Marion Chesney by Sweet Masquerade

Author:Sweet Masquerade [Masquerade, Sweet]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-03-08T00:14:14.271000+00:00

His two companions looked at him with puzzled sneers. What was there to be frightened of? A mere girl with a toy for a sword?

But the captain had drunk too much. In his efforts to creep up on Freddie, who had her back to them and was dreamily gazing out to sea, he staggered and clutched at a pile of fishing baskets for support.

The baskets gave way, and with a great oath, the captain fell on the quay.

Freddie started to her feet and swung around, pulling out her sword.

The two ruffians began to close in on her, eyeing the sword warily. But the captain, who had risen to his feet, was determined to waste no time dueling with Freddie, who, he already knew, was expert in the use of the small sword.

He prized up a cobble and threw it straight at her. Freddie saw it coming too late. The heavy stone struck her full on the forehead, and she dropped unconscious onto the quay.

“Well, that's that,” said the captain, rubbing his hands.

“What do we do with the gentry mort?” growled one of his ruffians. “Take ‘er to the magistrate?”

“No,” said the captain. “One look at your phiz and he'd arrest you. We take her off to a place I know of and hide her away for as long as possible.”

One of the men bent down, picked Freddie up, and slung her light, inert body over his shoulder.

The earl of Berham's curricle, driven by a stout groom sitting beside him rolled to a halt in front of the inn.

The earl jumped down, calling on his groom to hold his team. Pulling out a pistol, he headed purposefully towards the group on the harbor. He fired a shot over their heads.

“Berham,” shouted the captain. “Run for it!”

“The girl!” said the man who was holding Freddie. “What do we do with the girl?”

“Throw her in the water,” snarled the captain.

The man tossed Freddie over the harbor wall, and the three men began to race off down the quay.

The earl wasted no time running after them. Stripping off his coat, he stopped only for a moment to tug off his boots. Then he leapt to the top of the harbor wall and dived down into the sea, catching Freddie's unconscious body as it slowly surfaced. He swam with her over to the steps and dragged her up onto the quay. He pumped her arms backwards and forwards until sea water gushed from her mouth and she gave a groan.

People were running from the inn, awakened by the sound of the shot.

“Oh, God! Is she dead?”

The earl looked up and found Miss Manson looking down at him, wringing her hands. She was dressed in man's clothes.

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