Protecting Lady Esther (The King's League)

By the time the carriage came to a complete stop, Esther’s nerves were so tense that she felt cramped and awkward, sitting poised and ready to leap out at her abductor. Fairly certain that it was Lord Hogarth, she did not feel an ounce of surprise at the sight of him standing in the doorway. In one hand, he held the door and in the other was a lantern, the light illuminating his features and sending a thrill of fear down Esther’s spine.

“Get out.”

She lifted her chin. “No, I will not, Lord Hogarth,” she said calmly, sitting in the carriage and smoothing her skirts as though she intended to remain there. “You, on the other hand, will have to explain your intentions.”

He snorted. “I hardly think so, Lady Esther. Remove yourself, or I shall do it for you.” Lifting one eyebrow, he waited for her to do as he had asked, but Esther remained precisely where she was, even though her heart was thundering furiously in her chest and her anxiety growing steadily with every moment. Lord Hogarth’s expression grew darker still, sending a tremor through her as she watched him. The man had evil intent, she was quite certain of it.

“If I have to, I will drag you out.”

His tone was malevolent, making Lady Ware cry out in fright, but Esther remained steadfast.

“You have betrayed The King’s League,” she told him, boldly, seeing him jerk in surprise. “Yes, I am aware of them, and I know your part in it. You have betrayed the king. That is treason, Lord Hogarth.”

Lord Hogarth narrowed his eyes, shadows flickering across his face. “I care nothing for the king,” he replied darkly, showing no sign of fear. “My family has holdings in France that are being significantly increased with every piece of information I give them.” He laughed and shook his head at her, as though she were being ridiculous. “I shall live in a castle instead of a manor house!”

“And your honor shall be left in tatters at your feet,” Esther responded, the brooch held between her hands with the pin pointing out. “You have nothing but shame crowning your head, Hogarth.”

“Do not speak to me as though you understand!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the darkness and sending a deathly chill all through her. “You know nothing, Lady Esther! I would do it all again – and more – for what France has to offer me. England gives nothing and takes everything. I would rather give my allegiance to a country that recognizes a gentleman for who he is and what he can do rather than demand they work for a king who does not even reward them for their service to him.” He snorted, sneering at her. “Remove yourself from this carriage, Lady Esther. I will not ask you again.”

Esther did not move. “I will leave the carriage only if my aunt is allowed to depart first, unhurt,” she said firmly. “You have no need of her, and she will not be able to reach anyone in time to prevent you from doing whatever it is you intend.” Her voice shook, but she continued to speak with determination, ignoring her aunt’s horrified whisper. “Then I will come with you and do whatever you wish of me.”

Lord Hogarth laughed horribly. “You are brave indeed, given that you do not know what it is I intend, Lady Esther,” he sneered. “But given that you must already be aware of what it is I seek, you must have some understanding of this situation.”

“The cipher,” Esther replied, aware that her aunt knew nothing of what she spoke. “You wish to know where my father has placed it.”

“Indeed,” Lord Hogarth answered. “I have held him for a little over a week, but he would say not a word. I intended to have you shot, to have you harmed so that he would see that I had nothing but savagery within me, to prove to him that I would stop at nothing until I had what he withheld from me, but Lord Westbrook made certain that you were saved from that. And I could do nothing but pretend to keep watch on you, just as he asked me.” He snorted and shook his head. “Foolish man.”

Esther shuddered, realizing just how close she had come to death. “He has been my protector. I trust him implicitly.”

“He has always got in my way,” Lord Hogarth bellowed, the very carriage seeming to shake at his fury. “When I sought to discover where your father had gone, when you were foolish enough to search for him at The Shrew, he stepped in at the very moment my man was about to discover the truth from you.” Throwing one hand up to the sky in frustration, his features tightened with anger. “He protected you from the bullet that was shot at you. He has not left your side for barely a moment! And yet,” he continued, his voice dropping to what sounded like a satisfactory sneer, “he gave you right into my hands, thinking that he would be able to trust me. I say again, Lady Esther – he is a foolish man!”

“You have deceived them all, and you shall pay for it, I have no doubt,” Esther said, holding the brooch tightly and praying that her aunt would do as she had been told without question. “Now, are you to let my aunt leave? Or shall we remain in here and continue to throw words at each other?” She held her gaze steady, seeing how Lord Hogarth narrowed his eyes at her. “I shall come quietly and be obedient to your every wish, as long as you allow Lady Ware to leave.”

Lord Hogarth considered this for some moments, watching Esther carefully as though he could see into her mind and see the determination she had to escape him. A trickle of sweat ran down Esther’s back as she watched him, praying that he would agree to her plans.

“Lady Ware will tell everyone what she has seen,” Lord Hogarth said eventually, his words slow and calculating. “But that does not matter, I suppose, given that Lord Westbrook will soon realize what has occurred.” He shrugged, then gestured to this left. “I suggest you depart, Lady Ware.”

“No, no, Esther!” Lady Ware cried, reaching forward and digging her hands into Esther’s arm. “I cannot.”

“You must,” Esther hissed, turning to face her aunt and glaring furiously into her eyes, trying to force her to remain as calm as she could. “Remember, Aunt.” She said nothing more but held her aunt’s gaze, her lips pulled thin and her hands still tight around the brooch.

“You have only one opportunity, Lady Ware,” Lord Hogarth said in a bored voice. “It shall end in a moment, for if you do not depart, then I shall have no other choice but to—”

“I am going now.” Lady Ware shook her head, closed her eyes, and whispered to Esther to be careful. Her hands shook violently as she climbed down from the carriage, side stepping away from Lord Hogarth as though he might reach out and attack her at any moment.

“Do not return nor try to attack me, Lady Ware,” Lord Hogarth said, as Lady Ware moved away. “I will kill her if you do so.”

Esther caught her breath, seeing her aunt’s shadow moving away. Within a few moments, there was no other sound, leaving Esther’s heart thumping furiously in her chest. She was alone with Lord Hogarth.

“Now, you are to come quietly, as you have said,” Lord Hogarth said, in an almost pleasant manner. “I will not pretend that I have qualms over injuring you, Lady Esther. There is a large knife tucked into my belt, but I would prefer not to have to use it.” He tipped his head and smiled, his eyes glowing in a dark manner. “And as for your aunt, it is only out of the goodness of my heart that I have decided to let her go. She is useless to me and, whilst you may think me both evil and calculating, I can assure you that I will never spill blood unnecessarily.” He beckoned her forward, the light from the lantern suddenly gleaming on the knife that hung from his belt. “Out of the carriage now, Lady Esther. We have a short walk, and then you will be able to rest.”

She shuddered violently, reaching forward to climb out of the carriage and fearing that her brooch would be entirely useless against a man with a knife. She did not know where she was and could not tell where she might hide, but she had no intention of remaining with Lord Hogarth as he expected. She would do anything other than remain here with him.

“There we are now,” Lord Hogarth murmured, as she stepped down to him. “I don’t have to remind you, Lady Esther, that I have means of making you do as I ask, and you’ll forgive me if I quite believe that you’ll be as obedient as you’ve said.” He chuckled darkly and patted his knife. “Now you walk on ahead of me and I’ll direct you where to go.”

Esther’s breath was coming quick and fast, her mind screaming at her to move. She only had one chance, one opportunity to stop Lord Hogarth from taking her to wherever it was he planned. If she walked in front of him, then she would not know what he was doing or what he intended to do. He mi

ght pull the knife out at any moment, and then what would become of her?