The lady & the duke spy

1809 Glassop , England

The sun was warm for so early and the air fresh as Beth snuck out of the kitchen door. She made sure to stay quite till she made it past the stables then she took off at a run. She knew she had but a few hours to take care of the injured animal she found in the woods . Her step mother would not approve as a lady of class would never put herself in any dirty and smelly place. Beth snorted at that cause London smelled most of the time and that's where the ton were.

Beth wondered again why her father ever married that woman, she was so unlike her real mother. At least from what she can remember of her. As Beth thought about the differences of the two women she tripped and landed hard on the ground. She was maybe 15 feet from her secret cave in the rocks and trees, she started to say a few choice words that should make her blush. When she heard a low grown close . Beth stilled getting up slowly picking up a large stick as she did so. She quietly looked for where the sound has coming from. When it came again, the sound of pain and hurt. She knew some one or something need her help, she looked harder in the trees and bushes. When she finally glimpsed were the sound was coming from she frowned and bit her lip wondering what to do, it was a man and he was in bad shape. She moved closer to get a better look when his eyes opened wide, big deep blue eyes hazed with pain. She stopped and said do not be worried I will help you. With that his eyes closed and he was out.

Beth looked him over, studying him. He was maybe in his late 20 early 30. He was tall with broad shoulders. He looked a mess. His clothes were torn, bruised face , and what looked like a bullet hole in one of his legs and a long gash across his chest. It was a wonder he was still alive and if she wanted him to stay that way, she had to move him to her hide sanctuary, but how?

Then she remembered the deer she helped last winter. She stumbled upon it while looking for herbs in the forest. It had a broken leg and the only way to move it was with a makeshift litter, so with that in mind she quickly got to work. She still had to be home for the morning meal she should not be missed.

She had just finished and was admiring her handiwork when she heard the voices of men , they still seems far away. She was hopeful that they were looking for the injured companion. When she noticed they were speaking french. That stopped her in her tracks. Frenchmen this far into England! Could this man be a French spy? She listened to the men, from what she could understand they meant to find this man and kill him. Beth was stunned why kill your own man, unless he had switched sides. She knew she had but minutes to decide to hide herself in her safe spot or choose both of them, she looked at the man again he looked so helpless she knew in her heart she could not leave him to the hands of those French murderers.

So she knelt on her knees and pulled one side of him up with all her might, god he was heavy. She got him up enough so she could slide the makeshift litter under most of him. Then she laid him down and she pushed with all her might to get him settled on the litter, fully aware of the loud Frenchmen getting closer now. It was a good thing they did not have far to go, when she was about to pick up the head of the litter to go the man started to mummer somewhat loudly.

Scared of being seen or heard, Beth bent down and covered his lips with her hand and whispered fervently to him, " Please sir be quite or the Frenchmen will find us!" His eye's bulged open and he quietly said " they must not find me I must run!" He went to move and grimaced in pain and collapsed back, Beth smoothed his grime filled hair back from his face and picked up the litter. She then started to pull hard, she started to sweat with the effort, but was only a few feet away now. It felt like Miles.Her arms burned with the effort it took to pull the man, they shook like a jelly, but she knew if she stopped she would not make it in time.

Finally at the entrance to what was her safe spot in the woods her menagerie. The vines hanging down to hide its entrance, she crouched down and pulled the litter through while walking backwards. A few feet in and the small opening turned into a huge cavern with light filtering through the cracks in the ceiling. Beth looked for her lantern and lit it for more light. She then went back out of the entrance and found a small tree branch that still had leaves on it, then she swept all the tracks as fast as she could. She could hear the men and they sounded so close, like they would see her at any minute. Beth rushed back to the small entrance and made sure the vines covered the whole entrance.

With a sigh she sat with her back to the wall and listened as the men got closer were they seemed to be just outside, Beth held her breath and waited to be found out. They were talking about the man she found, how he could not be left, even if dead. That could cause a problem and ruin all. They thought him dead, which meant they had not seen her. That was good news even if the man was close to dying. He was still breathing and she would try and keep it that way she thought. As the Frenchmen decided to go back and follow the river towards Monchster. Beth let out her breath quietly, and moved in to the cavern pulling the man deeper in.

I hope u enjoyed the first chapter. Please try & be patient with me. This is my first time doing this.

If you like it so far please vote & comment. Thank you to all:-) .