4 Under Siege (29 page)

She nodded in agreement. ‘Where shall we go, Sir John?’

‘Let’s walk in the direction of the lake, shall we?’ he suggested. ‘That should enable us to stretch our legs.’

He stood aside so that Amalia could go past him. As they left the house, she adjusted her hat. They had gone riding together a number of times but they’d never been for a stroll together. Somehow it felt more intimate. Beaming at her, Sir John offered his arm. Amalia hesitated for a moment before taking it. Feeling her so close to him made his blood race. It confirmed his earlier decision. The time had at last come.

When the ship docked at Harwich, Daniel was among the first passengers to go down the gangplank. It was early evening but he didn’t stay in the town. He hired a horse immediately and set off at a steady pace, riding through the night so that no time was wasted. On every other occasion he’d been in England, he’d made a point of visiting his father’s grave. Somerset didn’t even impinge upon his thoughts now. Daniel had only one object in mind and that was to reach Amalia as soon as possible. When the long continuous ride began to tell on his horse, he changed it for a new mount, snatching food and drink at a tavern before he resumed his journey. With fresh legs beneath him and with most of the distance already covered, he was able to push the new horse hard. Endless hours in the saddle eventually yielded their bounty. A signpost to Woodstock told him that he only had three miles to go.

It was a pleasant walk through the broad acres of parkland but Amalia was not entirely at ease. For one thing, Sir John was holding her arm too tightly for comfort. Then again, his manner had changed. He was much more familiar and confiding than he’d ever been before. What worried her more, however, was the subject of the discussion. When she’d asked what it was, he told her that he’d rather wait until they reached the lake. Having no idea what it could be, Amalia let all kinds of worrying thoughts fill her head. When they reached the lake, Sir John guided her along its edge until they reached an arbour. He released her arm so that she could sit on the wooden bench. Certain that they had complete privacy, he lowered himself down beside her.

‘What did you enjoy most about London?’ he asked.

‘The visit to St Paul’s Cathedral – it was overwhelming.’

‘You’ve seen a lot during your stay in England. I hope that it’s helped you to think well of us as a people.’

‘I’ve never thought less than well of you, Sir John,’ she said.

‘Some foreign visitors are critical of the English character.’

‘Well, I’m not one of them, I can assure you.’

‘You like it here, then?’

‘Everything we’ve seen of England has been a delight.’

‘I hope that you include Rievers Hall in your praise.’

‘We’ll take away the fondest memory of it, Sir John.’

He smiled at her. ‘What a sweet thing to say!’

‘It’s the truth.’

She looked so beautiful that he wanted to reach out and take a first kiss from her but that would only disturb her. Sir John knew that he had to take his time. Biting his lip, he turned away as if he was searching for words. When he faced her again, his expression had changed completely. He seemed to be sad and deeply upset.

‘What is it?’ she asked, anxiously.

‘I said that I had something to discuss with you.’

‘I’ve been wondering what it is.’

He took a deep breath before speaking. ‘I lied to you earlier on, Miss Janssen,’ he said, taking her hands. ‘It was not the right place or the right time to tell you. I’m afraid that I have to pass on some grim news.’

Her whole body tensed. ‘Is it about Daniel?’

‘Unhappily, it is.’

‘What happened? Tell me, please. Don’t keep me in suspense.’

‘The man whom I sent abroad – Andrew Syme – returned to England while you were away.’

‘What did he find out?’ she begged. ‘What did he say?’

‘Captain Rawson did not, in fact, fall in action.’

‘Thank God!’ she cried.

‘But he is dead, alas.’ Her face crumpled. ‘It appears that he was killed in a duel.’ He squeezed her hands. ‘I feel dreadful at having to pass on such sad tidings but I felt that you ought to know.’

‘I can’t believe it,’ she said, shaking all over. ‘Daniel killed in a duel? Can this be true? No, no, Sir John,’ she cried. ‘I
know
he’s still alive. Why are you trying to tell me that he’s dead?’

It was too much for Amalia to bear. As the full impact of the news hit her, she began to sway to and fro, her eyelids fluttered, her mind went numb and her limbs slack. When she swooned into his arms, Sir John pulled her to him, embracing her warmly and covering her face with kisses. It was the first stage in a process that would take time that he was ready to invest. Until her grief subsided, he would be the reliable friend, gently ingratiating himself with Amalia and with her father. As soon as she began to recover from her loss, he would ensnare her as he’d ensnared other women before her, moving almost imperceptibly from being a friend to being a lover. Amalia was his at last. Pulling her even closer, he could feel her heart beating against his chest. He could also hear it pounding away.

Sir John was mistaken. The noise had not come from her heart but from the hooves of an approaching horse. He looked out of the arbour to see a figure in uniform coming around the rim of the lake. Amalia was starting to come out of her faint, shaking her head to clear it and trying to sit up. Sir John pulled away from her, using only one hand to steady her. His eyes were fixed on the stranger, heading for them with such obvious determination. Sir John might be unable to identify him but Amalia recognised him at once.

‘Daniel!’ she exclaimed, leaping to her feet.

Sir John gaped. ‘That
can’t
be Captain Rawson.’

‘He’s not dead, after all. Why did you lie to me? That was cruel. Daniel is alive. You can see for yourself, Sir John.’

She ran to meet him. When Daniel reached her, he reined in the horse, leapt from the saddle and embraced her. Amalia sobbed on his shoulder. After easing her head back so that he could look at her, he gave her a kiss, then put an arm around her as he led her back to the arbour. Having risen from the bench, Sir John struck an attitude.

‘Captain Rawson, I declare,’ he said, forcing a smile. ‘By all, this is wonderful! You are most welcome, sir. We were misinformed about you. A report came in that you were dead.’

‘It’s your friend, Mr Syme, who’s dead,’ said Daniel. ‘I had the supreme pleasure of killing him.’

Amalia was confused. ‘But I thought that Mr Syme was sent to find out if you were still alive.’

‘He was hired to kill me, Amalia, and there’s his paymaster.’

He pointed an accusatory finger at Sir John, who remained quite unperturbed. Amalia was still in a state of disbelief. Daniel detached himself from her so that he could confront the other man.

‘You are wholly despicable, Sir John,’ he said.

‘Clearly, there’s been a misunderstanding here,’ replied the other with an attempt at nonchalance. ‘I would never pay someone to kill another man. The very idea is unthinkable.’ His laugh was brittle. ‘Why don’t you both come up to the Hall and let me explain everything over a glass of claret?’

‘I’ve had all the explanation I need,’ said Daniel. ‘You wanted me out of the way so that you could use your charm on Amalia. I’m told that she’s not the first woman you’ve deprived of her man in order to take advantage of her.’

Amalia gasped. ‘Is that what he was going to do?’

‘Not at all, dear lady,’ said Sir John. ‘I’m a married man and a doting husband. You’ve seen the way I minister to Lady Rievers. I’ve devoted my life to her.’

‘No,’ said Daniel, advancing on him. ‘You have other interests in your life, Sir John, and you’ll stop at nothing – not even murder – so that you can enjoy them.’ He drew his sword. ‘Find yourself a weapon. Only a coward sends someone else to do their dirty work. If you really want me dead, kill me yourself.’

Sir John abandoned his pose of innocence. He was staggered to learn that Andrew Syme had failed for once. Knowing of the man’s expertise with a sword, he could not believe that someone had beaten him in a duel. Evidently, Daniel was an even better swordsman. If he dared to take him on, Sir John would certainly be killed. He tried to bluff his way out of the situation.

‘Why don’t you leave while you still may, Captain Rawson?’ he asked. ‘We’re within hailing distance of the Hall. All I have to do is to raise the alarm and half a dozen servants will come running to beat you to death with staves.’

Daniel stood his ground. ‘His Grace, the Duke of Marlborough knows where I am and precisely why I’m here. If anything untoward happens to me, you’ll have to answer to him.’ He held his sword aloft. ‘Give me satisfaction, Sir John. Since you can’t live as a gentleman, at least try to die like one.’

‘Don’t you dare insult me!’ yelled Sir John, flipping his coat open so that he could pull a pistol from its holster. ‘I always carry this with me on the estate so that I can shoot vermin. And that’s all you are to me, Captain Rawson.’

Adjusting his stance, he took aim. Amalia flung herself in front of Daniel to protect him, but he was not afraid. He eased her away.

‘Stand by my horse, Amalia,’ he advised, ‘and take hold of the rein. If Sir John has the courage to fire, the noise might frighten the animal.’ Sheathing his sword, he spread his arms wide. ‘Well, Sir John,
do
you have the courage?’

‘Don’t provoke me, Captain.’

‘Here I am, an easy target, and still you can’t pull the trigger.’

‘I can do it with the utmost pleasure,’ warned Sir John.

‘And what happens then?’ asked Daniel. ‘How will you account for my death to His Grace? How will you explain why you hired Mr Syme? What will you tell your wife about all this?’

‘Keep her out of this,’ snarled Sir John.

‘It’s too late. Everyone will
know
. Your family, your friends, your acquaintances will all know the kind of man you are when you’re not pretending to be a loving husband. Shoot me, if you can,’ said Daniel, ‘but you’ll have to tell the truth to Lady Rievers afterwards. You’ll have to admit how far you were prepared to go in order to lure Amalia into your bed. You’re a broken man, Sir John. And that’s why you lack the courage to shoot me.’

Arms still wide apart, Daniel walked slowly towards him. Sir John’s nerve began to fail. He was finished. His villainy had been exposed and there was no escape for him. He thought of all the people who loved and trusted him and who would now be horrified to learn of his murky secrets. As Daniel came closer, Sir John’s hand began to shake and the pistol jiggled up and down. He longed to pull the trigger but knew that it would solve nothing. It was all over.

‘Here I am,’ said Daniel, stopping a couple of yards in front of him. ‘Is that close enough for you, Sir John? Or shall I wait while you fetch someone else to shoot me in your stead?’ He patted his heart. ‘This is the place to aim. Let’s see if you’re man enough to do it.’

Sir John could take no more. Exposed as a criminal and humiliated in front of a woman he’d planned to seduce, he was filled with despair. He closed his eyes, thrust the pistol inside his mouth and pulled the trigger. Some of the blood spattered Daniel’s face.

The loud report frightened the birds, startled the horse and made Amalia scream hysterically. Daniel rushed to enfold her in his arms, shielding her from having to look at the corpse of Sir John Rievers. For her part, she was caught between shock and relief, appalled by the suicide she’d witnessed yet grateful that it was not Daniel who’d been shot. Amalia was also horrified to realise how Sir John had exploited her, manipulating her emotions and making her reliant on him. She tried to look at his body but Daniel moved her several yards away from the arbour. It took a long time to soothe her. When she eventually calmed down, the questions poured out of her.

‘You came all this way for me?’ she said.

‘I’d have come ten times the distance, Amalia.’

‘What about the siege?’

‘It seems to me you’ve been enduring one of your own.’

‘When did you get to England?’

‘I got here just in time, by the look of it.’

‘Who was this man sent to kill you?’

‘I’ll tell you about him in due course.’

‘How did you know where to find us?’

‘I called at the house first,’ said Daniel. ‘Beatrix saw you leaving on foot with Sir John Rievers. You had to be on the estate somewhere.’

‘He brought me here to tell me that you were dead.’

Daniel smiled. ‘I had to disillusion him on that score.’

‘What will happen now?’ she asked.

‘I’ll take you away from here, Amalia. I’m sorry that your first visit to England has been blighted by all this. I hope it won’t stop you from coming back here again one day.’

‘I’d come if you brought me, Daniel.’

‘That’s exactly what I intend to do,’ he said. ‘Meanwhile, I have to get you, your father and Beatrix safely back to Amsterdam. When that’s done,’ he went on, using his thumb to brush back a stray hair from her cheek, ‘there’s the small matter of the siege of Lille.’

The bombardment of Lille continued unabated. On 22nd October, 1708, with his defences crumbling, Marshal Boufflers beat a parley. Three days later, he surrendered the town with the proviso that he and the surviving members of the garrison could retire to the citadel. Under constant attack, they held out there until the evening of 9th December when Boufflers signed the articles of capitulation. The Allied army finally took possession of Lille. The siege had lasted 120 days.

If you enjoyed
Under Siege
, read on to find out about the
next book in the Captain Rawson series …

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