Page 99 of The Ambiguous Enigma of the Hunted Lady
“I'm not going anywhere.” Leah smiled as she heard the one o'clock bell ring out.Just in time.“And neither are you.”
“What's she on about?” Riphook grunted, looking up from the loose lines that sashed his skiff to the dock.
“I–” Cornelius was no doubt about to provide some smart remark, but he simply opened his mouth and no words came out. He looked confused, as if he couldn't make sense of anything at all that was happening.
Then he jerked back, his body going rigid and his face draining pale.
“What magic is this?” Riphook hissed out.
Everyone watched in utter disbelief as Cornelius began to spasm, then collapse, casting aside his pistol. He flailed on the pier until he was still, and very clearly dead.
“Oh blast it.” Riphook turned to make a hasty retreat in his boat, now free from the dock.
“Stop him!” Leah shouted, sprinting towards the pistol, but it was too late. Riphook was over the side and into his craft and pulling hard into the river.
Kenneth limped up beside her on the edge of the pier.
“I can hit him.” Kenneth said, raising up his pistol.
“Wait.” Leah put her hand on his arm. “Look.”
Then a mighty bellowing cry shook out from the river, and all on the pier squinted through the glare of moonlight to see.
“Riphook!” Digby's booming voice carried out over the water. “I've come for you, Riphook!”
Riphook seemed to pull harder and harder on his little oars, but up out of the water came Digby, who had been swimming from the other side against the mighty current with his hulking muscles.
“No!” Riphook screamed out, but the boat was overturned, and his glittering knife flew from his hand and sank into the river.
They watched in silence from the dock's edge as Digby seized Riphook in one of his might hands while treading water and knocked him senseless with one strong blow from his other. Then, seemingly effortlessly, the drenched titan hauled Riphook's unconscious body to shore.
They bound Riphook and sashed him to the roof of Judge Robert's carriage, and put Cornelius's body beside him.
“What could have caused him to collapse as he did?” Kenneth said as they lashed him in place. “I don't understand.”
Leah knew she had to make her confession. She would never be able to speak to Kenneth again in good faith if she did not tell him now, but she had to wait for the magistrate to clear out.
“I shall go directly to goal.” Judge Roberts said. “Your Grace, My Lord, My Lady.” he paused when he looked to Digby. “Good sir, you have all done a great service to your country tonight. I promise you that it shall not be forgotten.”
“I shall travel with you.” the Marquess said. “For I think I have had my share of adventure for the evening.” He was clearly distraught and coursing with adrenaline and was likely unfamiliar with the sensation and thus thoroughly out of his element.He did well for a fat rich man,Leah chuckled a bit.
“Both of you, I thank you.” Kenneth wheezed, sinking down to sit on a crate. “From the bottom of my heart.”
“And I.” Leah said softly. “You have given me a new life.”
“New life fer London.” Digby spoke up, and Judge Roberts nodded respectfully towards the comment.
“I shall see it so.” He nodded sternly. The Marquess clambered up to sit with the Judge Roberts on the driving bench – something that was no doubt unfamiliar to them. “Your Grace?” he mentioned as they were turning the carriage about.
“Yes, Your Honor?” Kenneth smiled up at the Judge. “Perhaps you should take yourself to a doctor. Consider it a court order.”
“Yes, Your Honor.” Kenneth grinned as one of his eyes swelled completely shut. “I shall.”
The Judge's carriage turned away and began to clop down the docks. Leah could hear the Judge say something to the Marquess along the lines of, “I haven't handled the ribbons since I was a lad, oh my!” and Leah gave a small laugh to see them off.
Watching Riphook and Cornelius roll away atop the carriage, Leah felt the largest of weights removed from her conscious. She was free from all the tyranny that had haunted her entire life. It was a strange sort of happiness that welled up within her; it was a strong, beautiful confidence that she could now finally be allowed to govern herself entirely.
“It's done.” Leah whispered, and Kenneth turned his head to hear her.
