Just something I wrote up in the past two hours I hope a few of you like it.
Sitting on in the baggage car of a train. A young woman sits her hands tightly wound in harsh cord rope burning her wrists. Below the skirts of Blue Muslin dress her white stocking feet. are bound by the ankle with similar harsh rope.
Her long Golden hair was pinned in place with a small sun hat with two little feathers on the edge with a blue and white band across the middle.
Any cry would be silenced by the cloth held over her mouth. Holding a wad of dry fabric in her mouth. She did not fight or squirm or struggle. It would very unladylike. However, her situation was definitely one a lady did not expect or even hope to find herself.
Lady Elizabeth Beckinhall. Daughter to the Duke of Cambridge. Was taken from her father's townhouse. No less than a week ago by four quick and precise men of action and greed. She did not truly know what her fate was set to be.
Expecting this to be a matter of extortion or perhaps blackmail. Elizabeth’s father George Beckinhall was a large influence in the house of Lords who preside over Parliament.
Looking around she could see her four guards all seemed disciplined in their task. Armed with bolt action rifles they appeared more like Military professionals compared the small handguns and blunt weapons often used by criminals. Or so Elizabeth imagined. Perhaps criminals were getting better equipped. She mused.
The train came to a screeching halt. Offsetting all the cargo that surrounded her. Elizabeth looks up then down rolling her gaze around. She felt her chair tip backward screaming into the gag she wound up falling on her shoulder. Now she did start wiggling. Her dress and bloomers were now exposing her hosed legs and her undergarments she did not wish for these men to see her like this. Any man for that instance.
“What the bloody hell is going on the man at the back of the train come out snarling a rifle in his hands.
“Some wagon stopped on the tracks calm yerself folk is likely going to move it and we are on our way calm yourself” the leader spoke looking down on Elizabeth his gaze was concentrated but cold. Kneeling down he pulls her off the chair and up onto a stack of luggage which had been strapped down.
“Make no sound receive no hurts understand?” the woman gave a faint nod. Before the man leans down picking up a chair and sits on it. Resting the rifle next to him he draws his pipe from his pocket. Adding tobacco and striking a match he began to puff. Smelling the overpowering odor of tobacco smoke Elizabeth wheezed a little. She always hated the smell of cigarette smoke.
“Boss got a problem robbers” the man looks up from his smoking pipe. Drawing his revolver he looks out the door. Elizabeth tries to peer through the glass of the baggage car door but it was no use.
“Six to eight from what I can tell most of them armed with shotguns” the one man spoke and the leader nods. Taking charge he ordered the man who was guarding the rear to move forward. His plan the four of them would hold a line at the end of the last passenger car. Expecting enough gunshots to scare the thieves away. The leader slid his revolver into his holster before activating the bolt to his rifle.
Elizabeth looks from them to the back door she could maybe make it off the train while they were busy with the thieves. Standing up she turns around and began to hop. The trains uneven car floor made it difficult to navigate. She longed to cling to a shelf for balance and support but it slowed her process greatly.
After four hops she was halfway to the door leading out the back she had fallen chest first into the floor. Rolling backward she could see the four men had not paid any attention to her movements. But soon the sounds of gunfire began to erupt. It started with four or five direct thuds of gun smoke as the bolt action rifles pop.
A strange sound caught Elizabeth's attention as three of the four men had ducked down adding bullets to their rifles individually sliding the bullets into place. Cocking their rifles.
“Yeehaw”
Quick rapid volleys discharge like a storm of lead flying high above Elizabeth's body her eyes wide as she watches the lead striking wood creating splinters. Rolling so her back was to the rain of splintering wood. She could hear her captors curses and bitter words as the gunfire continued.
Inching herself forward Elizabeth thought she could at least inch her way through the door. Before a heavyweight pressed the skirt of her dress. Turning quickly she could see the leader now armed with only his revolver firing three quick successions before a large blast struck him in the chest. Knocking him right next to Elizabeth.
“Amphf” screaming into her gag Elizabeth struggles to clear the body before two heavy footfalls land inches from her delicate little feet. Looking up a man wearing a rough waistcoat and dark trenchcoat and Stetson shakes his head.
“That's how ye do it in Kentucky lads” his southern drawl surprised Elizabeth she had not heard such a thick accent save from a Frenchman perhaps. Looking to him she was surprised to find a shotgun in his hands. Expecting him to be using six guns or that is what the comics always claim.
“What do we have here, some poor girl” kneeling beside her the man sits Elizabeth forward.
“Y’know she is the daughter of a Duke she is been kidnapped a week or so” one of the Americans compatriots spoke looking back.
“Dukes daughter huh, well best we get’er back to her pa” the man spoke drawing the most intimidating knife Elizabeth had ever seen from his belt.
“But we can’t we are outlaws fifty quid for my head another thirty for young Davey”
“Fine you two keep on the robbery I will handle the girl”
“Where do we meet ya?” the cowboy cut the binds from Elizabeth’s ankles then moving backward she could hear him mouth a word but not understand it fully she looks back on him as the man cut the rope binding her wrists.
“Now Miss you may call this a rescue or an accidental recovery just remember, I am generally against hurtin women but if it comes to my life and your life I will let you go first to understand” the gag left in her mouth Elizabeth simply nods before the man places his hands under her arms and stands her up.
“Come on lady lets go” taking her hand he walks her out the back of the caboose and jumps down. Helping Elizabeth down the two run into a thicket where horses had been tethered close by.
“Now let's take that off I expect no back talk or rudeness, treat me nice I treat you fair” the cowboy spoke removing her gag. She spits the wad of fabric out with all she could manage coughing harshly.
“Water?” she asks and the man drew a canteen from his saddle
“here drink up” handing it to her the man mounts the high horse before lowering to wrap his arms around her waist hoisting her onto his lap.
“What is your name madame?” the man spoke turning horse and getting to a walk.
“Elizabeth Beckinhall” the man nods giving the horse from a walk to a trot.
“And your name sir?”
“You may call me Abel”
“Abel not a very cowboy name?” Elizabeth smiles looking back on him he shrugs “don’t matter once we hit the city I need you to direct me I have no idea where anything in London is”
“Very well, if you deliver me safely I shall speak to my father about getting you a just reward”
“You would reward a robber?”
“Well you did just save me, Lord, know what those other men were intending to do to me” Abel just gave a nod kicking the horse to a canter. Riding from the outskirts of London to the higher class region. Elizabeth felt safe with this cowboy. Navigating the horse like he was rowing a boat down the river.
“Here is the house” pulling up the footman steps forward accepting the reins of Abel’s horse.
The two walk into the house. Where Elizabeth was welcomed with joy and tear-filled hugs and kisses from her brother and two little sisters. Before her father, an older man steps forward.
“My stars darling we were so worried are you hurt?”
“My wrists took some damage but nothing too terrible Father, this is the man who saved me” stepping back Elizabeth pulls Abel from the dark corner he was hiding in. To face her father's joy-filled smile.
“I owe you a debt of gratitude sir, please join us for dinner tonight?” Abel looks from Elizabeth to her father.
“That is overly kind but I am afraid I will be late to meet my associates, I was hoping I could receive may be a small payment” his words came calmly delivered but not as a forceful cowboy Elizabeth met on the train this voice spoke in a decent but uncertain tone.
“Of course, Peter take your sister into the next room see to it the maids see to her” the man takes Elizabeth by her arm and pulls her away.
“Five hundred Quid should be a sufficient amount” Abel's eyebrows raise showing pure surprise as the old man sets the money in his rough calloused hand.
“That will be more than enough thank you... thank you kindly, sir, have a good afternoon sir” tipping his hat the old man smiles.
“Take care son” Abel walks out the door minding his cheek-filled grin until after the doorman closed the portal behind him. Ascending his horse Abel grins turning his horse. Leaving the area even richer than he and his companions imagined they would be.
Maybe once in a while, it paid to be a nice guy.
