Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
“And where is Lady Weasley now?”
* * *
“Hiding in the woods.”
* * *
“Go. You and Emily go and get her. I shall muster the men.”
* * *
Janice nodded frantically, grabbing Emily by the arm and pulling her along. They ran back to Lady Weasley who was still crouching by the tree. “Help is coming. Don’t worry. We’ll rescue Arthur. Everything will be fine,” she panted.
* * *
Slowly, Lady Weasley got to her feet and nodded. “We go…now? Rescue?”
* * *
Janice looked around, peering back the way she’d come for the horses. “I think the rescue party is being put together.”
* * *
“Yes, but we go back. Room. They check…” she shook her head. Janice frowned, not sure what she meant. Lady Weasley pointed back towards the secret entrance. “Back.”
* * *
“Oh, you want to go back to the room in case they check on us?”
* * *
Lady Weasley nodded emphatically.
* * *
Janice turned to Emily. “That might actually be a good idea. We do not want anything to happen if they find us missing.”
* * *
“I’m coming with you.”
* * *
“You are not. Go back, make sure they know where we are, and tell them to hurry up!”
* * *
Emily grabbed her and hugged her and then hugged Lady Weasley. “Be careful.”
* * *
“Yes,” Lady Weasley said and nodded reassuringly.
“We do not have the money here. So now what? Will you leave us be so we can arrange to travel to France-?”
* * *
“No! I am not leaving without my money. I do not believe Mr. Greer has come empty-handed.”
* * *
“You will have to sir for I have not brought a cent.” Mr. Greer seemed to take great pleasure in discomfiting the former butler.
* * *
He grabbed a weight from the table and threw it across the room where it exploded against the stone wall, shards flying everywhere. The accountant and Arthur ducked to avoid getting hit with shrapnel.
* * *
“You will give me my money!” he roared.
* * *
Arthur would have laughed if the situation was not so dire. “Tomorrow we can travel to Paris, for now, please, let my people go.”
* * *
Pearson lifted a hand and pointed a pistol at him. “Give me my money or I will put a hole in your belly. You’ll die slowly and painfully. Is that what you want?”
* * *
“I would prefer not to die,” Arthur said quietly.
* * *
“Then give me my money.”
* * *
There was a terrible noise and banging emanating from outside. Pearson glanced at one of his men. “Go and see what that is.”
* * *
He turned, raising the pistol to point at Arthur’s forehead. “Your time is running out.”
* * *
Arthur raised his head. “Let me see what I can do.”
* * *
Pearson sneered. “Don’t think I do not recall your mother’s extensive jewelry collection. Bring it all. And this month’s rents. Did you not just collect them?”
* * *
“How would you know that?” Arthur asked sharply.
* * *
Pearson grinned. “That’s for me to know. Now go and get the treasure or I shall call your wife here and despoil her in front of you.”
* * *
Arthur stiffened. He was loath to give his mother’s jewelry away, but he would not let any harm come to either her or Janice. He turned towards the door. “I shall be back shortly.”
* * *
“Wait,” Pearson said and then gestured towards one of his men. “Andrews will go with you. Just to make sure there’s no funny business.”
* * *
“You have my wife and mother. There will be no funny business as you say.”
* * *
“Good. Now go get me my money.”
They slipped and stumbled back down the narrow corridor, Lady Weasley seeming less sure of the way as they went back, walking slower and with more hesitance. Janice would have loved to know how she learned of this path, but she knew it was not the right time. They tripped back into her mother-in-law’s chambers, the door sliding open when pushed, and sat themselves down by the empty fireplace holding hands. Janice sighed. “Now we wait I suppose,” she said.
* * *
Lady Weasley squeezed her hand.
* * *
It wasn’t long before they could hear a groundswell of noise as someone battered against the gate. Janice hurried to the window, where she could see a myriad of horses and a battering ram. It didn’t take long to break the gate and then the cavalry was riding to the rescue. She put a hand to her chest. “Thank heaven, they’re here.”
Arthur was halfway up the stairs when he heard the sound of battering coming from outside. Without thinking about it, he swung around and punched Andrew in the face, causing him to fall down the stairs. He ran quickly and grabbed the man’s pistol before hitting him once more in the face, breaking his nose and knocking him out. He ran to the door, checking backward all the while for any pursuers.