As August kicked at the door and shouted, "Ask Daventry! He and Cecily were there. They must have seen his body!" the footsteps continued to rush up the path. Daventry's wail stopped suddenly in mid-cry and it was replaced by a cacaphony of sounds - hoofbeats, the blare of a trumpet, and the deep, soulful baying of a large hound, bent on finding his owner.

"Balder!" exclaimed Jacob, actually pleased at hearing the approach of his canine nemesis.

The trumpet sounded again, the prisoners heard a few oaths and fleeing footsteps as the Guardians fled in disarray, reaching their horses and galloping off. Balder kept up his barking as if to cheer them on their way.

Marianna poked her head out from the loft and then climbed down slowly. She glanced at the assembly and then looked again, more intently. "Where is Gareth?" she demanded shrilly.

Jacob and August exchanged glances and then Jacob cleared his throat and said quietly, "He's still at the Abbey. The last I saw of him, he was flat on the ground. I don't know just how badly he was hurt but we were bundled off by the General and his gang and he was left!"

"You left him? Wounded and mayhap dying?" Screaming more invective at him, Marianna ran at Jacob and started pummeling him with her fists, flailing away until she hit his wounded hand. Jacob's loud "Owwwwww" and Marianna's "Cowardly poltroon" screeched through her tears, had the battered band stunned. Flora turned to her erstwhile loft companion and slapped her soundly. "Stop these hysterics and your ungenteel behavior at once!" she demanded of the sobbing and snivelling tragedy queen.

Flora left Marianna and walked over to Jacob, taking his wounded hand into both of hers and looking over the bandages to see if there was any more damage. Jacob had a bemused look on his face as he stared down at Flora who was murmuring epithets about "brutality" under her breath as she moved his hand carefully. "I don't think she did any more damage!" Jacob remained with his hand in Flora's, totally under her spell.

While all the noise and brouhaha was going on, a cloaked figure dismounted from his horse that had a trumpet hanging from the saddle, and moved silently towards the barred door of the croft. Balder made no move to intercept him; in fact, he only gave an amiable woof in greeting. The man quietly lifted the bar and then just as silently moved back and remounted. He turned the steed towards the Abbey and galloped off.

Marianna kept up her crying and sniffing, interspersed with meaningless threats against all of them, but mostly at Jacob whom she saw as the one who had abandoned Cave. She was nicely started on a new lamentation - lack of everyone's consideration for her and Gareth, who might be dying of neglect at the Abbey. Falcon shuddered at the picture the shrew made; hair all tousled and draped with a few cobwebs, dirt streaks all over her riding habit, and her dirty, tear-stained face with the open mouth that kept spewing forth words, words, words!

"By God, madam! That's enough!" Falcon roared, and whipping out another silk handkerchief from a pocket, stepped behind her and deftly gagged her, stopping the spate with a surprised, "Guhhhhhh!" As she moved her hands upward to untie the gag, Falcon produced another handkerchief, one of a seemingly endless supply, and bound her wrists in front of her. He then stepped back, shook his head, and remarked, "Someone should have gagged her at birth! You gentlemen seem to have the worst luck with your ladies - one who never stops eating and the other who never stops talking!" He flicked at some dirt on his sleeve and sat down on a very rough bench, sighed, and closed his eyes in pain at the sight of the assembled group.

Marianna's eyes were flashing dangerously at Falcon but only grunts could be heard and he opened his eyes again and addressed Alistair, asking if his ribs were broken. Alistair had finally managed to sit up, aided by Rosemary who kept her arm about him - just to prop him up, of course - and he managed to run his hands over his battered body and grunted through clenched teeth, "Bruised, and perhaps one is cracked, but I am all right. Now, how are we going to get out of here?"

Jacob started violently, "I heard a bugle. It must have been some of my troops, but now that I think on it, I have never heard that particular call before! I hope some of them are still here, not chasing the Guardians." Walking over to the door, he yelled, "Hurry men! Unbar the door!"

There was dead silence, broken only by snorts from Balder who had pushed his nose to the bottom of the door and was trying vainly to turn himself into a very small shadow so he could slide under it. Jacob finally walked over to the door and pushed and it opened. Balder, ignoring his usual victim, raced over to Flora and wiggled his whole body in ecstasy as she petted him and praised his heroism.

"Now, who the devil lifted the bar?" Alistair mused. "I didn't hear anyone, and your troops certainly are not here, Jacob."

Jacob peered out through the darkness and saw nothing. "Well, whoever it was is not here now and we must get ourselves to London to stop the General from delivering all those letters he spoke of!"

August arose to his full height and said in a majestic sort of voice," Oh, I don't think the General is going to be delivering any letters to anyone right now. I have them here!" and he pulled the thick notebook, still wrapped in cloth from yet another pocket. The rest of the company gazed at him in awe as he reseated himself on the rickety bench and proceeded to delve in other pockets, finally producing another linen square with some bread and cheese.

Roly woke to an awareness of piercing cold. His arm was a mass of painful sensations as he tried to drag his battered body into a sitting posture. As his eyes became more accustomed to the gloom, he saw Gareth stretched out beside him, totally unaware of anything. Roly kept moving and suddenly became aware of a noise from somewhere to the side of him. As he turned his head, he saw a dark figure coming towards him. A hoarse whisper said, "Are you able to get up at all?" Shaking his head, Roly tried and sank back with a moan. The figure came closer and said, "I will help you outside and then come back for your friend."

Somehow, the man managed to get Roly to his feet, staggering, but upright, and he half dragged, half carried him to the front of the Abbey, where he then sat him down carefully on the grass beneath a tree. Roly could only moan and lean back as pains shot up and down his arm. The stranger looked at Roly's bandage and muttered, "I am sure you are bleeding again, but I really do not know what I can do for you except make you comfortable! Someone will be along soon, unless they are still convinced they are locked in the croft." Roly stared at him dully, not quite able to comprehend what the man was saying.

The stranger slipped back into the Abbey and came back, this time carrying Gareth carefully in his arms. Short of breath, he laid him next to Roly, not too gently as he muttered, "This one is heavy!" Roly half-recognized the voice and did his best to peer up at the man's face, but his hat brim shaded most of his face and the breaking dawn did not hold enough light for him to see. The man darted away again and came out bearing the body of Warburton and dumped it unceremoniously on the grass at a decent distance and then started checking the pockets. "Damme!" he muttered. "There is nothing here. There should have been!" He went back into the Abbey and could be heard scrabbling around, evidently searching for something where he had found Warburton's corpse.

As Roly was again losing consciousness, he heard the wheels of a coach and the jingling of harness. His eyes closed involuntarily and he did not see the stranger race out of the Abbey and run toward the copse where his horse was tethered. He mounted swiftly and just as swiftly wheeled around and raced away as the coach neared.

The coach stopped and Alexander and Primat stepped out. Alexander looked around and saw the three figures and swiftly walked over to them. "Miss Primat," he called. "I have found some of our friends. They are in sad shape and need help."

Primat walked over and after checking Gareth's pulse, said, "He is still alive, but I fear he is unconscious and the cold is not good for him. We must get him into the coach."

She then turned to Roly and by the dawn's breaking light, saw fresh blood streaks on the bandage. "Get my basket from the coach quickly! I will help you put Gareth in it after I try to stop the bleeding!" Alexander raced to the coach and brought out the required basket and Primat went to work, untying the old bandage and then telling Alexander to press on a clean pad she covered the bloody wound with while she rapidly rebound his arm. She muttered, "He needs more stitches but I don't think I can do them properly here!"

Horses and another carriage approached and Alexander stood, apprehensively, hand on sword hilt, as the coach swung up the roadway and came to a halt behind the first one. Jacob and Falcon swung down from their horses and ran over.

"I am so glad to see you are safe, Miss Primat!" Falcon bowed low over her hand. "We were wondering what happened to you, and your overdressed friend here."

Alexander spluttered at the insult to his wardrobe and then, before he could utter a scathing reply, spotted his brother, Rosemary, Flora, and the still bound and gagged Marianna descending from the coach. Alistair still had Rosemary's arm around his shoulder, and Alex could see he was much the worse for wear. He looked at the motley crew and burst out laughing at the sight of Marianna who was making gobbling noises behind the gag.

Rocking back and forth on his heels, he whooped and laughed, finally saying between howls of mirth, "Someone finally found out the way to stop her!"

Marianna glared at him and dropped to her knees beside Cave, trying to touch his face and reassure herself that he was alive. Falcon gave a big sigh and talking to no one in particular, walked over to her and said, "I guess I will have to unloose those hands!" He did so, and Marianna tore at her gag and cradled Gareth's head while muttering curses that would not shame one of Jacob's troopers. She stopped cursing and began crooning over her sparring partner's head, then loudly demanded that Alistair attend to Gareth that second.

Alistair had knelt beside Primat and Roly and was checking Roly's wound. He muttered and then asked Primat if she had thread and a needle in her basket. Primat silently handed them to him, and Alistair looked round and asked if there was any water. Alexander produced a flask of brandy and Alistair poured brandy on the wound; Roly's eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted once more. Alistair then resewed the wound with neat stitches and poured a little more brandy on the wound and then raised the flask to his lips and had one swallow. "I haven't practiced so much medicine since Culloden."

He got up stiffly, and with Rosemary's comforting arm about him, walked over to Gareth. His practiced hands went over Gareth's body and then head and he murmured, "Ah!" as his hands found the bump on the back of his head. "I fear there is nothing I can do for him right now. We must go back to The Missing Key and put both Roly and Gareth to bed."

August, Jacob, and Alexander helped Marianna and Rosemary into the coach and stretched Gareth out over their laps. Marianna was still muttering but quietly as August looked ready to regag her if she annoyed him. Roly was placed on the other seat with Alistair and Flora on each side of him and the coach started off slowly to the inn.

August looked at Primat and Alexander and asked quietly, "Were you followed at all?"

"As far as I could tell, no, not at all!"

"Well, you should go to the Inn with the others. Jacob and I must ride to London immediately and let the king know what has happened."

As he turned to his horse, another coach bowled up the drive. James and Anne almost fell out of it in their haste to see what had been happening. Jacob started a quick recount of all that had transpired and James wandered over to the corpse still lying there.

"Who is this?" he inquired.

"That's Warburton! Surely you recognize him!"

"I have never seen this man in my life! He is not my man of affairs!"

Jacob, August and Alexander stared at James, deeply mystified. "But Cecily and Daventry called him Warburton!"

"Well, he is not Edgar Warburton! I should know since I have been dealing with him for years!"

August moved to his horse once again and told James that Rosemary and the others had gone back to The Missing Key Inn and gave him the directions, explaining that he and Jacob had to ride to London posthaste. James nodded and helped Anne back into the coach and gave the driver the directions. Jacob and Falcon then mounted, nodded to Primat and Alexander, and told them they should follow to London as soon as the afflicted and wounded could be safely left.

The General and Collinsworth, surrounded by a few of their hired bully-boys had left the croft and raced down the road to the London Road. The General gave no thought to Cecily or Daventry; his one objective was to get to Warburton's office and salvage what he could of their plot against the Prince and the King. As they pounded along, Collinsworth asked, "What of the others? Miss Cecily and Daventry?"

The General turned on him and snarled, "They are expendable right now! We need those letters and Warburton's notebook to make our plans work. They will just have to help themselves!"

Collinsworth gave a shudder as he spurred his horse onward. His thoughts were not exactly happy ones as he contemplated what might happen if he could not keep up or worse yet, was needed as a scapegoat. Treason was not a pretty word and neither was the punishment traitors could expect. If he could find the letters that Warburton was holding over his head, he could burn them and make a run for the continent.

"General," he finally managed to ask. "Did anyone search Warburton's body?"

The General almost fell off his horse as the import of that question sank into his brain. Then, face clearing of the frown that had covered it, he said, "Warburton was a wily man. He would never have brought anything incriminating with him! The letters and things we need are sure to be in his office or in his 'box'! Faster, man! We have to get to London and quickly!"

Primat and Alexander saw Jacob and August off on their journey to London. Primat began gathering up the things left by Alistair and the rest and she was packing the basket neatly when another horse appeared and she heard Cecily shout at her, "Stand right there! I need your coach. This horse is ready to drop from exhaustion and I must get to London."

Primat and Alexander both whirled at Cecily's voice and stared stupified at the pistols she held. The horse stood still, sides heaving and blown, unable to move another step. Cecily was wearing breeches and looked purposefully at them. "Don't move! I am an excellent shot and at this distance can hardly miss!" She moved closer to the coach and then stopped, thinking," 'I can't trust either of you.'

Both Alexander and Primat stood frozen and Cecily gave the order, "Primat, you are wearing a silver link chain belt! Take it off and bind Alexander's wrists with it and then come over here! I will take you along part of the way as a hostage in case any of your friends might be about!"

Primat's hands moved slowly to her waist. She thought she saw a shadow moving behind Cecily but was not sure and in a split second, whipped the chain from her waist and flung it out at her, holding the weight at the end of it. The knife at the end of the chain caught Cecily just at the hairline and ripped downward past her eye, her nose, and the side of her mouth. Cecily screamed and fell to the ground, blood running through the fingers that she had clapped to her face.

Alexander remained rooted to the spot as Primat rewound the chain around her waist, stopping only to clean the blood off the knife. "What... what the hell is that?" Alexander finally managed to croak, as he stared at the havoc the chain and knife had wrought.

"This? Ahh, it is a Rente Ber Gangedug! In my country, it is known as a 'whipping chain.' It is weighted at one end and the knife is on the other."

Alexander just kept looking at her in amazement and chagrin. This small woman had rescued them because he was sure that Cecily would not have let them live to tell anyone about her doings. Really, he thought to himself, I do not come out of this whole tangle very well.

Cecily was lying on the ground, crying and moaning, the blood pouring out of her wound. Primat moved over to help her and she shrieked, "Get away from me, you devil-woman!" Her hands scrabbled about for one of the pistols and Alexander finally came out of his stupor and went over and kicked both of them away.

Primat drew Alexander aside and started to talk to him in a low tone. "Cecily is in agony. I know she is evil but we must take her with us to the Inn. She won't let me near her so I want you to give her this laudanum so that we can put her in the coach." She handed him the bottle and he walked over and knelt beside Cecily. He looked down at her, writhing on the ground, blood flowing and the nasty wound gaping, and he was almost sickened at the sight. He knelt and holding her up in his arms, commanded, "Drink, Cecily. It is just laudanum and will help to ease the pain!" Cecily drank deeply and he laid her head back gently, his stomach almost heaving at the sight of the ruin of her beautiful face.

He then went to assist Primat in fixing up the coach so that they could carry Cecily to the Inn. As they spread a blanket and fixed the coach, talking all the while, they did not see the cloaked figure glide from the deeper part of the wood. He knelt down and gathered the almost comatose woman in his arms and swiftly disappeared into the wood, his cloak partially around her face to keep the blood from leaving a trail. They moved silently deeper into the wood and he took her to his horse, patiently cropping grass. After a few false starts, he managed to get Cecily on the horse and swung up behind her. He set the horse into a walk until he was sure he was out of earshot, and then kicked the horse into a gallop. They were headed in the opposite direction to the Inn, but the man knew exactly where he was going, and he smiled down at his burden who was snoring in a drugged stupor. He leaned down and whispered, "We are both outcasts but I think we may find redemption together!" Cecily snored on, unknowing, feeling nothing and uncaring.

August and Jacob were riding hell for leather down the road when they heard hoof beats behind them. Jacob glanced around and cried to August, "They must be the Guardians' rearguard. I don't know any of them and they certainly are not my troopers!" As he said this, he fumbled in a pouch at his waist and started throwing out pieces of metal.

They galloped on and August stared as Jacob threw a few more. "What are those?"

Jacob moved his horse closer and handed one to August, saying, "Caltrops!"

August examined the piece of metal with four sharp points. Jacob went on to say, "No matter how you throw them, they land with a sharp point up. Great for maiming cavalry horses and not too bad at stopping foot pursuit either!"

Jacob threw the rest of the caltrops on the road, and he and August heard the frightened squeals of hurt horses. Sounds of pursuit grew fainter and fainter and they sped on to London.

A small group of people stood waiting in the throne room for the arrival of King George II. Roly had his arm in a sling, but still managed to look dashing with his diamond studded eye patch. Alistair and Alexander were suitably attired with quiet but elegant waistcoats, and August was his usual impeccable self. Jacob Holt was in his dress uniform and feeling very uncomfortable, standing out from the rest in his scarlet coat and white breeches.

The ladies stood to the side, each one a vision of loveliness. Flora and Rosemary were resplendent in blue and green satin gowns while Primat wore a yellow sari with green, blue, and lavender threads in the trim. All of them stood nervously, scarcely knowing what to expect.

The Court Chamberlain marched through the door and struck the ground with the staff that was the symbol of his office. He announced, "His Majesty, King George!" and the King strode in, a rather chubby figure but still very regal. The ladies curtsied and the men bowed, and George seated himself on the throne and then waved the men closer.

"I understand that you have been able to save the Prince once again from his folly!"

"Your Highness," August moved forward as spokesman for the group. "This time, Prince Frederick is innocent. The letters we captured were forgeries. Dr. Erskyn was to be victimized along with the Prince, and so was Mrs. Carlyle and her late husband. The Carlyles and Dr. Erskyn had no idea of what the plot was and Prince Frederick still does not know. We did not show him the letters but sent them straight on to you!"

"Ach, yes! I really don't think the Prince could be that stupid, but he does have too much ambition." He handed the bundle of letters to August and said, "Here, destroy them!" motioning to the big open fireplace beside him. August took the proffered bundle and threw them into the flames and all watched as they burned.

"Dr. Erskyn!" The King motioned to Alistair and then said, "I cannot give you back your Army commission! Nor can I undo the Court Martial, but I can do this!" With those words, he stood and told Alistair to kneel. The Chamberlain handed the King a beautiful sword and the King tapped Alistair on both shoulders, saying, " I dub thee Knight! Arise, Sir Alistair Erskyn of Midculter!"

Alistair arose, totally bewildered and finally at peace with himself. He knew that there would always be those who thought him a traitor, but the action of the King washed away all the old hurts and slights. He stood, taller and straighter than ever.

The King then motioned to Jacob. "You have acted always with great courage and fidelity to Our Crown. You are now Major Jacob Holt!" Jacob's mouth fell open and he stammered out a very confused, "Thank you!"

Turning to Roly and August, the Sovereign then said, "There is nothing you really need or want from me, is there, gentlemen?" Roly nodded, and August said, "No, sire!" The King, then, handed each of them a ring, one with an emerald and the other with a sapphire. "Take these and wear them in honor of the parts you have played in helping the Crown. And then, find the other jewels, and bring the traitors to justice!"

As they watched the King leave, August patted the inner pocket of his jacket and said to Roly, "You, Jacob, James and I must have a meeting over the notebook I still have!"

Roly looked at him and started laughing, "Always one step ahead of the rest, are you not, mon ami? You really should have given the notebook to the King and his ministers!"

August gave an elegant snort and murmured, "They wouldn't know how to decode it in a thousand years!"

The rest of the group were seated in the salon, talking and laughing, and in the case of August, nibbling on snacks. Alistair caught Rosemary's eye and motioned with his head, and she got up and walked with him out of the room. He was still moving stiffly because of the rib injuries, but he looked years younger and happier than he ever had since Culloden.

They moved out to a smaller room and he took her hand. He led her over to a small sofa and helped her sit down, the beautiful green satin skirt swirling around her legs. He looked down at her and his heart was in his eyes. She was his wonderful gift and he was not sure how he could tell her just what she meant to him; how she had healed his soul and lifted his heart from the depths.

Rosemary could feel her heart fluttering in her tightly laced bodice. She was hot and cold at one and the same time as she studied Alistair's waistcoat, not daring to lift her eyes any higher. She knew that she loved him, but could not tell just how he felt about her.

Alistair cleared his throat and started tentatively, "Umm... Mrs. Carlyle... ummm... Rosemary... oh dash it all! Rosemary, I have never even thought of proposing to a woman before! I fear that I am not doing this very gracefully." He sputtered to a halt, grabbed her hand and gave it a mighty squeeze.

Rosemary looked up at him and winced at the squeeze, but then her whole face lit up with a beautiful smile. Encouraged, he plunged on, " Rosemary, will you marry me?"

She smiled even more and then asked softly, "Why?"

Alistair stepped backwards, startled at the question. He looked at his toes, then at the painting behind the sofa where Rosemary was sitting, and then with a rush, the words just poured out, "I love you! I need you! You have helped me defeat all my demons and all I want is to go back to Midculter with you and practice medicine and raise children! Please, Rosemary, say yes!"

Rosemary stood up, closed her eyes, and whispered, "Yes, Alistair! Yes, yes!! I love you too, and I want what you want!" Alistair looked down at this precious woman and put his arms around here and kissed her, a light kiss at first that quickly deepened. Then, he released her and with a shout of joy, ran into the salon, and announced, "Rosemary is going to marry me!"

August paused with a little cake half-way to his mouth and said, "At last!"

The doctor finished sewing the wound on the woman's face and looked down at her with pity in his eyes. He turned to the quiet gentleman standing beside him and said, "I hope you realize that there is a great deal of damage done to muscles and nerves near her mouth. Her mouth may be partially paralyzed and you know, the scar will always remain!"

"I understand, sir! Thank you for coming and taking care of her! You will not mention this to anyone?"

The doctor looked at the man, noting the sternness in his face and the hidden menace behind his words and said, "You may rely absolutely on my discretion!"

The gentleman held out his hand to the doctor; there was a satisfying clink of coins, and the doctor was escorted to the door. He turned and said, "Good bye, Mr. Jeffries. I am at your disposal if you need me!"

Hector Jeffries smiled and waved the man on his way.