ismenin | A Regency Tale

Good morning! What a night it has been here! Wind blowing, rain raining - weather! Still, we must have it, I spose!

Here is today's offering, in which Dom n Lij get to understand each other a little better!
Hope you enjoy it. And right at the bottom, though I wish I knew how to put it at the top - upload it first instead of last I spose - is Primula Baggins FANTASTIC pic of Elijah, Duke of Stanford!! SNOGS Prims!

Thank you as always LSR for beta.

Regency Six - Better Acquaintance

Elijah did not stop to think - he moved. Not towards Barney his friend, who was holding the gun, for the last time he had done that, Dom had been shot. Elijah moved in front of Dom, standing between him and the cocked pistol.

"Get out of my way, Lij - I need a clear shot at him." Barney growled, still pointing the pistol in their direction.

"Put it down, Barney. Good God, man, are you mad? I will not let you do it. You cannot kill a man on such little provocation. It's not his fault he is here, after all. Billy shot him; it was an accident, of course, and my fault entirely. If you are set on killing someone tonight, you had better shoot us both."

Barney carefully studied his friend, then relaxed and put his gun down, laughing dryly. "You know very well, you bastard, that I can't shoot you. What sort of a gentleman goes about killing his best friend?"

He returned the pistol to his pocket, and looked at Dom, still sitting in the chair. Elijah moved and stood behind the seated man, almost stupefied by his friend's uncharacteristic behaviour.

"Lord Monaghan, do you swear never to mention to a living soul that you have seen us here? I must have your word." Barney moved towards the table and sat down, waiting for Dom to answer.

Dom could feel Elijah's hand on his shoulder, and wondered if the Duke even knew that it was there, so unconscious and friendly seemed the gesture.

Dom cleared his throat. "As I do not know where I am - only that I am on my own land somewhere - I can engage with perfect honesty to swear to you that I will never mention that I have seen you here. I hope you will accept my given word."

Barney smiled. "I would accept the word of any gentleman - or, in this case, nobleman - that is sworn in perfect sincerity."

Dom felt rather than heard Elijah's relief as the hand on his shoulder lost its convulsive grip and was removed. The Duke came and sat beside him. Ned, feeling the tension ease, shrugged and left to tend to the dinner.

Billy coughed. "Is it all right if I let the other Gentleman in, Grey Owl?" he asked Barney, standing by the door to the passage.

Barney nodded. "Close that door and let them in through the front door, Bill. The less the Duke and Lord Monaghan see, the better. You will sit here quietly until they have gone, my Lords. You understand?"

It was Dom's turn to smile. "You are very resourceful - may I call you Barney? For I don't know your other name."

Barney held out his hand across the table. "Barney Corsham, at your service, m' Lord. I am sure we shall bump into each other in town now and again, y'know, so you had better know who I am."

Elijah put his hands in his lap, for they were trembling. If he chose to think that they were trembling because his friend Barney had proved to be a smuggler, rather than because of the danger in which Dom had been, then he was perfectly at liberty to do so.

They could hear the men talking, and the sounds of barrels being rolled along the corridors and bumping and clattering as the they were loaded onto the cart.

Elijah needed an explanation. "How... and why... did you get into this business, Barney? Surely it wasn't for the money? I have never known you to be in need of that. So why?"

Barney rubbed his chin. "For the adventure, of course, Lij - you should know me by now. A friend came to me, one night, and asked for my help in a dangerous enterprise. Two of his fellow conspirators had been unable to accompany him to remove the, um, contraband, and being a good friend, he asked me. I was glad to help - ripe as I am always for any type of bobbery - and I found I had a flair for it. Organising, distributing, that sort of thing, y'know. So here you see me, Lij, visiting m'grandmother in Wales."

"Oh, don't look at me like that - I did go, but I didn't stay there above two weeks. I knew I had to be here y 'see, and I couldn't let the boys down. I got your letter, by the way, before I left. "

Elijah felt Barney's eyes boring into him. He was sure there was a message in them, if only he could interpret it.

Billy came in and told them that the carts were loaded and ready to leave. Barney stood.

"I'll see you in town, old chum, in two weeks or so, when you can give me the round tale. It sounds most interesting. But don't expect me to reciprocate - the lads won't like it above half even as it is. The less y'know, the better."

"I must go, now, there is a fair distance to travel before light. M' Lord Duke, M' Lord," he bowed towards Elijah, and then Dom, and he was gone.

Dom and Elijah sat staring at each other across the table. Dom was the first to move. "I thank you, your ...Elijah, for saving my life once again. I am truly indebted to you. If you will excuse me I think I should rest, now. I would be glad, Ned, if you could send my dinner up to me."

Elijah nodded in an abstract way, hardly hearing what Dom had to say to him. He sat down the table, and Ned looked at him. "It seems to me, sir, but you should go and lie down as well. You look as queer as Dick's hat band, if you don't mind me saying so."

Two blue eyes, the pupils dilated with shock, were lifted to Ned's face. "If you don't mind, Ned, I would sit here for a little while. Do you get on - don't mind me."

Ned cast another look at the little Duke, and pushed a glass of brandy towards him on the table. "Drink this, man, you'll be better for it."

Elijah mechanically sipped the pungent liquid, trying not to think of what he had just discovered in his own mind. Barney, his dear friend, had been willing to kill Lord Monaghan for his sake. It was obvious to him now that he thought about it. He had not known Barney to be a violent man, except in the hunting field, where most men would kill for sport. But he had never known Barney to be one of the wild boys, he did not have a violent nature.

The Duke ran his hand over his face, and discovered he was still trembling. Barney had read his letter, and in that letter Elijah had wished Monaghan dead. What a golden opportunity it would have been, if he regarded money above human life! - but he did not. Human life was sacred, even that belonging to Lord Monaghan.

***

After leaving the kitchen Dom sat in the chair by the fire and hoped no-one would come into his room just yet. He had stared death in the face - for he was sure, absolutely certain that the free trader would have shot him dead had the Duke raised one eyebrow in consent.

But, even now, Dom could feel the Duke's hand trembling on his shoulder as he challenged Barney's actions. Are you mad? he had said to his friend. There had been times in recent months when Dom had thought that he had driven the little Duke too far. Now he thought he had been right in that assumption.

He was annoyed with himself that he had arranged that Christmas soiree to coincide with the Duke's visit the previous month. He had seen the Duke was angered by his actions, but also that he was hurt, and afraid of being seen. Dom had been surprised that the Duke cared, for he had always presented an icy demeanour when he had called with his payment.

But now Dom knew the man was composed of a bundle of nerves. Dom had seen him tremble on several occasions. If it had not been for his bet with Ceddy, he might have given it up - his teasing - but he still thought the Duke would be better for a set-down. Dom longed to see him smile. He had a beautifully carved mouth, the lips ripe for kissing...

Dom rose abruptly from the chair. These thoughts would not do, for he could feel them settle in the heat of his groin. He walked over to the window and stared out, and there, standing by the henhouse, his shoulders uncharacteristically hunched, was Elijah.

******

There was silence outside, now, so Elijah ventured to walk in the yard for a while to clear his head. Ned only told him to make sure he did not stay there long enough to catch a chill, and that dinner would be ready in half an hour.

He wandered about a little, the crisp air reviving him somewhat, then he stood next to the henhouse, where all was quiet. The birds had long gone to roost, and the night was dark, being moonless.

It disturbed him greatly that his best friend knew him so little that he thought him capable of encompassing a man's death. Wishing Lord Monaghan dead in some nebulous fashion was vastly different from conspiring in its actual execution. He could not believe that Barney had thought that he wished it. He should never have written that damned letter. He should have kept his own counsel.

The chill soon drove him indoors, but as he turned towards the kitchen door he looked up, and saw Dom standing at the window staring down at him. Elijah pretended he had not seen the man. He had much to think about.

**********

Elijah looked defeated, uncertain, even a little afraid. The light from the candle near the window shone on his face as he turned and looked up briefly. Dom stood there unwilling to move, as the man walked into the house.

He did not come upstairs to dinner. In fact he did not come upstairs at all, until Dom was in bed, and had blown out the candle.

He felt rather than heard the door open, for a gust of cold air blew over him as the Duke entered. In a few minutes he felt the mattress go down and heard the rustle of linen sheets on the farther side of the bed. He could feel the man trembling across the cool expanse between them, and longed to take him in his arms and comfort him - but it was impossible. Dom lay on his back, as it was the only comfortable position now his arm was healing, and heard the soft breathing next to him. Eventually he fell asleep.

*****

Three days later Dom declared he was ready to leave and Billy offered to lead them to the main lane from where Dom would have no difficulty finding his way to his house.

Both men silently heaved a sigh of relief, for neither of them had been sure that they would just be allowed to leave.

Elijah handed over the five hundred pounds as he had promised, and with many thanks to Ned and Jack for their care and attention, the three men left, tracking through the snow to the lane.

Elijah was sure that Billy was taking them the long way round, for he could remember nothing of the path they now travelled. But he could hardly blame the man for doing so, his life was still at stake, after all. How did he know that the two men would keep their word not to tell?

It was almost an hour later that they came out onto the road in the place Dom had been shot. Snow still covered everything, but Elijah remembered the two trees intertwined behind a hedge. He smiled inwardly thinking it a silly thing to remember whilst he was attending a man bleeding to death by the roadside, but it had ever been his habit to see the beautiful things in life, if he could.

Billy bowed his head as they left him. "I am sorry again, my Lord, for what happened. I hope you have forgiven me. If ever you need to get a message to me, send someone to the Green Man in Maston. Tell them to tell the landlord, "Five hundred dibs in tune," and I'll know it's from you. I can't think what you would need me for, but you never know, and I would gladly perform any lawful service that it is in my power to give you. After what I have done it's the least I can do."

They both thanked him profusely once more, and he stood in the lane and watched them out of sight, before turning into the wood again, and disappearing from view as if he had never been.

*****

By the time Dom and Elijah had reached Dom's house at the top of the slope, Elijah had had to take hold of Dom's reins and lead the horse up the driveway, for Dom was clearly exhausted, and sat slumped over in his saddle.

It was not a large house, there were only three pairs of windows each side of the door, and there was no one working in front of it for the snow was almost ankle deep here, which had muffled the sound of the approaching horses' hooves.

Elijah managed to get Dom off his horse, and, putting one arm around the exhausted man's waist, and drawing Dom's good arm over his shoulder, got him to the front door, which he banged in a peremptory fashion with his closed fist.

The servant who opened the door, goggled at the two men, and stood like a stock in the doorway.

"Get out of the way, man, and find someone to help your master to his room. Can you not see he is injured?" Elijah snapped, the authority in his voice the product of six generations of Dukes, well used to immediate obedience from servants.

The man bowed so low his nose almost touch his knees, then ran down the corridor, shouting.

"I would be grateful, your Grace, if I could sit for a little while," Dom requested in a hoarse undertone. He had been two hours in the saddle and was plainly exhausted.

He pointed to a door, and Elijah helped him into the room, a small library, where there was a warm fire burning.

Dom leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. Elijah heard the running of feet along the corridor, and soon two men entered the room hotly followed by a fat woman who had been interrupted in the middle of cooking, as her apron was covered in flour, and her cap wildly askew.

"Lawks 'a' mussy, Master Dominic - I mean your Lordship," she breathed, fanning herself with her apron as she did so, sending flour everywhere. "We has all been upside down, what with you vanishing like that."

Dominic smiled, even though he didn't open his eyes. "Matilda, my good woman. I am here now, and this gentleman, Mr Retford, has been kind enough to help me. You will see to his comfort I am sure."

Elijah was amazed that Dominic had thought to keep his identity secret even though he was too weak to open his eyes. The woman offered a curtsey in Elijah's direction and stood awaiting orders.

"Mr Retford, indeed," said Elijah in a cool voice, "who thinks your master would be better in his own bed for a while. Is his man here?"

It was Dominic who answered. "I did not bring my man. If you must have it, I only intended to stay here one night."

Elijah pressed his lips closely together. "I see," he remarked, his voice even cooler. "Well, if these two stout men will engage to get you up the stairs, I think I can manage the rest. After all, I am used to it by now."

But as Dom stood, he swayed on his feet, and Elijah directed the larger of the men to carry his master to his room. Dom made a token protest, but it was obvious he would be incapable of climbing the stairs himself.

Matilda followed the men into the bedroom, commenting as she did so that he had kept the fires burning all the while the master had been away, for it was well known that he had had, since early childhood, a tendency to a weak chest in the cold weather. "And we was expecting him back, you know. His carriage is still here!"

Elijah, interpreting this to mean that the woman was a servant of long-standing, smiled at her, and asked her how many people were in the house.

"Just us three, sir. Tim, here, who is the caretaker, and me and my spouse, Ben - that's Ben - who tends the kitchen gardens and such, and looks after his Lordship's horses when he's here, which hasn't been often in past years, I must say. Would you care for a cup of tea, sir?" she said, mindful of her duties, and when both men evinced a desire for some, she bustled off downstairs in a flurry of activity.

Elijah left the two men to undress Dom, and put him into bed. Ben exclaimed when he saw the bandage on Dom's shoulder, and Dom explained, in a thread of a voice, that he had been attacked by footpads, and that Mr Retford had rescued him from certain death.

The men said nothing, but looked at each other in a shocked way, and with great respect at the Duke. "Shall I ride to the constable in the village and inform him of this, my Lord?" Ben asked his master, carefully tucking the blankets around Dom.

Monaghan shook his head. "It did not happen near here, Ben - it was some distance away. I see no point in it now - the blackguards will be long gone."

Elijah turned towards the bed. "But I think his lordship would benefit from a visit from the nearest doctor. Do either of you men know where he may be found?"

Tim nodded. "Aye, I knows where the doctor lives, sir. But he won't get his little carriage up the back drive in this snow. I'll have to take him one of our horses so he can ride back with me, neither of his not being a saddle horse."

Elijah smiled at him, encouragingly. "I will be glad if you could do that as soon as may be. Your master has been far from well these last days."

The man bowed and left quickly, and Ben put more coals on the fire, so that the room, a medium-sized chamber only, was warming fast.

Matilda arrived with the tea, but Dom had fallen asleep. The woman stood by his bed and clucked over him. "Time and time again, I've told myself, Matty, this boy is too kind for his own good.
I asked him, sir, why he had ridden here in the cold the night before he went missing and all he would say was that it was to benefit someone who needed teaching a lesson. What, or who this was, I don't know, sir, and that's a fact. But I've been in the family's service since Master Dominic - his Lordship, I mean - was three, and a kinder, sweeter soul you could hardly wish to meet."

She had tears in her eyes, and Elijah replied in a suitable fashion, before drinking his tea.

Matilda went to the door, and turned to curtsey. "I'll be making up the bed in the next chamber to this one, sir. You'll hardly wish to set out again today, and I'm sure you'll want to know what the doctor has to say about his Lordship, and he to hear what you have to tell him, too. It may take some time for them to get back, as it's a forty minute ride without the snow. You just make yourself comfortable by the fire until he comes. If you want anything, just ring - the pull is by the bed, there."

And with that she was gone.

Elijah poured himself a second cup, and sipped it, mulling over Matilda’s words. He was not accounted a stupid man by any means, and he had long realised that Monaghan was playing with him. And his Lordship had confided in the servant that he was here only to teach someone a lesson. Someone who needed it. It could only be himself.

Elijah glared at the sleeping man. How dare he! How dare he presume to teach a Duke a lesson? And what lessons exactly was he was trying to impart? Any friendly feelings that had come to the Duke concerning Lord Monaghan over the past several days shrank into insignificance in the light of this revelation. By the time the doctor had arrived, Elijah, the Most Noble Duke of Stanford was very angry indeed.

However he did as he always did in its such circumstances, he hid it beneath a veneer of good breeding and a cool demeanour.

He was very polite to the doctor, who was shocked to hear of Lord Monaghan's encounter with footpads, and Elijah, seeing that Dom had just woken and was listening to what he said, furnished the doctor with a description of the three men who supposedly attacked Dom, and who were so unlike Billy, Ned and Jack that, even if questioned, would never be thought to have been involved in it.

The doctor was dismayed to hear of such goings on, within the neighbourhood or without it, and examined Dom in shocked silence, his lips pressed tightly together.

"Ah!" he pronounced as he laid the wound bare. "This was a nasty place to take a shot, my Lord, and that's a fact, and it looks to have been deep. Perilously near vital parts, was that, sir, must have been the very devil to get out."

"Mr Retford tells me there was no doctor to be had where you were, and that he took out the ball. I must tell you sir," the doctor said, turning to Elijah and inclining his head, "that you have made a very good job of it - a very good job indeed. It would not have been wonderful if his Lordship had not survived this wound. He should be most grateful to you, as I am sure he is."

Dominic, his eyes closed once more, his face as white as milk, murmured. "I am very grateful. No one knows how obliged I feel to his... Mr Retford...for his kind and unremitting care of me. I shall always be grateful that he was there."

The doctor neatly bound the wound again, and poured out a draught and made Dominic swallow it.

"Your Lordship will be better for a good night's sleep. I think you'll do! I shall visit you in the morning, about eleven. Try to rest, and you will soon be on your feet again. Good day to you!"

Elijah followed him down the stairs, and thanked him as Ben helped the doctor put on his coat. The doctor cast a respectful eye over Elijah, but spoke over his shoulder.

"I have no great opinion of the mental capabilities of the nodcocks that live in this house, as you know full well, Ben Breen.”

"Aye, Doctor, you are always one to give your opinion, warranted or not, that I will say," Ben grinned at the doctor, and left for the kitchens, still smiling.

The doctor scowled at the man's retreating back. "I would not trust that man to administer a horse pill correctly. If you are staying here tonight, sir, will you see that his Lordship has another dose of the composer in about six hours? I would be grateful to you."

He paused and then nodded to himself as if he had decided on a course of action.

"I understand from Matty that his Lordship said he is settled in Bath for a season. As soon as I get home I will write for his man to come down. I'll send one of my lads into town with it. He's a bruising rider and it will be with his Lordship's people early tomorrow morning.
It is not right that you should act as a nursemaid when the man has no doubt above thirty servants at the Hall ready to satisfy his every whim. But I begrudge him no attention - he is a good man, and a better landlord than was his father - although I should not be saying this to a stranger. I trust you to look after him until his servants arrive."

The doctor was just about to go through the front door, when he turned. "I can see this must have upset your own plans quite considerably, Mr Retford. Would you wish me to pass on a letter to anyone? I can wait whilst you compose it. The road to the post office on the other side of the hill is clear now."

Elijah thought carefully. "It is very kind in you to offer, doctor, but there is no one to whom I wish to send a message at this time. I shall be on my way as soon as his Lordship's servants come, so there is no necessity to do so."

As the door closed behind the doctor, Elijah walked slowly into the library and shut the door.

Lesson indeed. How dare he - how dare he? Insufferable man!

Glossary

Dibs in tune - solvent, in possession of money
Round tale - the complete story, the truth
Queer as Dick's hat band - Ill from an unknown cause
Lawks 'a' Mussy - Corruption of "Lord, have mercy"
Stout - strong
Nodcocks - Fools
Composer - sedative

Current Mood: grateful
Current Music: Chopin

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

trianne.livejournal.com

I think this is my favourite of all your stories, and that's saying something, Issi :) You strike exactly the right note in this and it's never anything less than entertaining and rich. I've read otherwise excellent AUs where the author feels obliged to labour certain points about the period to the extent that it feels almost like a history lesson. But this never does; though it does awake a desire to find out more, lol, which is always a good thing. Very nice artwork by Prim there, too :)

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A Regency Tale - 6

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