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Chapter 78 Free at Last

AN* Well here it is folks, the final chapter in a long walk through my twisted mind. There will be an epilogue in the next few days, as I have much left to say.

This chapter took the longest of all of them to write. I think I wrote it about three times before I was happy, so I apologise for the delay in posting. It is also the longest chapter I have written so far as I could not find a place to stop. The end has to come sometime, and this chapter will be the end.

There will be character deaths in this chapter, but I don’t think many of you will mind.



##

The good roads and good weather brought the Annandale family back to their home late that Friday night. They had expected the family to be abed, and were surprised to see the house well lit. Sensing trouble, Annandale made his way from the carriage to the drawing room without removing his outer clothes. Bursting into the room without ceremony, he stood transfixed in the doorway at the sight before him.

William, Buffy and Joyce were not far behind. Annandale’s actions since the carriage had drawn level with the steps raised a frisson of fear amongst them. They, too, wondered why the house was still awake at this hour of the night.

Annandale continued to stare at the assembled townsfolk invading his home. There had to be over thirty men moving around the room. Some of the elder men were sitting comfortably in the chairs and sofas happily drinking his best brandy. All were staring at him standing in the doorway, and many smiled as he walked into the room.

Xander, deep in conversation with Clem, noticed the change in atmosphere as the Duke and his party entered. Letting out an almost audible sigh of relief at their return, he turned to greet them. Before he could say a word, his arms were full of his sister who was unabashedly hugging him close to her.

“Xander, it is so good to see you. When did you arrive? Do you know where we have been? Are you well?” Buffy could not seem to stop asking questions, barely taking time to breathe.

Smiling at his sister’s incessant ramblings, Xander held her close and whispered in her ear. “I will tell you the whole later, Buffy, but at this moment we need to talk to Thomas and William.” Looking up from his sister’s embrace, he noticed his mother was looking pale and tired. “Take mother to bed, Buffy. We will come to mother’s bed chamber after the men have gone and tell you all.”

Buffy looked up at her brother with a mutinous expression. She did not wish to leave the room as she was desperate to know why so many men were in the house. Reading her expression, as only a brother can, he drew her tighter into his embrace.

“Please do as I ask, Buffy. The men will not talk freely if women are present and we need to make some plans.” Xander knew he would have to tell her more or she would refuse to leave the room. “We think Angelus and Drusilla are in the area, Buffy, we need these men to help us find them.”

She said nothing for a few moments then slowly nodded her head in agreement. “As you wish Xander, I will escort mother to the library. I doubt we will go to bed until we know the whole.” Drawing her brows together in a small frown, she pressed upon him. “If no one comes to speak to us soon, Xander, I will come down into the room and frighten the men away.”

Laughing uproariously at her comment, he let her go with a kiss on the cheek and watched his mother and sister leave the room.

Turning back to the assembled men, Xander spoke in a loud commanding voice.

“Now we are alone, gentlemen, I will advise you why we are here.”

##

Buffy and her mother retired to the library, informing the butler to bring them tea. Inside the room, huddled over the fire, they found Faith staring into the coals. Dawn was lying on one of the sofas snoring softly in her sleep, her arms around a cushion as if for comfort.

Faith could not believe how happy she was to see them home. Clem, Xander and she had spoken at length about the danger they were in, and all had wished desperately for the family’s return. Now they were here, Faith did not know what to say.

Rising from her chair, she threw herself into Buffy’s arms. “Thank God you’re home, Buffy. I don’t know what we would have done without Thomas and William here.”

Buffy held tightly to the woman she had come to think of as a sister. “Faith, “she began. “Xander whispered to me that he thinks Angelus and Drusilla are in the area. Why does he think this?”

Faith quickly told the tale Xander had related on his arrival a few days ago. To say Joyce and Buffy were shocked was most definitely an under-statement. Although they knew the threat of Angelus had hung over them for some time, to know he was so close sent a chill down their spine. As Faith’s tale came to a close, she asked how they had fared with the mesmerist.

Joyce was not sure how much to relate of their dealings with Hamish Johnstone, but she felt that Faith deserved the truth. Had it not been for Faith’s insistence that Drusilla had used her powers on William, none of them would have understood why he acted the way he did.

“We fared well, Faith.” She told the young woman. “William now understands the threat Angelus is to our family. The trip was not in vain.”

Faith heaved a sigh of relief. If William had not been cured then the family would have been in even more danger. Knowing what she knew of Angelus and his wife, she could only imagine the types of horrors the couple had bestowed on him.

Before Faith could ask more, Buffy interrupted her musings to tell her of William’s distress and how they had asked Hamish to take away most of his pain. She explained how William now had all his memories of Angelus, but most others had been wiped from his mind. With tears in her eyes as she remembered William’s pain, she told Faith of his breakdown in her mother’s arms.

Hugging Buffy to her once more, Faith declared. “He is free now, Buffy, and that is all that matters. All we can hope for now is the men come up with a plan to find them.”

Nodding their agreement, Buffy and Joyce walked towards the fire to seat themselves to wait.

##

Back in the drawing room, the meeting was coming to a close. Xander had assembled the most prominent of local society to avail them of the dangers of Lord Angelus and how he was probably in their midst.

It did not take a genius to imagine the couple would make their move at the Fair.

All present were determined to attend. The men had agreed to scout the area in pairs. All had been warned not to look the woman in the eye, and to only follow them if they were found. On no account was anyone to challenge them on their own.

William had sat almost silent throughout the heated exchanges. He listened carefully to the words spoken in the room, and sometimes nodded his head. His heart was full of hate for Angelus and Dru, and he wanted to be the one who killed them. Maybe then he could find some peace.

Some had wanted to comb the town that night and try and seek them out, but wiser voices had prevailed. Back and forth across the room the arguments raged as each man had his say. Eventually all had agreed that the couple would only be found if they showed themselves in public.

Their plans in place, and their faces grim, the assembled men took their leave of the Duke and his family. Tomorrow they would all meet at the fair and put their plans into action.

Annandale was most proud of Xander and they way he had taken action in their absence. The young man had shown what a wonderful Duke he would make, and what a marvellous addition to the family he had become. Craven had never considered the boy to have any strength of character; yet Xander had displayed a good brain and even better instincts than any could have hoped.

His actions over the last few days could well have saved their lives.

The four men left the drawing room and made their way to the library. It was time to tell their women what might lie in store the next day.

##

Angelus and Penn did not visit their whores that Friday evening. Instead of drinking and fucking, the two men had finished their preparations for the next day. Angelus was determined not to go in disguise as he felt he had a more handsome countenance without it. He might need his charm to lure Lady Dawn away from her companions.

Penn had been set the task of taking Faith. If he had to kill Telford to do it, Angelus did not care. He would be disappointed, but the thought of two new whores in his stable helped dispel that disappointment. He had been almost tempted to go through with Penn’s plan to auction the young chit’s virginity, but he wanted to be the first to break her.

Why should he wait?

Kidnap, rape and death were not new occurrences in either of the men’s lives. Their friendship was based on a kindred spirit, and it had lasted many years.

Tomorrow they would be able to leave this town for good and return to London with their captives.

The Annandales would never find them again.

##

Breakfast, normally a happy meal full of laughter and talk, took on a sombre tone that morning. Discussion on what how they were to act at the fair had taken them far into the night. Dawn had been left to sleep while they had talked; they believed her in no danger.

Annandale had agreed to officially open the Fair. All had decided a united front was required, and there was the added benefit that they could scan the crowd from the dais. Their compatriots would see to their own missions, and a system of keeping in contact with each other would be ready to set in motion.

At eleven of the clock, that Saturday morning, the Annandale, Telford and Craven families left for the Fair. They travelled in two coaches, neither bearing a crest. Should they need to leave quickly, an unmarked coach would be best.

Only Dawn felt genuine excitement. She knew the family was in danger, but like the adults she believed Angelus and his wife would be looking for William and Buffy. Xander had spoken to her at length that morning, informing her that she was not to leave his side. To ensure she obeyed, he had warned her that he would send her home if she strayed from his sight. Nodding her head meekly at his commands, she secretly hoped she would be able to get away from him. There would be no fun to be had if her brother was always beside her.

As the coaches lurched on to the common land where the Fair would be held, the feeling of anxiety grew amongst them all. They had to find Angelus before he found them. William doubted the couple would stay together, preferring to search on their own, but he could not be sure.

The crowd parted as the Duke and his family headed towards the raised dais. Determined not to let any nervousness show, Annandale introduced the townspeople to his son’s wife and raised a cheer for his son’s happiness. Wishing them all a wonderful day, he declared the Fair open.

Penn and Angelus hung at the back of the crowd watching the Annandale display. Pointing out the Lady Dawn to Penn, he noticed the man could not take his eyes from William’s wife. “Lady Whitmore is beautiful is she not, Penn?” he whispered in an aside to his friend.

“She is indeed Angelus. I would give half my fortune to lie with that one.”

Angelus laughed along with his friend. “You are not the only one, Penn. I was going to take her too, but that might be too much. Maybe we could add her to our stable in a year or so. She might enjoy working with her sister for a while.”

As the men continued to talk, they did not notice the two men behind them dressed as labourers from the field. Penn had made their first mistake, and he did not know it.

He had spoken Angelus’ name.

While one man stayed to watch the two men, the other quickly made his way to others close by. It did not take long before the whereabouts of Angelus and the friend he called Penn were known to them all. While half the men kept their eyes on Angelus and his friend, the others were looking for Drusilla. No one could find her, and the opinion of most was that she must be waiting for them somewhere. It was with this in mind that the next phase of their plan was put in action.

It was time to bring them down.

##

Angelus and Penn did not realise that they had been spotted as they walked casually around the edge of the crowd. Penn was watching Faith, while Angelus concentrated on Dawn. They would need to split up soon and put their plan into action, they were just waiting for the right time.

The distraction Angelus and Penn had arranged was due at any moment. In preparation, Angelus moved closer towards Xander and Dawn while Penn moved in on Clem and Faith. Neither knew how close the Annandale men were behind them.

The fact that their quarry had split up worried some and pleased others. All the watchers knew that they could not make a move on either Angelus or his companion unless they did something to raise suspicion. The magistrate had warned them all that they had to be caught doing something unlawful or he could not do anything to them.

Penn was within ten yards of Clem and Faith, while Angelus was within five yards of Xander and Dawn when an almighty roar went up from the crowd. One of the attractions, a large see-sawing log containing ten children had broken from its moorings sending the occupants flying through the air. The cries of the parents and children had caused mayhem amongst the large crowd, and men were running towards the sounds of panic. Within moments of the collapse of the swing, one of the pens holding animals for auction opened allowing the animals free.

Both Penn and Angelus smiled. They had paid good money to ensure that these ‘accidents’ would happen at just this time. They counted on the distraction to hold everyone’s attention while they kidnapped the women. It would be a good ruse to cover their actions.

Xander and Clem, buoyed by their sense of honour and responsibility, left their charges alone while they hurried towards the sounds of panic in the crowd. The old, the infirm and some of the children were being crushed underfoot and the screams of the dying were mingling with the sounds of the panicked populace.

Thomas and William stared at each other in horror. A speaking look passed between them, and both knew that this disaster had been planned. They knew, without a doubt, that Angelus and his companion were ready to strike. As their sense of honour bid them to help stop the panic and death raging around them, both men knew they had to get their women safe.

The guards placed strategically around the Fair and around the family had disappeared. They could not be blamed for their actions as their families were also in attendance at the Fair. Loyalty to the Annandale family was not a consideration while their families lay dying and on the ground. With a quick nod at the waiting Annandale carriages, William and Thomas ran with their women towards them. If they could get them inside, then they would be safe. The Annandale staff would stand guard around them while the men helped with the carnage.

It took almost ten minutes to make sure Buffy and Joyce were safe. Armed footmen surrounded them as William bid them stay in the carriage. Thomas wanted them to be driven back to Annandale, but William did not want them exposed to the open road. After all, none of them knew where Drusilla was yet and could be lying in wait to waylay the progress of the coach. William did not want anyone to leave until they had found the rest of their party.

Turning to his father, William shouted above the din. “This was Angelus’ work, father. We have to find him.” Taking a long look at his father, William continued. “I am going to kill him, father. I don’t care what the magistrate said; I am going to kill that bastard today.”

Thomas looked at his son for what he hoped was not the last time. William’s demons were too close to the surface for a father to reason with a beloved son. He knew in his heart that only by killing Angelus would his son be free; he just hoped that William would be successful.

Nodding to his son, both men turned from the carriage to make their way back to the crowd. Panic still reigned on the common, and the wailing of both men and women as they found their dead was heart-breaking to hear. Finding Angelus was their main priority and they hurried to their task.

##

Angelus and Penn took no heed of the din. They had been the ones to plan this and they would not let themselves be distracted by it. Their eyes were only on one thing; their quarry.

Although Faith and Dawn were far apart, both men struck at the same time. Penn grabbed Faith from behind, clamping her arms closely to her side. Screaming for Clem, she kicked back her heels against her attacker and threw her head back into his face. Penn, slightly stunned by the ferocity of her attack pulled her tighter towards him and whispered in her ear.

“If you want to see your husband alive again Faith, you had best shut your mouth. If you don’t do as you are told, I will have to kill him. Do you want that, my pretty?”

The smell of the man’s breath made her gag. She knew the sound of the man’s voice, but could not think of his name. So many men had been with her while she had been Trenton’s whore, and she knew that this man had been one of them. Where else would she recognise his voice; she did not go out in London society and the only people she knew here were the Annandales. Remembering all Clem’s teachings about lulling you opponent into a false sense of security, she let herself go limp in his arms.

Her time would come.

Angelus was faring well with the Lady Dawn. Young and frightened, she had swooned in his arms within moments of his attack. It was almost too easy and he hoped she stayed asleep long enough to transport her to the carriage. If he did not have to drug her he would be pleased. Drugging your victims could have quite nasty side effects, and he did not want her to pee all over him.

Lifting her slight body against his own, he made his way to their waiting carriage.

Penn, too, was faring well with the abduction of Faith. She was meekly allowing herself to be dragged to the waiting carriage, and he could hardly believe his luck. Dressed as she was in the finery of a titled Lady, she was indeed a beauty. When she had been Trenton’s whore, she had been dressed in little or nothing at all. He could not wait to see her that way again.

Faith was determined to keep up the act of submissive companion. She knew it was her only means of escape. Keeping her head low, she scanned the still panicking crowd hoping to catch sight of Clem. Luck was not with her. There were too many people running around and shouting. Some were already laying out the dead. She knew at that moment that she would have to kill this man on her own.

The killing would not trouble her, it was the how. Scanning the ground around her, she looked vainly for a weapon. A tree limb would suffice, but they were on open ground. She would have to keep her wits and look for a weapon in whatever place he took her to.

Angelus and Penn reached the closed carriage at almost the same moment. Penn noticed Angelus was pushing his comatose charge into the carriage, and he smiled. Their plan had been carried out perfectly. Both women were now in their care.

Shouting instructions at the coachman as the carriage door closed, they left for the cottage.

##

Buffy and Joyce knew they were safe in the carriage, but their anxiety grew with every passing moment. Their men had disappeared, and their was no sign of Dawn or Faith. Unable to sit still a moment longer, Buffy dropped the window of the carriage to peer out. Surrounded as they were by Annandale’s men, her view was over their heads. Scanning the crowd and trying to blot out the sounds of despair rising from the crowd, she noticed an odd event.

Why, when there was so much going on in the field, was a carriage leaving at high speed. She knew without doubt that the carriage contained Angelus and his male companion. Who else was in the carriage she could only surmise. In her mind it was William they had managed to kidnap, and she needed to follow.

Wildly she threw her body almost out of the window. She screamed at the coachman to follow the rapidly departing coach. Calling to some of the footmen to climb on the rear of the carriage and hold tight, she told the others to look for Annandale, her brother and Clem and bid them follow in the other coach.

Her orders obeyed, and her mind in turmoil, she sat back in the velvet squabs to plan.

“Mama,” she cried. “Angelus has William, I know it. We have to save him on our own as we do not have time to find the men.” Reaching under the seat, Buffy pulled out the two pistols William had placed there before their sojourn into town. Bending low, she reached under her mother’s seat to pull forth the sword he had also hidden.

Joyce stared at the small arsenal of weapons her daughter had found. To say that William and Buffy can come prepared was indeed an under-statement. Frightened by the look in her daughter’s eyes, she tried to reason with her.

“We should let the footmen deal with them, Buffy. Once we know where they are hiding, we can return to the Fair and pick up more men. We should not go in there on our own.”

Buffy stared at her mother in disbelief. She did not want to wait for someone to try and release her husband. Knowing what she knew now of Angelus, she was sure he would kill Spike the first chance he could. In fact her William could already be dead and Angelus was looking for a place to hide the body. This thought spurred her further into action.

“While there is still carnage in the field, no men will help us. We have to do this on our own, mama.” At the look of distress on her mother’s face, Buffy softened her voice as she continued. “We need to save him, mama. I think I am increasing, and I do not want my child to grow up with only stories of what a wonderful man his papa was.” Tears stood proudly on her long lashes, and she quickly wiped them away. “Spike is my life, mama. I cannot go on living without him, and I refuse to let him die. He turned against his nature for me mama, and has shown me every day and night how much I mean to him.”

Looking down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap, she continued quietly. “He loves me so much, mama. I know that Hamish did not manage to blot out all his memories, but his love for me will not let him show it. He has had such nightmares over the last few nights, and it has taken all my love to calm him down.” Sniffing quietly and hiccupping slightly to stop her sobbing, she lifted her head and looked directly into her mother’s eyes.

“He is mine, mama. I will NEVER let him go.”

Joyce understood the conviction in her daughter’s voice, and nodded her head in agreement. She knew her daughter’s bravery would not allow her to back down, and all she could do was support her in her quest to save William.

##

Back in the field, the mayhem was starting to quieten down. Annandale had managed to locate Xander, and both men had started to comb the grounds for the rest of the party. William and Clem were easily found, but there was no sign of Faith or Dawn.

It was Annandale who realised that they would not find them at the Fair. Angelus and his companion had never intended to target his son and Buffy. It was the women he wanted all along.

Thomas said nothing to his son, he just turned and ran. He had to get back to the carriage where Joyce and Buffy were safe. If Joyce realised that Dawn was taken, he was not sure her fragile health would allow her to survive.

William, Xander and Clem followed quickly behind him. Although he had said not a word before his flight, the look on his face before he had turned from them had told them everything. All ran as if the hounds of hell were on their tail.

As they approached the part of the field where the carriages had been parked, they stopped suddenly. Only one carriage was there, and the number of footmen had dwindled dramatically. Annandale’s anger rose with every stride. Where had Buffy and Joyce gone, and did Angelus have them too. His worry for his love and the rest of the women made him angry, and he grabbed the nearest footman shaking him hard.

“Where are Lady Whitmore and the Duchess?” he demanded. “If anything happens to them I will see you in hell, man.”

William pulled his father away, holding him back from the frightened footman. “Anger will not find them father, but a clear head will.” Annandale could see the wisdom of his son’s words, and took a long breath to calm down. While William was trying to calm his father, Clem questioned the coachman. Once he knew the whole, he turned to his friends and bid them to quickly enter the carriage.

With the coachman at the helm, accompanied by an armed footman and two more at the rear, the carriage left the field in the direction Joyce and Buffy had taken.

##

As Buffy’s carriage slowed to a stop, she opened the door at the knock from one of the footmen.

“My Lady,” he bowed at his mistress. “The other carriage has turned down the lane over yonder, and we cannot follow.” At the look of distress on her face, he knew it best to relate the reason why. “The lane leads to Rose Cottage, my Lady. If we follow they will hear us and might……”

He did not need to continue, Buffy understood perfectly what he was trying to say. Smiling through her tears, she nodded at him. “How far from the Fair are we, do you know?”

“But five miles by road my Lady, but if you travel by foot through the woods it is nary but a few miles,” he answered.

“Good, good,” she replied thinking quickly. “I want one of the men to return to the Fair and bring the Duke and the rest of the men here as quickly as you can. I will send the carriage back by road and the coachman will take the Duchess back with him; I will stay here and…...”

The footman stared at her with a mixture of fear and admiration. This beautiful young girl had every intention of taking on these evil men on her own to save her husband; he could not allow it.

“My Lady,” he spoke in trepidation before she could finish her words. “Let the coachman and one footman return with her Grace. I and my brother Jack will stay with you and help you free his Lordship. We both have pistols, my Lady, and we know how to use them.”

When Buffy shook her head slightly as if in denial of his plan, he bravely carried on determined to convince her to let them stay. “We know these woods like the back of our hands, my Lady. We can help you sneak up on them without having to take the track. We can be on them before they know it, my Lady, for they will surely hear us if we use the track, and we need to surprise them.” When he noticed that she still shook her head, he continued. “We will stay whether you wish us to or not, my Lady.” Turning to his brother, he called to him. “Is that not so, Jack?”

Jack, who had been listening with interest to the exchange between his brother and Lady Whitmore, nodded his head in agreement. All the staff had come to love their new mistress and the happiness she had brought to Annandale. They would willingly die for her.

Buffy looked back and forth between the two men. Such loyalty in a servant was rare indeed, and she smiled through her tears. She would not be alone in her quest to save her husband, these men would help her. Looking at the two men, she nodded her agreement before turning to face her mother.

“I need you to go back and bring the rest of the men, mama.” When a troubled look fell over her mother’s face, Buffy hurriedly continued. “I will be safe with the men mama; there is no need to worry. If the horses are quick then you could be back with me before anything happens.” Clutching her mother’s hands between her own, she spoke passionately. “I cannot wait, mama. We both know that Angelus will kill Spike if we do not rescue him and I cannot let that happen.”

Joyce puller her daughter into her arms and hugged her tightly. “I will return as you wish Buffy, but promise me that you will be careful.”

Holding her mother tightly, Buffy reassured her. “While Spike is safe mama, we will wait for your return. But if anything is to happen to him, I will not wait.”

Hugging her even closer, Joyce whispered in her ear. “Then go save him, my love. I will be back as soon as I can.”

“Thank you, mama, for believing in me. Now hurry back and bring the men before I have to kill Angelus on my own.”

Joyce watched in fear as her daughter silently jumped from the coach, her weapons held tightly in her hands. When Buffy disappeared into the woods, the coachman deftly turned the carriage in the road and set off back to the Fair.

##

Inside the cottage, Angelus and Penn escorted their charges to the cellar. Using the strips of cloth they had prepared as bindings, they tied the women to the rings in the wall. Dawn started to wake as she was bound to the wall and started to scream in fear. Her high pitched wail annoyed Angelus, and he struck her hard across the face.

“Shut the fuck up bitch, or I will make it really painful.” Angelus continued to bind her as Dawn tried to stop crying. Sitting back on his heels, he noticed his handprint starting to glow red on her cheek. His manhood rose in response to her pain.

Penn had already bound Faith to the wall. She was seated on the dirt floor, her skirts around her knees and her arms stretched above her. When she lifted her large dark eyes to his face, he smiled at her. “Remember me, do you cunt?” he sneered. “It’s nice to see you after all this time, Faith. Can you still suck a man dry, or has Telford not got enough dick for you to play with.” Grabbing her head between his hands, he rubbed his trouser clad erection hard into her face. “You can suck me off later Faith, as I need to check you have not lost your skill.” Sitting back on his haunches so that his face was level with hers, he sneered at her. “Angelus will fuck you hard while you suck me off, Faith. Be like old times, don’t you think?”

Faith stared back at him with a look of pure hatred. She did indeed remember this man from her time with Trenton. It was the smell of his unwashed dick through his trousers she remembered. Most of the men who had come to use her had bathed, this man rarely did. If he forced her to take him in her mouth, she would bite it off. Even if she died at his hands, she would at least have fought back.

Dawn was whimpering on her mattress on the floor. Her arms had been tied tightly to the wall, and her legs had been spread wide open and tied tightly. Her dress was rucked round her waist, and she lay exposed to the two men. Her face was streaked with tears as she looked at Faith in fear.

Angelus was all about waiting. Although he was eager to break in his little virgin, he knew the waiting would increase their fear. Clapping Penn on the shoulder, he bid him join him upstairs for some food and drink. They would need sustenance before their night of debauchery.

“Come Penn. They are going nowhere and I feel a tad thirsty. Let’s have some wine before we begin, it will help prolong the night.”

Penn rose from the floor and smiled at his friend. “Capital idea, Liam. I, too, feel the need for a drink and maybe something to eat.”

With their arms around each others shoulders, Angelus and Penn climbed the cellar stairs.

##

Buffy, Jack and his brother Jim made their way through the woods. They had no plan other than to make their way as quietly as possible to the cottage. As they drew closer, the trio noticed movement at the rear of the cottage. Jack lifted his finger to his mouth telling them to be quiet and stay where they were as he made his way to the back.

From his position in the woods, he could see the coachman remove the harness from the horses back and lead them into stalls. While he was occupied rubbing down the horses, he stole silently up behind him. Removing a knife from his pocket, he grabbed the man from behind and slit his throat. Silently the man fell to the ground.

Kicking the man away from him, Jack filled the troughs with some grain and water. If needed they would use the horses to escape, and he wanted them as fresh as possible should that come to pass.

Silently he returned through the woods to his brother and Lady Whitmore. Wiping the bloodied knife on his trousers, he told them of the coachman’s demise and how they might use the horses to escape. When Buffy turned one of her huge smiles in his direction, he knew exactly why his master’s son had married this lovely young girl.

Jim noticed the look of awe on his brother’s face and smiled. They were indeed in the company of one of the bravest and beautiful women either had ever met, and they would willingly die for her. However, before they did, they would bring back her Lord.

Jack, emboldened by his success with the coachman, came up with a plan. He told them he was going to knock boldly on the door of the cottage and ask for directions as he was lost. When one of the men came to the door, he would kill him while his brother came up behind him to gain entry. It was such a simple plan, that it just might work. Buffy would wait amongst the trees and only enter the cottage when it was safe.

Both Jack and Jim were not dressed in the Annandale livery. The decision had been taken early that morning that most of the men would dress as peasants to allow them to blend into the background. The brothers had never been happier to be in their normal clothes, their livery would have shone like a beacon through the trees.

As Jack started to rise and put their plan into action, Buffy grabbed his hand. “Be careful Jack, they are both dangerous men. Shoot first and ask questions later. If both men come to the door, then Jim will be right behind you. If you can, try to lure them both to the door, I don’t want one of them to have the time to k……”

Jim held her hand. “We won’t let them kill him, my Lady. Right Jack, time to be on your way.”

With a nod to his brother and his mistress, Jack rose to put their plan into action.

##

The Annandale carriage carrying the Duchess was travelling full speed back to the Fair. The coachman knew that they had to get help, and he hoped it would not take long to find his master. With this on his mind, he almost did not notice the other carriage as it raced towards them.

Pulling up the horses hard to halt them, he waved frantically at the other coach. Within moments they were side by side in the roadway, and both coachmen sighed in relief.

The men jumped down from their carriage, running round to speak to Buffy and Joyce. When William found only Joyce inside, he started to pace. Annandale explained just who Angelus and his friend had taken to Joyce, and he hoped she was strong enough to take the news.

Joyce only nodded as Annandale explained that they believed Angelus had kidnapped Faith and Dawn. When she remained quiet, Thomas started to worry. There was that faraway look in her eye that they had not seen in some time. He hoped she would come back to them. Jumping into the coach, he clutched her to his breast.

The coachman was talking to William, Clem and Xander informing them of the whereabouts of their wives and sister. Explaining how Lady Whitmore and two of the footmen had taken off on foot to rescue the what they thought was the kidnapped Lord; he noticed his master’s face turn almost green with shock. Xander and Clem were not faring much better.

While William, Xander and Clem were planning how they would storm the cottage, Thomas was holding tightly to Joyce. This had come as too much of a shock, and he feared she would never come back. Tears were rolling down his face as he gently rocked the love of his life back and forth in his arms. When the door swung open allowing William to enter, he looked up in fear at his son.

“I will leave you to rescue the girls, William. I have to take Joyce back to Annandale.” Openly crying now, his tears falling into the hair of his love, he whispered. “I don’t think she will come back this time, Will, and I want to be with her. Go. Leave us now and find the girls. Bring them back safely to her, Will. Promise me you will bring them home alive.”

Although he was in torment over what Angelus would do to Buffy if he found her, he did everything he could to reassure his father. His father’s pain was plain to see, and he would do nothing to worry him further. “I swear we will all be home for dinner, father. Take Joyce home now and make her comfortable. I will bring back her girls, I promise.” Annandale nodded into Joyce’s hair as his son left the coach. With luck they would be home soon and he could make his love comfortable. He could not lose her.

As his father’s carriage made its way home, William turned to his friends and started to outline his plan.

##

Back at Rose Cottage, Angelus and Penn were laying their own plans. They had decided that they would start with Lady Dawn. Angelus would fuck her while Penn would force his dick down her throat. If she was going to be a good whore, they needed to break her spirit quickly.

Once they had finished with Dawn, they would turn their attention to Faith. Angelus enjoyed the fact that she would be forced to watch them take the little girl, and hoped the sight would keep her quiet while they used her. He might just used a whip on her for a while; she would heal nicely before they reached London.

Replete with food and drink, both men rose to make their way to the cellar. As they opened the cellar door, they heard a knock. Looking at each other in confusion, they shrugged their shoulders in unison, and a silent agreement not to answer the knock passed between them. They had barely made it to the first step, when the knocking became insistent.

Penn turned to his friend, and smiled. “I’ll answer it, Liam. No one knows we are here, so it must be a passer by. You go down and tell the cunts what we are going to do to them. That should crank up the fear a bit; I love when they cower in fear.”

Smiling his agreement, Angelus made his way down the cellar steps as Penn opened the door.

He did not manage to say a word. Jack stuck the knife in the man’s throat before he uttered a sound. Penn fell to the ground in a soundless heap. His voice box severed by Jack’s knife made sure of that. Stepping over the lifeless man, Jack walked quietly into the cottage. Looking to his left, he noticed the remnants of a meal for two. All this told him was that there was someone else in the cottage.

Quietly Jack searched the upper rooms and the kitchen, while Jim dealt with the Penn’s body. When he found no other signs of life, he started to wonder where they had hidden his Lordship. It was at that moment he heard the muffled scream of a woman come from a door near the stairs. The sound was so faint, that he thought at first he had imagined it; then when he heard it again, this time accompanied by the sound of flesh hitting flesh he knew he had not been mistaken. This Angelus they sought did not have his Lordship, he had taken a woman. Turning silently from door, he made his way out of the cottage to report what he had found.

As he returned to his place at his brother’s side, he heard the noise of a carriage make its way up the track. As it drew level with their hiding place, the brothers recognised that it was the Annandale carriage. Sighing with relief, the trio moved from their hiding place to meet it.

William, Clem and Xander jumped down before the carriage had fully come to a stop. Buffy started to cry in earnest when she realised that William was safe and well. Lifting her skirts high over her knees, she ran blindly into his arms. Reining kisses on her hair, William held her close to him.

It was a brief reunion; they had still to find Angelus. It took William moments to tell her that Angelus had both Dawn and Faith, and what he thought he would try to do to them. Buffy did not wallow in his arms as he spoke to her. This was now the time for action.

At that moment, Jack came forward and spoke of what he had found in the house. When he mentioned the screams he had heard and the sound of violence, he moved quickly to stop Lord Clement entering the house.

“We cannot go charging in my Lord, or he will kill them. He does not yet know we are here, and that is what will save them. I have killed his friend, and the sound of the carriage would not have been heard in the cellar.” Still holding Lord Telford by the arm, he looked at the men. “We have to sneak up on him and make him think his friend is coming down to join him. That way he will not be on his guard and we can take him.”

William stared at the young footman in awe. “How do you know how to kill silently, Jack? Were you with Wellington during the war?”

Jack smiled at his master. “That I was your Lordship. Hookie had his men train me for just this type of killing. He said I was as silent as a cat when I wanted to be.”

“You and I will talk later, Jack. Right now we need to save the women. We will do as you suggest and enter the house silently.” William could see the eagerness on the young man’s face, and knew that he wanted to be the first in the cellar. “Jack, this man and I have a long quarrel. I will be the one to go down the cellar stairs first and you will follow.”

Nodding at his master, Jack spoke once more. “Then let us get in there your Lordship. He has been alone too long.”

##

Down in the cellar, Angelus had grown impatient waiting for Penn. He did not think for a moment that Penn was in any danger; in fact he was convinced that Penn was dealing with their unwanted interruptions as his own inimitable style. He wanted to get on with the rape of his little virgin, his dick was twitching wildly just at the thought.

He had told them both what their fate would be at his hands. When Dawn had forgotten her place and screamed, he had hit her again. Already the bruises were starting to appear on her face and the sight pleased him. She would cow to him as her master before the night was over.

If she learned her lessons well, he might play with her for some time before returning to Ireland. Fresh meat was so sweet.

Ignoring the pleadings of Faith to take her instead of Dawn, Angelus slowly stripped off his clothes. When Faith’s pleadings started to grate on his nerves, he punched her hard. She felt the darkness take her as her head hit the wall.

Angelus would have liked her to watch, but he was just as happy that she was quiet. He would be able to hear the screams of his little virgin better without her interference, and the thought pleased him.

Kneeling beside his little girl, he petted her hair as he spoke gently to her. “Now, my sweet, I am going to show you how to please a man. Would you like that, my little Dawn? Would you like to be know what it takes to make a man want you?”

Trembling with fear and crying openly, Dawn just stared at the man beside her. She could not have answered if she tried. Her throat was closed with tears, and her mouth had run dry.

When she felt Angelus start to stroke her legs, she whimpered.

“Nice long legs you have there, Dawn. They will wrap around my waist quite nicely when I fuck your tight little hole. Would you like that, Dawn? Do you want to feel my dick so far inside you that you’ll scream for more.” Angelus watched the girl’s face with pleasure as her fear increased tenfold.

He stopped his stroking and moved towards her bound hands. Lifting one of her clenched fists to his mouth, he gently kissed her knuckles. “I think I should show you what to do with your hands first, little one. Then we will move on to how to use your mouth.”

As he pried her closed fist open, he was ready to place his dick in her palm when the cellar door opened. Convinced it would be Penn coming down the stairs, he did not turn from his position on the floor. He was stroking himself gently, ready to place it in Dawn’s hand when William came crashing down the stairs.

It did not take a genius to work out just what Angelus was about to do. In his naked state he could hide no weapon, and William had come prepared. In his hand he held the sword that Buffy had removed from the coach, and he was determined to use it well.

Angelus turned slightly at the sound of someone running down the stairs. When he recognised William, he laughed. “Come to join us Whitmore?” he asked calmly. “After all it will not be the first time you have raped a girl, will it?” he sneered at him.

For the rest of his life, William would never know where his strength came from that day. Lifting the sword in both hands he swung it at Angelus’ neck. He felt the resistance quiver up his arm as the sword stuck bone.

Blood poured thickly from his neck. His head had been almost severed from his body and he had fallen back over Dawn’s spread legs. His dead weight adding to the young girl’s distress and she screamed. At the sound of her voice, the remaining men rushed down the stairs.

Clem ran immediately to Faith, and used Jack’s knife to cut her bonds. Her beautiful face was swollen where Angelus had hit her, and she was still unconscious. Gently he lifted his wife into his arms and carried her up the stairs.

Xander helped William to lift the lifeless body of Angelus from his sister’s legs. When they had move the body to the floor, Xander noticed how his sister had been tied. She was lying on the mattress like a sacrificial virgin waiting on her death, and he cried openly at the sight. Using William’s sword he cut her bonds and between them they led her up the stairs.

Buffy was waiting anxiously at the door of the cottage. When she had seen Clem carry Faith through the door, she had noticed the bruises on her friends face. If Faith had been hurt so badly, she dreaded to think what Angelus had done to Dawn. She knew he was dead as Clem had told her that William had killed him, but she needed to see for herself. The man must never be allowed to hurt them again.

As William and Xander brought Dawn up from the cellar, a sob escaped her throat. Her sister was alive and well and that was the most important thing in the world. Running towards Dawn, she grabbed her round the waist and pulled her close to her. They would never be apart again. Buffy made a vow to herself that her sister would never suffer again.

Xander pulled her gently back from Dawn. “I need to take her home, Buffy. She is in shock and I don’t think you should ask what happened down there.” As he inclined his head towards the cellar door, Buffy’s eyes followed their path. Her determination to see Angelus grew a thousand-fold.

When she nodded her head in agreement, Xander gently led his sobbing, trembling sister to the carriage. Once he had lifted inside, they took their seats opposite Faith and Clem. With a knock to the coachman, he bid them leave for Annandale. William and Buffy would return in the carriage in the stables.

William had his arms around Buffy holding her close. “It’s over now, sweetheart. He will never hurt us again. My God, Buffy, when I think what he would have done to Dawn if we had been a few minutes more. He was going to rape her while she was tied to the wall. It is a sight that will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

Buffy pulled away from William then and bid him take her to see the body. He knew his wife well enough to know that she would need to see Angelus to believe he was dead. Holding her hand tightly in his, he led her down the cellar steps.

The floor of the cellar was slick with Angelus’ blood. Slipping slightly in the mess, she walked with determination towards the body of the man who had tried to hurt her family. She looked him over thoroughly. His head still lay back, severed to the bone; his blood pooling in the crevice. As her eyes drifted lower she was surprised that this was the first time she had noticed he was naked. When her eyes were level with his crotch, she noticed that he had died with his arousal intact.

Slowly she turned to William. “Give me your pistol, Spike” her voice raspy with tears. William did not know what she was going to do, but he handed her the pistol carefully. He watched her as she lifted the pistol and cocked it ready to fire. Taking careful aim, she shot Angelus in the groin removing all evidence of his dick.

“Let him go to hell as a eunuch, Spike. Let’s see how many whores he can gave now.”

Handing the spent pistol to her husband, she turned and headed for the stairs her head held high and a smile of satisfaction on her lips.


The End – until the Epilogue.





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