Page 54 of Unseen

THE DUEL

When we did finally stop, I slept only fitfully, nightmares haunting me, waking every time to scramble for the feeling of Azriel’s skin, to reassure myself that he had indeed not died as he had in my nightmares.

Until the last time I woke, reaching for him frantically, only to find myself alone in the bed.

He had not even said goodbye.

I wailed into my pillow, begging God and the world and anyone who would listen to me to please bring him back to me.

I knew I did not deserve it, not after all the wretched things I had done.

I was sure Acton’s ghost was watching me scornfully, looking forward to tearing his son away from my arms, to punish me for taking his life.

“Madam?” Mary’s timid voice sounded from the door, followed swiftly by scratching footsteps on the floorboards as Gertie dashed across the room and hopped eagerly at the foot of my bed. “Madam, Mr Caine told me to bring you breakfast.”

I sat up, wiping my face with my hands. “When did he leave? What time is it?”

“It’s only barely 6 o’clock,” Mary said, crossing the room to open the curtains, revealing a sky barely lightening. “He left perhaps 20 minutes ago.”

“Oh, god.” I clutched my hand to my mouth. “Mary, I am so frightened.”

“It will be alright, madam.” Mary’s voice did not sound so sure, but she came to my side, lifting Gertie onto the bed, who nuzzled her snout into my hand. “Mr Caine had a clear head, and he is a good shot, from what the stable boys have told me.”

“Did they say where they had gone?”

Mary nodded. “Out to the woodlands by Hever Road, I suppose so as not to be disturbed.”

“That is miles from here.”

“It is not so far, madam.” Mary held my hand tightly. “You must not distress yourself, please. It will be alright. Come now, let us get you some breakfast.”

I could not choke down any food, I could barely keep down my tea, so high was my anxiety. My eyes flitted to the window constantly, searching for any sign of movement on the drive, my ears straining to hear carriage wheels, or the yell of the men downstairs in the case of a rushed arrival.

“Should we send for a doctor?” I asked Mary, looking out of the window at the snow-covered ground. “I do not know, should we have one waiting? Just in case?”

“I’m sure we won’t have need of one, but I shall tell Barlow to call for one just in case.” Mary paused at the door, wincing a little as she looked at me. “I will be right back, madam. Please do not fret.”

They were all expecting me to go to pieces, and indeed I felt that I might. I stroked Gertie’s soft fur, trying to calm myself as the pup slept in my lap, blissfully unaware of what was going on around her. The grandfather clock down in the hall let out seven loud, mournful chimes.

Was it all over by now? I had no idea how long a duel should take, but a single shot delivered at dawn with little ceremony? What reason was there for that to drag on? My god how I wished it had been closer, close enough for me to hear it and know what had happened.

The door opened, and I started up, making Gertie yelp.

“It is just me, madam,” Mary said softly, holding up a hand. “Barlow has sent for the doctor. He will be here shortly.”

At that moment shouts sounded from downstairs, and Mary and I stared at each other wide-eyed for a moment before I scooped Gertie up in my arms, shoving her at Mary before barreling down the corridors.

I could not hear what was being said, only that there were shouts, and a flurry of activity downstairs. As I darted down the stairs to the front hall, I heard carriage wheels crunching over the snow, the front door open, the men assembled and waiting.

“A doctor!” Grantham called from the carriage as he threw the door open. “And come and help me with your master!”

My heart was in my throat as I watched the men retrieve Azriel from the carriage.

I ran forward as Grantham hauled an inert figure from inside, one limp arm slung over his shoulder.

Azriel’s head fell against Grantham’s shoulder, and he was so pale I was sure he was dead.

I screamed, but no sound came out. Blood covered Azriel’s neck, a vicious crimson smear.

“Inside! Get him inside!” One of the men called, and two of them helped Grantham haul Azriel’s frame into the house .

“This way!” Called Barlow, gesturing for them to follow.

“Is he alive?” I choked out, following them down the hall and in the direction of the kitchen. “Grantham, is he alive?”

“He’s breathing!” Grantham called, and I clutched my hands to my mouth as the men laid Azriel out on the kitchen table. “Has the doctor been called?”

“Already sent for, your grace,” Barlow said, tearing open Azriel’s shirt and baring the wound that seeped blood from his shoulder. “Heaven be merciful.”

Grantham sprawled into a wooden chair, wiping a blood soaked hand over his face. “My god. What a waste. Foolish waste.”

I went to Azriel’s side as Barlow pressed on the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood. “My darling?” I took his hand, which was achingly cold, and shook my head.

“The doctor is here!” Someone called from within the house, and a few seconds later a bespectacled man with grey and black hair marched into the room, throwing a heavy leather bag onto the table at Azriel’s feet.

“Out!” He ordered, his eyes landing on me. “Madam, I would beseech you to leave, this will not be pleasant.”

Grantham took my arm, and amidst protests, I was removed from the kitchen and ushered into the drawing room.

“I must stay with him!” I cried, and Grantham shook his head. “Please, sir, if it was your wife I know she would want to be by your side.”

Grantham gave me a sad smile. “And if it was my wife, I would wish that someone would comfort her while the doctors did their work. He is strong, madam. It is a flesh wound, you must not worry yourself.”

“Is de la Croix dead?”

Grantham nodded. “He managed to get a shot off before Caine did, surprised all of us. But whereas his shot landed in the shoulder, Caine’s landed squarely between de la Croix’s eyes. It wasn’t until he even collapsed that we realised he had been shot, too.”

“Oh my god.” I covered my face with my hands. “He has lost so much blood, what if… Oh god, what if…”

“He will be alright, madam.” Grantham laid a hand on my shoulder. “I am sure of it.”

“I still… I do not understand how he could agree to something so… so ridiculous.”

“Madam, please sit, and calm yourself.” Grantham gestured to the armchairs by the window, and did not sit down himself until I had finally slouched down, my head in my hands. “I promise you, it looks worse than it is.”

“Why would he do this?” My hands dropped from my face, and I gazed at Grantham with wide eyes. “Why? For what purpose?”

“I do not know myself. I tried to talk him out of it on the way there, but…” Grantham threw his hands up. “Waste. All of it.”

“Will the police come?” A new and terrible problem presented itself to me, and renewed panic clenched at my stomach. “Duels are against the law. Will… Oh god, will they charge Azriel with murder?”

Grantham shook his head, giving me a grim smile.

“No, madam, of that you can be certain. The police, well, while some things may be against the law, the law would be reticent to come after a man like Azriel Caine. And in the unlikely event that they do, I shall stand for him, and tell them de la Croix challenged him. None of this would have happened if not for that hot-headed fool.”

“Your grace, did Azriel know de la Croix? Intimately, I mean.”

Grantham sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Why do you ask? ”

“Azriel called him Fitzwilliam. His first name, yes?”

“Yes.” Grantham met my eyes with a defeated huff of breath. “They were old friends. They went to school together.”

The whole situation was becoming more and more muddy, and yet somehow I could not shake the feeling that Azriel and de la Croix knowing one another well was important, relevant, even, to what had occurred that morning.

“And now one has killed the other,” Grantham mused, lifting a hand and recoiling at the blood that caked it. “Waste. Ridiculous waste.”

We both fell into silence, staring alternately at the clock on the wall, and outside at the snow that had begun to fall.

Grantham, gentleman that he was, stayed with me, urging me to at least drink some sweet milky tea when it was brought to me, continually reassuring me that Azriel would be alright.

After more than an hour, the doctor came into the room, accompanied by Barlow, who looked pale and drawn. I sprang to my feet, holding my breath, still praying, still hoping.

“Madam,” the doctor said with a curt bow of his head. “Your husband is well. He shall make a full recovery.”

I exhaled heavily, catching myself on the back of the armchair. “Oh, thank god.”

“He is resting now, and I shall call on him again in a few hours, to ensure an infection does not set in.”

“Thank you, sir.” I gave the doctor a nod, blinking away my tears. “Is there anything I should do?”

“You may sit with him, madam. He has been asking for you.” The doctor gave me a brief smile, then turned to Barlow. “See me out, my good man.”

“Certainly, sir.”

Barlow and the doctor disappeared through the door, and Grantham turned to me with a wide smile. “There now, nothing to worry about.”

“Thank you for staying with me, your grace.”

Grantham took my head, dipping his head to it. “Of course, Mrs Caine.” He straightened up, still holding on to my hand. “If you need anything at all, Edith and I are not too far away. Send word, and we will come.”

“You are too kind, your grace.”

“Not at all.” With a final dip of his head, Grantham left the room, meeting Barlow just outside the door, who escorted him from Linmere.

I rushed out into the corridor to find Mary waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

“He’s been moved into his father’s room on account of it being, well, more easily accessible.” She almost winced, her eyes full apology, for I am sure that my face betrayed the horror that I felt.

“The room where his father died?” I asked, before dashing up the stairs to the first room to the left. The room I had not stepped foot in since that day, that first day I had seen Azriel again.

Now he himself lay in that bed, looking so pale and ghastly it terrified me. His left arm was in a sling, a thick bandage wrapped around his shoulder. Blood was still splattered over his neck and bare chest, mingled with yellow drops of iodine.

He turned his head to look at me as I stood in the door, and gave me a crooked smile.

“You needn’t stand there like that, I’m hardly going to fall apart.” His voice was gravelly and coarse, his eyes dull and bloodshot. “Come here, beloved. I long to hold your hand.”

I rushed across the room and threw myself on the bed, sobbing as I clasped on to his right hand. “I was so frightened! ”

“Oh, come now, Evie, look at me, beloved.” He curled his hand under my chin, lifting my face. “I am well, I promise.”

“You did not even say goodbye.”

“What for? I am here, am I not?”

I sobbed even louder and crawled in under his arm, laying my cheek against his chest, soaking him with tears.

“I could not bear the thought of losing you. I could not. It was awful.” I sat up, and shook my head, angrily dashing away my tears.

“If you ever do something like that again, ever, I swear I’ll shoot you myself. ”

“There she is,” Azriel said with a chuckle. “My little viper.”

“I mean it.” My lip trembled, and I clasped his hand to my cheek. “You are the first person I have ever loved. Losing you would be losing a part of my soul.”

His face softened, and his thumb stroked over my cheek. “So you do love me then?”

“Yes. I love you. Because I chose it. Because I want to. Because you are the only person who has ever seen me.”

“I do. I do see you, Evie.” He curled his hand gently around the back of my neck, and drew me down onto the bed again. “And in case it was not clear, I love you, too.”

I laughed through my tears, putting a hand to his chest. “Yes, I had thought you might.”