Page 45 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

Mr. George sniggered at William’s words and rushed at him. William made sure he didn’t walk straight back as he parried Mr. George’s attacks. He turned around in an anti-clockwise direction remaining in touching range of Mr. George but preventing him from having a good angle from which to attack. William caught a swipe Mr. George threw towards his stomach region and twirled Mr. George sword around twice. He swung his sword towards Mr. George’s head again, knowing the man would not dodge but block. As Mr. George turned his sword vertical in an attempt to block William’s approaching blade, William changed movement at the last second. He reduced the force of his one-handed swing and used his already cocked right hand to hit Mr. George sword upward from the hilt, butting the blade out of his hand. Before Mr. George could struggle to get his sword back again, there was a sword at his throat. William, knowing Mr. George would focus on his collected sword, had changed the direction of his swing, going for the neck instead of the head it initially looked like. Mr. George was defenseless and defeated.

William heard a rapturous applause and turned to bow to the group of students and other young ladies and men at the far back on the seats. A lady pointed at him, talking excitedly to her friend. William bowed again before turning to face Mr. George who was getting himself on his feet.

William extended an arm to him, helping him as he rose to his feet.

“Another smart move got you the win,” Mr. George said.

“I told you I’ll win,” William replied.

“Yes, you did,” Mr. George said.

Mr. George then turned to his students.

“So your one hour recess starts from now, come back for supervised training after an hour. I won’t wait for anyone who comes late,” he said.

Mr. George signaled to William that he would return as he walked down the hall with a couple of students. Some of the other students walked out of the hall, hailing William as they passed. William held the sword in his hand and extended it to a passing boy. The boy collected it and ran in the direction Mr. James had walked of in. William heard a feminine voice speak behind him.

“I just saw you fight for the first time and you have impressed me with your quick mind. You are quite the fighter.”

William turned around to confirm who it was.

Joane.

Chapter 12

What do you want?

William didn’t expect to see Joane in the hall.

“Wow, this is a good surprise. What are you doing here Joane?” he asked her.

“I came to watch people like you train of course, this is the first time I am coming here though,” she replied.

William looked to her sides, searching for Emma.

“Where is your friend?”

Joane smiled when he asked.

This is a beautiful woman. Look at the shiny flow of her hair.

Joane’s smile lit her face up showing her small teeth and the small wrinkle that had formed due to constant smiling. She had let her hair down, the smooth bundles of hair forming shaky pools on her shoulders. William felt like running his fingers through the glossy arrangement of her hair strands.

“I didn’t come with her. She came here recently, she told me. I was the feeling bored at home as she was not with me so I decided to come check what was so great about this place. She kept raving about the fights she saw,” Joane answered.

Joane pulled her flowing hair to one side of her head as she spoke. William was not sure it was a conscious action.

“So do you come here every day?” she asked him.

“Every day? No, I don’t come here every day. But I did come here today, I wanted to clear my head,” William answered.

Joane turned around and walked to the row of seats the girls had been sitting on during the fight. Only a few of the girls were left, William was sure some would return when the recess was over.

“Why did you need to clear your head today?” Joane asked.

She had picked a seat and removed a training helmet that was on the one beside it, making space for William.

“Thank you,” William said, referring to her preparing a seat for him.