release her.”

“No!” Lord Keats turned his head to the carriage before snapping it forward again. “Susanna, get in the carriage. Now.” She didn’t move. “I said, now!”

Anthony’s eyes shot to her. He had a plan, something that could work, but it was risk. He pointedly looked between her and Lord Keats’ foot. At first, she didn’t seem to understand, for her brow furrowed.

“Susanna, get in!” Lord Keats barked again. He tried to force her into the carriage, but as Anthony returned his gaze to Lord Keats’ foot, this time, clearly, she understood.

Susanna stamped down hard on Lord Keats’ foot. His roar of pain was coupled by him loosening his grasp on her.

Anthony took the opportunity. He ran forward, aware he could hear the constables advancing now too. With all his body weight, he tackled Lord Keats, taking him far away from Susanna. The two tussled on their feet for a minute with Anthony’s hand going for the hilt of the penknife and trying to take it away.

Lord Keats snarled as they wrestled with one another, gritting his teeth.

“You will not get her,” he vowed through those gritted teeth.

“You’re wrong,” Anthony muttered. “You have already lost her.” With those words, he snapped back Lord Keats’ hand. The wrist broke with the bone cracking audibly in the air. The penknife dropped to the ground where Anthony kicked it away.

Lord Keats went to tackle him again, but the constables were there. They each took one of his arms before dragging him away, keeping him far back.

“No. No!” Lord Keats roared. His eyes went to Susanna as he clearly tried to get back to her.

Anthony put himself between Lord Keats and Susanna, blocking off the Earl’s sight of her.

“Susanna. Susanna!” he called, wanting her attention.

“You’re under arrest, Lord Keats,” one of the constables said as they began to drag him away, far from his coach. “For abduction and forced attempt at marriage.”

“No!” Lord Keats shouted the word, but it was left unanswered as he was taken away, the toes of his boots dragging through the mud.

Anthony felt Susanna’s hands curl in the back of his tailcoat. He reached back to her. Once Lord Keats was gone, he turned to face her, enveloping her into his chest.

“It’s over, Susanna. It’s over.”

“You came,” she whispered the words as her tears began to fall. “Thank God, you came.”

There was nowhere else I would have been.

For now, Anthony kept the thought to himself as he embraced her, holding her tight.

* * *

As Anthony helped Susanna down off the horse, there was a flurry of action. The door to his house was thrust open through which Lady Follet and Peggy ran. Hurrying down the steps, they both bundled toward Susanna, embracing her tightly. The mud on her gown soon ended up on their dresses too, not that any of them minded.

Anthony watched, his smile impossibly wide as he took in the sight before him.

“Thank God!” Lady Follet turned her eyes to the darkening clouds now that evening had fallen. “I thought we had lost you today. Thank God you are here again.” She fussed with Susanna’s hair, pushing it back from her face.

“You found my letter then?” Susanna asked with a smile.

“I screamed when I found it,” Peggy admitted with a small laugh.

“I am glad she did. I dropped my breakfast to go to her,” Lady Follet agreed and embraced her goddaughter another time. “Thanks to the Lord, you are well. We were so scared.”

Anthony sighed with relief, for Lady Follet had muttered the same words he had felt.

I was scared too.

As he watched the reunion, behind them he saw his mother appear on the steps. She looked equally relieved. Clinging to one of the stone pillars beside her with her other hand resting over her heart, she sighed with relief.

Now — I must do it now.

Anthony rounded the reunited family and moved toward his mother, looking up to her on the front porch steps and whispering to her so only she could hear him.

“She is safe,” Anthony said slowly.

“Thank the Lord indeed,” she seconded with a smile. “The poor lady.” She shook her head, disgusted by what had taken place. “Anthony, I need you to know, I might not have approved, but I would never wish for… what happened… You know that, do you not?”

“I know, Mother. I know.” Anthony smiled, seeing how truthful his mother was. Honoria was truly relieved to see Susanna was safe and sound as was Anthony. “I hope you know though, I cannot take your advice in this regard.”

“I didn’t think you would,” Honoria said with a small laugh. “But to see the smile that is on your cheeks now…” She motioned to him. “I would happily watch you marry anyone to see you smile in such a way again.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Anthony quickly moved up the steps toward his mother and embraced her.

“Oh, you are getting me covered in mud!” she wailed.

“It’s a little dirt, that is all.” He laughed with the words even as she continued to wail and then batted him away, rather good naturedly.

As Anthony turned away and hurried back down the steps, he found Susanna still in the midst of her relieved reunion with those she loved. Lady Follet would not stop fussing with her goddaughter, and Peggy hadn’t released her mistress’ hand, needing to hold onto her.

Now. I must do it before anything else can happen again!

Anthony knew that Lord Keats was on his way to the magistrate for now, but an earl would no doubt be given bail for such a crime. It would take a few weeks for him to be brought to trial for what he had done today.

I wish to protect Susanna, and I want our life to start together without any more confusion or threat.

Anthony stepped forward. Peggy seemed to notice first and released her mistress’ hand before pulling on the back of Lady Follet’s gown, tugging her away.

“Oh, Peggy, what are you doing?” Lady Follet said pointedly.

“I believe the Duke wishes to say something, My Lady!” At Peggy’s words, Lady Follet hurried back.

“Oh, yes, of course.” Lady Follet hurried up the steps to stand beside Honoria with Peggy beside her. “Is this not wonderful?” Lady Follet asked and linked arms with Honoria.

Anthony held back his laugh when he saw his mother look down at the shock of their arms being linked. She seemed to have abandoned complaining about the mud that was now getting on her own dress.

Perhaps things can change for my mother yet.

Anthony turned his attention solely on Susanna who was waiting in front of him.

“Thank you,” she said hastily. “So much. In fact, I do not think I can say thank you enough for what has happened today.”

“You do not need to thank me.” He took her hand and pulled her away from the house. Whilst he was happy for their families to watch what was about to happen, he wished to speak to her alone a little first. He took Susanna to the other side of the drive, so there was enough distance between them that others couldn’t hear their conversation

“I do; I do need to thank you!” Susanna insisted. “Anthony, had you not come today, then my God…” She cursed under her breath. “What might have happened does not bear thinking about.”

“Then do not think about it. Let us think of something else instead.” Anthony lifted her hand toward his lips and kissed it. The movement was sudden though he held the kiss for a beat longer than propriety dictated. At once, Susanna smiled, clearly sensing what such a touch meant.

Any huff his mother might have made at the kiss was impossible for Anthony to hear at this distance.

“What do you wish to think about instead?” Susanna asked, with something of a teasing smile playing on her lips.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said as he lowered her hand. “I do not think my lessons are done yet.”

“Are they not?” Susanna gestured to his clothes, covered in dirt from riding so far and fast after her. “You have certainly relaxed in my eyes! You wear dirt quite proudly, and you and I… Well, we hardly keep to the rules of propriety, do we?”

“Perhaps not,” he agreed with a chuckle. “Yet, I find I do not want my lessons to end. That is why I have a proposition for you, another as an addendum to our last agreement.”

“I will hear it out,” Susanna nodded, that smile growing ever greater. Anthony suspected she knew where he was going with this, but she seemed happy to let him continue talking in such a way regardless.

“I wish to learn more, to continue our lessons, so that I may learn to relax and not bother myself with propriety so much, forever.”

“Forever?” Susanna repeated, her voice turning a little breathy.

“Just so.” His smile deepened as he watched her lips part and her eyes widen. “So, Susanna, I have another question to ask of you.” Slowly, he bent his leg and moved down to go on one knee before her.

The rather audible and loud gasps and squeaks from the doorway to the house showed their onlookers’ reactions though Anthony didn’t turn to look at them, even as Susanna laughed at their reaction.

“Are you actually going to…?” Susanna trailed off, looking down at him.

“Susanna, you have made me happier than I have ever been since you came into my life. It may have taken me a while to realize what the feeling was, but I knew it today without a doubt.”

“What is that?”

“That I love you.” His words made her smile grow all the more.

“I love you too,” she murmured, her hand lacing through his so that their fingers were entwined.

She loves me!

Hearing those words filled Anthony with such a thrill that he had no more hesitation in asking the question he so longed to ask.

“Susanna, will you marry me?” he asked, holding onto her hand.

“Oh, my goodness,” she murmured breathlessly. “Yes. Of course, I will marry you. Yes!”

As they both smiled, and Anthony rose to his feet again, a cheer began. He jerked his head toward the sound to see Lady Follet and Peggy in the doorway, applauding. Even Honoria was smiling, and Anthony thought for a second, she might even be a littler tearful.

“I think we made them happy,” Susanna said with a giggle.

“Believe me, I am the happy one.” Anthony turned back toward her and moved his head toward hers, finding her lips with his own. The way her hands curled around the lapels of his jacket sent him into a spiral of a thrill.

This is as we should always be.

The cheer grew louder from Lady Follet and Peggy though perhaps not from Honoria.

“Oh! Not so much of that until the two of you are married, need I remind you?” she called out.

Anthony and Susanna both laughed into their kiss before they stole another chaste kiss.

“I cannot wait for the wedding,” Anthony whispered in Susanna’s ear as the two of them embraced.