Confrontation

Chapter 12: Confrontation

Like every Sunday morning since he left, Caroline stared out the window watching for any sign of Thomas. Of course she had to periodically check the rear landing window as well which was difficult without attracting the attention of the twins. Her father’s study was at the back where he normally sat except for the times the girls were out on the moor during which he insisted they stay in view. When she saw a man coming up from the stream, her heart leapt and she immediately went downstairs to distract her father.

It was a long hard walk for the lover who had recovered a portion of his memory. He recognised people but he was not quite sure about his relationships with them. His parents were dead and although his great grandfather was a duke, his father only received a baronetcy just before his ****. At the moment he wanted 2 things and the first was Caroline Hawksby. The other he would collect soon.

The distraction had worked and when Sir Thomas knocked, Caroline rushed to the parlour window.

“Look father, it’s the man we saved.”

“What does he want? I’m not opening the door. He knows the rules” and Nathaniel drew the curtains.

“But father it must been a tremendous effort to climb the hill.” pleaded Caroline.

“Why isn’t he on a horse?” said the father angrily.

“Perhaps because he’s too sore?” reasoned his daughter.

“Here are the keys. Lock your sisters in, lock yourself in.”

“You mean you will let him in.”

“I shall see what he wants.”

Caroline flung her arms around her surprised parent and ran upstairs. Why that did not raise his suspicions is not known but maybe he was a little curious.”

He opened the door and with some clever talking Thomas managed to reach the study and waited enough time for Caroline to sneak back down. She heard a yell. It was her father. This must be her cue, or rather she had just missed it.

She burst in.

“Caroline, get out!” there was no reduction in volume.

“No father” and she grabbed Thomas’s hand.

“You have both deceived me. Do you think for one moment I am stupid? The sight of you at the river caused you to fall in love - balderdash! When did you meet? It must have been Fanny.”

“I stole the keys, father. Don’t punish Fanny. She would not let me in.” and by now Caroline was in floods of tears as the dervish reached for his pistol.

“By Our Lady, I should kill you, man.”

“What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t move. On my honour sir, we could not help it.”

The man who had rescued him from **** now fired at him.

“The next one will shatter your skull. Leave and never return.”

Thomas made his best attempt at a run and was off down the moor as quickly as he could. Caroline collapsed sobbing on the floor.

“The last man I let enter my house stole my wife.” which was quite far from the truth except in Nathaniel’s fevered mind. “And now this one steals my daughter. The next man I leave to die.”

Caroline may have been distraught, but Thomas thought it had gone quite well. After all he had not died even though his back was killing him. He made it back to the carriage and told his driver

“On to Urra Moor.”