She could have screamed, but she doubted anyone in the surrounding houses would hear or come to investigate even if they did. People in neighborhoods like this minded their business. Besides, one of the thugs would probably have hit her, and she didn’t want to be injured when she saw Thornton. She’d need all her faculties if she hoped to survive.
The front door opened before they reached it, and Thornton stood there, watching with his piglike eyes. The advice she’d given Anna back at the workhouse echoed in her head. Don’t let them see your fear. She couldn’t quite manage a smile, but at least she was sure she didn’t look as terrified as she felt.
“Good evening, Miss Perkins, or should I call you Miss Miles?” he said, stepping back so the thugs could push her into the house. One of them closed the door behind them.
“You may call me either one,” she said.
Thornton wasn’t amused. “Which one is your real name?”
“Perkins, of course. I gave a false name when I was arrested so you wouldn’t be able to find me.”
“That was very clever, Miss Perkins. In fact, it was too clever for the innocent young woman you were pretending to be when I met you and your brother on the train.”
“And yet that’s exactly what I am.”
He slapped her then. He just wanted to frighten her. And it worked. She clapped a hand to her burning cheek as every thought in her head jangled in protest. For a full minute the pain literally blinded her.
“Take her in there,” Thornton said, and the thugs grabbed her arms and dragged her into the parlor, where a straight wooden chair had been placed in the middle of the floor. They forced her down onto it.
By then her jangled thoughts were settling and her vision had cleared. The stinging pain in her face would at least keep her alert. “What do you want with me?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet? I want my money back.”
“But I don’t have your money. You lost it on those stocks.”
“No, your brother lost it, or at least he said he did. He said he bought the shares when Coleman had told him to sell, but do you know what? After you and your brother disappeared, I went back to the brokerage. They told me he never bought any stock at all that day.”
Elizabeth gritted her teeth to hold back the curses she wanted to heap on Jake’s head. That’s what happened when you played it against the wall. If they’d had a setup with a fake brokerage, Thornton would have found an empty office when he returned. Instead they’d only pretended to buy and sell stock at a real brokerage. “If he didn’t buy stock, what happened to the money, then?”
“Oh, Miss Perkins, you lie so prettily,” Thornton said. “Don’t you think so, boys?” The boys nodded, their ugly faces grinning stupidly. “You know perfectly well what happened to the money. He kept it. He kept it all, my fifty thousand and Coleman’s ten. Maybe he even kept yours, too, for all I know.” At least he hadn’t realized Coleman was in on it.
“If he kept it, then you should’ve found it on him when you beat him up.”
“That’s what we thought, too, but since we didn’t, I figured you must have it.”
“Me? How would I have it?”
“I’m sure he figured out some way to get it to you, and now I want it back.”
“But I don’t have any money at all. And even if I had it then, what would I have done with it? I went right from the hotel to the White House, where I got arrested. Your boys here saw it themselves. Then I went to the workhouse. If I had fifty thousand dollars—”
“Sixty.”
“Sixty thousand dollars, what would I have done with it while I was in jail?”
“She’s right, boss,” the one named Fletch said. “They never would’ve let her keep that much cash.”
“Shut up,” Thornton said.
“So if I don’t have it and Jake didn’t have it, he must have lost it buying the stock, like he said. I don’t know what else could’ve happened to it, and Jake is stupid like that.”
“Where is Jake now?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been in prison, remember? I hope he’s at home, but I didn’t have any money to get home to find out. That’s why I’ve been staying with Anna Vanderslice. Maybe you’d lend me train fare, and if I find him, I’ll let you know.”
For a second Thornton looked like he wanted to tear her head right off, and she knew real fear. Then he smiled, and her blood practically froze in her veins. “I’m going to let Lester here hit you a few times, and when he’s finished, I’m going to ask you again where my money is. If you don’t tell me, Lester and Fletcher are going to tear your clothes off and each of us will take a turn with you. After that, I imagine you’ll do anything I ask, but if not, we’ll dump you naked in the gutter in front of some brothel and you’ll have to beg them to let you in.”
Elizabeth was quaking now, but even if she did tell him, he wouldn’t like the answer, and as soon as she did, he’d still do all those things and probably kill her in the bargain.
Thornton stepped back and Lester stepped forward. He’d taken off his coat. Fletcher wrapped an arm around her neck to hold her in place and Lester drew back his fist.
“Wait!” she cried. “If you hurt me, David Vanderslice will never help you sell those rifles to the army!”
CHAPTER TEN
Thornton grabbed Lester’s arm. “What did you say?”
“I said you’ll never sell your Ross rifles to the army if you hurt me.”
“What do you know about that?”
“I know everything. I know you need David Vanderslice to help you sell them, and I also know David promised Gideon Bates not to help you.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I heard them talking on the train yesterday. David is going to string you along, but he’s really going to make sure the army never buys anything at all from you ever. That’s what he promised Bates, and that’s what he’ll do unless I help you.” This was a bit of a stretch, but he had to think she was his only hope.
Thornton smiled again, but he didn’t look a bit happy. “And how can you possibly help me?”
“I can convince David to change his mind.”
“Why would David listen to you?”
“Because we’re engaged. We’re going to be married, and he’ll do anything I ask him.”
“Married!” Thornton scoffed. “You’ve only known him a few days.”
“I only knew you a few days, and you would’ve married me.”
“Not married you.”
“You would’ve done it if you had to.” She was right, and the truth of it was on his face. “David thinks he has to, so we’re engaged.”
“You’re a clever little minx, aren’t you?” His tone told her it wasn’t a compliment, so she didn’t respond. For a long moment, no one moved. Then Thornton said, “Let her go.”
Fletch reluctantly removed his arm from her neck, and she drew an unsteady breath.
“How do I know I can trust you?” Thornton asked.
“Because I know what you’ll do to me if I don’t help you. The question is, what will you do if I’m successful and you sell your precious rifles?”
“Don’t tell me you want a commission.”
That almost made her smile. “I’m not stupid. All I want is for you to leave me alone. I don’t have your money, and I don’t know what happened to it, so the best I can do is help you make some more by selling the rifles.”
“What about your brother? If he really is your brother.”
“He can take care of himself, and if he really did steal your money and didn’t share it with me, then I hope you do find him.” Except he’d never find Jake now. The Old Man would keep him safe.
“Well, then.”
Did she dare hope that she’d convinced him? “Well, then what?”
“How are you going to c
onvince Vanderslice to help me?”
“By using my feminine wiles, of course, and reminding him that we owe you a tremendous debt for finding the deputy to serve the warrant on Warden Whittaker. He thinks I’ve never even met you, so I won’t understand why he’d refuse to help someone who rescued me from prison.”
“You really are clever.” He obviously hated her for it, too.
“And in return, you forget we ever met.”
“I don’t think I will ever forget you, Miss Perkins, but I’ll be happy never to see you again.”
At least they agreed on something. “Then we have a deal?”
“Yes, but don’t think for a minute you can trick me again. If you even try, you know what I’ll do.”
“Throw me down the stairs?” she said before she could think better of it.
But he only raised his eyebrows at her. “You’ve been listening to gossip.”
“Isn’t that the way you killed your wife?”
This time his smile made her skin crawl. “No, it isn’t. I choked the life out of her after I’d beaten her nearly to death. I enjoyed it, too, Miss Perkins, and she hadn’t even done a thing to deserve it.”
And, of course, Elizabeth had. His message was plain. She swallowed the terror clogging her throat and wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shaking. “I need to get back to the Vanderslice house before they miss me.”
“And how do I know you won’t just hop on a train and disappear?”
“Because I give you my word.”
He actually laughed at that, an odd bark that made the hair stand up on the back of her neck. “And because my boys will be watching you, so don’t get any ideas.”
“Yeah,” Fletch said. “We followed you today, didn’t we? Even though you tried to lose us.”
She didn’t bother to reply. “Fine. You’ll know I’m keeping my end of the bargain when David contacts you. I’m ready to leave now. Where’s my purse?” she asked, suddenly realizing she’d lost track of it during the ordeal of the taxicab ride. If they’d left it in the taxi . . .
Neither of the goons replied, and Thornton frowned. “Which one of you has it?”
Fletch reluctantly pulled the small drawstring bag she’d been carrying out of his pocket. She reached for it, but Thornton snatched it away. To her dismay, he pulled it open.
“What’s this?” he demanded, snatching out the wad of bills. “I thought you didn’t have any money.”
“I didn’t until today. I went to see an old family friend and borrowed it.”
“What family friend is that?”
She sighed as if put upon. “Dan Kelly, also known as Dan the Dude.”
“That’s the fellow who owns the saloon where she went this afternoon,” Lester said. “He claimed he’d never heard of her when we asked him, though, and then he threw us out.”
Of course he did. Dan wouldn’t give Thornton or his goons the time of day, so they’d never know if she was telling the truth or not.
“Your family has interesting friends,” Thornton said, stuffing the money into his own pocket.
“What are you doing? That’s mine!” she cried.
“And if I let you keep it, you could very easily leave the city. You’re more reliable when you’re penniless, Miss Perkins.” He dropped the empty purse into her lap. “Take her back to the Vanderslice house and make sure she stays there,” he told his goons.
“David wants to take me around to see the sights,” she said.
He gave her a murderous glare, but he said, “Just make sure she doesn’t leave the city.”
• • •
“I couldn’t fall asleep, so I thought I’d just go for a little walk,” Elizabeth explained to David and Anna. “I wanted to send my aunt a telegram to tell her where I am, but then I couldn’t find my way back. I was hopelessly lost, and everyone here is so unfriendly, I was afraid to ask for help.”
“You poor thing,” Anna said, taking both her hands. They were sitting in the parlor where Anna had taken her after she arrived back on the front doorstep, disheveled and unnerved from her encounter with Thornton.
“You should never have gone out alone,” David said.
“I know that now,” Elizabeth said, not even having to force the tears that flooded her eyes. “Back home, I walked out alone all the time.”
“You’re not at home now,” David said, “and New York can be a dangerous place for a female alone.”
How well she knew. “I’ve learned my lesson, and I’m so sorry I worried you.”
“I was terrified when I woke up from my nap and you weren’t here,” Anna said. “You should have at least told one of the servants where you were going. We didn’t have the slightest idea even where to look for you.”
“I think Miss Miles has been chastened enough, Anna,” David said. “I blame myself. I should have stayed at home so I’d be available. If I had, I could have sent your telegram for you.”
“I’d hate to take you away from your work, Mr. Vanderslice, but I certainly would have appreciated your help today.” Elizabeth gave him her best smile and wondered if she could really get him to propose to her in the next day or two. He already seemed smitten, but that was still a long way from a marriage proposal.
“It’s settled then. I promised to show you the city, and that’s what I’ll do.”
“And I’ll go with you,” Anna said a little petulantly. “We have to make you fall in love with New York so you’ll stay here forever.”
David smiled. “Yes, forever.”
Maybe a marriage proposal wasn’t entirely impossible.
At supper, Mrs. Vanderslice said, “I’ve invited Hazel and Gideon Bates for dinner on Thanksgiving. I felt we all had much for which to be thankful this year, so we should celebrate together.”
“Oh my, I’d forgotten all about Thanksgiving,” Anna said. “I guess I lost track of the time when we were in prison.”
Elizabeth hadn’t given it a thought, either. In her world, holidays weren’t very important. She refused to analyze too closely why her heart had lurched a bit at the thought of seeing the Bates mother and son, though. She’d missed Mrs. Bates, but Gideon could only cause trouble. He’d probably remind David of his promise not to do business with Thornton, and he’d also try to flirt with her. She’d have to make sure to be engaged by Thursday to put an end to Gideon’s interest in her. She managed not to groan out loud.
“What do you think, Elizabeth?” Anna asked.
“I’m sorry. I was woolgathering.”
“David suggested we go to the Museum of Natural History tomorrow.”
“That sounds lovely.” It really sounded awful, but Elizabeth needed to spend some time with David. Having Anna along would be a distraction, but she couldn’t break the poor girl’s heart by saying she didn’t want her to come. In truth, she was better company than David.
“You’ll have to be careful, girls,” Mrs. Vanderslice said. “You don’t want to exert yourselves. Remember what the doctor said.”
“Don’t worry, Mother. We’ll be home in time for our naps,” Anna said. “And this time, I’m sure Elizabeth will take hers.”
Elizabeth wasn’t so sure. She had a lot to do before Thursday.
• • •
Were there really hundreds of different types of birds in the world? Until today, Elizabeth had had no idea. And who in heaven’s name would take the trouble to catch, kill, stuff, mount and label every single one of them? And put them in a museum? It was almost as big a mystery as why anyone in their right mind would make a trip to a museum to see them all.
And yet, here she was, strolling down the long aisle to marvel over each and every bird as David read the descriptions aloud to them. How long could she endure this before she started screaming?
Anna had linked arms with her the moment the tax
icab had dropped them at the museum’s front steps, so David hadn’t been able to offer his arm to her. Instead he trailed behind them and managed to move to Elizabeth’s side as often as possible. He really was a handsome man, so she had no trouble at all gazing at him adoringly. If she hadn’t sensed Anna’s disapproval, she would have actually enjoyed the flirtation. Instead, she had to keep a careful balance of holding David’s attention while not encouraging Anna’s ire. Why would Anna disapprove, though? If Anna wanted her to stay in New York, Elizabeth’s marrying David would guarantee it. Maybe Anna was afraid Elizabeth was just leading David on, and since that was the truth, Elizabeth couldn’t fault her. In fact, she admired Anna for wanting to protect her brother’s tender feelings. But when it came down to Elizabeth’s life or David’s feelings, Elizabeth had her priorities.
Deciding she should pay more attention to Anna, Elizabeth turned to say something about the current bird, which had unusually beautiful plumage, but the words died in her throat when she saw Anna’s face.
“Are you all right?”
Anna smiled, or tried to, but her face was gray. “I think I’d like to sit down for a minute.”
“Mr. Vanderslice,” Elizabeth said, but he’d already taken Anna’s other arm.
“You should’ve said you were tired,” he scolded his sister as the two of them supported her over to the nearest bench.
Elizabeth had wondered why they had benches here. Who would want to sit and stare at a bunch of dead birds? But maybe people were regularly overcome by boredom here and needed to rest.
“I’ll be all right in a minute,” Anna assured them, but plainly she would not be.
“You never should have come,” David scolded. “You aren’t strong enough yet.”
“I think Anna has been chastened enough,” Elizabeth said, echoing David’s words from yesterday and making both brother and sister smile. “But I also think we need to get you home, Anna.”
“I hate to spoil your outing,” she said.
City of Lies Page 17