Chapter 41

The world blurred before Fitzwilliam.

That villainous rat was inside his house and he was shot down and most of his strength was gone. He couldn't even swallow; the blood had done its job and he wasn't able to even keep his eyes open. He gripped the side of the covers as he thought,

"How foolish I was to assume that he would have attacked us and I wasn't prepared for it!"

He then heard his enemy's voice say,

"Well, well, well… here she is! And she's galloping on a horse from the doctor's office!"

"The doctor's office?" His mind thought and he struggled to open his eyes. His heart beat more but it hurt when he realized that Henry was speaking about Elizabeth. His mind ranted inside him and he struggled to swallow but tried as he might, he only coughed and more of his blood poured out. He heard Henry's voice comment,

"Ah, such a pity! No ability and no strength! Weak as a lamb ready to be slaughtered!"

He could only picture where Elizabeth was and he assumed she never supposed that a trap was waiting for her within the manor and he tightened his grip on the covers again. He had to do something and he started to pray but his heart hurt more because of the loss of blood. Henry's voice then spoke.

"Best hurry down and meet her. She has that painting and it's the key to opening the passage where the gold is."

His heart screamed at him when he heard Henry exit. His grip only tightened more and he swallowed again but a cough met his answer instead. He prayed after this.

When Elizabeth dismounted from her ride, she raised her eyes when the door of the manor swung open and a figure appeared and a harsh voice spoke to her which sent chills down her spine.

"Well, we meet again, Mrs. Darcy."

Her mouth went dry and her eyes widened when she beheld Henry standing in the doorway. His figure appeared more as if he were a huge Rat King, dominating over a mouse hole and all she contained was the power to either defeat him or submit. She swallowed when he took a step away as he asked.

"You have the answer to unlock that passage, don't you?"

Just when she thought she could answer, suddenly a voice shouted.

"No!"

Then Elizabeth didn't remember what happened after that. Her world turned black and all she remembered hearing was a voice that shouted.

"No!"

A figure collided hard into Henry's back and the two were shoved downwards. The impact caused the two of them to hit the ground with a bang and both let out cries of hurt but the one who had caused the collision was in more pain than his enemy was. He swallowed and coughed before he glanced up and met the other's eyes. They sneered at him as he watched as her body was held in his arms. The other figure, towering in the evening night, appeared more gruesome than his enemy as he heard him speak.

"One after another and she'll be the next one."

He then received a hard hit in the face and the impact slammed him backwards and he went tumbling in circles and more of his energy left and he knew his nose was bleeding. What was worse? Having being kicked in the face with a solid boot or falling backwards? But he hadn't been hit long before he spotted the bruise on her forehead and he knew that this blow was probably the one which would take her a while to wake up and his anger gave him strength to open his eyes after his hit.

The other figure rose to from the ground and glimpsed that he too was suffering the blow he'd caused. He distinctively knew that his nose was bleeding, too, and a few scars were marked on his face but he didn't bother to even turn in his direction. Wiping his nose with his hand, he spoke,

"Carry her inside and remove that painting and place it where it belongs."

He watched as the other turned and holding her in his arms, he heard him finish.

"Then afterwards, finish the job and then leave; the more I remain here the worse events become."

Then what happened next gave him the hardest pain in his stomach he'd ever received.

Someone with strong arms picked him up.

He felt the strength of those manly arms and for a moment, he thought he heard his father's voice speak when a man's manner spoke.

"Rise, son and do not let defeat make you fail in this moment."

He swallowed and he thought his father was speaking to him but he only coughed when this happened. Then another feminine voice answered.

"He's too injured to fight and she's inside."

"Yes," the deep voice replied but he heard fatherly tenderness as the man continued,

"But his prayer has been answered and I shall be with him when he battles the Rat King."

"Then do whatever He tells you," her voice replied and darkness fell upon him once more but when he opened his eyes, he felt a wave of peace and strength enter him. He soon found himself, lying outside of the manor and he blinked; no one was around and all he could hear were cries of men and women around him, running here and there, and he pondered if he was dreaming or receiving the help he needed most. Who were those two voices who had spoken? One sounded Divine and the other was just as linked to that Divine one when her voice answered but in a feminine manner.

Then he felt something touch his nose and the pain was soothed. Were angels visiting him as they did when Jesus was on earth? Then he felt those strong hands pick him up again and he must have been in Heaven. Oh, how he longed to be there and never return to earth where all the pain and trials of the soul were brought to the one but he knew that someone was helping him. He then felt eased onto what appeared to be a stretcher and other voices could be heard. Whatever was happening around him, he asked?

He didn't have the strength to keep his eyes open when a voice spoke.

"Take him to the hospital and make sure that he's kept fine."

"And we've already captured them and dead in their tracks."

"Do you suppose that the mystery has been solved now?"

"I can't answer that because it will be when he's better where the two of them will open it together and the others are already taken into custody for murder and whatnot."

"His father would have been proud of him to know his son did the right thing,"

"Indeed, he would have and he's blessing him now as we take him there,"

"And no battle will be fought?"

"He's already done that and his reward will be great."

"Than what are we waiting for? If they wish to uncover those gold bars, than make haste!"

The other nodded and smiled when he used his hands and with the other man's help, lifted his body and carried him to the waiting carriage, which had arrived quickly, and soon it disappeared down the drive. The manor of Hawkswood was lonely but as the sun started to rise, on a start of a spring day, the light promised more peace and happiness than it did despair and gloom. As the sun's light's touched his face, he could feel the warmth of Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother with him when he heard two voices speak.

"Well done, my son."

The chains could be heard as they were handcuffed and he let out a scowl but was silenced. The police officer in charge spoke.

"Forever keep your silence otherwise whatever you say will be used against you in court."

The others around were also handcuffed and the clipping sounds could be heard and it was all in defeat and in vain, not to mention the worst failure they had even encountered in all their lives. He didn't even wish to ask how they had been able to sneak attack on them and just when he had supposed the treasure was his, the next instant, he heard a deep, commanding voice shout.

"Stay where you are and place her down! We have you surrounded and you can't escape!"

Not even the gun he had had helped him when he heard that voice speak. He knew that his victory had turned and backfired on him and he lifted his hands in defeat and surrender. His triumph had turned into a humiliating defeat when they were handcuffed and taken away.