Fic: On Duelling
10 Mar 2010 09:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Another Cloak and Dagger fragment. I've been trying to write other things, too much to put a proper fic for this together, so again, another conversational fragment, this time S2 Kate and John (who understand each other a great deal better by this stage), on some dashed villain inconveniently forcing John into a duel. Except, like I said, I didn't have much time, so no actual duel. (I promise I'll write up one of the bits where something happens sometime soon, but I have a
who_like_giants ficathon entry to do, and other things.)
525 words. Someone seems to be trying to dispose of John.
***
“The whole thing’s utter nonsense,” said Rothley, standing. “Unfortunately, I can’t refuse him after that.”
Kate swallowed. “You should. It’s only a trick, to find a way to be rid of you.”
“Yes, I’d come to the same conclusion,” he returned. “I can’t do a great deal about the matter, not now he’s called me out so publicly, but it’s a damned nuisance, and since he’s the one claiming injury, he may choose the time and place, and the weapons.”
She winced.
“I’d rather not have told you.”
Kate lifted her head. “So the first I was to hear of it was a note to inform me that you have fled for the Continent where you no doubt expected me to join you?”
“Well, either that or the other,” he agreed, amused.
She said, demurely, “Oh, I have too much proper wifely feeling to doubt your capabilities – and, in any case, I refuse to contemplate the alternative. I suppose you had every intention of meeting this horrid little man, and returning without a word?”
“Well, shall we say a fond hope at least?” he said, giving a brief smile. “I shall do my best, but fleeing the country does not sound so bad if you are to accompany me.”
She rose to her feet. “I am afraid I am not yet decided.”
“Oh?”
She paused. “Well, sir, there is Mother and Father, and Cecy, and -.”
“Sophy, and Hugh, and Harry, damn them all,” finished Rothley for her. “No matter. Sophy at least shall come with us. It will suit her temperament to be on the run from the law.”
She frowned at him. “Now you are being ridiculous, and, it is no laughing matter, after all.”
“No,” he murmured. “Nevertheless, I can do nothing further. I’m only sorry I did not see what he was about sooner. I should have contrived to have avoided this.”
Kate gave a quick nod, fingering his jacket. “And may I ask … when?”
“No,” he told her, causing her to withdraw sharply. “No, Kate, don’t frown. I want to give you no temptation to interfere.”
“I should never do such a thing!”
He paused, and raised an eyebrow. “Well, whatever it is you care to call it, I should rather you did not do so on this occasion.”
“Then I should not,” she returned. “I thought you knew that.”
He leant forward. “Ah, but walls have ears, and there is not only you. There is, after all, Sophy, and Hugh, and Jenny, and the Lord knows who else -.”
“For shame,” she said. “I am sadly deceived, for I had expected you to be Master in your own house at the least.”
Following an untimely interruption on the part of Greenholt to inform them that supper was ready to be served, he took her arm. “It would be best if the others did not know.”
“You need not fear,” she returned, gaining the parting shot in this round. “It will be a little difficult to keep my composure throughout but I shall remind myself that there is unhappily no assurance I shall soon be a wealthy widow, after all, and that will suitably dampen my spirits.”
***
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525 words. Someone seems to be trying to dispose of John.
***
“The whole thing’s utter nonsense,” said Rothley, standing. “Unfortunately, I can’t refuse him after that.”
Kate swallowed. “You should. It’s only a trick, to find a way to be rid of you.”
“Yes, I’d come to the same conclusion,” he returned. “I can’t do a great deal about the matter, not now he’s called me out so publicly, but it’s a damned nuisance, and since he’s the one claiming injury, he may choose the time and place, and the weapons.”
She winced.
“I’d rather not have told you.”
Kate lifted her head. “So the first I was to hear of it was a note to inform me that you have fled for the Continent where you no doubt expected me to join you?”
“Well, either that or the other,” he agreed, amused.
She said, demurely, “Oh, I have too much proper wifely feeling to doubt your capabilities – and, in any case, I refuse to contemplate the alternative. I suppose you had every intention of meeting this horrid little man, and returning without a word?”
“Well, shall we say a fond hope at least?” he said, giving a brief smile. “I shall do my best, but fleeing the country does not sound so bad if you are to accompany me.”
She rose to her feet. “I am afraid I am not yet decided.”
“Oh?”
She paused. “Well, sir, there is Mother and Father, and Cecy, and -.”
“Sophy, and Hugh, and Harry, damn them all,” finished Rothley for her. “No matter. Sophy at least shall come with us. It will suit her temperament to be on the run from the law.”
She frowned at him. “Now you are being ridiculous, and, it is no laughing matter, after all.”
“No,” he murmured. “Nevertheless, I can do nothing further. I’m only sorry I did not see what he was about sooner. I should have contrived to have avoided this.”
Kate gave a quick nod, fingering his jacket. “And may I ask … when?”
“No,” he told her, causing her to withdraw sharply. “No, Kate, don’t frown. I want to give you no temptation to interfere.”
“I should never do such a thing!”
He paused, and raised an eyebrow. “Well, whatever it is you care to call it, I should rather you did not do so on this occasion.”
“Then I should not,” she returned. “I thought you knew that.”
He leant forward. “Ah, but walls have ears, and there is not only you. There is, after all, Sophy, and Hugh, and Jenny, and the Lord knows who else -.”
“For shame,” she said. “I am sadly deceived, for I had expected you to be Master in your own house at the least.”
Following an untimely interruption on the part of Greenholt to inform them that supper was ready to be served, he took her arm. “It would be best if the others did not know.”
“You need not fear,” she returned, gaining the parting shot in this round. “It will be a little difficult to keep my composure throughout but I shall remind myself that there is unhappily no assurance I shall soon be a wealthy widow, after all, and that will suitably dampen my spirits.”
***
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Date: 10 Mar 2010 10:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 10 Mar 2010 11:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:17 am (UTC)(I totally understand why we can't have duel but can we maybe have some post-duel? *hopeful grin*)
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Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:25 am (UTC)*looks at ep summaries* Actually, it won't, but never mind. :lol:
Oh, there's no reason we can't have the duel; I just wanted to post something and this was all I had ready last night! (When & if I get round to it, I do have a bit where Kate shoots someone, also stuff with Jenny and Hugh and a brutal sort I forgot to cast called Carver...)
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Date: 14 Mar 2010 05:47 am (UTC)Anyway! I am glad to hear it is maybe to come. :D Also, a villain called Carver!
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Date: 14 Mar 2010 08:50 am (UTC)I don't know what's to come, but I started planning out the beginning, and the American bit. And, yes, I always meant to have a nasty, low-life London villain, but I forgot and then I cast him in my third show instead, so he's changed a bit, and I've no idea who I'd cast, but I think I've done enough casting for the time being. ;-)
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Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:23 am (UTC)I trust Kate will scold him if he gets injured in the duel before dispatching the villain?
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Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:26 am (UTC)Thanks!
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Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 11 Mar 2010 08:41 pm (UTC)Heh, yes. Hmm, strikes me though, it'll be a bit late for Kate to do something if he's actually dead. :lol: I have confidence in John in this one, I think. Also, very possibly his friend Darton might be his second, and I think he might do his own bit of interfering if necessary.
(I was going to say something about the fact that I wouldn't choose to pick a fight with a character played by Richard Armitage, but then recalled that I am barely 5"2, 8 stone and female, so that's really pointless. Mind you, it would always be possible that he might not be able to see me... :lol:)
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Date: 12 Mar 2010 07:41 pm (UTC)Yes, I too have faith in John. I think what might happen is that he will have the situation perfectly under control, but that that will not stop various well-wishers from sticking their oars in and generally unintentionally interfering with his plans...
Scenes where things happen?? I'll stay tuned for them!
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Date: 12 Mar 2010 07:55 pm (UTC)Ye_es... I will admit that I don't exactly know the outcome of this one. I think he actually just gets to fight it.
Scenes where things happen? Well, there are some. It's very annoying - I'm supposed to be writing my ficathon entry for Sunday and here I am thinking about the American bit all day... :loL:
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Date: 13 Mar 2010 08:23 pm (UTC)Hmm...I've got to do my ficathon too (and read the ones people have already posted - I'm afraid I've been a very bad community member thus far!)
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Date: 13 Mar 2010 09:01 pm (UTC)Well, I'm sure you've been busy.
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Date: 14 Mar 2010 05:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 14 Mar 2010 08:47 am (UTC)Mind, I have a couple relatives on my Dad's side who think I'm tall. There was never any hope of height... :-D
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Date: 12 Mar 2010 12:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 12 Mar 2010 07:56 pm (UTC)