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Epilogue
Arthur instructed the footmen to be through with their search on every street. “I want my daughter at any cost,” he said. He had sent two more servants out to inform the constables. Mrs. Cooper stood to the side crying into her handkerchief. “Bring her home safe,” she sniffled.
Arthur wouldn’t take anything less. Ramon appeared. “Your Grace, the carriage is ready. I’ll come with you.”
He nodded, grateful for the man’s help. The carriage took off as soon as they took their seats. Arthur had his eyes peeled on the road for any signs of Nora. She had been missing for less than half-an hour. She couldn’t have gone too far.
Arthur’s heartbeat thundered as the carriage jerked down the muddy splashed streets of London. Nora was clever. He knew that she would easily find her way to the park. He just had to intercept her before she got to the danger that was waiting for her there.
Something caught his eye as he looked out, a woman frantically weaving her way in and out of the crowd. He recognized her almost immediately. Carmen.
“Halt,” he bellowed, and the carriage stopped with a loud jerk. Before Ramon could recover, he was already stepping out and then rushing after Carmen. With a few long strides, he was able to catch up to her easily. He latched on her elbow and pulled her towards him.
Carmen’s eyes widened in shock as she took him in. “Arthur,” she squeaked.
He closed his eyes momentarily at her voice. He had been dying to hear her voice, dying to see her sweet face. “Where are you going?”
“Towards the park. Lily s-she took Nora and…” she stammered.
“I know,” Arthur said. “I found Nora’s note. She must be somewhere around here. Quickly, we must find her before they do.”
Carmen didn’t need to be told twice. She took off after him as they covered the rest of the way to the park on foot. They searched in the groves of trees that covered the outlying area of the park but there appeared to be no sign of Nora until Carmen clutched at his coat and pointed.
On the other side of the road, Nora was standing beneath a lamppost and she was alone. Relief flooded through him, but it didn’t last for long as a carriage suddenly appeared down the street at break-neck speed and before either of them could cross the street to Nora, the door to the carriage burst open and a pair of hands quickly snatched Nora off the street. It happened in the blink of an eye and Arthur almost thought he had imagined it.
But then he heard her scream for help. He immediately took off after the carriage on foot. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he chased it. But he was hardly a match against the driver that lashed at the horses driving the vehicle, causing them to scamper ahead. Arthur gritted his teeth and increased his pace, sweat pouring down his back as he tried to close the distance desperately.
The streets were crowded here, and the carriage wasn’t moving as fast anymore. He was slowly catching up to it, when it veered sharply to the left and led into an alley which led away from the main street. They were getting away. “No!” he shouted, his voice lost in the maze of noise and people. Nobody was coming to help him.
And then he saw them. Women—they came out of nowhere, filling the streets and effectively cutting off the carriage’s route. It would now have to either stop or plow right through them. There was around fifty of them—determined women with their hands placed on their waist. They weren’t going to budge.
And then Carmen stepped out in front of them all, her fists balled. “Stop!” she shouted. The carriage barreled towards them with no signs of stopping. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Arthur stopped running and squinted ahead, panting to catch his breath. The carriage drew impossibly close to them and just when he thought the horses would stamp right through, Carmen raised her hand and threw something directly in the path of the vehicle.
The horses neighed in shock and veered sharply to the left. The sudden motion caused the carriage to jerk violently on its side and crash by the side of the road.
“Nora!” Arthur shouted, heading towards the carriage which now lay motionless. Ahead of him, Carmen was already reaching for the carriage door. She pulled it open and a few moments later, pulled out Nora. She appeared unhurt and Arthur couldn’t see any scratches or wounds on her.
“Nora,” Carmen cooed as she held her daughter in her arms. “Are you all right?”
Nora slowly opened her eyes and then blinked as if she wasn’t sure what she was looking at and then she wrapped her arms around Carmen’s shoulders and asked, “Mother?”
Arthur’s heart squeezed painfully at the way they looked at each other. He was trying to keep them apart for his own selfish reasons. But how could he keep a daughter away from her own mother?
He walked up to them, guilt weighing heavy on them. Nora extended one of her arms towards him and beckoned him closer. When he stepped closer, she wrapped it around him so that the three of them were cocooned together.
Just then Arthur looked up to see that Jaxon crawling out from the carriage. Arthur’s body stiffened and he quickly put Carmen and Nora behind his back so that they would be safe.
The gun cluttered out of the man’s jacket. Blood was pouring down the side of his face and his wasted leg dragged behind him as he tried to reach for the gun. Before he could reach for it, Arthur stepped forward and kicked it out of his way. “Don’t you dare,” he growled at the man.
Jaxon had still a little bit of fight left inside him. Before Arthur could register what was happening, Jaxon’s hand shot out and grabbed him by the foot, dragging Arthur to the ground. Behind him, Carmen screamed.
He rained down punched on Arthur’s face causing his lip to split open.
“Leave him,” Carmen screamed but Jaxon wasn’t stopping. Arthur saw stars behind his eyes, but he knew he had to fight. Arthur gritted his teeth and pushed the palm of his hand on either side of Jaxon’s head. The man cried out at the pressure and his grip on Arthur loosened. Arthur took the opportunity and forced the other man off himself. Jaxon wasn’t fast enough to stop his attack as he punched the living daylights out of him. Rage burst out of Arthur’s every pore. This was the man who had ruined Carmen’s life and had threatened Nora’s life too.
Arthur was angry at himself too, for choosing to believe him over Carmen. He bashed the man’s head against the concrete. “I will kill you,” he vowed. There was a frenzy in his voice.
Strong hands pulled him away from Jaxon. He looked up to see Richard and Ramon on either side of him. “Don’t,” Richard said. “You’re going to kill him.”
