Randy is no match for Jason

From her seat on the tilted trunk Charlotte could see that Randy was no match for Jason. Just from the initial pass where Jason parried Randy's deadly swing and stepped to the side like a Spanish matador the outcome of the duel was clear. Even before Randy had a chance to recover Jason flicked the point of his blade into his thigh. Charlotte could not bare to see her beloved cut to shreds by the despicable man whom she once thought she might marry. She turned to Mr. Fuller and urged him to save himself.

"Run!" She half cried, half pleaded hoping that he would listen. To Jason it must have sounded like a confession because with a cry of anger he advanced on Mr. Fuller again who this time managed to parry the first thrust, but was fooled by a low feint and was completely defenseless when Jason's rapier rolled over his clumsy block. Jason could have run Mr. Fuller through the chest right then and there, but instead he chose to pierce the bicep of his left arm. Charlotte saw a growing stain of red where the blade had struck. In a normal affair of honour this would have ended the duel, but Jason had no intention of stopping his fun.

"I'm going to enjoy this, 'Black Brand'. " Jason hissed viciously. "I'm going to poke so many holes in your worthless body that Lord Marlton could have your skin dried out and use you as a salt shaker." Another jab with the impossibly quick rapier left a bloody hole in Fuller's other leg. "And then, when you no longer have the strength to do anything about it, I'm going to fuck that bitch back there right in front of you. I'm going to ram her so hard she'll forget all about a peasant piece of shit like you." Charlotte could not believe how easily Jason's sword redirected Mr. Fuller's attack and once again watched in horror as his sword cut into Randy's arm.

In spite of Mr. Fuller's best efforts Jason was easily driving him backwards and soon her hero would be pinned against the steep bank of the brook. Even to Charlotte's untrained eyes it was clear that the outcome of this duel was no longer in question. Any romantic notion she once had about men fighting for the right to claim her was irrevocably wiped away as she waited for the inevitable outcome. If they had left without retrieving her belongings, Jason would never have discovered them. For a few items of clothing and some jewelry Charlotte cost them the chance of escape; she would be married off to the despicable Jason Worthington and even worse than the fate that awaited her, she had done so at the cost of Mr. Fuller's life.

Charlotte refused to let Mr. Fuller die because of her lack of judgment. To her surprise she felt for the first time the hard pommel of Randy's flintlock pressed against her belly, and with a newfound resolve she freed the heavy weapon from her sash. Charlotte had never fired a pistol before, but the flint-striker pan mechanism was exactly like the one her fowling piece. In fact, her sporting gun was only a foot longer than this military grade pistol.

She should give Jason a chance to surrender, Charlotte realized as she cocked the gun. He was after all doing what was expected of a British Peer when he comes across an upstart commoner who threatens the peace of the realm. She should, but she didn't. Charlotte had not forgotten the eagerness in Jason's eyes as he directed her to sit, not could she forget his cold-hearted plan for **** her in front of Randy and his role in her father's plan for forcing her into marriage.

Perhaps if those were Worthington's only offenses against her, Charlotte might have given him a chance, but far more important to her than her own body and future, was the man who was being cruelly tortured because he had come to her cause. So instead of offering Jason a chance to flee she rose to her feet and holding the pistol in both hands she calmly fired the bullet directly into the back of the most honourable Sir Jason Worthington, Baronet of Dunshire. May the bastard burn in Hell for all eternity!

Charlotte was a good shot; even in the dim moonlight the slug hit only an inch higher than she had been aiming and shattered Jason's spine upon impact. No doubt at least some fragments of the heavy lead projectile must have ripped through the man's foul heart and lungs as well, because he dropped without a word to his knees and then toppled to his side coughing a bloody spray as his lifeless body landed on the warm meadow turf that led down to the fast flowing water.

Randy stared in stunned surprise at the man laying twitching at his feet. The accumulated effect of a half dozen or so deep jabs and slices from the gentleman's rapier made it hard to think clearly and it was only as the smoke cleared that he realized how he had been saved. Lady Marlton still held the pistol in both her small hands, and she looked as fierce as any pirate he had ever seen.

"Randy!" Miss Charlotte exclaimed in alarm as he took two steps forward and then stumbled like a drunkard as the pain and emotion of the encounter caught up with him. He liked the way she said his name, Randy decided as her toned body supported his suddenly weakened legs. That and the way her salty lips tasted as she pressed her mouth to his, and the way her soft breast filled his hand with warmth as he clutched at her bodice to keep from falling over.

The kiss fortified Randy; when her mouth opened and he tasted her he could feel strength from this amazing woman flow into his bones and clear his thinking. But the embrace ended far too soon for either of them; it was Charlotte who came to her senses first, suddenly aware of all the implications of what had happened.

"You have to hide, Mr. Fuller." Charlotte said calmly as she led him to chest she had been sitting on just moments before. "Someone must have heard the shot and they will find you." She tried to sound optimistic as she detailed her next step, but her voice cracked uncharacteristically. "Then I must inform my father that I've killed Mr. Worthington." Charlotte wondered how this was going to play out, as she dabbed at the multiple bleeding wounds that refused to stop bleeding. The killing of a Baronette, even if it had been an evil scoundrel like Jason was no small matter, especially as it was clear that the man had been shot in the back.

"No, Miss Marlton, Black Brand must bear the price of Worthington's ****." Randy took her head in his hands and lifted her eyes to meet the fierceness of his gaze. "You must tell the search party that Mr. Worthington found and rescued you, but was shot as he was leading you to safety." Charlotte began to protest, but was immediately silenced. "It must have been Black Brand who did the deed, who else would shoot down a man so coolly, and how could that pistol even be here if not for that villainous Highwayman?"

"But they'll hunt us down in earnest now, Mr. Fuller." Charlotte reminded Fuller as he stiffly climbed to his feet. "Lord Worthington is a member of the House of Lords, he will not let his son's **** go unavenged."

"I know, and that is why you cannot come with me." To Charlotte, Randy's words were like the round from his flintlock exploding into her heart. She could see the passion in his eyes, along with his resolve to carry through with his decision to keep her from joining him. "Tell your father, that you will never marry. Tell him that he can use your dowry for his business." He took her hand in his and pressed it tightly,

Charlotte could only watch tearfully as Mr. Fuller picked up the spent flintlock and tucked it into his belt. He paused just at the edge of the brook where they first met.

"Do whatever you must, but make sure you live." His eyes burned with a undeniable passion, "I will return, Charlotte. Upon Mary's grave, I will come for you."