New Interactive story - The Woodland Road

[Lady Amy of York]

Daniel  was  preoccupied  dancing  with a pretty  burnette  when Robert  came  rushing in and nearly bumped  right  into them.
  "  You will excuse my brother mi  lady,"  said  Daniel   to the  his  female  danc e partner,"  But  I  am afraid  we  found  him living  under a  rock  and  even   though, we  tried   to turn him  inot  a civilize  human being, as you can see  our efforts  have  failed  ."

"  Very funny !"  remarks  Robert,"  I  will get you back  dear brother. But enough  with  the jokes, i need  to talk  to  you  right away.  "

 "  Women  problems  little brother?"  teases  Daniel.

"   This  is  serious,"  replies  Robert," It has  to  do  with a  certain recent incident ."

 " Well you excuse  please mi lady,"  Daniel says  to the  pretty burnette,   and  walks  out of  the  room  with  Robert. They go  down  the hall and into the libary.  Daniel  closes  the  door behind  them.

"  This  better me  important  dear  brother,"  daniel informs  Robert.

"  It is," replies  Robert  and  he  tells Daniel  what he  witnessed outside.

" Are  you sure it was Colin ?"   aks  Daniel.

"  Yes," answers  Robert,"  I  got a good look at his  face  ?"

"  Did  he  see  you  ?"

 "  No ."

 "  Did you  get a look at the other man ?'  asks  Daniel.

" Yes,"answers  Robert,"  I  did not  recognise  the  man  though  a s anyone   we know  or  have  met,  but if i was  to see him again, i know  i would  recognise  him in  a minute.  He had   two   long scars on  the left side of his face."

" Did   you say  two  long scars  ?"   asks  Daniel.

"  Yes, why ?"  asks  Robert.

"  I  remember once when i was just a  small boy   I  walked into  the libary  of  our home to  find  father talking  to  a  strange  man  who had  came  to  call upon  father.   Father and  the  man were arguing.    I started to walk back out of  the room  when i   bumped  into  a table. I  remeber  the  amn  turning around  and  looking at  me.   There was  a sinister look in his  eyes  and he had two very  long nasty  scars  on his  face.   It  gave  me  nightmares  for  a long  time after that  ."

"  Could  it  be  the  same  man ?'  asks  Robert.

"  I  don't know,"  replies    Daniel.

"  What  did he  want  with father ?"  aks  Robert.

"  I  don't  know.  Our father was an important    man, i am sure  he  made  a few  enemies  along  the  way.  I  do know  though,  is that we are not  to leave Colin  alone  with Lucinda   until we investigate  this  more."

"  Then we best  get  back   to the  ball   and  find  our  sister,"  suggests  Robert.

 

[DonaCatalina]

Not content to hide in the servant’s quarters, Miles spent his evening stalking the manor grounds. Upon seeing one of the guests step out of the ballroom, he faded back into an ornamental hedge. His heart gave a leap when he saw young Rob follow the man out. But when Rob hid himself, the former outlaw relaxed slightly. Only to become tense once more when he learned the young man was Lucinda’s fiancé.

  In horror he listened to Colin’s conversation with the shadowy figure. A man with two long scars down his face out to be pretty memorable, but he was no one that Miles had ever seen. As furtively as he had ever managed in his life, he followed the cloaked figure. Colin had returned to the ballroom, but the other man was an unknown link that he felt impelled to discover. Another man with two horses waited at a side gate in the manor wall.

  When the cloaked man approached him, Miles was just close enough that he heard “Did he tell you why he was here? Will he keep quiet?” The other who had spoken to Colin answered “It was his father’s idea to come to the ball. But he’ll keep quiet. He knows that if the master ever called in his gambling debts that he and his father would be ruined.”

  If they said anything more as they rode away, Miles was too far away to hear. Knowing he had to talk to someone about this, he made straight for the room where Wat was sleeping.

  A pale light under the door told Miles that the Welshman was still awake. His soft knock was answered quickly. Speaking softly he related everything that he had heard in the garden. “Young Robert was also hidden in the garden” Miles explained “But I don’t think he heard all of this.” Wat pulled on his boots and jacket before he replied “Unless I miss my guess, Lord Robert is telling his brother every thing he heard at this very minute.” He pulled the door open but then stopped abruptly and turned back to Miles. “We have to keep this from Lady Lucinda” Wat said tersely “If her betrothed is involved, she might go right to him and demand an explanation.” Nodding soberly Miles voiced the other man’s fears “And then we would lose our best chance of discovering the kidnapper and his real motives.”

[Lady Amy of York]

 Colin found his father , and the two of them stepped outside to talk.  Colin looked around  to make  sure no one had  followed  them.  Then he informed his father about his  encounter in  the garden  earlier.
   " We must move up your marriage  to Lady Lucinda right away," Colin's father responded," The sooner you two are married, and she  is  carrying  you child  the better.  Then we  can lay claim to her inheritence ."

  " But i do not love her father," protests Colin,"  I am in love with  Isabella ."

 " The laundry wench ," exclaims his father,"  You must forget  her ."

" I  cannot father,"  replies Colin,"  she is  carrying  my child  ."


" Leave matters  to me," Replied the older man,"
the child may not be  yours ."  
  The old man  did not wish  to tell his  son, that the laundry maid had a  fondess  for  men, and that he, himself  had bedded her several times, and that it could be very well his  child  she  was carrying.  Yes, he  would take  care of matters himself, for  he  would not have  any brats  running a round, especially  when he  and  his  son  would  soon be rubbing elbows  with nobility again.                      

  "You must marry Lucinda. We must seek claim  to her title  and  money. Besides  she is  afine looking woman. What man  would not want  to take  her  to his  bed. Why i have  amind  to marry her myself  just so i can bed..." the old man started to say but was interrupted by a  woman who came walking up towrds  them.

"There you are" the  woman said  to the older man witha smile," I have been  waiting  for  you inside. "
 The older man pulled her closed and kissed her passionately infront of his  son, and  then patted her on the behind, and informed her that he  would be inside  shortly. She blushed  and hurried away.


Miles saw the young woman hurry back inside. No it can.t be, but yes, it is her. He walked up to the  young woman  and  said," Faith, tell me  what your connections  are  to the man outside."


"Why sir" Faith said blushing," I am a woman, and i have my needs
. I am not as young as  some of  the other girls here.The gentleman finds me attractive  and he satifies me , and i satisfy him."

"or is he just using you Faith to get close  to Lucinda" Miles  thought  to himself.

" How long have you two been seeing each other ?" asks Miles," Does Lucinda know.?"

"We meta few years back before Lucinda  was betrothed to Colin.  Matter of fact, it was  thru me, that  she  met Colin," replies Faith," Yes, Lucinda knows. She can't understand  what i see  in him, but then gain Lucinda  is still young and innoccent , need i say anymore sir. Besides I have always been loyal  to Lucinda  and  would  never hurt her in any way.  I would stake my own life  for hers."

"Oh Faith, if only you knew what you have gotten yourself  and Lucinda maybe into," Miles  sighed  to  himself.

[DonaCatalina]

  Something about Colin's manner made a warning bell go off in Daniel's head. He retreated to the punch table to keep an eye on his sister's betrothed. Soon enough Rob found him there.

"Daniel" He pleaded with his brother "You've got to come outside for a moment so I can tell you something."

Reluctantly, Daniel followed his brother outside through the main doors. He would rather have kept an eye on Colin, but the urgency in Rob's voice was real. The two brothers walked out of hearing range of the house. But before Rob could say anything Wat appeared out of the shadows.

"Your excellency" he greeted the younger man "Miles and I need to talk to the two of you alone. Whatever Master Rob may have told you is not the complete story."

With a raised eyebrow, Daniel replied "My brother has not actually had the chance to tell me anything."

Miles Materialized at the welshman's elbow. Almost in a whisper he said "Your sister's fiance provided information to her kidnappers."

Daniel blinked in surprise at this revelation. "Whatever for?" he asked in exasperation "Her dowry portion is larger than he could hope for from any other eligible girls."

"Milord" Miles answered "It appears that his gambling debts have grown large enough that his father might consider disowning them. I daresay he saw no harm in passing a little information in return for some debt forgiveness."

"God's blood" Daniel swore "What are we going to do?"

After a quick look towards the house, Wat suggested "Milord, I suggest that we track Lord Colin's movements as well as the man who he talked with here tonight."

"How do you mean to accomplish that?" Daniel asked dubiously.

The welshman looked over at the youngest of them. "Master Rob will have to stay here and keep Lucinda from becoming suspicious, which will be no easy task."

These last words were spoken as Rob started to fidget in protest.

"We'll leave before light to go hunting" Wat continued "Angus and Will can follow Lord Colin easily enough and he won't know them by sight. You, Miles and I will take as few guards with us as possible and follow the other. The damp ground will give us tracks to follow for some distance."

Licking his dry lips, Daniel ordered "Master Wat, you give the orders and I will be ready before dawn."

Last of all he turned to his brother and added "Rob, I have to leave you to take care of Lucinda and keep her from getting suspicious. You know how impulsive she can be. She'll run right to Colin and demand an explanation."

"Alright" Rob agreed "I hate to be the one left at home all the time. But I'll do it this time."

[Lady Amy of York]

Faith enterd Lucinda's  bedchamber  and  said  to her,"  You owe  me dear  friend.   What i had  to put up  with,  with  that  foul,  sinister  man."

" faith,"  replies Lucinda," remember he  is  Colin's  father.  Please  watch  what you say about him."


"  I  don't care," retorts  Faith,"  He is  a horrible  excuse  for   a  man."

"  Well,"  replies  Lucinda,"  tell me,  did you  find out  anything  ?    Why  are he  and  Colin  acting  so  strange  around  me ?"

"  Unfortunately,  i  found  out  nothing,"  sighs  Faith,"  But  we  may  have a  small  problem."

" What is  that ?'  Lucinda  asks.

"  The  man  that is  called  Miles,"  replies Faith,"  he  caught me  being  friendly  with Colin's  father.  he  question  me  about  it.  I  told him , that colin's  father and  I  were  lovers, and  that i was  responsible  for  introducing  you  to  Colin."


"  You  told him  what  !"  shrieks  Lucinda  at Faith.

"  I  can't help  it," Faith replied,"  The  man  got  the  best of  me.  He  caught me  with  my  guard  down.  I  had  to  think  quick, and  that was  the  best i  could  come  up  with."

"  Do you  think he  belived  you ?"  I  ask her.

"  I'm not  sure,"  sighs  Faith.


"  Oh  Faith,  if  he went  to  Daniel   and  told  him."

"  It  could  explain  why  Daniel,  Miles,  and  a few  other  men  rode  off  this  morning  before  dawn.Your  brother Robert was  left  behind  to watch  over  things  here."


"  There is  something  going on here  behind  our  backs  Faith,"  says  Lucinda,"  That  Daniel  and  the  others  are  not  telling us  about.  I  think it is  time  I  had a talk  with  my brother  Robert.  He  was  never  able  to lie  to  me,  so i should  be  able  to get  the  answers  we  are  looking  for."

[Don_Juan_deCordoba]

Daniel tried to emulate Wat's silence as they followed the tril left by the two men's horses. Only a short distance from the outer wall, the pair had left the woods and returned to the road. Luckily for Wat, the damp weather had left the road soft. The recent hoofprints stood out fresh and sharp. "Look here" Wat pointed out to Miles and Daniel "One of the horses has a broken hoof and has been fitted with a barred shoe. That will make at least one of them very easy to follow." Daniel filed away this little tidbit of information gladly. Anyhting that made his task easier was welcome.

  By the time dawn came creeping through the thick forest canopy, Wat had followed their quarry to a ramshackle inn with an equally ramshackle stable. While Daniel and Miles kept out of sight inside the treeline, Wat crept into the stable to see if the horse with the broken hoof was inside.