The Black Knight of Ashfern

Chapter 15

It was pitch black outside, and Nan had neither seen nor heard from Sir William since his hasty departure that morning. However, she gave little import to his sudden and unexplained absence. She was going about her day in the company of Mrs. Borde, her assistants, and Jamie and even dining with them when Sir William had not returned for supper.

Now, she sat warm and comfortable beneath the thick coverlet of her bed. Reading by the light of a bedside lamp until the distinct sound of a crash pulled her attention from the written words before her to the door. The thick wood provided no answer to the sudden and inexplicable sound that had rushed the hall beyond her door. When the noise did not immediately repeat, Nan returned to her book. Then, back to staring at the door when, this time, the crash was louder and carried with it the muffled sound of voices.

Squinting at the door, Nan slipped from her bed and pulled on her dressing robe before grabbing a candle and its holder from within the drawer of her nightstand. Lighting the candle, she headed for the door. Knowing that she ought to stay where she was, but was both too annoyed and too curious to see what the commotion was.

Exiting her room, she walked down the hall, listening for the next crash. She made it as far as the main hall before nearly being plowed over by Hoss and Sir William as they came stumbling around the corner. Slamming gracelessly to a halt into a nearby in-table, she sent it and them colliding to the floor in a noisy, tangled mess.

"Miss Harris!" Hoss greeted. His face was red and quite swollen, though it didn't take the deformity of his features or the glazed gleam in his eyes to tell Nan that not only had he been brawling but drinking. She could smell the alcohol on them from where she stood. "Look, Sir, look! It's Miss Harris come to see us." Hoss beamed, slurring his words as he tried to shake his inebriated Master back into consciousness, only succeeding in obtaining a short, throaty grunt before Sir William lapsed back into whatever liquor-induced oblivion had claimed him.

"Hoss hush!" Nan whispered, holding her finger to her lips to quiet the immensely happy drunk. She did not wish to wake the rest of the house, although she had a good idea that the only reason she had been the only one to seek out this late-night disturbance had been because she was not accustomed to Sir William and his man stumbling through the house drunk.

"Right, Miss." Hoss agreed, nodding as he held a wobbly finger to his lips, then promptly passed out.

"Oh, blast!" Nan swore, rolling her eyes to the ceiling, as the two immobile men lay motionless at her feet. Having half a mind to leave them there until morning, she quickly discarded the thought when she realized they were just within sight of the main entrance, where anyone who entered would have a clear view of them.

Thinking she might save Sir William the embarrassment of being discovered dirty, bruised, and bleeding, lying unconscious in the hall, Nan rolled her eyes yet again. Sighing as she set to work on locating a less public place for him and his man to sleep off their day's actives. Scanning over the rooms to her right, Nan recalled what each was and finally concluded that Sir William's study was the only viable option since none but Sir William's staff were permitted to enter the room. And it was the only room she felt she could get either man to without much fuss.

Setting her candle on the floor, she quickly righted the toppled in-table and moved her light there, not wishing for it to be knocked over, and set a rug on fire or stanched out should it hit the stone and leave her completely in the dark. Rushing over to the study, she pushed its doors wide open so she would not have to stop once she'd started on her task. Hurrying back to the men, Nan bent down, grabbing hold of Hoss' booted ankles, as she began to drag his limp and remarkably heavy form down the hall.