Amanda Quick - Mischief.txt

by Mischief (lit)

  suppose, given her unhappy marriage, that is not so surprising.

  And I do not blame her for seeking her happiness elsewhere.

  Truly, I do not. But, oh, Matthias, why did she use me? I thought

  she was my friend."

  He felt his gut clench. He had known it would be something like

  this." Lucy used you?"

  That was why she invited me to visit her three years ago."

  Imogen dabbed at her eyes with a hankie." Indeed, that was the

  only reason she wanted me here in London. She hoped to prevent

  Vanneck from learning of the affair, you see. She was afraid that

  he would cut off her funds. Perhaps send her to rusticate in the

  country. He was furious with her already because she had not

  given him an heir."

  Matthias walked slowly toward Imogen." I see."

  Lucy writes that she could not abide Vanneck's touch. She

  married him for his title and his money." Imogen shook her head

  as though she could not fully comprehend what she had learned.

  She is quite forthright about it all."

  Matthias stopped in front of Imogen. He said nothing.

  She thought that if I were her constant companion here in

  Town, Vanneck would assume that I was the object of her lover's

  affections."

  Matthias put the pieces of the small puzzle together in his mind.

  Alastair Drake."

  What?" Imogen slanted a sidelong glance at him as she blew

  her nose." Oh, yes. It was Alastair, of course. He was her paramour.

  She seems to have loved him with a great passion. She writes that

  she intended to run off with him, but until the time came to do so,

  she wanted to be able to be in his company as much as possible."

  And you made it possible for her to be in Drake's company

  without arousing Vanneck's suspicions."

  Yes." Imogen dried her eyes with the edge of her hand." Alastair

  conspired with her to make it appear that I was the lady who had

  captured his affection. Vanneck and everyone else, induding me,

  believed him. He certainly gave a . a convincing performance.

  For a while I even considered . Well, that does not matter now."

  I'm sorry that you had to learn the truth in this manner."

  Do not blame yourself, Matthias. You could not have known

  what I would discover in Lucy's journal." She gave him a small, sad

  smile." I have been obliged to conclude that you were right. It

  seems I am rather naive in some respects. And gullible."

  Imogen

  It is astonishing, when I think about it. All that time that I spent

  in Alastair's company and I never once sensed that he was in love

  with Lucy. I never guessed that he was using me to meet with her

  openly as well as secretly. No wonder she was in such fine spirits

  whenever the three of us went about together."

  I'm sorry," Matthias whispered. He could think of nothing else

  to say. He reached down to haul her gently up out of the chair.

  Matthias, how could I have been so foolish?" Imogen leaned

  her head against his chest." She wrote such unkind things about

  me. She mocked me. It is as though I never knew Lucy at all."

  Matthias had no words with which to comfort Imogen or

  himself. He folded her close and gazed out into the night.

  He wondered if he really did possess weak nerves. Then again,

  perhaps the savage sense of despair that had turned his insides to

  ice was the price one paid for trampling on the fragile flower of

  innocence.

  Chapter 16

  Two days later Imogen paced Horatia's small parlor, a teacup in

  her hand." I still cannot bring myself to believe that I was so

  entirely mistaken in my judgment of her."

  I know you do not wish to think ill of Lucy." Horatia, seated on

  the sofa, watched Imogen with deeply troubled eyes." You imagined her to be a friend, and it is your nature to be fiercely loyal to

  those you care for."

  She was my friend. I did not imagine it." Imogen paused in

  front of the window and gazed out into the street." She was kind

  to me when we were neighbors in Upper Stickleford."

  You were kind to her. You were forever inviting her to stay the

  night."

  She gave me her gowns."

  Only after they had gone out of fashion," Horatia muttered.

  Fashion was not important in Upper Stickleford."

  It was to Lucy."

  Imogen ignored the comment." She often came to visit and

  share a cup of tea with me after my parents died."

  She visited you because she was constantly on the verge of

  expiring from boredom. Life in the country was not to her taste."

  We talked of ancient Zamar."

  You talked," Horatia said deliberately." I fear Lucy only

  pretended to take an interest in Zamar."

  Imogen whirled around so quickly that her teacup clattered in

  its saucer." Why do you say that?"

  Horatia heaved a small sigh." I will admit that I did not know

  your friend Lucy well, but what I did learn of her character was

  not inspiring."

  Gossip," Imogen insisted." Nothing but gossip."

  I am sorry, my dear, but all indications were that she was self

  ish, willful, reckless, and possessed of a strange, unpredictable

  temperament."

  She was desperate to escape her uncle's house. George

  Haconby was a most unpleasant man. My parents never cared for

  him."

  I know," Horatia admitted.

  Imogen remembered Lucy's eyes the first night she had come

  to the door and asked to spend the night." Haconby frightened

  her, especially when he was in his cups. There were many times

  when she begged to stay with me rather than be alone with him."

  And you took her in." Horatia lifted one shoulder in a tiny

  shrug." Imogen, I certainly do not wish to quarrel with you about

  the matter. Lucy is dead. Nothing is to be gained from probing her

  past at this late date."

  No, I suppose that is true."

  Horatia watched her with an expression of grave disapproval.

  You say you learned about this liaison between Lucy and Mr

  Drake from Lucy's journal?"

  Yes. I know it was not right to read it, but Colchester was

  convinced that it might contain some clues about why Vanneck

  was shot. I am two-thirds of the way through it, but thus far I have

  found no information that would explain murder."

  Horatia frowned." I thought Vanneck was killed by a highway

  man."

  We are not entirely certain of that. In any event, Colchester

  said that if I did not read the journal, he would. I felt I had an

  obligation to Lucy to protect her personal writings from a

  stranger's gaze."

  Indeed. And may I ask how Colchester came into possession of

  this journal?"

  Imogen cleared her throat." He, er, discovered it when he paid a

  call at Lord Vanneck's residence."

  Why on earth did he go to Vanneck's house?"

  He has been concerned about some of the details surrounding

  Vanneck's murder," Imogen explained. She thought quickly." He

  believed he would learn something of the truth if he talked to

  some of the servants."

  I see."

  Imogen did not
like Horatia's skeptical tone of voice." Perfectly

  natural, given his circumstances," she said quickly." After all, gossip

  has linked Colchester's name to Vanneck's murder. But I do wish

  he had informed me of his intentions."

  Horatia's brows rose." I'll grant you that Colchester is in a

  rather awkward situation. But that is nothing new for him."

  Imogen glared at her." He wished to clear his name and put the

  gossip to rest."

  I fear that is an impossible task and I suspect he knows it,"

  Horatia said dryly." People have always enjoyed gossip about

  Cold-blooded Colchester. A little thing such as the truth of the

  matter is unlikely to change that."

  Do not call him cold-blooded."

  My apologies." Horatia did not sound the least apologetic. She

  sounded quietly furious.

  Imogen frowned in consternation." Aunt Horatia? What is

  wrong?"

  Nothing important, my dear," Horatia said smoothly." Let us

  return to the matter at hand. You say Colchester discovered

  Lucy's journal and gave it to you to read?"

  Yes. I intend to finish it tonight. But I doubt I shall learn

  anything other than what I already know. Poor Lucy was clearly

  obsessed with Alastair Drake. She was determined to run off with

  him. She dreamed of going to Italy, where the two of them could

  be free to celebrate their love."

  I presume that while in Italy, Lucy wished to live in the style to

  which she had become accustomed?"

  She notes in her journal that Alastair appeared to have a

  liberal income."

  Indeed."

  But he was unwilling to take her to Italy." Imogen recalled the

  tone of rising desperation in Lucy's journal entries." She was

  distraught. She loved him very much, you know."

  Did she?"

  She wrote that Vanneck often flew into a rage because she

  tried to refuse him whenever he attempted to exert his marital

  rights. He forced himself on her on several occasions." Imogen

  shuddered." And I can well believe it. At one point she actually

  took steps to rid herself of Vanneck's babe which she did not want

  to bear. There is something in the journal about consulting a

  woman in Bird Lane who dealt in such services."

  I see."

  I believe that Vanneck either learned of the abortion or discovered her plans to leave him."

  And became so enraged that he murdered her?"

  Yes." It was a neat summary of events, Imogen told herself. But

  every time she repeated it, she thought of how Vanneck had

  strongly denied any involvement in Lucy's death.

  Well, if Vanneck killed Lucy, he has paid for his crime," Horatia

  said.

  Yes, but who killed him?" Imogen asked quietly.

  We shall likely never know."

  You are right, I suppose." Imogen gazed out at the row of town

  houses across the street.

  Is something else troubling you, my dear?"

  I have been contemplating a theory about Lucy's behavior for

  two days," Imogen said slowly.

  What is that?"

  It occurs to me that she might have been ill."

  A form of madness, perhaps." Imogen swung about to face

  Horatia with a sense of growing certainty." That would explain so

  much. Her recklessness. Her desperation. Her strange moods."

  Oh, Imogen, I really don't think"

  It makes sense, Aunt Horatia. I suspect that she suffered much

  at the hands of her uncle, perhaps more than she ever admitted.

  Perhaps it affected her mind. It was no doubt a condition that

  gradually worsened through the years. No wonder she seemed so

  different after she left Upper Stickleford."

  I am not at all certain that she was so very different," Horatia

  said.

  Imogen paid no attention. She was consumed by a growing

  enthusiasm for her new theory." Now I understand why she plotted to use me to conceal her affair with Alastair Drake. Don't you

  see, Aunt Horatia? By the time I came to stay with her here in

  London, Lucy was desperate. She was no longer herself."

  Horatia gazed at her for a long time." Perhaps you are correct,

  my dear."

  It is the only reasonable explanation," Imogen said firmly.

  Lucy was never very strong. The dreadful treatment that she

  received, first from her uncle and then from her husband, no

  doubt made her unbearably anxious and distraught. It destroyed

  her in the end, just as surely as the laudanum. Yes. An illness of the

  brain explains everything."

  A sense of peace descended on Imogen. She had not been

  wrong about her friend after all. Lucy had been ill and desperately

  unhappy. She had not been in her right mind when she had writ

  ten those cruel things about Imogen in her journal.

  Imogen alighted from the carriage and went up the town house

  steps with a far lighter heart than she'd had when she set out for

  her aunt's house. Nothing would bring Lucy back, but the warm

  memory of her friendship was safely enshrined once again in

  Imogen's heart. Poor Lucy. How she had suffered.

  The door opened at the top of the steps. Ufton stood in the

  opening.

  Welcome home, madam."

  Thank you, Ufton." Imogen smiled at him as she untied her

  bonnet strings." Is Colchester in the library?"

  No, madam. His lordship has gone out."

  Imogen was alarmed." Gone out? Where?"

  He did not say, madam."

  But what of his wound? Surely he should be resting here at

  home."

  Ufton closed the door behind her." His lordship is not inclined

  to take advice in such matters, madam."

  I shall speak to him about it the moment he returns."

  Of course, madam." Ufton hesitated." Will you be needing the

  carriage this afternoon?"

  Imogen, one foot on the bottom of the stairs, paused to glance

  back at him." No. I do not plan to go out again. Why do you ask?"

  Ufton inclined his head." I merely wanted to be certain that you

  did not require transportation. Lady Patricia mentioned that she

  wished to pay a call on Lady Lyndhurst. I thought we might need

  two carriages today."

  That won't be necessary." Imogen smiled and hurried on up the

  stairs.

  When she reached the landing, she strode down the carpeted

  hall to her bedchamber. She was determined to finish Lucy's journal that afternoon. Now that she had a clear understanding of

  Lucy's illness, she would be able to study the volume with a more

  detached, analytical eye. She had been so sunk in melancholy by

  what had appeared to be Lucy's betrayal of their friendship that

  she had not been thinking at all clearly.

  She opened the door to her bedchamber and swept into the

  room. She tossed her bonnet onto the bed and then came to a startled halt.

  She was not alone in the bedchamber. Patricia stood near the

  window, clutching Lucy's journal. She gazed at Imogen with a

  stricken expression.

  Patricia?" Imogen took a step toward her." What on earth are

  you doing in here? Why have you got that journal? It belongs to

  me."

  Imogen, please forgive me. I know you must think me a terr
ible person, but I pray you will understand when I tell you that I

  have no choice."

  What on earth are you talking about?"

  The Rutledge Curse."

  Not that ridiculous curse business again."

  Don't you see? Matthias was nearly killed the other night

  because of it. I am the only one who can put an end to this before

  someone dies."

  Rubbish."

  It's real, Imogen. We all promised not to discuss it, but I have

  been so anxious. I cannot bear it any longer. Everything is happen

  ing just as the inscription on the tablet predicted."

  What tablet?" Imogen asked sharply.

  Lady Lyndhurst has some ancient Zamarian day tablets. The

  curse is written on one of them."

  Impossible. Calm yourself, Patricia." Imogen took another step

  toward her and paused as a thought struck her." What has the

  Rutledge Curse got to do with my friend's journal?"

  I overheard you and Matthias discussing it. I know he took it

  from Vanneck's house the night he was wounded. That was why he

  nearly died."

  What do you think happened?" Imogen asked cautiously.

  Don't you see? Vanneck was a victim of the Rutledge Curse.

  This journal is linked to him. Matthias took it from his house and

  was nearly killed because the journal is tainted with the curse.

  Everything that was Rutledge's is tainted."

  Oh, for heaven's sake, Patricia"

  I cannot allow this to go any further. Someone has to stop it.

  Lady Lyndhurst has studied Zamarian curses. She will know what

  to do."

  Nonsense." Imogen walked to the bed to retrieve her bonnet." I

  have heard quite enough about the Rutledge Curse. It is time to

  put an end to the foolish gossip."

  Patricia watched uncertainly as Imogen retied her bonnet

  strings." What do you plan to do?"

  Isn't it obvious?" Imogen gave her a bracing smile." I shall

  attend Lady Lyndhurst's salon with you today, Patricia. I want to

  see the curse that is inscribed on that day tablet for myself."

  Matthias arrived home shortly after the Colchester carriage had

  departed. He had sought refuge from his bleak thoughts first at his

  club and then in Tattersall's auctioneering yard. But not even the

  prime horseflesh paraded in front of the crowd of eager buyers

  had elevated his mood.

  He was disappointed but distinctly relieved to learn that

  Imogen was not home. He ached to hold her in his arms, but a part

  of him dreaded looking into her eyes. He feared the dawn of truth