27. Flames and Fury

Chapter Twenty-Seven – Flames and Fury

AN: First, an important correction from the last chapter: I intended for Catherine (Kitty) to come to town as well, first to help with the wedding, second, to spend time with her sister and Georgiana, and third, to do a little shopping. Later, after re-reading, I realized that she wasn't mentioned at all. So now I've revised chapter Twenty-Six to include "Miss Katerina."

Thank you to everyone who gave me such supportive reviews, sincerely. I wasn't complaining though. I truly do appreciate honest and helpful criticism. This may sound odd, but when I first write a story, it is so active in my head that I just have to get it out. It is like a movie reel set on repeat. The problem is that when I re-read my own writing, I see the story and not the errors. Months later I will read the same text and feel disgusted with all of the mistakes, but at first I'm only seeing the ebb and flow of the drama. When I wrote that I might not attempt another P&P Regency piece, it was due to my own ineptitude, not anything wrong with the reviewers. To misquote Darcy: I cannot catch the tone of their conversation, or care about their odd Regency mannerisms, or understand their class-centric manner of seeing their world. Ah well, I still bow to Jane Austin as one of the... if not the mother of the modern novel.

Now, onto our story.

ooooooOoOOoOoooooo

"Won' work," Wilbur Wyatte gritted out in an almost-whisper as he and the others looked out from their hiding place in the rear yard of Dover House. "Thar' four servants walkin' round' ou'side, mos' likely twen'y or thirty more insi'. E'en if'n we could get pas' n' in, we could'n get out!"

Annabeth looked like she wanted to make another demand, but instead she jerked her head back toward the big doors that her other two compatriots had identified. "It's old... very old... Maybe we don't have to get in."

oOo

Elizabeth, seeing the tension of the ladies in the drawing room, sighed and popped up with more energy than elegance. "Ladies, would you like a tour of the house? Georgiana and I have just started learning the history of the place, and there is a lot of work still to be done, but there are several very interesting features."

Jane smiled, but shook her head, "I'm sorry, but I need to see to Benjamin. If you don't mind, I'll head back over to Archer House. Lizzie, if you need anything..." Her smaller sister hugged her, stepped back, squeezed her hand, and smiled sadly, "I'm sorry that all of this has disrupted your dinner plans. If Stephen stops here first, I'll send him home."

Elizabeth turned back to Louisa, Catherine, and Georgiana, "Shall we?'

Bosun Toliver watched the ladies go with a nod of satisfaction. His "little Master" had always had the talent of setting others at ease. They would be safe taking their tour. It also gave him another chance to walk the house and perimeter again. He still had an uneasy feeling. They ought not t'have all gone. He had an uneasy feeling about this night. He would make sure that the footmen patrolling outside stayed alert.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth led the ladies into an expansive ball room with high ceilings and ornate, gold painted filigree. Sadly, the room had a washed-out, abandoned look, "The poor staff has had quite the time of it, cleaning this house. The evidence suggests that one of the former Dukes actually kept his horses in this room for a while... and that no efforts were made to clean up the place afterwards."

Lady Hurst looked up at the ceiling, "The ceiling must have once been quite beautiful, and the chandeliers are quite spectacular."

Elizabeth looked up and smiled, "Fitz... His Grace speculates that his predecessor never looked up, else he would have found a way to sell those chandeliers to facilitate his gambling. The ceiling is quite amazing, but sadly, the carpenter informs us that there is quite a bit of dry rot... so it will have to be completely... Where are the girls? Catherine? Georgiana?" Louisa and Elizabeth heard giggling and both turned toward an empty recess which most likely once held a suit of armor. Both ladies startled when the wall suddenly developed a crack and swung open to reveal an opening and two grinning young ladies.

Catherine smiled widely as she wiped a cobweb from her hair, "Georgie was just showing me one of the secret passages. This one goes all of the way to that little stone garden shed."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow to a more circumspect-looking Georgiana. The girl looked sheepish, but then couldn't restrain her enthusiasm, "Sorry I didn't tell you about it yet, Elizabeth. Darcy House has one passage, so I decided to explore here when we moved here back before the ball. I found three different passages so far... and a priest hole. It isn't that hard when you know what to look for. This house was around during the Reformation... just think, there might have been Jacobeans hiding here."

Louisa chuckled, "Our estate, Trevor Keep, was built on the foundations of an old castle, so we have found a few secret passages..." she paused for effect and Elizabeth saw the twinkle in the older woman's eyes, "It was fun finding them, but the rats were a real bother."

Both girls squeeked, "Rats!" and jumped out of the space, with Georgiana slamming the opening closed behind them. They looked rather sheepish as the older two broke into giggles.

oOo

Toliver completed his sweep of the outside of the building, walking slowly, his leg aching from the drop in temperature. He hated winters in England. If it weren't for his fatherly affection for Elizabeth, he probably would have booked passage to the West Indies or some other southern clime. As it was, he had someone important to protect.

For a few minutes, as he re-entered the vast old house, he allowed his mind to drift to the time when he was first introduced to the little master. She was a young woman by then, but still tiny... and yet he had never met another person, man or woman, with as much energy. Had she been a man, she could have ruled the world... He shook himself out of his reverie and turned his focus back on his tasks.

He made it down to the kitchen, taking a moment, as usual, to flirt with the widowed cook, Mrs. Thomas, before moving on. He smiled at little Jeremy, Mrs. Thomas' son, as he passed the large room set aside for the servants to relax. It was filled with various old furniture including a ridiculously large and ugly chaise lounge where Jeremy lay, reading another of his adventure stories. The young scamp was a favorite among the staff and they occasionally slipped him a cheap novel, full of pirates and spies and hidden treasures. Jeremy liked to read other things as well, even books about mathematics. Everyone among the servants speculated that the boy would make something of himself someday.

Jeremy had taken an instant liking to the gentle giant, especially because he told the greatest sea stories; stories of adventure, exploration, and battles. Now the boy set the book aside, "Can I walk with you, Bosun Toliver?"

"Sure, son. Jes' be ready to fight n'case sum bad'un attack." Jeremy proudly puffed out his chest, ready for battle, and the bosun had to suppress a chuckle. Toliver checked another door along his path... and then he heard something that didn't seem right. He paused by a door and listened again... and there it was: the sound of breaking wood. Whipping around, he barked, "Jem! Run and grab Matthews and two other footmen. Send them to me and then warn Jarvis... Some'un's breakin' in down below!"

oOo

Dover House was constructed during a particularly rainy decade of the late English Renaissance. The architect and the owner, therefore, chose to give the bottom floor a large space where carts could be driven into in order to unload precious cargo. This continued to be used in this manner for more than a century, until the house settled so much that the entry became so low in relation to the street that it would have needed to be excavated to allow carters to clear the door. The owner at the time, the second in the line that had just expired, was more concerned with the gambling table than with the woes of his servants and delivery men. Therefore the door was locked and the vast space became a storage area.

Over time the place became filled with shelves full of forgotten items, antiquated furniture, and various sundries. The spiders, rats and insects took over and even the servants balked at entering the space. Due to this, nobody noticed that the locked double doors had slowly rotted until they were no longer viable. The carpenter hired by the new Duke had identified the problem and slated the entire space for attention, but there were so many pressing issues about the ancient building that it was currently ignored.

Wilbur Wyatte and his men took advantage of this. They had waited until the big man with the limp had completed his tour. Watching him and waiting had the added advantage that he met with each of the guards, thus revealing one guard that they had themselves overlooked. It had been the work of mere minutes to dispatch the guards once the big man was safely gone.

Now Wyatte snapped at Pike when the man pulled too hard and noisily snapped off a plank, "Quiet, ya' fool! They hear's ya' an' then send a whole bunch our way."

Pike growled an apology, muttering something under his breath about Wyatte helping. Wyatte was about to clout the man when Annabeth pushed him aside. "That should be enough. Light the torches. Make sure that you throw them on something that will catch."

She and Wyatte had argued this for several long minutes. His goal was ransom, so the chances of killing everyone within was contrary to his intentions. "You do not need to worry, Wyatte. They'll all flee out of the front of the house... the gentry will be the first rats out of the ship. Then, while everybody fights the fire in the dark, all we have to do is grab those two. Nobody will even know that they are gone until we are well away."

He had finally given in. Then they had to wait for that big brute to disappear around the house. And now they had lost precious minutes making a hole in the ancient door. "Now get that fire started. Those men'll be back, and you wouldn't want to tangle with Darcy or his cousin."

oOo

The footmen balked at the idea of descending into the dark, dank hole. Even in the daytime, with multiple lamps to guide their way, they had hated the vast, low-ceilinged space. It had been determined that they would break down the old doors and haul everything out on the following week. It would be an unpleasant task, but with much light and many hands it would not be too daunting. But entering that space in the dark...

Toliver was a man-o'-wars-man. Since the age of nine he spent most of his young life moving through the dark and cramped lower decks of the great ships among the ship's rats. As he grew older, he continued to live in the tightest of quarters. This space didn't intimidate him, but the idea of attackers getting near his lady did. With bold determination, he led the way down the rotting stairs. With only a lamp to illuminate his way, he moved slowly, but then he realized that the room was becoming brighter... and then he smelled the smoke. "Fire! Go up!"

The first footman cleared the stairs, but then Toliver and two others went up in a rush... and the rotten stairs collapsed, dropping all three into the dark and smoke.

The tour of the first floor was complete and Elizabeth was about to lead the ladies up a flight of stairs on the west wing when a Mr. Javis found them, "Lady Longbourn, Bosun Toliver wanted me to warn you..." But before he could tell the ladies about possible intruders, a footman rushed in, "Fire! The storage! It's all afire!"

Elizabeth's genteel hostess mode vanished to be replaced by the woman who had saved Darcy by rolling with him down a steep hill. "Jarvis, get everyone out from the main floor. Matthews, warn everyone on the upper floors. Louisa, please see to Catherine and Georgiana!" With those instructions given, she headed towards the kitchens.

In the storage area Bosun Toliver groaned and shook himself, trying to clear the disorientation from a blow to the head and the growing smoke. He heard another groan and managed to identify Taylor, one of the young footmen. Then his hand felt another body, this one unmoving. With supreme effort, Toliver got himself upright and then standing. He looked up at the landing above and could see the smoke pouring up into it. Deeper into the vast cavern he was in he could see that flames were spreading quickly and beginning to climb walls.

"Taylor, we needs ta git out. Banks is knocked on' the noggin. I'll heft ya up an' hand Banks up to ya."

"What about you, Sir?" Taylor asked. The staff had been skeptical of the big brute at first, but quickly came to like and respect him. "I'm not leavin' you down here!"

"You'll do as I tell's ya, Taylor. Get Banks. Then ya kin fin' somethin' to get me out." Taylor looked as if he wanted to argue, but then gave in. With a groan of effort and pain, Toliver practically tossed the younger man up to the landing. Taylor pulled himself up the rest of the way and then turned around, hanging arms down to reach for Banks. Banks, being completely limp, was a more difficult prospect, but as the flames continued to spread and the smoke began to become overpowering, Taylor was finally able to catch the other footman's shirt and arm. With a supreme effort, both men got the injured man out.

"Now git him out, then come back with rope of somethin'. But if the flames are at the door, you know its too late. Then save yoursel'" Toliver watched the man disappear with his burden, then he turned to look for some means to build a way to climb out.

"Bosun! Are you there?" Jeremy's high voice called in worry.

"Ah'm here! They're bringin' help, but you need to git out!"

"But Bosun..."

"Now!"

Moments later he heard another voice, this one all too familiar, "Bosun! Toliver!"

"My Lady, (cough) ya need to get out! (cough, cough)"

"Not without you!"

"Miss Elizabeth, you need ta leave!"

His order was followed by silence. Then Toliver could hear something dragging on the floor above. Then he heard Elizabeth's breathless voice answering, "Bosun (grunt), as you pointed out (grunt), I am now a Countess (grunt), and soon to be a duchess (groan), so I get to give the orders. Now move back, we're sending you something to climb!" Forewarned, Toliver moved back just as Elizabeth grunted and groaned one more time and the long, heavy chaise lounge fell through the door from above.

Toliver grunted in admiration, but had little energy for much more as he used every remaining bit of his strength to climb up. The smoke was becoming overwhelming as he finally reached the top, but somehow, with a little help from his diminutive rescuer, he made the final heave. There was no time for celebration though, for the smoke had already filled most of the first floor and there were already flames breaking through in several places.

He looked the other way to see that both Elizabeth and little Jeremy were there with him. Elizabeth got up and offered him a hand. Jeremy stepped in to offer what little help he could in hefting the man up. "We can't go out the front..." Elizabeth mused, looking around. Then her eyes shot back in another direction, "Come with me! This way."

Jeremy kept his post under one arm of the Bosun, supporting the man as they followed Elizabeth. She led them down a main hall and into the abandoned ballroom. Man and boy watched in confusion as Elizabeth walked to one recess and then another. On the third, she stopped and ran her hands over the trim until, with a smile of triumph, she pushed. There was a click and a portion of the recess opened to a darkened stairwell.

oOo

"Get that water over here!" One of the neighbors, Baron Bancroft, ordered as men passed buckets of water down the line. A fire was a serious business and every household around Dover House had been roused to aid in the fight as the flames spread to the first floor and continued climbing. Thankfully the homes in this neighborhood all boasted large plots of land, but flame could be insidious if left unchecked.

The Baron turned to Louisa and Georgiana, "There's no hope of saving the house. All we can do is keep the fire from spreading. Do you know if everyone is out?"

Georgiana, with tears in her eyes, answered, "I haven't seen Elizabeth... Lady Longbourn... or her footman, Toliver. Mrs. Thompson can't find Jeremy either. There are also several footmen I can't account for."

Baron Bancroft shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry. I don't think anyone else will be getting out of that." As if in emphasis, a kerosene lamp or something else combustible exploded in a first floor room, shattering the window.

The baron returned to the fight, while Georgiana turned into Louisa's arms. Jane rushed up, having been alerted by Catherine. at the same time, surveyed the scene, and fearfully met Louisa's eyes. A slight shake of her head told Jane the tale, and Jane's face crumpled. Then, as if finding her steel again, she composed her expression. "Come, Georgiana. We need to gather blankets and food for the men fighting the fire. We also need to find places in Archer House for your people." Catherine ran up with more empty buckets, leading staff from Jane's house and the battle against the flames continued.

Four other figures stood off on the other corner of the house, three with frustration and one with gleeful, triumphant hate. Annabeth didn't particularly care if there was ransom to be had. In one blow she had taken Darcy's irritating little sister and his lady love. Take that, Darcy! But I'm not done with you, not until you've suffered fully... and then I'll...

"Mrs. Younge, be'nt that'n Miss Darcy?" Pike pointed. Annabeth followed his direction, and then an evil smile formed on her hard face.

Elizabeth took in great gusts of fresh air as the trio finally emerged out of the stone shed and into the chill evening air. Jeremy helped Toliver out and all three breathed in and out with great appreciation. In retrospect they should have closed the door behind them when they went into the tunnel, but with no lamp they had hesitated. It was a mistake, because the smoke followed them and almost seemed to pursue them. When they finally reached the end, Elizabeth had to fumble in the smoke-filled dark to find the catch that would allow them to escape. She was almost desperate by the time her fingers found the indent she sought.

Now they were free, and all that was left... She was running almost before she realized that she had heard a scream.

In the tumult of fear and fire, nobody else in the neighborhood heard the muffled scream as Wyatte grabbed the pretty little lass roughly. Not wishing for another scream, however, he slapped a big, dirty hand over her mouth. Miss Georgiana Darcy tried to fight, even more so when Annabeth Younge's sneering profile filled her vision. "Take her to the carriage," the woman demanded.

Nobody expected what happened next, as a light figure hurled herself, full-force, into the legs of the big man. Wyatte tripped, falling over and landing hard onto his assailant. His fall caused him to release Georgiana, but the fall disoriented her as well and she couldn't move quickly. Annabeth stepped toward Georgiana, intending to grab her hair, when another even tinier body hit her and tumbled her.

Pike barked, "Hey, what's..." but his words were cut off when a huge fist broke his jaw. Crawford tried to swing at the giant figure and received a powerful blow to his gut for his efforts. But Wilbur Wyatte was a man born for brawling and he was already up and charging. At other times the Bosun would have been a better-than-even match for the brawler, but with the fall and the smoke, he had less than half his strength and energy.

While the neighborhood fought the flames, two giants fought in the dark between the houses, grunting and cursing as they exchanged blows. Elizabeth lay on the ground, knocked unconscious by the crushing fall of Wyatte. Neither seemed to have the advantage until Crawford, only partially recovered, tackled the bosun from behind. Wyatte moved quickly, smashing a fist into his opponent's temple, and Toliver's world went black.

Georgiana, recognizing Elizabeth from the light of the soaring flames, crawled over to her. Little Jeremy tried to rise, but, Annabeth Younge clubbed him to the ground brutally with the butt of a pistol she had been hiding in her coat. Then she turned the weapon onto the two ladies. "Look what I've found... two pretty little birdies ready for cooking. The fire didn't get you after all... but while that may be good for us, it won't be that great for you... Miss Georgie."

She turned her head back to Wyatte, "Are you done playing?"

Wyatte nodded. Crawford, pinned under Toliver, called out, "Help me out from under this ox!"

Annabeth met Wyatte's eyes and an understanding passed between them. While Georgiana watched in horror, the big man brought his foot down on his former partner's head, silencing the man forever. Georgiana immediately began throwing up from shock and disgust, while her former companion sneered at her. To Wyatte she said, "The Lady is still out. Carry her to the carriage. This one will walk." With a menacing sneer, she put the deadly end of her pistol right into Georgiana's face. "Walk, little birdy."

When they reached the blackened carriage, Annabeth threw open the door. Georgiana was startled to see the terrified face of Caroline Bingley looking up at her from the floor. Annabeth surveyed the inside and smiled viciously, "Tried to escape, did you? Well, we have no room for you anyway. Wyatte?"

With remarkable ease, the big man grabbed hair and dress with his free hand and yanked Caroline out of the carriage, ripping her dress in the process. Then he deposited Elizabeth's unconscious form on the floor in Caroline's place and glared at Georgiana, who obediently climbed in. Annabeth followed and Wyatte climbed up to the driver's seat.

Caroline, gagged, bruised, terrified, and half naked, was the only one who saw the little figure race up behind the carriage and jump onto the back as it hurtled away into the dark.

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