The Duke’s Dragoon (The Duke’s Guard Book 4) by C.H. Admirand

Author:C.H. Admirand [Admirand, C.H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2023-03-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

The Duke of Wyndmere’s face was grim when they stopped to change horses. Captain Coventry nodded to the men who rode with them—four were on loan from Gavin King of the Bow Street Runners, and two were Coventry’s, former military men who’d been injured and forced to retire. “Quarter of an hour—and no more.”

The duke waited until the men were out of hearing range, trusting Coventry—who had been his mentor and friend for more than a decade—to ask, “What if we do not reach St. Ives in time?”

The intensity in Coventry’s gaze relieved the sharp edge of the duke’s worry. And his words reaffirmed what the duke knew to be fact. “Your guard is the best of the best. King’s men have fought admirably alongside your guard whenever called to do so. Two of my men, Bayfield and Tremayne, accompanied Garahan a sennight ago and are already in Cornwall. Masterson and Hennessey ride with us. Between King’s men, my men, and the members of your guard stationed at Penwith Tower, we will not fail.”

The duke clenched his jaw, then relaxed it. “I thought the worst was behind us after dealing with the last slanderous attack against my family—this time involving my brother and his wife’s reputations.”

“As long as there are those who feel slighted that they don’t have the wealth and title they feel they deserve, and feel compelled to take aim at those who have it—”

“There will be a need for my trusted guard,” the duke finished. “Wise decision, adding to the number of men stationed to London.”

“Aye,” Coventry agreed. Motioning to one of the inn’s stable lads, he said, “See if the innkeeper has our meat pies and ale ready, lad.”

“Right away!” The boy ran to do his bidding.

“We’d best make use of the facilities, too.”

The duke inclined his head and sighed. “I gather you shall accompany me again and wait outside the privy while I relieve myself.”

Coventry snorted to cover his laughter. He pitched his voice low so as not to be overheard. “I gave Her Grace our word that I would guard your back to and from Penwith Tower—and that you would allow it.”

The duke raised an eyebrow. When Coventry patiently stared back, the duke acquiesced. “We’d best hurry.”

The half a dozen men riding with the duke and Coventry ate the proffered meat pies with relish and downed their tankards of ale, all the while keeping an eye out for trouble. When they were finished, the men mounted and rode off in formation: Masterson in the lead, two of King’s men flanking the duke and Coventry on both sides, with Hennessey bringing up the rear.

It was full dark when they reached the outskirts of the village of St. Ives. As agreed upon ahead of time, the group split up—King’s four men guarding the duke, and Coventry riding with his men.

Coventry’s group rode ahead, slowing down as they approached a seedy-looking tavern boasting the name the Randy Cock. Masterson mumbled something to Hennessey that had the two men snickering.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.