Chapter Twenty-Four

 

Faint rays of sun managed to break through the dirt-encrusted windows, allowing just enough light for Daniel to see the individual stones that made up the wall. How he wished he had the strength to break through that wall and escape into the arms of the woman he loved. Yet, he had to allow her to live her life without him, for he would soon be dead.

Once, he had been a simple stable hand, employed at Scarlett Hall. There he met Juliet, the vivacious girl prone to exaggerated tales and dramatic talks of her life.

She was so beautiful, so strong, and he could not imagine life without her. She would not agree with him, but his sentencing had been merciful because he could not live knowing she would be in the arms of another.

A chasm had existed between them at one time, caused by the families to whom they had been borne. She had been expected to marry a man of title and wealth and he to wed a common woman, yet Juliet believed one could build a bridge to join them together. And she had been right.

Until it came crashing down around them at the hands of Lord Parsons.

She had also convinced him that they had hope, but that, too, had been taken from him. Tomorrow, he was to hang from the gallows with no hope of salvation from that fate.

His heart hurt - not for his life but for that of Juliet. He prayed that she would find happiness after his death, and if a dying man had a wish to be granted, that would be his. She was not the type of woman who could be alone, nor should she be forced to be.

Behind him, several prisoners murmured, and the scent of baked goods made his stomach rumble, but he did not want to eat. Why feed his body when it would only be thrown into a hole tomorrow? Let those who still had a chance to live feed their bodies. He hoped the outcomes of their trials were better than his.

“A bit of bread or dried fruit for you?”

He ignored the woman’s voice. Let her move on to another who was more worthy.

“Daniel!”

He turned to find Reverend Creassey standing beside a woman hidden beneath a plain gray cloak. When he looked closer, he frowned. Was that Juliet?

She pulled down the cloth that covered the lower portion of her face, and his heart froze. It was she! Why would his lovely wife be in a place such as this?

He went to ask, but she pulled the cover into place once more and placed a finger to her lips. She reached into the basket hanging from her arm, moved aside the food within, and turned it so he could see inside.

There lay a wig of chestnut-colored hair and a gray cloth of some sort beneath it. When he glanced up to give her a questioning look, she was looking over her shoulder. Another woman was speaking to one of the guards. Was she weeping? Two more women, also carrying baskets, were giving out food, as well.

“Be ready,” she whispered. “We are leaving.”

The significance of what they meant to do came to him as she placed a scone in his hand. He nodded and placed the bread on his knee as he glanced to the side. The woman speaking to the guard giggled. Annabel? Then that meant the other two women were Isabel and Hannah!

“Juliet,” he whispered. “You can’t…”

“Hush!” she said.

Then Annabel raised her voice and shouted, “I cannot carry money while these poor men suffer! May mercy be granted to all of you this day!”

She threw her hands in the air and dozens of coins flew toward the high ceiling and showered onto the dirt floor. Men leaped from their seats and rushed to gather the coins, falling over one another, pushing each other this way and that in order to collect as many coins as they could.

“Now, Daniel!” Juliet hissed. “The guards will not be busy long!” Dumping the contents from the basket on the table, she shoved the wig onto his head. “Stand up.”

He did as she asked and the reverend placed a cloak over his shoulders and pulled the hood up over his head. It matched the cloaks the others wore. Then Juliet wrapped a skirt around his waist and fastened it with a button.

“Put this over your face,” she said, handing him a large square of cloth.

“Calm down, you animals!” the main guard shouted, lifting his stick into the air and bringing it down on the head of a prisoner. “Get back! I want order!”

The other guard also shouted commands, but the prisoners ignored them even as they were struck across the back with a club.

“Bend over so you do not appear so tall,” the reverend said. “Give them no reason to look at you.” Daniel nodded and did as the man asked. “Ladies!” Reverend Creassey cried. “This is a den of thieves! We must leave at once or our souls will be tainted!”

Soon Daniel and the women were ushered toward the door. Daniel wished his heartbeat would slow so he could breathe properly!

“Creassey!” one of the guards shouted. “You’ll be cursin’ the day you were born! See if I help you again!”

The reverend chuckled and pushed Daniel and the women forward. Daniel kept his head low, holding Juliet’s basket in front of him as if to protect himself.

“What’s going on in here?”

Daniel’s chest constricted. He recognized the voice of the warden without looking at him.

“Reverend?”

“Those men are nothing more than animals,” Reverend Creassey said. “I thought you kept a tighter rein on the goings-on here.”

“I will need to see…”

The reverence slapped the guard’s hand away as he reached for Daniel’s hood. “These women, God-fearing females are willing to show mercy to the likes of those men, and what does it get them? Men fighting over them. It’s shameful, I tell you, just shameful. Do you wish everyone to learn that you refused to allow them to leave? Perhaps it should be you who explains to their husbands later why you would force them to remain in a place where they could potentially be harmed. Or maybe you are saying that my word is not good enough? I, a man of God!”

Daniel had seen that same look whenever any reverend gave a sermon on the Book of Revelation and everlasting torment.

The warden’s eyes widened. “No, Father, of course not. My apologies.”

Air returned to Daniel’s lungs as they were ushered down a long corridor and out the front door.

“I suggest we not return here again, ladies,” Reverend Creassey said as they passed through the front door and into the open air in front of the jail. “I am sorry you were forced to witness such behavior. But do not give up hope; you will find a safer way to do God’s work.” He shook his head as if one of them had made a comment. “No, no, you must not return, even with me to accompany you. If you wish to help these poor souls, I suggest you give me your baskets, and I will see them distributed myself. I am already not looking forward to explaining to your husbands how I allowed you to be put in such a situation as it is.”

Once they were past the courthouse, Daniel made to glance over his shoulder, but the reverend hissed at him. “Do not look back. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! You may not turn into a pillar of salt, but you will likely be caught! Now, quickly, into the carriage! The rest of you, go!”

Three of the cloaked women hurried to an alleyway, but Daniel had little time to wonder where they were going before he was being pushed into the carriage.

It was not until the door to the carriage closed that Daniel took a deep breath and gave a heavy sigh. “Juliet!” he said, pulling his wife into his arms. “Tell me this is not a dream!”

Tears streamed down her face as she smiled at him. “Yes, my handsome man, it is. But it always has been.”

 

***

 

Juliet barely noticed the jostling of the carriage as she relished being in her husband’s arms once again. They had shared a single kiss and now she sat with her head upon his chest and his arm around her shoulders, Reverend Creassey sitting on the bench across from them.

“I don’t know where to begin,” Daniel said. “How did you come up with such a daring plan? And your sisters, they’re all ladies! I can’t imagine them doing something so bold.”

Juliet looked up at him. “It began with a promise I made to you,” she said. “To love you and never be without you. And a promise my sisters and I made beneath the tree in the garden.” She explained how they developed their plan of escape, finishing with what Lord Parsons and her uncle had done to cause problems for them.

Daniel shook his head when she was done. “I can’t believe your own uncle would want to see you hurt,” he said. “He’s as evil as Lord Parsons.” He pursed his lips. “I’m sorry. I know he’s your family, but…”

“No, you are right,” Juliet replied. “But they will receive their just rewards soon enough and then we will never have to utter their names again.”

“Where will we go?” he asked. “They’ll be searching for me, and Scarlett Hall will be the first place they look.”

“We have that all planned out,” she said. “You will be in hiding. The estate is much too large to be searched everywhere, and there is an empty cottage where you will hide. Plus, you must remember that no one has any idea we have ever been married.” She chuckled. “And we can thank Lord Parsons for that, if we are to thank him for any of this. Once the last step in our plan is completed, Reverend Creassey will deliver documents to see us safely away. Once we have what we need, you and I will escape to France.”

Daniel pulled away and looked down at her. “France? I don’t speak French.”

Juliet giggled. “Do not worry. You will not have to. Everything else has been handled. All will be fine, you will see.” She embraced him once again.

“And your sisters? Where did they go?”

She gave him a mischievous grin. “My sisters? Why, they left yesterday for Marlborough to return to their homes. That was the plan all along. They only came to see me after my long absence, after all.”

“And I knew you lied about those bruises on your arms,” Daniel said. “One day he will pay for hurting you!”

“I understand why you are angry at him, and I feel the same, but he has failed in his attempt to divide us. Let us not fill our hearts with hate and anger any longer.”

The carriage slowed. “You’re right,” he said. “I still can’t believe I’m free. I thought I would be dead tomorrow.”

“Well, you are safe now,” Juliet said, bracing herself as the carriage came to a stop. “And before the end of the week, we will be on a ship bound for France.”

The carriage door opened, and Juliet allowed Daniel to hand her down. No servants would be about, as they always received a free day every Tuesday for as long as Juliet could remember, so there was no need to worry that someone would spot Daniel.

“I will have the documents ready by tomorrow,” Reverend Creassey said. “I will present them to you at the wedding.”

“Thank you,” Juliet said, ignoring Daniel’s frown. “I do appreciate what you have done.”

The reverend snorted. “Trust me, I did it for the money not out of and sense of kindness.” Yet, he smiled despite the sour tone. “If you ever return to England and are in need of assistance, be sure to call on me. You will always be one of my flock.”

Juliet offered the reverend a smile and nodded, although she would never come within a hundred miles of the man if she could help it.

Reverend Creassey returned to the carriage, and soon it was heading down the drive once more.

“What did he mean by a wedding?” Daniel asked.

Drawing in a deep breath, Juliet took her husband by the hand. “If we leave for France, we can never return. As long as Lord Parsons and my uncle Josiah breathe, we can never find true peace. Our lives would only be spent worrying that they will find us.”

“Of course,” he replied. “But what does that have to do with our wedding? And what’re we going to do?”

Juliet sighed. “It is not our wedding of which he speaks. But I have a plan…”

She explained everything, and when she was done, he gave a low whistle. “After what I witnessed today,” he said, a wide grin on his face, “I don’t doubt it’ll happen as you planned. But I can’t help but be worried. You’re placing yourself in too much danger. Maybe I should help.”

“No, you cannot help,” Juliet said firmly. “We must keep you hidden for now.”

A light breeze blew around them as they fell quiet. Then Daniel said, “I’d almost given up hope, but now I’m filled with it.” He put his arms around her and pulled her tight.

“I admit there were times when I nearly had, as well,” she said, reveling in his hold and still unable to believe he was there with her. “Yet, here we are together.”

Daniel smiled down at her and then kissed her. The kiss was urgent, breathtaking, and most importantly, filled with love.

When it ended, Juliet sighed, not wanting to release her hold on her husband. Yet, she did, and they walked hand in hand through the door of Scarlett Hall, ready to take the next step that would lead them to the rest of their lives.

 

***

 

That night as they ate dinner in the tiny cottage, Juliet found herself gazing at her husband. The simple things in life is what those in love cherish most – and the very things people such as Lord Parsons would never understand.

“I’ve never tasted lamb so tender,” Daniel said, shoving another mouthful into his mouth. “Your cooking skills have certainly improved.”

Juliet threw a morsel of bread at him. “You are a rude man!” she said with a laugh. “Oh, that reminds me…”

She went over and rustled through the burlap sacks that held most of their belongings. When she returned to the table, she placed the cap Agnes Price had made in exchange for the lessons Juliet had given her.

Perhaps it was all she had endured over the past month. Or was it seeing how handsome he appeared in the cap? Maybe it was simply that she loved him, but regardless of the reason, Juliet burst into tears.

“Oh, Juliet,” he said, gathering her into his lap. “It’ll all be well soon enough.”

She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “Yes, it will be,” she replied, feeling foolish for showing such weakness in a time she needed to remain strong. “Life is heading in the right direction now.” She wriggled from his hold. “Go on, finish your dinner,” she admonished playfully.

He laughed. “Yes, my lady,” he replied.

Soon, they were discussing what their life would be like in France, and Juliet came to the realization that it did not matter where they lived, only that she was with her husband. Lord Parsons had sought to destroy that, and she was thankful he had failed.

For what she and Daniel shared could never be taken from them. Never!