Checkmate, My Lord

chapter Twenty-five


Whoa!” the driver yelled.

Teddy had enough of a warning to brace himself before the front of the carriage bucked high into the air and came crashing back to the ground. Horses screamed, wood splintered, men cursed. Teddy rubbed his bruised bottom.

The carriage door flew open. “Driver, what the hell happened?”

Pardon, Mr. Cochran,” the driver said. “A large branch in the road. With this godforsaken blackness, I didn’t see it in time.”

Teddy heard a loud click.

Silas, take a look.”

Yes, sir.”

Bracing his feet wide, Teddy levered himself up enough to peer through the small window at the back of the passenger compartment. Inside, he found the shadowy silhouette of Sophie sprawled on the far seat, still in her nightdress. She appeared unharmed, but tousled.

The carriage tilted to the side and then the door closed softly. Teddy ducked back down, holding on to Sophie’s wooden archer with all his might. A scuffling noise to his left made his ears perk up.

Put your weapon down, Mr. Cochran,” a new voice said. “We have your man.”

The newcomer’s statement caused a moment of silence. Then Cochran demanded, “Who’s there? Show yourself.”

Name’s Declan McCarthy. Now drop your pistol and stand clear of the carriage.”

Teddy’s eyes rounded. What was Meghan’s papa doing out here?

McCarthy,” Cochran mused. “Little Meghan’s father, I presume?”

That’s right, you bastard. You’ll pay for what you did to my wee Meghan.”

While McCarthy spoke, Teddy followed the path of the man’s voice, which seemed to be moving closer to Cochran’s side of the carriage. The carpenter wanted to kill the gentleman who’d kidnapped Sophie. Did he even know she was inside? If he shot Cochran, he might miss and hit Sophie. Teddy rubbed his aching chest.

Then the soft thud of hooves against hard-packed earth caught his attention. He shifted his gaze to the right and the painful beating of his heart stopped cold. At the side of the road, he spotted a phantom in a long black cape astride an even blacker horse. The rider edged closer, and Teddy pressed his back into the paneling, his eyes growing larger the closer the phantom came. The rider halted and lifted one gloved finger to his lips in an age-old signal for silence. At least, Teddy assumed it was the phantom’s mouth. The large cowl hid the rider’s face, revealing nothing but a dark, gaping maw.

Come now, McCarthy,” Cochran said. “Don’t the Irish reproduce like vermin? Surely, you have another child to take the chit’s place.”

Teddy could hear more clicking of metal coming from the passenger compartment. The phantom’s presence kept him rooted in place.

The only vermin here is you,” McCarthy roared. “Why did you have to kill her? You could have gone away and never returned.”

And allow the baggage to snivel my name into Mrs. Ashcroft’s ears?” Cochran’s voice turned cold. “You should thank me; two less peasant mouths to feed.”

Bastard,” McCarthy roared. “She wasn’t a peasant, she was my daughter!”

McCarthy, no,” someone cautioned.

Teddy recognized the butcher’s voice.

Yes, calm yourself,” Cochran said, unruffled.

I won’t tell you again,” McCarthy said between harsh breaths. “Drop your weapon and step away from the carriage.”

Tell me one thing first.”

Teddy swiveled around when he heard another noise, this time closer. Two men in ragged clothing were inching their way toward the carriage. With their dirty faces, they were near invisible. But Teddy saw them. One was serious and intent. The other flashed Teddy a white smile followed with a wink.

What?” McCarthy demanded.

A simple matter of clarification,” Cochran said. “How did you know I would be on this road at this time?”

I received a note from someone named Specter. The message said my Meghan’s murderer would be fleeing back to London tonight. Seems my new friend was right.”

Teddy glanced at the caped rider.

I see,” Cochran said. “You placed a great deal of faith in a stranger’s note.”

Saw no harm in checking things out. Time for conversing is over.”

A shot exploded from inside the carriage, and Teddy covered his head with his arms. The carriage door wrenched open and then he heard the most awful words.

Stay back,” Cochran warned, “or I’ll kill the girl.”

No longer silent, the night came alive. Masculine voices from all directions hissed curses upon Cochran’s head. Teddy peeked over his arms in time to see the phantom motioning instructions to the two men before melting into the shadows.

Teddy rolled to his knees but froze when Cochran backed into view. He held Sophie against him, her arms and legs dangling like a doll’s and her head rocking back and forth. Sweat bubbled on Teddy’s brow and skated down his sides. Another step back and Cochran would find his hiding place. He glanced at the two ragged men drawing closer.

Put the Ashcroft girl down,” McCarthy demanded. “You’ve no call to bring her into this.”

I think having her at my side evens things out nicely.” Cochran whirled around, baring his back to Teddy.

But not before Teddy saw Sophie’s eyes flutter open. Heartened, he gripped his wooden archer tighter and prayed for a heroic plan to come to mind. Nothing surfaced, for his mind was too frozen with fear. If all went wrong, he could lose his friend. His brow scrunched into an angry vee. He couldn’t let that happen.

In the distance, Teddy heard a steady roll of thunder. Cochran heard it, too, and glanced up the road. For an instant, fear slackened the gentleman’s features before they transformed into a slab of hatred.

I require a horse.” Cochran faced his unseen foes. “Now.”

Teddy heard the sound of feet wading through tall grasses. When McCarthy spoke next, his voice seemed to be within reaching distance.

You’ll have it,” McCarthy said. “Let the girl go.”

Sophie spotted Teddy then, and he glimpsed her determination, the fire burning in her blue eyes. A new terror gripped Teddy as the thunder grew louder.

Bring the horse and I’ll deposit her a mile down the road.”

No! Teddy held his breath while waiting for McCarthy’s answer. Cochran would take off on that horse with Sophie and he would never see her again.

Getting his feet underneath him, Teddy waited for Cochran to turn toward the thunder, which seemed to be right on them now. The two ragged young men were shaking their heads and waving him off. Teddy ignored them, catapulting himself onto the scoundrel’s back. Teddy slammed the archer’s wooden arrow into the man’s neck, causing Cochran’s grip on Sophie to loosen. She took the opportunity to squiggle down far enough to sink her teeth into his arm, forcing a roar to rip from Cochran’s injured throat. He dropped her, and Teddy went sailing through the air. His head struck the road, sending shards of pain through his skull.

Teddy heard a feminine scream and a man’s yell a moment before a large black horse trampled his prone body.