Chapter 78: DERAGAN - Twins Retrieve the Carriage

Road to Rosewynn Manor, Grier Country

DERAGAN

Deragan followed quietly behind Nora’s twin brothers.

“She’s upset. Quit being a louse.” For the third time this morning William slapped Marcus up the back of his head.

“Quit doing that! You know I hate that.”

“And?” William’s shoes crunched over the graveled drive as he passed his twin who was slowed beneath lugging a heavy wooden carriage wheel.

“I still don’t see why we have to be the ones to go get it out of the ditch. Nore put it there.” He defended grumpily.

“You’re just upset I roused you afore noon.”

“You woke me at the crack of dawn merely for the pleasure of pissing me off.” Marcus grumbled. Confirming his brother’s assertion.

“You prattle like a woman. Now cease your blathering. I’m weary of your voice.” William massaged the bridge of his nose.

“I’m always tired of your voice...and your maternal lectures. But that’s never stopped you!”

William punched Marcus in the gut. “Maybe if you weren’t such a lady you wouldn’t need my lectures.”

Air whooshed out of Marcus as he doubled over. The carriage wheel slipping from his arm to fall into the leaves.

“Quit behaving like a miss. You’re slowing us down.”

Huffing heavily and fighting for air, Marcus managed to catch up to him. “Hey! Hey!”

Vengeance on mind, no doubt. Deragan recognized it in his posturing.

I’ve seen it in my own brethren enough to know.

William finally turned around to snap. “What?”

Marcus struck him in the jaw. And watched, gratified, as his brother’s legs crumpled, and he landed in the dirt.

As I thought. Deragan grunted to himself. Careful to stay out of view of the younger men.

Staring at his unconscious brother with his head cocked. “This,” Marcus laughed. “Never gets old.” After savoring the moment, he knelt next to William. Lifting his twin’s arm, he dropped it over William’s face watching as it cracked limply against William’s cheek. Finally shoving William’s shoulder did the trick.

Brown eyes blinked up at Marcus blearily.

Even I know he’ll not wake up well.

“Get up, Miss. You’re slowing us down.” Marcus taunted. Grunting as he was uppercut in the jaw. Knocking him backward.

William pursued his fall in a tackle. “I’m going to-”

Marcus shielded his face with his forearms waving them wildly to keep William from hitting him. “You said we needed to get the carriage out for Nore!” He shouted desperately. Voice turning accusing. “You’re wasting time.”

William’s eyes narrowed. “Quit being a jackanape and let’s get the carriage.”

Something reasonable finally. Deragan was losing patience with them. Wanting to intervene and get them moving.

Get her the carriage so she stops stressing. His only intent on following them was to ensure their safety. He knew they were close because he could smell the nearness of the horses.

“Way to be a grown up.” Marcus mocked brushing off his pants and hefting the wheel back over his shoulder again.

William shot him a dirty look. Still arguing, they rounded a curve in the road. William came to an abrupt stop.

Marcus bumped into his back and began swearing.

Both went silent as they took in the damage to the vehicle. Only the back of the carriage was visible on the shoulder of the road.

“You sure she’s okay?” Marcus tossed his brother a quick look, brow furrowed.

He hadn’t expected to find the carriage in such a state.

“She said she was.” William sounded unsure.

“Believe her?”

“Not sure now.”

“How’d she manage to walk away from that?” Marcus asked through the door. As William inspected the far side of the Bishop carriage.

Me. And Sebastian.

William shrugged as he leaned over the crooked back end to eye the broken wheel. “Over here.”

Marcus rolled it to him. Peering down the bank and seeing Traps and his brother, Hammish shuffling restlessly. Their leads snapped but they were okay other than that.

William worked the wheel loose with tools from the carriage’s storage box.

Marcus clambered down the bank and got ahold of Traps and Hammish. Retying the leads by knotting the bits of leather until they were once again hooked together.

“How we going to get it out?” Marcus eyed the ditch where the carriage rested at a steep angle.

“I don’t know.” William eased kicked the wheel to ensure it was on steady. He eyed the front and back of the carriage. “Bring the horses up we’ll hook them around back.

Marcus complied, and William took the rein. “Okay. Go around front and push.”

“Nice try bastard. Get back here with me.” Marcus scoffed. Meeting his twin’s dark glower.

When William registered his brother wouldn’t be relenting on this, he went around front to help.

Marcus whistled to get the horses pulling.

Grunting together, they pushed the carriage. Feet sliding.

Deragan slipped around the trees and stayed in line with the carriage, to keep from their view. Reaching under the back of the carriage he found hold on the underside and yanked. Sending the carriage lurching up onto level ground. Wheels grinding over rocks.

Marcus slumped to the hill huffing. While he caught his breath, his twin reconnected the horses to the carriage.

He climbed up on the precarious driver’s seat. Sighing in relief when it didn’t collapse under him. “Get up and quit wasting time.”

Lifting his head, Marcus groaned. Dragging his feet, he managed to get to the vehicle. Clambering up to the driver’s seat.

They aimed the Bishop carriage toward the mansion.

William stared ahead, annoyed. Working his lower jaw, he tried to ease its tightening beneath the blooming bruise.