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garnet cross, looking carefully at the
back of the setting. He was sure it was Elizabeth’s, but
how could that be if it belonged to a member of the
royal family of Brunswick?
“Now, what is your name?” Colonel Fitzwilliam
demanded.
     
“My name is Artie…Artie Campbell.”
     
“And where are the men who assisted you in the
crimes?”
    “They said they would go to Liverpool. They was
going to sell the two ladies they took from the
carriage. I never knew they was gonna take ladies, or
I would not be part of this. The leader, Caspen, he is a
nutter. He was the one to insist on takin’ the ladies.
But they be worth more untouched, Caspen told all of
us they were not to touch the ladies or he would kill
anyone who did.”
    “Caspen was smart. If any of you had harmed a
royal in such a manner, you would all be hung without
a trial. No upstanding soldier would think twice
before running you through, so you would not have
even made it to the gallows.”
“Please, I been helpin’ you. Please, I beg for
mercy.” Artie was sobbing.
    “Tell me where you are to meet with the rest of
the men? Do not lie, I am certain they expect a
portion of what you would get from selling these
items. Where were you to meet with them?”
    Darcy had taken out the map from his pocket,
laying it out on the table before Artie. The young man
pointed to the map. “Here. We be meetin’ here.
Caspen has a shack near here.”
~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~
     
Chapter 4
    Elizabeth woke with a headache. The past days
had been a nightmare, especially the last twenty four
hours. The men who had abducted her and Lucy had
not harmed them, as she would have expected. She
overheard the men speaking in the room adjacent to
the one in which the ladies were housed, and learned
the reason that the men had not violated them.
According to the man who was apparently in charge,
women who are still maids could bring a higher price
when sold. She heard them speaking of ships which
sailed to Antigua and Brazil. The man in charge,
Caspen, from what Elizabeth overheard, spoke of
when they would arrive in Liverpool and where they
would stay while finding the best deal with the
captains of the ships. She knew they would need to
escape, and the best place to do so would be in
Liverpool. There would be enough people in the area
to cover the trail of two young ladies, and with fewer
men guarding them, as several of the men would be
attempting to find a way to sell them. Fewer guards,
easier to escape.
    Liverpool was known as a shipping port,
especially slave ships coming from Africa, bound for
the Americas. She had also heard tales of young
Caucasian ladies being deemed valuable in some
destinations. The chances of being sold to some ship’s
captain to sell in those destinations was a possibility
she did not wish to become a fact. Elizabeth had been
successful in keeping Lucy calm, but the young maid
began to lose hope of escaping the men, so she spent
most of the time sitting, with her knees pulled up to
her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs,
rocking back and forth while trembling.
    The man who was left to guard Elizabeth and Lucy
was nearly as nervous as the ladies. He had only
recently joined the group, having known Artie for a
couple years. The others were out of the shack, some
to find a ship’s captain willing to take the ladies, and
others to find food. Luck was on the side of the ladies,
and Elizabeth took her chances to free herself and the
young maid.
    Convincing the man that Lucy had become ill, and
was having some sort of seizure, the man entered the
room. As he stepped closer to Elizabeth’s side, she
turned, swinging the pitcher of water, striking him in
the head. He fell to the ground, unconscious.
Elizabeth took hold of Lucy’s arm and pulled her from
the room, rushing to escape the shack.
~~ ** ~~
    It had been nearly twenty four hours since they
escaped, and Elizabeth was attempting to find
assistance for Lucy and herself. They