Page 74 of The Runner
‘I think not, my good Sir, you are mistaken, for if ever there was a cheating hand, that was one. I saw you switch that card from the other pile, which is against the rules. Let us end this nonsense forthwith.’
Ralph stood and upended the table with his large, calloused hands. The cards scattered to the floor, and he moved towards George, violent rage clearly etched into his features, his mouth set in a grim line.
Taylor, who was also a big burly man, captured Ralph’s arms to prevent him from approaching George, who had lost his balance on the other side of the fallen table.
‘I would rather burn Willow Manor down with my own hands than see it in your thieving ones,’ swore George as he rose and steadied himself.
‘I demand satisfaction in a duel,’ hissed Ralph. ‘Your master repeatedly insults my honour and is a poor loser. If he won’t admit defeat, I will give him a chance to settle this once and for all.’
‘If you touch a hair on my lord’s head, I shall run a sword through you myself,’ said Taylor.
‘What are your terms?’ George said, straight-backed and alert, as the reality of what he had done dawned on him. Images of his mother and Olivia filled his head, and then he saw Caroline’s face as clearly as though she were in front of him.
‘Step down,’ said George to Taylor. ‘A duel between us is long overdue. This blackguard has insulted not only me but also those whom I hold dear. He and his brothers have a record of poaching from my lands, and I shall gladly accept his challenge to defend my honour against his obvious lack of such a quality.’
One villager whispered to another, ‘This isn’t about Willow Manor, it is about the governess. They have both lost their minds over the Radcliff girl.’
‘You are presumptuous indeed, Master Knight, to be so emboldened as to challenge a member of the nobility to a duel, but in this instance, I shall overlook it, for your sins abound and there is plenty to fight for. Let us formalise the details so we may abide by the duelling code and the outcome shall be final and rests only in the hands of God,’ said George.
An eerie silence filled the tavern as George’s eyes clashed with Ralph’s, both men knowing there was no backing down now without losing face.
George had nothing to lose, for he had already lost his most cherished possession.
‘You demanded satisfaction, so it is you who must challenge me formally,’ said George, his voice quiet but firm.
Ralph said, ‘Very well. We must keep it between us, or we will both be for the courts—even you are not above the law, Lord Cavendish.’
‘It is not I who needs to be,’ replied George.
‘I challenge you to a duel at dawn in the clearing in the woods by the river—our meeting point shall be the old shack beneath the willow tree,’ said Ralph.
George nodded solemnly and accepted, his voice clear and calm. ‘I will see you at dawn. Mind to appoint a second. Mine will be Taylor.’ He looked over at his groom, who nodded his acceptance.
The seconds will discuss the details so the duel will be fair and final.
‘Are you proposing a duel to the death?’ Ralph asked, a flicker of fear in his blue eyes.
‘That is exactly what I propose. Sharpen your rapier, Knight, and bring your man with you at dawn. I am weary of your insults; we shall end this once and for all. May the best man win.’
George exited the tavern amidst a hubbub of noise, with Taylor close on his heels. The two men rode away to prepare for the dawn showdown. George sobered up abruptly as the chilly morning air roused his senses.
He could not lose the duel, or not only would he die, but his family would be cast out of their ancestral home, and he would go down in the family history books as the Cavendish black sheep who ruined them all.
CHAPTER31
Sylvia’s office, York - Present day
Sylvia fellinto a deep trance and Cara watched in awe as the ecstatic expressions played over her face. Cara crossed and uncrossed her legs as she waited for the psychic to return to her usual level of consciousness and reveal what she had seen.
Sylvia’s eyes flickered open, and she beamed at Cara. ‘Was I gone long?’
‘A while, yes. You looked so peaceful.’
Sylvia nodded. ‘The divine love source was strong and stable. I connected with Saint Germain.’
Cara stared at Sylvia, speechless, and then swallowed. ‘What did he say?’
‘The book is linked to the Akashic Records. Does that mean anything to you?’
