Amanda Quick - Mischief.txt

by Mischief (lit)

  far more than the shadows of the night. He was accustomed to

  ghosts, after all.

  He walked into his library, annoyed by the unfamiliar mix of

  emotions that swirled within him. It occurred to him that he had

  experienced a remarkable variety of strange sensations and

  moods since the day he met Imogen.

  He untied his cravat, tossed it aside, and sat down at his desk.

  Opening a thick Greek text that contained references to a mysterious island, he tried to lose himself in his researches. He was

  convinced that the isle in question was actually ancient Zamar. If

  he was right, it would confirm some of his speculations concerning

  trade and commerce between the Greeks and the Zamarians.

  The Greek words, which he read as easily as he read English,

  seemed jumbled on the page. He found himself having to go back

  to the beginning to read through the passage a second and third

  time. He was distracted and restless as he tried to focus on the text.

  It is said that the people of this far isle are skilled in the study

  of mathematics. They make calculations to determine the

  height of buildings and mountains. They predict the rise and

  fall of the tides.

  It was no use. Every time he looked at the words in front of him

  he saw a ghostly image of Imogen's anguished eyes as she told him

  what she had read in the journal. He could almost feel the damp

  ness of the tears she had shed. Matthias had lain awake for a long

  time during each of the past two nights. He had been racked by a

  sense of impending doom. It was a doom that he had brought

  down upon himself.

  Why had he forced Imogen to read the journal? Over and over

  again he had asked himself the same damning question. He did

  not know the answer.

  Matthias closed the volume on his desk and rubbed the back of

  his neck. A deep sense of weariness stole over him. He was a

  thoughtful, logical man when it came to his studies of ancient

  Zamar. But he could not seem to comprehend his own actions.

  What the devil was happening to him? he wondered.

  The knock on the library door interrupted his grim musings.

  Enter."

  Ufton appeared." misses Elibank to see you, sir."

  Horatia? I wonder what she wants. Send her in, Ufton."

  Horatia swept into the library, an expression of barely restrained

  fury on her face. She appeared more formidable than Matthias had

  ever seen her. He got to his feet slowly, somewhat warily.

  My lord."

  Good day, Horatia." He studied her as she took a chair on the

  other side of his desk." Did Ufton inform you that Imogen is not

  at home?"

  I came to see you, Colchester."

  I see. Is something wrong?"

  I will not beat about the bush, my lord," Horatia said coldly.

  Why did you give Lucy's journal to Imogen?"

  I beg your pardon?"

  You heard me. You found Lucy's journal, did you not?"

  Yes."

  And you gave it to Imogen," Horatia said." You must have

  suspected that she would not find any comfort in it and that she

  might very well be hurt by what she would learn. Why did you give

  it to her?"

  Only a lifetime of habit and practice enabled Matthias to keep

  his expression unreadable. Deliberately, he lounged back in his

  chair." Lucy was Imogen's friend. It seemed natural that Imogen

  should be the one to read it."

  Rubbish. You gave that journal to Imogen because you wished

  to destroy her illusions about her friend. Do not trouble to deny

  it."

  Matthias said nothing.

  Just as I thought." Horatia leaned forward and fixed him with a

  furious gaze." What did you hope to gain by crushing Imogen's

  image of Lucy? What cruel purpose possessed you?"

  You were the one who first informed me that Lucy was not the

  fine, noble friend Imogen believed her to be. I have made a few

  discreet inquiries of my own since I returned to Town. All of them

  verified what you said regarding Lucy's character."

  What of it?"

  Matthias toyed with a quill pen." It is always wise to confront

  the truth, don't you think? In the end, one must deal with it."

  Lucy was the only friend Imogen had after her parents" death.

  Imogen would have been utterly alone in Upper Stickleford had

  it not been for Lucy. She has a right to her illusions about her."

  Lucy and that damned Alastair Drake used Imogen to conceal

  their illicit liaison. You call that friendship?"

  No, I do not." Horatia narrowed her eyes." But what good have

  you wrought by forcing the truth upon Imogen at this late date?"

  There are some questions about Vanneck's death that need to

  be answered." Matthias studied the nib of the pen." I thought some

  of those answers might lie in Lucy's journal."

  You could have read that journal in private, my lord. There was

  no need to tell Imogen about it, let alone blackmail her into reading it."

  A painful sensation that might have been anguish or rage

  ripped through Matthias." I did not blackmail her into reading that

  damned journal."

  It appears to have been a case of blackmail to me, sir. She said

  that you threatened to read it if she did not. She thought to protect

  Lucy's privacy."

  Damnation, Horatia. I did what I felt was best. Imogen needed

  to confront the truth about Lucy."

  Bah. The truth is not the issue here. You deliberately tried to

  demolish Imogen's cherished memories of her only friend. Sir,

  allow me to tell you that you deserve to be called Cold-blooded

  Colchester. What you did was callous and unkind. I wondered

  when your true nature would show itself. Unfortunately, it has

  surfaced too late to save my niece from what will no doubt prove

  to be a disaster of a marriage."

  The quill pen snapped in half. Startled, Matthias looked down

  at the broken bits he held in his fingers. Very carefully he placed

  them on the desk." You are, of course, entitled to your opinion,

  misses Elibank."

  One can only wonder at your motives." Horatia rose from the

  chair and looked down her nose at him. The very old, very blue

  blood that flowed in her veins was much in evidence. At that

  moment it was not difficult to see that she enjoyed a connection

  to a marquess.

  Matthias surged to his feet. He met Horatia's eyes across the

  width of the desk." I had no motive other than to bring out the

  truth."

  I do not believe that for a moment. Damnation, sir, I was actually convinced that you cared for my niece. How could you do this

  to her?"

  Matthias clenched one hand into a fist, whirled around, and

  slammed the other against the wall." Has it occurred to you,

  madam, that I may have grown weary of living a damned lie with

  my own wife?"

  There was a short, heavy pause.

  What in the name of heaven do you mean?" Horatia asked

  quietly.

  Matthias fought to pull himself together. He drew a deep

  breath and wrapped himself in the armor of his self-mastery.

  Never mind. It is not important. Good
day to you, misses Elibank.

  Ufton will see you out."

  Horatia stared at him for a moment and then, without a word,

  she turned and walked toward the door.

  Matthias did not move until Horatia was gone. Then he went to

  the window and stood looking out into the garden for a long time.

  He finally had the answer to the question he had been asking

  himself. He now knew precisely why he had given Lucy's journal

  to Imogen.

  He had ripped the veils from Imogen's eyes not because he had

  wanted to force her to confront the truth about Lucy. He had done

  so because he wanted her to face the truth about him.

  What he had said to Horatia in that burst of frustrated rage a

  moment before had been all too painfully honest. He could not

  continue to live a lie with Imogen. He needed to know if she could

  care for him once she had faced the reality of his own nature. He

  needed to know if she could love Cold-blooded Colchester.

  Imogen was too intelligent not to realize what he had revealed

  about himself when he had forced her to read the journal. She was

  I. A. Stone, after all.

  Imogen surveyed the other members of the Zamarian salon as

  they sat in a half circle around their elegant hostess. The first thing

  she noted about the group was that with the exception of Selena

  and herself, it was composed entirely of very young ladies. Imogen

  was willing to hazard a guess that not one of the brightly garbed

  females sitting in the circle was above nineteen years. Many were

  younger and in their first Season.

  Selena, dressed in a blue gown trimmed with blue roses, smiled

  graciously at her guests as her housekeeper served tea.

  Imogen realized that until that day she had seen Selena only

  from a distance or at night, when she appeared in the chandelier

  lit ballrooms of the ton.

  It was no secret that candlelight was far more flattering to a

  lady than sunlight. Nevertheless, Imogen was surprised to note

  that Selena suffered more than most in the glare of the sun. The

  light of day rendered the lady hailed as the" Angel" somehow

  harder and colder than one would have expected. Her celestial

  blue eyes made Imogen think of glittering sapphires rather than

  the heavens.

  The salon guests were clearly enthralled by their fashionable

  hostess. They chattered and giggled and gossiped excitedly as they

  waited for Selena to signal the beginning of the afternoon's activities.

  Selena held court with the air of a fairy-tale queen. The accoutrements of a high-minded philosophical salon surrounded her.

  Several impressive leather-bound volumes were stacked on a

  nearby table. A wooden box containing shards of pottery and

  some ancient glass bottles were arranged next to the books. An

  object wrapped in a black velvet case lay on the table. Bits and

  pieces of Zamarian artifacts, none of them particularly notable in

  Imogen's opinion, were scattered artfully about the drawing

  room. There was a rather poor copy of a statue of Anizamara near

  the window.

  Patricia leaned close to Imogen and lowered her voice." Lady

  Lyndhurst keeps the tablet with the curse inscribed on it in that

  velvet cover. She says it is the most valuable item in her collection."

  I see." Imogen eyed the velvet-shrouded tablet as she accepted

  a cup of tea from the housekeeper.

  Selena clapped her hands lightly and the small group fell into a

  respectful silence. She smiled coolly at Imogen.

  Lady Colchester, this is a pleasant surprise. I am delighted that

  you could join us today. May I ask what drew your attention to our

  little gathering?"

  Just curious," Imogen said." Lady Patricia has told me how

  much she has enjoyed your Zamarian salon."

  We can hardly compete with your learned husband's discoveries and writings," Selena murmured." As a matter of fact, I was

  under the impression that Colchester considered that only fashionable dilettantes and amateurs attended salons such as mine."

  I will not stay long." Imogen put down her teacup." Lady

  Patricia tells me that you have been studying the Rutledge Curse."

  That is true." Selena's gaze flickered to Patricia. Something that

  might have been anger flashed in her icy blue eyes. It vanished

  almost instantly behind a mask of cool charm." But it was

  supposed to be a secret investigation."

  Patricia stiffened in her chair and cast an anxious glance at

  Imogen.

  Imogen frowned at Selena." You must not blame Patricia. I

  stumbled onto the truth this afternoon. As you know, I have a

  certain interest in things Zamarian."

  You refer to the Queen's Seal and the map your uncle left you

  in his will." Selena's smile was mocking.

  Indeed. But now that I am married to Colchester of Zamar, my

  interests extend well beyond the seal. I wish to examine the tablet

  that is inscribed with the so-called Rutledge Curse. I understand it

  is in that velvet case."

  A brittle silence settled on the drawing room. The elegant

  young members of the salon exchanged uneasy glances. They were

  obviously not accustomed to seeing Selena's authority challenged.

  Selena hesitated. Then she gave a small, graceful shrug." As long

  as you are here, you are welcome to study it. But I must warn you

  that the curse is written in Zamarian. Only a handful of people in

  all of England can decipher it."

  I am aware of that." Imogen rose from her chair, took two long

  steps toward the table in front of Selena, and picked up the black

  velvet case before anyone realized what she intended.

  There were several small, shocked gasps from the onlookers as

  Imogen unwrapped the tablet.

  Selena's eyes narrowed as she watched Imogen remove the

  ancient day tablet." The gossip concerning your rather eccentric

  manners is correct, I see."

  Imogen ignored her. She looked down at the heavy tablet." How

  astonishing. This is a real Zamarian tablet."

  What did you think it was?" Selena snapped.

  I was prepared to discover that it was a forgery. But it is definitely quite authentic."

  Thank you for your opinion," Selena said coldly." Now, if you

  are quite finished"

  But I'm not finished." Imogen looked up from the tablet." The

  tablet is definitely from ancient Zamar. Hardly surprising. I

  understand that it is fashionable to have one or two in one's

  library. But the inscription on it is not a curse."

  I beg your pardon," Selena snapped.

  I fear that you have been sadly misinformed, Lady Lyndhurst."

  Selena flushed furiously." How would you know what that inscription says?"

  I can read Zamarian script, both formal and informal." Imogen

  smiled coolly." This would be amusing if it were not for the fact that

  some people have taken the notion of a curse far too seriously."

  Amusing?" Selena was incensed." What do you mean by that?"

  The inscription on that tablet is nothing more than a bill of

  sale," Imogen announced. To be precise, it records the exchange of

  two measures of wheat for one ox."

  That is a lie." Sele
na shot to her feet. Her voice rose with her.

  How could you possibly know anything of Zamarian script?"

  There was a slight movement in the doorway. Everyone in the

  drawing room turned to see Matthias. His stance was deceptively

  casual.

  My wife reads ancient Zamarian script as well as I do,"

  Matthias said softly.

  Imogen swung around so quickly that her reticule, which

  dangled from a satin cord, flew out in a wide arc. It struck a teacup

  and sent it crashing to the carpet. Several young ladies seated in

  the path of the splashing tea leaped to their feet with cries of

  dismay.

  Colchester," Imogen smiled." I didn't see you there. Perhaps

  you would care to give your opinion on this silly tablet?"

  Matthias inclined his head in a graceful nod that conveyed both

  amusement and unmistakable respect." Your translation is correct.

  That tablet is an ancient Zamarian business document. In short, a

  bill of sale."

  Chapter 17

  Matthias vaulted into the carriage and took the seat across from

  Imogen and Patricia. He glanced reflectively at the front door of

  Selena's town house as the vehicle moved off into the street. This

  visit in search of Imogen and Patricia constituted the first time he

  had ever stepped foot inside the Angel's residence. He felt as

  though he had just plucked Imogen and Patricia from a spider's

  web.

  This is a surprise, my lord," Imogen said cheerfully." What made

  you come in search of us? Is something wrong?"

  No." Matthias settled back against the cushion and turned to

  face her. He forced himself to examine her closely, searching for

  signs of melancholy, anger, or resentment.

  He saw none. Much to his amazement, Imogen's customary

  excellent spirits appeared to have revived. The shadows that had

  darkened her eyes for the past two days had miraculously evapo

  rated. She had evidently recovered from the crushing blow he had

  delivered. He was not certain what to make of that fact.

  Patricia looked at Imogen and then at Matthias. Her eyes

  brimmed with puzzlement and hope." Was that inscription on the

  day tablet truly nothing more than an ancient bill of sale?"

  Imogen patted Patricia's gloved hand." Yes, indeed. Most of the

  Zamarian clay tablets that the fashionable use to decorate their

  studies and libraries are ancient records of business transactions,

  or other equally mundane matters." She looked at Matthias." Is