Transition Plan Chapter 31: First Homecoming Part 18 - Showdown

Tarzan instinctively reacted to the gun noise, having been shot in the arm once before, but as he checked himself, he discovered that he was unharmed. Jane rushed to Tarzan, and seeing he wasn't shot, hugged him with all of her might, sobbing with thankfulness.

But Tarzan's foe was not so lucky. The pistol in Cedric's hand dropped and clattered to the dock planking. Cedric's eyes glazed over. Streams of blood dripped from his nose and mouth, and he collapsed. There was a bullet hole in the base of the back of his neck.

In the shock of Cedric's moment of death, and knowing Tarzan had not been shot, there was enough time for Jane to react and load her bow with a spread of four arrows, each aimed at the throat of a different henchman, for Tarzan to arm himself with his knife and to take Cedric's dagger from his belt as he fell, and for d'Arnot to recover his two pistols and take aim against the other captors. His people rearmed themselves as well.

Tarzan and Jane were absolutely furious about the unrelenting attempts on their lives, and would not hesitate an instant to defend themselves, instinctively taking each other's backs as they did so long ago in the grassland. It seemed to the Captain as if Tarzan and Jane were like animal mates protecting each other's flanks, and then d'Arnot realized, they were animal mates protecting themselves. Their eyes were completely feral and they had unconsciously bared their teeth. Cedric's men became very unsure of themselves, looking death in the face.

Fifty previously unseen longshoremen aimed weapons at Cedric's people from behind them. D'Arnot was nervous. He did not have authority over the longshoremen, but they appeared to have come to the Count's aid. With their leader dead and heavily outnumbered, Cedric's henchmen dropped their weapons and begged not to be shot or stabbed. Only then, at d'Arnot's silent direction, did Tarzan and Jane relax their attack positions.

"There is so much just below their veneer of civilization that we cannot fathom," he reflected silently.

Out of the shadows from behind Cedric's body walked a darkly cloaked person, flanked by two tall men in longshoremen's garb. Cedric's killer held a gun. Jane instantly drew her bow again at the killer. Smoke rose from the killer's gun barrel, which was pointed at the ground, a sign of peaceful intent. Seeing that sign of peace, D'Arnot gave a hand signal to Jane and his people to turn their weapons away from the unknown shooter. The gunman pulled back the hood of their cape cautiously, knowing there were a hundred weapons that could be used against them. Long, dark brown hair with a few streaks of gray fell to the gunman's shoulders. Tarzan, Jane, and d'Arnot were all in complete shock. Jane gasped and clutched her bosom seeing the familiar face of Cedric's killer.

It was Agnes Clayton.

She gave the Count and Countess a thin smile and a slight head nod.

Agnes spoke softly but sincerely, "Jonathan, my dear cousin. It is time for this blood feud to end. It is over right now. Go in peace. Save your land. Build your family. I give you my blessings."

Tarzan was completely overwhelmed at Agnes' protection of them, "Th-thank you Agnes. But why? I took everything from you."

She actually smiled, "No you didn't, Jonathan. It wasn't mine to have. It was always yours. To quote the scriptures, I was just 'the watch keeper in the night, waiting for the master to return'. You gave me your beautiful summer house. I want for nothing, thanks to your generosity. You gave me back my dignity. You were kind to me, when no one else was, especially Cedric. You cared about my loss of John. Despite all his faults, I did love him dearly. Even in the face of your death by his hand, you tried to save my husband, your cousin, from himself. I owed you this peace. When Cedric held his secret meeting at the village inn to plot to kill you both, he made the mistake of inviting me, too. I listened but decided this needed to end. I owed showing you what civilization can be in the hands of civil people."

They actually hugged. Jane worried, fearing a knife to Tarzan's ribs. It never came, and she was genuinely grateful. She had instant respect for Agnes. Her words of contrition only a few weeks ago when Tarzan took back control of the peerage were actually true.

"I am grateful for your timely intervention, Agnes," admitted Tarzan with great humbleness.

Agnes continued to speak, "You are welcome, cousin. It's time to go to your home in Africa to take it back, Jonathan. I promise that Castle Greystoke will always remain untouched and in the hands of your people, no matter how long you are gone. And it will all be there the next time you come home. I give you and your family my word."

Tarzan was overcome with emotion. He realized that this is what normal human families meant to each other, "I don't know what to say, Agnes, but thank you. For our lives."

She smiled silently, kissed him on the cheek, hugged Jane and met her thankful eyes, turned, and disappeared into the shadows with her escorts.

The Captain ordered, "Clean this up. The Bobbies may be here in minutes if they heard the shot. We could be delayed weeks if we have to try to explain all this. England will not miss Sir Cedric, but the courts would have to prove it all out if we are discovered."

But no one came, and so they rushed to depart. Tarzan and Jane had very tearful good byes with Edward and Elisabeth, who asked the impossible question, "Will you ever return? Jane, dear, you're like my daughter. I… I'm sorry to be so selfish but I must see you two… and your baby… again."

The pair looked at each other, nodded in agreement on their decision made Christmas Eve, and Jane answered, not expecting to be choked up, "Dearest Elisabeth. You are so much like a mother to me. You've gotten me through many tough times since she… oh, dear… passed. And this ordeal included. Yes, we will return. It may be awhile though. Africa is home too. Our first home. But the next time, Elisabeth, rest assured, it will all be in triumph and celebration."

Edward was touched by the young man he now admired greatly, "God speed, Lord Jonathan. You would have made your parents proud. Clan Greystoke is honored by your leadership. I know you will succeed in Africa too. You are about to be back in the world in which you reign supreme."

Tarzan was humbled by his butler's gracious praise, "Thank you Edward. We would not be alive without everything you have done for us. I am grateful that you have served our family three generations. I do not deserve such loyalty."

"Pish tosh, Lord Jonathan. Say nothing of it. People are inspired to want to be loyal to you. In two worlds…"

They gave their servants one last tear-filled hug, boarded the ship, and the Clipper and its precious cargo motored out into the night with its auxiliary engine, until it caught the winds of the English Channel.

…

In the light of the full moon, the sails were unfurled on the Clipper. The movements of the sailors aloft on the sails in time with the boatswain's orders and whistles were like a ballet in the blackness of the night, and Tarzan and Jane braced themselves, feeling the surge in speed, making the freighter seem slow.

"It's beautiful, Tarzan," she said, holding on to him tightly in the cold winds as the Clipper went faster and faster. They were beside d'Arnot, commanding the helm of the great sailing ship.

"Not as beautiful as you, Jane," he said lovingly, hugging her tighter. She blushed and kissed him.

"We made it, Jonathan. We're alive. And… and…"

She was finally overcome by all the events, and sobbed on his shoulder for a long time. He just let her release it all. He comforted her as best he could. Upon regaining her composure, she looked into Tarzan's green eyes in complete adoration, and kissed him. They had survived again.

To regain some sense of normalcy, Jane walked over with Tarzan to d'Arnot as he proudly wielded the wheel of the giant Clipper, and she asked, "What is the name of this ship, Captain?"

"'Destiny', Lady Clayton."

"Aptly named, Captain," noted Tarzan.

D'Arnot chuckled, "Your grandfather thought so too, M'Lord, when he picked that name."

Jane suddenly felt tired, drained from scant sleep for over 36 hours, and forced to endure yet another life or death situation, "Jonathan… I need to rest. I'm so tired. The baby…"

Tarzan responded immediately and picked her up in his arms, making her giggle, "Oh, my, dear husband, such service!"

"Captain? Jane needs her rest. May we go below to a bunk?"

Responding immediately to their request, d'Arnot said, "No bunks for nobility here. Let me show you to the Count's Suite, Madame and Monsieur."

"Merci," noted Tarzan.

He gave the helm to his First Officer Commander Bonheur and they proceeded below decks. The ship was beautiful in the interior as it was outside, with the finest veneered wood, elegant brass lantern fixtures, and highest quality decking. The Count's Suite would have been the Captain's quarters on a commercial Clipper, occupying most of the stern of the ship. He unlocked the ornate door carved with the Greystoke coat of arms and handed Tarzan the key, "If you need anything, my Captain's quarters are next door, which would have been the First Officer's quarters. Do not hesitate to ask, I am here to serve you."

The parted for the night, "In a little over six weeks we will be in Nigeria and will see their tribal Council. We have much yet to plan. You and your baby will have much time to be together and rest on this journey, mes amis! I will assure you of that. But for now, bon soir."

"Dormez bien cette nuit, Captaine," Tarzan replied to d'Arnot in French. Jane kissed her husband. She believed there was truly no animal or human language he could not master.

They closed the doors to their cabin. It was like their master bedroom in miniature, which was intentional. A small coal fired potbelly stove flickered and made it very cozy in their cabin. There was a windowed private deck opening off the stern. The moon filled the multi-pane window. The bed was just big enough for the two of them. They laid down on it instantly, exhausted, clothes and all, embracing. They barely got in a goodnight kiss and a pair of tired but sincere 'I love you's' before they were soundly asleep.

...

Author's Note: Surprise! The next chapter is a day early. You were all so patient with my cliffhanger you deserved a break. :) On a personal note, because FFnet does not permit writers to reply to 'guest reviewers', I wanted to leave note with Misskay096 to thank you sincerely for the kind, thoroughly complete chapter by chapter set of reviews. It warmed my heart to see that the story warmed your heart. :)