Free Mandy by Claudy Conn

even prepared to maintain the legend of ghosts, demons and goblins should anyone stray near.
    This would be their base, but Mandy knew, their only hope was to find Elly Bonner and the diary as quickly as they could. That was their only hope.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Five
     
    THE DUKE’S THOUGHTS moved from shock into sudden clarity. He could not believe such nefarious activities had been perpetrated in the wilds of Yorkshire. That his young ward, a Lord of the Realm had been accused of a murder, the viscount assured him, the lad had been incapable of committing struck him as warranting secretive investigation. Just as he had made up his mind to use his position as Duke of Margate to get the boy out of his cell, the viscount further astounded him by telling him that his ward, aided by his sister had broken out of prison.
    He was moved to ejaculate, “Bloody hell! Why the devil didn’t you use your influence to get him home until his hearing?”
    “I tried. Magistrate Connors was adamant that we appear above board before the judge arrived.”
    “Aboveboard? What absurdity is this? The evidence they have is all hearsay and conjecture. Aboveboard indeed,” the duke snapped back at his friend.
    “Look, I told Mandy you would come as soon as you got my letter. I tried to make her understand that if anyone could see us out of this mess, you could, but she wouldn’t listen to me. I suppose she felt that nothing would move you to come since you had not all year. Then when Agatha stepped forward this morning and nailed poor Ned in his coffin. Well, I suppose she thought she had no choice,” Skip explained shaking his head.
    “Why did she not take you into her confidence? If I understand you correctly, she came to you first…”
    “Indeed, she did. Then I let their uncle take Ned off, sure that as his uncle he would at the very least make certain Ned returned home to await a hearing.” His shoulders slumped. “I don’t think Mandy trusts my judgment any longer…” He sighed. “You have to understand, Ned is more than a brother to her. He is her twin and they have been close, so very close all their lives.” He smiled suddenly and added, “Mandy is, well, indomitable and brave, steady and loyal, as is Ned. She will stand strong against any force out to hurt him.” He eyed the duke. “Make no mistake; I believe the real killer has gone to some lengths to cast suspicion on Ned.”
     “Yes, I agree, but this last escapade of hers,” the duke shook his head. “Indomitable and brave she might be, but also, foolhardy. Skip, don’t you see—she has behaved worse than a hoyden. She has taken criminal action, will only serve to make him appear guiltier than ever. Why take this course of action, why not wait for me to arrive and help?”
    “They had no confidence that you would arrive and I suppose they felt they needed the freedom to search for Elly Bonner and the diary. Mandy is not the sort to allow others to take control when she thinks they are not doing what they should. She was adamant that she could not leave Ned in that cell. I should have made more of a push to get him out.” The viscount sighed heavily. “She told me she did not believe the hearing would go well and refused to accept that he might be held over for trial. Even so, I did not think she would break him out.” on these last words Skip grinned.
    The duke eyed him from a frown, “Why you should smile over the fact, is quite beyond my understanding.” He bit and chewed at his bottom lip, “Damnation, we have a situation here.”
    “The thing is Brock, you have to understand it all to get to the bottom of it,” Skip frowned at his friend. “They had no reason to believe that you would, indeed, come here and help them and I do believe whoever killed Celia, means for Ned to hang for this. I agree with Mandy and