Coins and Daggers (23 page)

S
omething strong and
sharp smelling reached deep up inside her nostrils, dragging
Audelia from a foggy state of unconsciousness. Immediately, the
pain in her head registered and she groaned, rolling over onto her
back. She did not open her eyes immediately in fear that she might
very well be dead already and awaiting the Devil
himself.

Something
brushed against her bare ankle and she jumped up, shifting across a
dusty ash floor. Where was she? Wincing, Audelia glanced up...and
up, her gaze connecting with the wide open sky. Blinking, she
groaned as a pain shot up her leg left and she dragged herself up
in a sitting position, her back against a cold wall. The last thing
she could remember was running into a strange man just outside the
stable house. She’d swung her dagger and cut him. But all she knew
was that something had come crashing down on her head after that
and now... Now, she was here. And she had no idea where
here
was.

Trying not to panic, she mentally sent a
beseeching prayer, hoping that Ulric was alright and keeping her
fingers crossed that he would find her.

Footsteps
came heavily nearby, grinding on what sounded like pebbles. Audelia
shot to her feet despite the soreness piercing through her leg. In
a moment or two, she was face to face with her apparent abductor. A
very familiar face that did not come surprising at all.

“Miss Rolfen,” the woman said. “How are you
feeling?”

Skin now prickling with raw disdain, Audelia
inched backwards. “Madame de Lucci. What do you want?”

Chuckling,
she stepped forward, thick layers of silk sweeping against the
floor. “I should think that was quite obvious. You see, Miss
Rolfen--
Audelia
, I admired
you so much. I craved your spirit...your great ambitions but a
woman must also earn her bread.”

“You told me that the Dextrems adored
me.”

“Oh, but they do. Lady Dextrem was quite
fascinated with you. You were like...a daughter she could never
have. But you must realize that even the wealthy have their share
of problems and would do anything to fix them.”

Hot burning
tears pricked at Audelia’s eyes. “He...
raped
me.”

“Oh, hush, girl!” the Madame hissed. “Lord
Dextrem merely sampled from what was already his.”

“I am not his property!” Audelia spat,
almost gagging with disgust.

“
But you are.” Madame smiled a sneering smile and inclined
her head. “You
are
. You see,
Audelia, you are bought and paid for and Lord Dextrem is well
entitled to use...his merchandise.”

“Bryce will find me. You won’t get away
with--”

“
Ah, ‘
Bryce
’ is it now?”
Madame de Lucci laughed and clasped her hands. “Well done, Miss
Rolfen. Well done. I see you’ve become Lord Chastelle’s
whore.”

“I’m not his whore.” Her heart thundered as
she spoke, a twinge of doubt that she did not want to welcome, now
reaching inside her mind. “He...he cares about me.”

“Does he now? The reclusive lord has
confessed an affection for you, has he? I hardly think so. You see,
I know Ulric St. Rosso quite well enough to gladly reject that
notion.”

Audelia swallowed, her glare piercing
through the woman who had once encouraged her dreams. The woman
whom she had grown to respect, the very woman who had earned her
trust. Madame de Lucci was a conniving immoral fiend and Audelia
wished for nothing but mercy on her black soul.

“
What are you waiting for then?” Audelia snarled. “Lord
Dextrem must be waiting to collect his
merchandise
.”

Madame de
Lucci chuckled and shook her head. “Things have
changed
, I
realize,” she said, crossing her arms. “Lord Dextrem can be quite a
drain and when one finds himself exhausted by another, he severs
the ties. It is the only...rational thing to do. But the vexing
Lord Dextrem is no longer important. Ulric St. Ross now... I’m sure
we can strike up an arrangement.”

“What sort of...arrangement?” Audelia
sniffed, resting her fatigued body against the wall.

“Perhaps, he might be willing to make a
settlement. For your freedom, that is. It is no secret that the
great Lord of Chastelle has very vast means.”

“Bryce would never--”

“If he cares for you as much as you say he
does,” Madame de Lucci chuckled. “Then I am sure he will find you
and be more than willing to spend a pretty coin.”

* *

U
lric wasted no time
with easing out of the saddle. Dismounting from Gray, he ran up the
steps to his house and shove through the door.

“
Audelia!
Gilgallon
!”

“Let’s go about this cautiously,” Edwin said
between ragged breaths. “Just in case.”

Ulric strode across the foyer and down the
hall. “Where the hell is she?”

“Milord!” Both men spun to a high-pitched
yelp and Ulric immediately identified the wench as the kitchen
girl, Anyla. “It’s Gilgallon. He’s injured.”

“Blast it!” Ulric followed the girl down the
hall and towards the kitchen where he saw his guard sprawled on top
of Cook’s table, a gushing wound to his side.

Gilgallon looked up immediately from where
Cook was attempting to clean the wound. “Milord.” He made to stand
but Cook shove him back down firmly. “I’m sorry. I was...caught off
guard.”

Edwin groaned. “What happened?”

“We were in the east stable, Sir,
when--”

Ulric kicked over a chiar. “You made her
leave the bloody house?”

“Ulric.” His friend rest a calming hand on
his shoulder. “Then what?”

Gilgallon winced in pain. “We heard a noise
so I told Miss Rolfen to stay put with Brutus while I go...while I
go see what it was. I was attacked by a man. I...I didn’t see him
clearly because he came from behind. Stabbed me with...with a
knife, you see.” The guard gasped and swallowed. “He took her. In
the direction of the ruins, I believe.”

“Shit! We need to move now.” Ulric turned on
his heel.

“Did you see anyone else?” he heard Edwin
ask.

Gilgallon grunted. “No, Sir.”

By the time they reached outside again,
Ulric moved with lightning speed to his stallion, swinging up into
the saddle, kicking his heels in Gray’s flanks. Edwin’s gelding was
right behind him. But all Ulric could see or hear was the hoof
beats of their horses, surrounded by the image of Audelia, hurt and
in pain. Whoever was responsible for this would meet his wrath, one
way or another.

Ulric sent Gray straight across the lawn and
up to the low hills which led towards the meadows. His headache was
worsening, his mind mixed with all sorts of emotions...his heart
aching with dread but he must find her. He must. For his very own
sanity and happiness depended on it.

The ruins came into view some time later and
his gaze scanned the area quickly. His friend pulled up in line and
Ulric huffed, “I’ll take the front. You take the back. We’ll work
our way inside.”

Nodding briskly, Edwin brought his own
gelding to a slow as they finally reached the battered, crumbled
structure. Dismounting quickly, they both made a dash towards it,
an impending sense of doom threading through the air.

* *

“
I
’m not afraid
of you.” Audelia eased away from the wall, readying to act on
Madame de Lucci’s approach. She’d not allow this to happen. Not
unless she could not help it. Audelia was tired of running, tired
of being scared. It was high time that it all ended.

“Oh, you ought to be.” The Madame revealed a
knife from the belt at her waist and pointed it at her.

“You’ll not a make another dime at my
expense, you witch!”

“Relax yourself, you fool. I shall take no
remorse in damaging your pretty little face if you get in my way.
I’m sure even then Lord Chastelle will welcome you into his
bed.”

“
All those months, I’ve been fighting.” Rage ignited within
Audelia’s veins. “
Struggling
...to
survive. I will not go back to that life. I refuse to
be...
anyone’s
property. Not anymore.”

“
We can arrive at some settlement then.” The Madame
chuckled. “Now stand still. When your precious
Bryce
arrives,
I intend on
being in a superior position.”

Audelia maintained her stance, watching the
woman fixedly. “Over my dead body.”

“Oh, I hardly think you’d truly embrace
death so eagerly.”

“Try me.”

A tumble came from just outside their dusty
room and Madame de Lucci’s glance flickered to the flimsy door.
Adrenaline pumping, Audelia took the moment’s opportunity to grab
the woman’s weapon-wielding hand.

Audelia grunted as the Madame managed to
land a firm slap across her face but she held on still, bending her
wrist painfully until the blade clattered to the floor.

“You think you can get away from me?” The
Madame shrieked, shoving her to the wall. “Think again!”

Audelia landed hard against the wall,
groaned and ducked another blow that would have surely connected
her in the left eye. “I’ll see you in hell first.”

Launching her body full force in a run,
Audelia rammed herself hard against the Madame, sending them both
flying in a tumbling heap to the floor. Balling her fist, she then
delivered a sharp blow to the woman’s jaw and tightened her hands
around her neck.

“
Let...let..” The Madame rasped, clutching at Audelia’s
hands. “
Bitch
...”

Letting out a loud shriek, tears running
down her face, Audelia blinked through her blinding tears and
stumbled to her feet. She could not do it. She just could
not...

“
Audelia
!”

The sweet sound of escape came in the form
of Ulric’s baritone shout, sending a wave of relief and joy
throughout her being.

“In here!” Audelia made to rush off only to
be caught by the ankles by Madame de Lucci’s sudden grip. She fell
flat onto her stomach, almost knocking the living breath out of her
lungs.

“
You little
wretch
!”

Audelia grunted, kicking her legs fiercely
but the woman’s grasp would not budge. It was a moment later that
Ulric came rushing through the doorway, his face bloodied and Edwin
behind him.

Edwin
bellowed. “Sweet heavens, it
is
Lady
Shentil!”

Strong arms grabbed Audelia upwards while
Edwin rescued her ankles from the Madame’s deathly grips.

“You’re okay. You’re alright,” Ulric
uttered, crushing her body against his, his gaze fixed on the widow
across the room. “You’re safe now.”

“
I wouldn’t have believed this had I not witnessed it
myself,” Edwin went on, trapping the woman’s arms behind her as she
fought against it. “
Lady Shentil
of all
people.”

“
Hello,
Ulric
,” she spat,
shuffling in Edwin’s strong hold. “I see you’ve come to rescue your
whore.”

Ulric did not say a word but continued to
press gentle comforting kisses across Audelia’s tear dampened face.
Dear God, he’d felt as if someone had plunged a dagger to his gut
when he’d heard her distressed scream. And now...

“
I’ll gladly restrain this one,” Edwin volunteered with a
grim set to his face. “How does the great
Widow
of Shentil like the gaol?” He muttered next to ear and
ushered the woman across the room, towards the door. “This is the
last of blessed daylight you and Dextrem will ever see.”

Ulric blew out a heavy breath, startled to
feel tears tickling down his own face. But he did not care much for
that. The woman he loved was safe now. She was free. And she was in
his arms. “I’m sorry,” he breathed next to her ear. “I’m so sorry.
I-I should have been here with you. To protect you.”

Sniffling, Audelia raised her head to look
into Ulric’s pained eyes. “You’re here now. I knew you’d...come
back. In time”

His throat clogged with deep, raw emotion.
“I-I thought I might have lost you. I don’t know... I don’t know
what I would have done. You mean the world to me.”

Audelia reached up to wipe a tear from his
cheek. “I love you, Bryce. I love you.”

Ulric stilled, heart thumping wildly against
his chest. To hear those words... To feel the warmth that they
brought... He pressed his lips against hers fervently, pouring out
his heart and soul into that one kiss which would join them
forever.

“
I
love
you, Audelia. Body and soul. Trust
me with your heart and I shall cherish it.
Always
.”

Epilogue

Two weeks and
three days later...

H
er gleeful yelp
echoed throughout the bedchamber as she was dumped rather
unceremoniously down on the cool large bed. Impatient hands tickled
past her ankles and up her pale lavender silk dress. She batted
said hands away and giggled.

“At least give me a moment to open the
presents, Bryce.”

Ulric slumped, defeated next to her and
groaned deep into the sheets. “I’m the most worthwhile gift you
could unwrap tonight, Audelia,” he whined, still reaching up her
bare thighs. “A husband ought to be allowed to ravish his wife on
their wedding night.”