thisbluespirit: (North and South (C&D 2))
[personal profile] thisbluespirit
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 [livejournal.com profile] 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.”

***

Date: 10 Mar 2010 10:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] emerald-happy.livejournal.com
I like it, especially Kate's sense of humour.

Date: 10 Mar 2010 11:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ironychan.livejournal.com
I think you got the dialect just about right for your purpose... it's not too antiquated, just enough to give you the feeling of another time (and of Britishness!) without alienating the reader. Very good!

Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:17 am (UTC)

Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] belantana.livejournal.com
YAY! I love this and you have to remember that I am normally frustrated by this kind of thing, so it's even more yay! Especially Kate's final comeback, go Kate.

(I totally understand why we can't have duel but can we maybe have some post-duel? *hopeful grin*)

Date: 14 Mar 2010 05:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] belantana.livejournal.com
Ah, I thought you were avoiding the duel for the same reasons that I would avoid writing a duel, being mostly to do with mechanics. (Unless I suppose it was the kind of duel which just involved taking 10 paces or whatever and turning around and shooting... I could possibly write that. Possibly.)

Anyway! I am glad to hear it is maybe to come. :D Also, a villain called Carver!

Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:23 am (UTC)
ext_3965: (I Prefer Reading)
From: [identity profile] persiflage-1.livejournal.com
Yays for more of this!

I trust Kate will scold him if he gets injured in the duel before dispatching the villain?

Date: 11 Mar 2010 07:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jjpor.livejournal.com
Heh - very nice! I'm continuing to enjoy the, for want of a better term, "period dialogue", and the humour in this from Kate was very enjoyable. I liked Rothley's attitude to the whole thing as being a damned inconvenience (I suspect this bitten might have bitten off more than he can chew, if it comes to it!). I suppose the challenge now is to come through without being either a) dead or b) on the run, but I'm sure he'll think of something (and if he doesn't, Kate no doubt will, whatever she might say beforehand).

Date: 12 Mar 2010 07:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jjpor.livejournal.com
LOL - I'm 5ft 11 and weigh more than I care to keep track of, but I don't think I'd pick a fight with him either! I saw a couple of episodes of that awful Robin Hood series, and he was pretty terrifying in that (intentionally, unlike many other aspects of it)!

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!

Date: 13 Mar 2010 08:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jjpor.livejournal.com
Well, I must have approached that Robin Hood series from the wrong end, because I saw the _first_ couple of eps and they were enough for me! (I understand it actually got better later, but I wasn't watching it by then - give me Robin of Sherwood any day! :D). I remember Armitage in it, though - he was quite good.

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!)

Date: 14 Mar 2010 05:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] belantana.livejournal.com
You are tiny! TINY! (Apologies for my extreme insensitivity, but I am totally amused by the image of you hiding from Rothley.)

Date: 12 Mar 2010 12:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tempestsarekind.livejournal.com
Oh, that's good. Funny and sweet, and suitably Regency-sounding, too!

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