Page 52 of The Artisan and the Duke
Thompson said, “I’d settle for a rest.”
“I think we could all use one, but I do not fancy leaving the Duchess in London on her own with that mason fellow. Something about him does not sit right with me,” Gregory said with a frown as he followed his brother through the doorway with Thompson behind them.
The innkeeper was waiting for them. She clasped her hands in front of her chest with joy. “You found him,” she said with relief. “I am so glad that you are well, Lord St Claire.”
Fredrick nodded his head and gave the woman a smile. “I am glad to be found, good lady. Might I trouble you for a room?”
“I’ve saved some rooms, just in case some of your party returned tonight,” the innkeeper said happily. She looked over at the Duke. “Your Grace there are rooms just down from where your friends are sleeping.”
Gregory nodded and led the men up the stairs. He opened the door adjacent to where Talbert and Olly were sleeping. “Here, Thompson. We shall settle in the next room,” Gregory said as he held the door for the man who gratefully accepted.
Fredrick hobbled to the next room and was quickly through the door with Gregory behind him. Fredrick grimaced as he sat down on one of the two small beds in the room.
“I do hope that you are not planning on sneaking off the minute I fall asleep, Gregory. I insist that I go with you to London to fetch the Duchess, but I doubt you will make it the way your steps are faltering.”
“Truth be told, I am weary to my very core. I have been all over this countryside since early yesterday, and I am getting rather sick of the trees,” Gregory said with feeling as he sat down on the bed opposite to where Fredrick sat pulling off his boots. “Need help with the leg?”
Fredrick shook his head. “Too tired to even bother with it. I am going to leave the stump on,” he said with a yawn. “Get some sleep, Gregory. Tomorrow you have a fair maid to rescue.”
With a chuckle, Gregory leaned over and pulled at his boots. “That is if she wants to be rescued,” he sighed.
***
The room where Jules currently sat only had the one window. She had pondered whether she could get out of it but found it secured with bars. They were clearly used to keeping prisoners here before they were moved on to another jail.
Jules tried not to be surprised at David’s betrayal. She knew that people often turned to giving information against others in order to further protect themselves. Somehow, she had never expected it of David.
Growing up alongside the man, there had definitely been no indication that he was capable of condemning innocent men to their deaths for a few coins.
Even worse than her own fate, Jules pondered what her imprisonment might mean for Gregory. Would it hurt his position or the woman who had vouched for Jules? Jules hung her head down and cradled her knees with her arms.
She must have slept, but Jules did not remember it. However, her eyes blinked open to sunlight coming in the window.
There were the sounds of people outside, and for a brief moment, she considered shouting for help. “Bet people yell out their innocence all the time,” she muttered to herself as she stood up and dusted off her clothes.
Her deep green riding skirt and jacket were dirty from the night’s events, and Jules took off her jacket. She reached up and tried moving the bars of her cell. One of them wiggled, and Jules wrapped the jacket around it so she could use it as a pulley to help her loosen the iron bar. She had just managed to make a bit of headway when the door clanked open.
Henry chuckled. “You are a clever one,” he said in admiration. “Here’s breakfast, Duchess. You won’t have time to liberate that bar before the guardsmen will be here for you. So you probably should eat.”
Jules stared at the man until he left. He had made no effort to stop her physically from working on the bar, nor had he taken her jacket which probably meant he was telling the truth.
The bowl of food smelled vaguely of oats. Jules edged over and grimaced at the bowl. She was not hungry enough to worry with trying to eat whatever was actually in that bowl. It looked like the slop they served in the workhouses.
It was not long before the door opened again. Henry was followed in by a couple of men wearing guard uniforms. The men kicked the bowl out of the way, sending Jules’ breakfast against the nearest wall, which Henry voiced disapproval of. He apparently did not want to have to clean the wall.
“Julia Kelley, you are wanted by the King’s court for treasonous activity and inciting unrest among your fellows. What say you to these charges?” one of the guardsmen called out.
Jules took a deep breath and said, “I say that I am innocent. I did not speak of treason. I spoke only of fairness and justice, of which society is very lacking.”
“Mark it that she said she is guilty,” the other guard chuckled.
Jules ground out, “I am the Duchess of Thornton, and as such, I demand to speak with my husband and barrister.”
“Oh, you’ll speak with whomever you wish, Duchess,” the first guard said as he grabbed her arm. Jules shoved the man but found his fellow guard at her other elbow. Jules was swiftly escorted out of the room. David was nowhere to be found, and Jules wondered where the lecherous scum had gotten to.
The ride through the streets was at least a quiet one. She was tossed into the back of a wagon that only had slits for windows. It might have been suffocating, but at least no one would see her for the moment.
She had no idea how to get out of this situation. It was a situation of her own making, she reasoned. After all, she had willingly spoken out at those rallies.
