Chapter Ten

A suffocating tension hung heavy in the air as the wedding party – a grim procession of Count Edmund, Countess Helene, a nervous Isabella, and a seething Suzy – arrived at the church. Two weeks had crawled by, each day a agonizing reminder of the impending marriage to a man Suzy had never met.

The grand cathedral, usually bustling with activity on a wedding day, felt eerily empty. The only people present were the priest, a couple of nervous-looking assistants, and Suzy's "family," their faces etched with a mixture of annoyance and forced cheer.

Minutes turned into hours, the silence broken only by the nervous coughs of the priest and the rustle of Countess Helene's silk gown. Every passing moment stoked the flames of anger burning within Suzy. This elaborate charade, this marriage to a stranger, and now, the utter disrespect of the Duke's absence – it was all too much to bear.

Just as despair threatened to consume her, a lone carriage clattered to a halt outside the church. A sigh of relief rippled through the small gathering, except for Suzy. A spark of defiance ignited within her. This Duke couldn't even be bothered to show up early for his own wedding?

The carriage door creaked open, and a tall, well-dressed man emerged. It wasn't the Duke. It was a man Suzy didn't recognize, his face a mask of polite indifference.

"Greetings," the man announced, his voice clipped and formal. "I am Davis, the Duke's personal aide. I apologize for the Duke's unavoidable absence. Urgent matters of state required his immediate attention."

Suzy's jaw clenched. Urgent matters? Couldn't he have sent a letter, a carrier pigeon, a raven or how do they send messages here? This blatant disregard for her, for the sanctity of marriage, was a slap in the face. The anger simmering within her threatened to boil over.

Davis cleared his throat, his gaze flitting between Suzy and the increasingly impatient priest. "However," he continued, producing a rolled-up parchment from his inner pocket, "the Duke has signed the marriage certificate as a token of his commitment."

He unfurled the document, revealing a flourish of elegant script and a bold signature at the bottom – the Duke of Carleton. Disgust churned in Suzy's stomach. So, this was it. The Duke couldn't even be bothered to show his face. Even in an arranged marriage, wasn't there a basic level of decency expected?

The priest, oblivious to the undercurrents of tension, stepped forward, a hopeful smile plastered on his face. "Excellent," he beamed. "Then shall we proceed with the ceremony?"

He presented the document to Suzy, who scanned it with a frown. Her hands trembling with barely suppressed rage, took the pen offered by the priest and signed the certificate with a flourish. It was a formality, a meaningless gesture in a ceremony devoid of heart.

The priest, his brow furrowed in confusion, mumbled a few hurried prayers, the sanctity of the ceremony overshadowed by the Duke's absence. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he declared them husband and wife.

Suzy still angry, turned towards Davis. "Where am I to go now?" she asked, her voice clipped and cold.

Davis, his voice undisturbed, answered, "There's a carriage waiting, milady. It will take you to Carleton." As he gestured towards the waiting carriage.

"This way, milady," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the thrumming in her ears.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. Anger wouldn't solve anything. Right now, she needed a clear head, a plan. Escape. That was the only word that echoed in the desolate landscape of her thoughts.

As she reached the carriage, Davis extended a hand to help her in. Suzy hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering over his hand, then back to his face. A flicker of defiance sparked in her eyes.

"I can manage," she said coolly, her voice laced with a steely resolve that surprised even her.

Davis blinked, momentarily taken aback. He quickly withdrew his hand, a faint blush creeping up his neck.

Suzy climbed into the carriage, the plush interior offering little comfort. She sank back into the seat, her gaze instinctively drawn to the window. Through the glass, she saw Davis approach Count Edmund and Countess Helene, who were standing by the cathedral steps, their faces obscured by the distance.

A sheaf of papers handed to them – land deeds, no doubt. The final pieces of the bargain being exchanged. Suzy's stomach churned. Cassandra was nothing more than a bargaining chip, a pawn sacrificed for their greed.

"Transaction successful," she muttered under her breath, the bitterness clinging to her tongue like a bad taste. They hadn't even bothered to utter a goodbye, a courtesy so basic it felt almost cruel in its absence.

Davis finished his business with the Count and Countess and hurried back to the carriage. He climbed in beside her, slamming the door shut with a finality that mirrored the closing of a chapter in Suzy's life.

With a curt nod to the driver, he barked out an order. "To Carleton, and make it quick."

The carriage lurched forward, pulling away from the cathedral. As the familiar buildings receded into the distance, a cold dread settled in her stomach. Carleton.

She stole a glance at Davis. "How long is the journey to Carleton?" she asked, her voice surprisingly steady.

Davis, startled by her sudden question, looked up. "Two day's ride, milady," he answered, clearly surprised by her composure.

Suzy nodded curtly. Two days. Two days to plan, Two days to strategize. Two days for her to escape.

———————————

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the dusty road, Davis leaned forward and addressed the driver. "We'll rest for the night at the upcoming inn," he announced, his voice weary after a long day of travel.

The driver, a grizzled man with a weathered face, grunted in agreement. "Good idea, sir," he rumbled. "These roads get mighty treacherous after dark."

Suzy, perched stiffly in the back seat, watched the unfamiliar landscape roll by, her mind a mixture of thoughts and escape plans.

Suddenly, the carriage lurched to a halt, throwing Suzy forward. A tense silence blanketed the air, broken only by the rhythmic chirping of crickets.

"What's happening?" Suzy asked, her voice laced with apprehension.

Davis, his brow furrowed, peered out the window. "Seems there's an inn just up ahead," he muttered, his voice strained. "Perhaps they're having some trouble."

Suzy strained to see through the gathering darkness. In the distance, she could just make out the faint outline of something, a group of masked figures emerging from the nearby woods. They were armed, their faces hidden by dark cloth.

"This is a robbery!" one of the figures bellowed, his voice thick with menace.

Davis reacted with surprising speed. He reached into his waistband and pulled out a pistol, his face grim. "Stay in the carriage, milady," he barked, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Without waiting for a response, Davis flung open the carriage door and stepped out, the pistol held steady in his hand. Suzy watched in shock as he faced off against the outnumbered.

A deafening gunshot echoed through the night, the sound sending shivers down Suzy's spine. Chaos erupted as the bandits returned fire, their shouts mingling with the terrified cries of the inn patrons.

Seeing this as her chance, a spark of defiance ignited within Suzy. This unexpected turn of events might just be the escape route she'd been desperately searching for.

With a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching, Suzy reached for the handle on the other side of the carriage door. Her heart pounded in her chest, a drumbeat against the sound of shouts and gunfire.

Taking a deep breath, Suzy pushed open the door and slipped out of the carriage, disappearing into the dense undergrowth that bordered the road.

Thorns ripped at Suzy's dress as she plunged into the undergrowth, heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig sounded like approaching footsteps. Survival instinct had taken over, pushing her onward, deeper into the darkness.

But just as she thought she might outrun the chaos, a rough hand clamped over her mouth, stifling her scream. A cold, sharp blade pressed against her throat, sending a jolt of terror through her.

She was dragged back towards the road, the world a blurry mess of fear. A menacing voice, muffled by the mask, hissed in her ear, "Don't move, lady, or you'll meet your maker."

Emerging from the undergrowth, Suzy found herself back in the clearing, the scene transformed into a battleground. Davis, outnumbered and outgunned, was barely holding his own against the remaining bandits.

Just then, the masked figure holding Suzy spotted Davis. He held the knife deeper to Suzy's throat, a cruel smile twisting his lips. "Looks like I have myself a bargaining chip," he announced to the others, his voice dripping with malice.

The others exchanged excited glances, the promise of a hefty reward glinting in their eyes.

She heard Davis scoff. "You sure you got the right one, mate?"

"The new Duchess of Carleton, heading to her new home," the thief retorted, his voice laced with a hint of uncertainty. "That's what I heard from the fancy carriage."

Suzy's stomach lurched. This was bad. Very bad. Is she going to die in this unknown world?

Davis's next words struck a chord of fear within her. "Believe me," he said, his voice cold and uncaring, "the Duke won't lose a wink of sleep if anything happens to her."

Suzy's blood ran cold. Even in this perilous situation, Davis's words were a slap in the face. So much for the charade of a marriage.

"Don't be a fool," the thief growled, the knife digging deeper into Suzy's skin. "One wrong move and the Duchess gets it!"

The stand-off continued, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Suzy could hear her own ragged breaths echoing in the stillness.

Before anyone could react further, a loud gunshot shattered the night. The thief holding Suzy yelped, his grip momentarily loosening. Suzy flinched, a scream dying in her throat as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Another gunshot heard, three times in a row this time Her hand flew to her face, warm gush of liquid spreading across her fingers. Blood. There was blood everywhere. If Davis didn't pull the trigger who did?

Looking down, she saw blood staining both her hand and the front of her dress. The thief, his eyes wide with surprise, crumpled to the ground with a thud.

The world spun around Suzy, the taste of blood filling her mouth. Her vision blurred, the sound of gun shots, shouts and footsteps fading into a distant hum. The last thing she saw before succumbing to the darkness was Davis rushing towards her, his face etched with worry.