learning your habits and your ways. When
you took up with stone vale, it all became
vastly easier. You began taking so many
risks, you see."
Yes." Greater risks than even Lucas had
imagined, Victoria thought. Who was it
who nearly ran me down that night outside
this tavern?"
That was Edgeworth. I told him I only
wanted you frightened, but I do believe the
fool saw his chance to get rid of stone vale
in the process. I was very angry with him
afterward."
And the footpad who attacked my
husband?"
Edgeworth hired him for me. Again, you
were supposed to be frightened, perhaps
nicked a bit with the knife, but that was
all. Something went wrong, however. You
did not follow your usual pattern that
night. stone vale went to fetch you from the
garden as usual, but you did not return to
the carriage with him. The dolt of a footpad
attacked him anyway, figuring he had to
earn his money somehow," Isabel said.
Victoria remembered that had been the
night when she had summoned Lucas to
the garden to tell him she wanted to begin
a love affair with him. She had not planned
to go adventuring that evening, so she had
not gone back to the carriage with him.
Why the haunting tactics, Isabel? Why
the business with the scarf and the snuffbox
and the pamphlet on reanimating the
dead?"
Isabel's eyes brightened noticeably. I got
the notion from you, of course. Don't you
appreciate the irony? I wanted you to be
scared out of your wits and to know
there was no one you could turn to.
After all, who would believe Whitlock
had come back from the grave to kill
you? My original plan was to terrify you
into believing you had lost your wits.
Everything would have been so simple if
you had gotten yourself committed to a
madhouse. Imagine yourself chained to a
wall to rot for the rest of your life. A sane
woman trapped in a world of madmen. It
would have been a most piquant ending.
And a safe one for me."
Victoria nodded. You would not have
had to risk your own neck by resorting to
murder."
Isabel paused, considering Victoria's
words. True. I do not like this business
of having to do one's own killing. However,
once you married stone vale and left Town
so abruptly, it all got very complicated.
There was always the chance that if you
confided in stone vale he might decide to
make an investigation. That was when I
began to agree with Edgeworth that you
both must die."
You still have not answered my first
question, Isabel. Where is my husband?"
Edgeworth is bringing him here so that
you both may die together in this room.
It will all be excessively tragic and very
romantic, I assure you. We should not
have much longer to wait."
Victoria smiled coolly. I fear you have
made a mistake in sending Edgeworth to
fetch my husband. stone vale will be here
soon, of that I have no doubt. But it is
my guess that Edgeworth will not survive
to accompany him."
Isabel walked over to the window, gazing
at the dingy alley that ran alongside the
Green Pig. I fear you have a great deal of
misplaced faith in your husband's abilities,
Victoria."
I have a great deal of faith in his
knowledge of strategy, madam."
From the dark confines of Edgeworth's
carriage, which was parked in a lane near
the Green Pig, Lucas watched Victoria
alight from the coach and go into the
gaming hell. His hand tightened into a
fist.
You have just sealed your own death,
Edgeworth. You should never have in
volved my wife in this business," he said
icily.
Your wife was involved before I was,"
Edgeworth said with a thin chuckle of
satisfaction. Her death is as important to
Isabel as yours is to me."
What is your plan?"
I suppose there is no harm in telling
you now. You are known for your ability to
plot tactics and strategy, stone vale, so you
should be able to perceive the cleverness
of my scheme."
Lucas did not take his eyes off the
front door of the Green Pig. He could
feel Edgeworth's tension filling the coach.
The man smelled of it. You are a coward
and a fool, Edgeworth. The combination
means that whatever you have planned is
bound to end in failure."
Edgeworth raised the pistol slightly, his
smile of satisfaction turning to a snarl.
You will see, stone vale. This time your
luck has finally run out. It is not only your
life you will lose tonight, but your precious
honor. Tomorrow morning all London will
be talking about how the Countess of
stone vale left Lady Atherton's reception
to carry out a secret rendezvous with an
unknown lover in the upstairs room of a
gaming hell. They will delight in saying
how you followed her and discovered her
in bed with another man."
Who is this other man?"
No one will ever know because he will
have mysteriously escaped while you were
busy killing your wife."
And my own death? How will it be
explained?"
Very easily. What else could a man in
your situation do except put a pistol to his
own head?"
Tell me, Edgeworth, was it you who
notified Lady Nettleship of Victoria's
whereabouts on a certain evening?"
Edgeworth smiled dryly. I followed her
from the ballroom that night, as usual.
When I realized you were taking her to
that inn in order to seduce her, I thought
I saw my chance to enjoy a most agreeable
vengeance against you. I was certain that
when you were discovered, your reputation
would be in shreds. I thought you would
be shunned by Society afterward and cast
out of the clubs. But you moved too
quickly and married the lady within hours.
And once Lady Nettleship and Jessica
Atherton made it clear they approved the
marriage, there was nothing to be done."
Edgeworth motioned with the weapon
in his hand. The movement was jerky,
betraying the man's anxiety. I think we've
given my associate enough time alone with
your wife. Isabel has the instincts of a
cat, you see. She wanted to toy with her
victim a few minutes before she delivered
the death blow."
Lucas started to step out of the carriage.
He stumbled in the process and grabbed
at the edge of the door, stifling a groan.
/> Damn you, stone vale." Edgeworth moved
back hurriedly, the pistol coming up sharply
as he made a grab for his own balance.
Sorry. My leg, of course. It has a habit
of giving way at inappropriate moments."
Shut up and get out of the carriage,"
Edgeworth said nervously.
Lucas obliged, moving cautiously. He
watched Edgeworth alight behind him.
There is a flight of stairs at the back.
We will use those," Edgeworth said. I
don't intend to have you try to escape in
the tavern, where there would be witnesses
if I was forced to shoot you."
Very farsighted of you." Lucas started
into the dark alley that led to the back
of the building that housed the Green
Pig. The shadows suited him well. All
that running around at odd hours with
Victoria had paid off, he thought wryly. He
had become quite accustomed to moving
about in the deepest part of the night.
He did not make his move until they
reached the stairs. Then, in obedience to
Edgeworth's command, he started up the
steps ahead of his captor.
Hurry," Edgeworth muttered, his voice
quavering and anxious now.
This must be exceedingly difficult for
you, Edgeworth. Your nerve was always
somewhat weak, was it not? I can just
imagine what a strain this must be on
you."
God damn you, stone vale. You will
soon pay for that, I swear it. Hurry."
Lucas waited until he was on the third
step before he deliberately let his bad leg
go out from under him again. He started
to reel backward, flailing wildly.
What in hell's name are you?" Edge
worth instinctively tried to get out of the
way, but the stairs were narrow and he
wound up having to grab at the shaky
railing as Lucas's full weight hit him. He
fought to get the pistol back in line to fire
but it was too late.
The struggle was brief. Both men rolled
together down the three steps. Lucas paid
attention only to the pistol in Edgeworth's
hand. Edgeworth's finger began to tighten
and Lucas used both hands to force the
man's arm across his body.
Edgeworth heaved frantically, just as the
pistol exploded. He cried out as the bullet
went into his own chest at point-blank
range.
Lucas felt the shock and the sudden,
terrible limpness that went through the
other man. He was vaguely aware of a
ringing in his ears caused by the noise of
the pistol. Then he felt the unmistakable
sensation of warm blood pumping over his
fingers.
God damn you to hell, Edgeworth." He
levered himself away from the dying man.
He did that a long time ago. The day
I turned and ran on the field of battle."
Edgeworth's eyes were already closing.
You never told anyone about that."
Each man must see to his own honor."
You and your bloody damn sense of
honor," Edgeworth said, his voice strained
and not much above a whisper.
Which room is my wife in, Edgeworth?
Do not go to your maker with murder
on your conscience along with everything
else."
Edgeworth coughed and choked on
blood. Find her yourself, stone vale." He
fell silent.
Lucas got to his feet, certain the man
was already unconscious. He dried his
hands on Edgeworth's coat and picked
up the pistol.
He had just turned to start back up
the steps when Edgeworth spoke one last
time.
Should have slit your throat that day
when I saw you lying on that goddamned
battlefield, stone vale. Should have killed
you when I had the chance. You have
haunted me ever since, like some damned
ghost. And now you have had your
vengeance."
Lucas said nothing. There was nothing
left to say. He bounded up the stairs as
fast as he could without jeopardizing his
balance.
At the top he found himself on a narrow
landing. There was a door at one end
which opened onto a dingy hallway. The
grunts and groans and laughter that came
from behind the closed doors told him
where he was.
He could start throwing open each
door as he came to it, but that would
cause alarm and give Isabel Rycott too
much time and warning. Lucas reluctantly
stepped back out onto the outside landing
and eyed the narrow ledge that ran
beneath the windows. It was a lucky
thing he had a head for heights, he
decided.
Victoria was still leaning against the
mantel when she caught the trace of
movement outside on the window ledge.
She knew immediately who was out there.
Relief soared through her. Lucas was here
and everything was going to be all right.
She redoubled her efforts to keep Isabel
talking and to make certain the other
woman's attention did not stray to the
window.
Tell me, Isabel, do you think you will
be able to give up the habit of going
about in men's clothing now that you have
discovered the freedom associated with it?
I vow, I will have a hard time resisting the
temptation. It is a marvelous sensation, is
it not? Think how much better off the
world would be if all women felt free to
wear breeches when it suited them."
Isabel shook the pistol menacingly.
Shut up, Victoria. You will not have
to worry about that particular temptation
after tonight."
Victoria smiled and used the toe of
her boot to poke a small stick back into
the fire. Edgeworth will let you down,
you know. Weak men may be useful on
occasion, but I fear they cannot be counted
upon in a crisis. I shall be the first to
admit there are difficulties in dealing with
a strong man, but I have learned that at
least one can depend upon them. Have you
ever met a man you could depend upon,
Isabel? I have come to the conclusion that
they are a rare and valuable commodity."
I told you to shut up, damn you.
Edgeworth will be here any minute and
then you will not be feeling so talkative,"
Isabel hissed.
Out of the corner of her eye, Victoria
saw a booted foot slide along the ledge.
She put down the sack of clothing and
absently fiddled with the cloak that was
still draped over her arm. The thing about
talking is that it will help to pass the time
until stone vale gets here."
Your husband is not going to rescue
you, Victoria. You might as well get that
notion out of your head."
Nonsense. Lucas is the most amazing
man, you know." She smiled very brilliantly
and in that second Lucas came through the
window in a shower of glass and shattered
wood.
No." Isabel Rycott screamed in fury and
swung her pistol toward the window.
But Victoria was already whipping the
cloak out in an arc that caused it to
settle over Isabel's head. Isabel screamed
again. There was a shriek from under the
cloak and then the pistol skittered along
the wooden floor.
Lucas looked at Victoria as he straightened
and brushed off his clothes. Are you
all right?" he asked quite calmly.
Amazing." Victoria ran into his arms.
I knew you would get here. Where is
Edgeworth?"
In the alley. Dead."
Victoria swallowed. Somehow that does
not surprise me. What will we do with
Lady Rycott?"
A good question." Lucas released her
and picked up Isabel's pistol. Then he
yanked the cloak off his victim, who glared
at him with her glittering, gemlike eyes.
We don't have a great deal of time to
make the decision. We must get back to
the ball before we are missed. I suppose
the easiest thing to do is simply kill Lady
Rycott here and now. The proprietor of
the Green Pig is already fated to discover
one body in the morning. He might as well
discover two."
Victoria was horrified. Lucas, wait. You
cannot simply shoot her dead."
I told you, we cannot afford any time
to think about alternatives. We must be
gone from here as quickly as possible."
Isabel stared at him, her eyes full of
fear. You cannot just shoot me in cold
blood."
I fail to see why not. The proprietor
will no doubt see to it that both your
body and Edgeworth's are removed from
his premises and dumped into the river.
There will be no questions asked."
No," Isabel choked on a scream. You
cannot do such a thing."
Lucas, she's right," Victoria said.
You care what happens to her?" Lucas
asked.
Of course not. But I cannot allow you
to shoot her down like this. Not only will
it go against your sense of honor, but I
do not want you to have to endure yet
another act of violence. You have had far
too much of killing in your life as it is."
You are, as usual, much too softhearted,
my dear. I assure you my honor is not
offended by the thought of killing the
woman who was going to kill you, and
one more death on my conscience will
not make much difference."
It will to me," Victoria said quietly. I
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