Page 66 of A Feud with the Duke

Then, ahead, his path was blocked. A heavy cart stood in the road, reaching from one side to the other. Three men stood around the cart, all looking his way. He slowed his horse to a stop.

“You’re blocking the road. Get out of the way,” Harold commanded.

“Can’t. Wheel’s busted. We’re waiting on a new one from town,” said one of the men.

He had a bald head, a scar running down from the left side of his temple to his left ear. Discolored teeth were revealed, and not too many of them, as he grinned insolently. He was a big man, well built by hard labor, though he was a few years separate from that labor by the look of him. Some of what would once have been hard muscle was losing its shape. The other two were quiet, sidling away from the big man as though distancing themselves from his comments.

Harold gave them each a sharp look.

“You can’t just leave it there while you wait. I need to get through to Lindley. Lift the good end and turn it so that it’s not across the road, you fools.”

“Not very nice language, ‘specially from a stranger to these parts,” the big man said.

Harold was getting a feeling that this wasn’t some random farm accident. There was a cocksure confidence about this man, the kind of confidence that came from a bully being given carte blanche to flex his muscles and relishing it.

“If we try and move the cart, we’ll break it,” one of the others said.

He stood at one end of the stricken vehicle, to Harold’s right. The other, a man with a squint to his eyes and lank, dark hair, was moving in the opposite direction.

Are these fools trying to flank me? Keeping my attention on the one in the middle while his mates come at me from the sides.

He backed his horse half a dozen steps. Then he saw the grin of the big man deepen.

“That’s it, toff. You get yourself back down the road where you belong, like a good little lord.”

Harold stopped, heels poised to spur his horse right at the man. He stared at him intently, feeling the anger rise within him and demand release.

“I don’t care for your tone.”

“And Silas Shepherd don’t much care for toffs like you coming round here and barking your orders. Like the officers we used to have in the army. Dealt with them, I did, when they got above themselves. And I can deal with you.”

“I see. Sergeant, were you?” Harold said, using his heels to propel his horse forward a dozen quick steps. The big man didn’t flinch as the animal came on, stopping a few feet away.

“I was,” He leaned forward and spat in Harold’s path. “Now, you’re not coming through here. Not today. Not tomorrow. So be a good little lamb and find another road.”

Always an obstacle. Always someone interfering. This ruffian was paid to stop me. And I know who paid him. It seems I must surrender each time, to preserve Alice’s honor. I must sacrifice my own and my pride for her. While our enemies stoop to anything, no matter how uncivilized. Enough!

Anger, finally unleashed, saw him swing from the saddle and close the remaining distance with Silas Shepherd. A right-hand swing caught the man on the side of the head and knocked him to one knee. But in his anger, Harold had forgotten the other two. One of them spooked the horse, sending her galloping back along the road. The other swung a cudgel at the back of his head.

Harold detected the movement at the last second and was in the process of turning when he saw the blow coming. It saved his head from being cracked like an egg. The cudgel glanced off his temple but the blow was still enough to set stars blazing behind his eyes. The other man descended on him, kicking and punching. Harold staggered, stunned by the first blow. With a roar, Silas Shepherd grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him against the cart.

The hub of a wooden wheel stuck into Harold’s kidney from the back. It drove the wind from him. Shepherd had hold of him by his lapels and Harold reacted instinctively, lunging forward with his head, which connected with the bridge of Shepherd’s nose. The man fell away, clutching at his face and snarling. The other two stepped up with more blows of fists, boots, and a cudgel, forcing Harold to crouch, arms raised to protect himself.

“Out of the way!” Shepherd roared.

Harold looked up as the other two men backed off. Shepherd was advancing with a knife in one hand, held low and as though he was well versed in its use.

“Shep, don’t kill him!” one of the others said.

“Don’t use my name!” Shepherd roared.

At that moment, the knife was pointed away from Harold. He staggered forward, catching the wrist of Shepherd’s knife-hand. It was snatched away from him and the other two came in from the sides. More punishment dropped Harold to his knees. Then Shepherd sauntered back towards him. Harold looked up, seeing the knife reversed in his hand so that the hilt faced him. It was brought down onto Harold’s head and his vision exploded into whiteness.

CHAPTER41

Alice rode the family’s new carriage from Lindley to Ardle Heath. Simon had taken his horse when he rode out to town and had not yet returned. She was not sure if he would have given his permission to her taking the carriage and she had taken full advantage of his absence.

It is not as if I am a prisoner. He does not need to hold me prisoner after all. Where would I wish to run away to? If Harold has rejected me. Perhaps considering me to be too much trouble, then I truly have nowhere else to go. Except in pursuit of the mystery concerning Teddy.

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