Cutlass Anne

Cutlass Anne - Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-six

The driver pulled the horse to a stop in front of a large white house. We had passed many impressive houses but nothing like this one. It was the castle of the area.

"Can you wait here?" I asked the man.

"Yes, ma'am."

"We will not be long." I ran up the stairs.

I began pounding on the door. Nobody answered quickly enough for me, so I pounded harder.

The door swung open and a portly man stood there glowering at us. "What is the meaning of this racket?"

"Where is Lord Devonshire?" I demanded.

"And who might you be?" He stared at my now disheveled hair.

"Lady Anne Crowley."

"Is the lord expecting you, madam?" he asked.

"No," I said through clenched teeth.

He tried shutting the door in my face, but Flynn stuck his foot in the bottom of the door. "It is not polite shutting a door in a lady's face. Now answer her question."

"I shan't do anything," the man said, taken aback.

Flynn stepped forward and grabbed the man by the collar of his jacket. "Listen, the lady asked you a simple question. Where is the master of this house?"

"He is out on business. Now remove your hands from my person!"

A crash resounded through the house. I glowered at the man. "Who else is here?"

"Nobody."

"Nobody?"

Flynn punched the man in his face, blood trickling out of his nose. "Once again, where is the lord of this house?"

"In-in his study."

"And where is that located?" I screamed at him.

"Top of the stairs and to the right," the man stammered.

Flynn shoved the man forward. "Show the way, my good sir."

The portly butler hurried ahead of us. I could hear a commotion coming from somewhere above us, and the scream of a woman.

"That's her!" I shouted, pushing the man out of my way and ascending the stairs.

A crash sounded to the right of me and a man cursed. I grabbed the doorknob and turned, but it was locked.

"I said not to bother me!" the gruff voice yelled from the other side.

"Stay away!" the young woman screamed as another crash sounded.

"Get over here!" the man yelled back.

Panic took over and using everything in me, I threw my body at the door. It gave way under my weight and flung open. The man had his shirt off and his trousers unbuttoned. The terrified girl's dress was ripped and tears streamed down her face. Her soft blonde hair hung in her face and her bright blue eyes were red-rimmed. She hurled a bronze statue at her assailant, narrowly missing him. He lunged at her again, grabbing a handful of fabric. As she fell backward trying to escape from him the dress ripped even more.

"Jane!" I screamed.

"Anne? Anne! Is that you?"

She tried to run to me, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her into his body. She let out an exasperated scream and kicked as he held her tighter.

"Anne!" She reached to me.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" the man asked, furrowing his brow at me.

"Let my sister go," I said, my voice shaking.

"Your sister? Why would you waste your time?"

"I will only tell you one more time, let my sister go!"

"Who are you, woman?"

"Captain John Jacks knows me as Lady Anne Crowley. You will know me as Cutlass Anne." I reached under my dress and pulled out a dagger.

"I told you those were not ladylike," Flynn said, leaning on the door jamb.

Jane managed to get her hands on another object and smashed on the man's shoulder. He yelped in pain and let her go. She ran into my arms, her body shaking with fear.

"Take Jane to the ship, Flynn."

"I'm not leaving you. Are you insane?"

"Take my sister to the ship. I will deal with this monster."

"You can't kill him." Flynn shook his head at me.

"Watch me!"

"He's a lord. That will mean an execution for you."

"He deserves to die." I never took my eyes off the man.

"Aye, he does, but you don't."

I approached the man slowly. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to kill everyone like him, but I also did not want to meet the hangman. I slashed at his chest with my dagger. A line of blood formed and dripped down his stomach. He grabbed my wrist and twisted until the knife fell to the ground. As he reached down for it, I brought my knee up into his face. He fell backward and into a table that was behind him. I picked up my dagger, pinned the man down, and held the unbelievably sharp blade to his throat. I pressed the tip hard enough to draw more blood.

"Touch another girl, I will make sure that your innards spill on the floor," I growled at the man.

He held his chest, glaring at me.

"I bought her! She belongs to me!" he yelled at me.

"She was never for sale, you horrible pig."

I wrapped my arms around Jane and we left the man's house.

"What is going on in there?" the driver asked, peering in through the front door.

"Private matters," I muttered. "Take us to the port, please. We have a ship to catch."

The man looked around nervously before getting us on our way. I held onto Jane as the carriage bumped along the road. She wept silently into my lap. I removed the cloak from my neck and put it over her. Her dress had been torn to shreds. I brushed the hair out of her face and bit my lip, trying to stop myself from crying. Her beautiful face was bruised. Her eye was almost swollen shut and dried blood was caked to her forehead from a nasty gash.

There was so much I wanted to say to her, but for the first time in my life I was speechless, and I did not know how to make my sister feel better. I let her fall asleep as I smoothed her tangled hair. I kissed the top of her head and once I was certain she was in a deep sleep, I let the tears flow. I did not hold back. I cried for myself and more for Jane.

"My Jane. My poor, poor Jane. What have they done to you?" I mumbled as she slept and I cried.