All the Things You Never Knew

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Bridlington

The battle with Lansing’s army came to another end and the Heartilys sighed and sat silently in the sitting room, not quite sure of what to do

next.

Gabriel and his brother had returned disappointingly from losing track of Lansing’s men and were unable to help Lady Rose.

“Leon’s going to be so angry when he returns to find Lady Rose gone,” Namine finally said. “Oh, this is all my fault. I shouldn’t have dragged you out with me, Lavender. I should’ve known Nix wouldn’t be a good guardian.”

“Hey, don’t blame me now,” Phoenix snapped. “I was going up to the attic to get pistols for us. If somebody hadn’t moved the box where they were kept the last time, I would’ve returned faster.”

“If you guys would have just stay put in the house, all would have been fine,” Gabriel argued. “You ladies just never listen.”

“We’re so sorry, Gabe. We didn’t think this would happen,” Lavender said wearily. “Oh, I feel so guilty.”

“You should be,” said her twin brother. “You just got our sisterin-law kidnapped.”

This was the first time in history that Lavender didn’t argue back with her brother.

“I didn’t even know Lady Rose was here,” said Jack. “I would’ve told one of you guys to return to the house. Do you know what Leon is capable of doing if Lady Rose gets but a scratch on her body?”

“The worst he could do is sacrificing his life for hers, that’s for sure,” said Aidan. “He had always loved her, right?”

“Right,” his siblings seemed to agree.

“I can’t believe there are eleven of us and we can’t even protect Lady Rose,” said Blake.

“Damn, I’ll be pissed if I was Leon returning home to find my bride-to-be gone,” said Sheik.

“He’s going to marry the chit?” Edward asked, surprised.

“I knew he would,” Jack grinned. “Boy, this is all going very badly.”

“Lansing’s bloody men better take her to Leicester in time for Leon to save her,” said Gabriel. “It would be hard if he comes back with her father and then have to go back for her. Lansing’s security would be twice as strict.”

Namine sighed and stood up to poke the fire before answering, “We can only hope so.”

Leicester

Avangelene listened at the door of the room to where the old marquess and his son were talking, and gestured for the duke to be quiet when he rejoined her.

“I took care of the guards,” he said. “I locked them in this one room full of spikes that I happen to come across.”

“Well done,” Avangelene answered quickly before returning her attention to the door.

“What are they saying?”

“Something about Leon’s jewel.”

“What is all these jewel nonsense anyway?”

“I don’t know,” Avangelene said. “But that marquess believes it’s some key to heaven.”

“It’s causing so much–” The duke stopped and looked at her as she pales and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Avangelene gasped and jump back as she heard what the old marquess had said.

“They’ve got Leon back in here with Lord Longsword,” Avangelene answered.

“Again?”

“They sent some guards to our estate to capture Lady Rose so they can use her against Leon.”

“I’m sure your brothers at home took care of that.”

“I hope so. What if they–”

“Are you okay? You look as if you’ve saw a ghost.”

“I’m fine,” Avangelene answered.

“You don’t look okay.”

“They got Lady Rose here, too.”

“Now that’s not good.”

“I have to go find her, Duke,” Avangelene said. “You go help Leon and them.”

“Did they say where Leon and Longsword were kept?”

“Death chamber,” Avangelene answered, moving away from the door. “You have to find the death chamber.”

“Death chamber?” The duke arches a brow and rubbed his chin in thoughts. “I think I know where it is.”

“I see you negotiated well with the old man,” Longsword said sarcastically as Leon was brought down to join him in chains on the wall.

Leon waited until the guards were out of earshot and answered, “I have another plan already.”

“And what is it, pray tell? You already failed this first one.”

“I wasn’t knocked out from behind like last time,” Leon said. “I can get us out.”

“And how are you going to do that when we are chained to a bloody wall?”

“These chains are longer than the one back in Islington. I just need to reach and–”

With a click his hand came loose and he turns quickly to undo the other side before falling on his hands to unlock his feet.

“How did you do that?” Longsword asked amazed by how fast Leon released himself.

“This.” Leon held up a pick and came to free Longsword. “I dug it out of Avangelene’s room before we left. I saw her use it once to pick the attic door. It seems easy. I don’t know where she got it from but you simply have to stick it in and the switch would release.”

“I don’t ever want her as a wife, then,” Longsword said. “I fear she’ll be too much.”

“You can rest assure, for I won’t let you marry her anyway,” Leon answered, unlocking Longsword’s feet.

Longsword rubbed his wrists and shook out his foot while Leon looks around to determine where they should go next.

“You go and find Viscount Herring just in case I fail,” Leon ordered for Longsword to do. “I’ll find that old marquess and settle things.”

“You won’t be so dumb to let him trick you back in here if I let you go alone, would you?” Longsword teased, before turning to the other direction.

“I’ve softened too much, no,” Leon replied.

“I’ll meet you by the front when I find the viscount.”

“Sounds good.”

With that, they parted through the chamber and fought off the guards that brought them in.

Leon took one of them captive and forced the guard to show him the way to the marquess. It wasn’t long before they came to a door and the guard begged for release.

“So this is it.”

Ignoring the guard’s plead, Leon kicked open the door and stepped in, pulling the guard along.

“Well, well, well…this is interesting,” the old marquess said, standing up from his desk as he saw Leon.

There was nobody else in the room but him.

“You escaped faster than I would’ve thought.”

“You have my jewel now,” Leon said. “I don’t see why you can’t just hand the viscount over.”

The old man cackled and came around his desk to them.

“You think one tiny jewel could be exchanged for the life of a person?”

“It’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

The man shrilled in laughter again and shook his head. “Foolish, foolish boy. We both know there are twelve jewels. You only gave me one. You think that’s fair?”

“Mine was the only one you wanted, wasn’t it?”

“It’s the first one, yes,” the old man replied. “But that doesn’t mean it’s the last.”

“Why do you want them anyway?” This was the question that Leon had always wanted to seek the answer to.

“Didn’t your old man ever tell you of its value? With all twelve together, they will open the door to the Cave of Treasure and bring wealth to the holder of the jewels.”

Was that really all?

“You’re being fooled by a legend,” Leon said. “There’s no such thing.”

“Then you shouldn’t hesitate to give them to me. I’ll release the viscount if you do.”

“How am I to trust that you will let Lord Herring go when you lied to me earlier?”

“Because I will let him go,” the marquess said.

Leon merely laughs and pulled out the hidden pistol in his coat, pointing it at the marquess.

“You shouldn’t be pointing that thing at me,” said the marquess. “You don’t know what I’m capable of doing.”

“Then let Lord Herring go.”

“You want him? You shall have him then. Let go of my guard there and he shall go get him for you.”

Leon didn’t know whether to trust the marquess or not but he swung the guard off toward the door and the marquess order for the viscount to be brought in as he had said.

“I don’t know why you want to trade your jewel for that Lord Herring when there’s someone more important here that you could save.”

Someone more important?

“I assure you that there’s no one here,” said Leon. “Longsword has made it out already.”

“Not the worthless little earl,” the marquess laughed.

Leon was starting to grow agitated by the marquess’s laughter. He acts as if everything was a little joke.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

The door opens as the marquess said that and two guards came pushing Lord Herring into the room.

“Look who’s here for you, Willy,” the marquess said, walking over to lift up the viscount’s droopy head and then pushed him off to Leon.

“Lord Herring–What did you do to him?” Leon fumed as he caught the viscount.

“Just a little beating there and here with a few drugs,” said the marquess. “He will live to see another day or two.”

“You despicable old devil!” Leon set the viscount down on the chair and lurch forward with his pistol again. “I’ve had enough of your deception.”

“Put that down now!” bellowed another voice through the door.

Leon saw that it was the marquess’s son and he was coming in slowly, pulling along somebody behind him.

“Marcus.” The marquess moved forward and stood by his son.

Leon’s heart nearly stop when he saw who it was that Marcus had pulled in.

“Rose!” Rage swept over him as he saw her state and almost broke out into a killing spree.

A cloth was tied over her mouth and her hair fell down over her face and shoulders.

She was crying and struggling, trying to flee to Leon but was held back tight.

How did they get her? His siblings were supposed to watch her.

The marquess rubbed his hands together and gave Leon a devious smile. “Surprised, aren’t you? Well, here’s that important person. You must wonder how we got her. Your stupid siblings must have been out beaten by the men that I sent out.”

He sent out another army to attack them?

“Don’t you dare lay one finger on her!” Leon roared, urging forward, but was stop with the point of Marcus’s pistol and the spears of the two guards.

“Take one more step and your lady here dies!” Marcus said, moving the pistol to Rose’s chest.

She was whimpering and trying to say something but can’t.

“Marcus, be a real man and not use a lady as bait,” Leon said, walking slowly towards them.

“Put down your pistol or I’ll shoot her,” Marcus threatened again.

Rose’s eyes widened and she shook her head, telling him not to do it.

“Please let her go,” Leon said, not having much choice. “I’ll do anything.”

“Then put down your gun,” Marcus ordered again.

Leon looked at Rose and slowly crouched down to set his gun on the floor.

The marquess and his son both laugh and aimed now two pistols at Leon.

“Say good-bye, my boy.”

Rose managed to get the cloth off her mouth and cried out, “No,” before the guns went off, and Leon closed his eyes to accept his fate.

Rose thought it was the end of her love when Marcus and his father’s gun went off at Leon and almost fainted until she realizes that it wasn’t theirs but somebody else’s.

“Don’t you ever dare to raise your gun at my brother again!” growled an angry female voice from the door.

She had her hair secured with a yellow ribbon and was dressed in a brown waistcoat with dark breeches and hessians, crossing the room furiously and firing at the guards.

This has got to be the older sister of the Heartilys, Miss Avangelene.

The old marquess gave out a groan and clutched to his hand as it spills out blood and Marcus did the same, pulling Rose with him as he tries to run for the door.

Another man came in, who Rose realizes as the Duke of Hargate, and he took care of knocking Marcus back but was distracted as four guards came in at him.

“Let me go, Marcus!” she cried, trying to bite his arm to free her.

“Stop, you whore!” he snapped, striking her across the face. “You’re coming with me.”

“Leon! Leon! Help me!” she called, but was dragged out by Marcus and his father.

Leon thought it will be the end of him but thank goodness his sister came in time to stop the marquess. He hadn’t expected her, or Hargate to barge in and help.

How did they even know he was here?

“Leon, are you all right?” Avangelene asked, rushing to his side. “Heartily.” Hargate came, too, and stood by them. “Where’s

Longsword?”

“He’s…somewhere,” Leon answered, clutching his shoulder. It’s

either the marquess or his bastard son that had their shot fired at him.

“Quick! We have to get Lansing before he escapes.”

“Will do!”

The three of them dashed out just in time to catch Longsword

fending off some guards that were heading towards them. “Go back in there and get Lord Herring,” Leon ordered

Longsword, and ran to where he saw the marquess and his son

disappear around the corner with Rose.

He was not going to let them touch a hair on his wife!

The old marquess led them in through the room where Leon was captured earlier and stops to send more guards out.

“How many God damn men does this ass have anyway?” Hargate inquired as he threw one over his shoulder.

“I have an idea,” said Avangelene to Leon.

“The only idea you should have is on how to fend these bastards off while I go rescue Rose,” Leon answered, dodging one of the men and dashing to the old marquess and his son.

They were running with Rose flung over Marcus’s shoulder and heading towards a sliding door when Leon took out his pistol and shot at the old marquess’s leg, missing to hit his son’s instead.

Marcus gave out a loud cry and dropped Rose to tend to his leg.

“You idiot son!” The old marquess pulled up his son and grabs Rose by the hair before she can turn to run.

Leon was about to shoot but cursed as the old man stops and uses Rose as a shield to them.

“Shoot if you dare,” the old marquess growled out. “Even if you kill me, there’s still going to be more hell coming at your feet.”

Leon knows he’s talking about the other suspects but didn’t give a damn.

“As long as you’re gone, things should be easier.”

“Don’t, Leon,” his sister said, running up to him. “You might hit Lady Rose.”

“Your sister seems to be wiser,” the marquess laughs, pulling up his moaning son and Rose as he back away to the door.

“I should take my chances,” Leon said, although he was afraid of hitting Rose as Avange had said.

“Just do it, Leon,” Rose cried. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me. He killed your parents!”

“No,” Avangelene shook her head and step forward, pulling out a chain from her pocket.

Leon saw that it was her emerald scarab jewel and pulled her back. “You can’t, Avange. He has my stone already.”

She seemed to ignored him and walk slowly towards the wideeye marquess who then frowns when he saw the jewel.

“That’s just a bug,” he said. “Surely you know that it’s worthless.”

“No.” Avangelene pressed a switch at the back of the jewel pendant and the scarab spread its wings revealing the emerald inside.

“Please let my brother’s wife go,” she said, holding her chain out to the marquess. “I’ll give you my jewel along with his.”

Leon was stun to hear her spoke the words. That Hargate must have told his sister.

“Avangelene!” Hargate came in after he’d fended off the last of the guards. “What are you doing–”

Avange merely raise a hand to shut him up and move forward.

The old man smiled throwing down his injured son and dragged Rose forward to snatch the chain but Avange jump back before he could.

“We have to exchange prizes at the same time, m’lord,” Avangelene answered, twirling the chain with her fingers. “You’re not being fair.”

“Don’t risk it,” Rose cried to her. “I’m not worth it.”

Avangelene turned to look at Leon and he reply with an understanding nod.

“You’re worth everything, Lady Rose,” she said as she inch forward again. “If only you knew.”

“Just give me the jewel and you can have your brother’s whore,” the marquess said impatiently.

Leon waited for the exchange, clicking his pistol ready.

The marquess extended Rose out with his dripping bloody hand that Avange must had shot, and held his palm out with the other.

Avangelene slowly placed her jewel in his palm and snatched Rose to her, shouting, “Fire!”

Leon did so and cursed again when the marquess scurried this time to pull up his son as a shield, and ran for the door.

“Oh no,” Rose shuddered in horror, and collapse as she saw the firing bullets hit Marcus.

Hargate made his shot and missed, but luckily, the bullet bounced from the wall and hit the old marquess square in the leg, knocking him off balance.

Avangelene charged at the devil man but he pulled out a dagger and threw it at her. She would have been stabbed if she hadn’t fell to her stomach and roll away from it.

“We’ll meet again, Windsor!” the old marquess roared out and disappear through the sliding doors before Leon could get to him.

“He’d escaped,” Avangelene said as she went up to the doors. “Must have locked it from the other side.”

“Hell, I can’t believe he got away,” Leon said, shaking his head in shame.

“You and that Duke just have bad aims,” Avangelene said, walking over to where Hargate squatted by Marcus’s side.

“He’s gone,” Hargate said as he tried to feel the pulse of the marquess’s son.

“I figured so,” Avange said, and kicked the body.

“I have to find that marquess again,” Leon said. “He got your jewel now, too.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Avangelene answered. “I’ll take care of it.”

“The hell you will!” Hargate grounded out, standing up to face her. “You nearly got killed by that dagger!”

Leon senses there’s something going on between the two of them but averted his attention away when he saw that the dagger Lansing threw was his. He walked over and picked it up, finally realizing that Rose was laying down unconscious on the floor a few feet from it.

“Rose!” He went over and picks her up, wincing as he remembers the wound in his shoulder from earlier but ignored it. “Rose, you have to be okay,” he chants. “You have to be okay.”

“Guys!” Longsword came in, carrying the viscount on his shoulder. “The place is breaking down. We have to get out of here!”

Leon dashed out cradling Rose in his arms with Hargate and Avange following behind.

“That was close,” Hargate said, blowing a sigh of relief when they got out.

“Lansing sure is a smart one,” said Longsword as he settles the viscount on the ground to catch his breath.

“He escaped,” Leon muttered, disappointingly.

“Did he?” Longsword wasn’t in the least surprise as he saw Lady Rose stir in Leon’s arms. “You must have softened up again due to that little thing.”

Leon only smiled and cupped Rose’s face as he heard her murmur something and kiss her. “Everything would be all right,” he whispered to her. At least for now it will.

The marquess is still out there somewhere and may have many more devious plans up his sleeves.

Whatever it is, Leon would do his best to not let the old man harm another of his love ones again. He’ll find the man and make sure next time to obliterate him completely with his other comrades.