Fic: On Duelling
10 Mar 2010 09:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thisbluespiritAnother 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]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
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.”
***
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.”
***
