Amanda Quick - Mischief.txt

by Mischief (lit)

  creation. Reality and fantasy had blended to such an extent that

  she could no longer tell where one stopped and the other began.

  Her obsession with Alastair Drake had driven her beyond logic

  and reason. Perhaps Lucy had not been truly mad, but she

  certainly had not been entirely rational.

  Imogen rose from her chair. She tucked Lucy's journal under

  her arm and went slowly downstairs to find Matthias.

  He was right where she had left him less than two hours earlier,

  seated behind his desk, deep into a Greek text. He looked up as

  she walked into the library.

  Imogen." He started to smile and then he saw the journal. All

  hint of emotion disappeared from his ghost-gray eyes. He got

  slowly to his feet." You have finished it."

  Yes."

  Well?" He watched her as she came to stand before him on the

  opposite side of the desk." Was it worth the anguish, my dear?"

  Imogen gave him a rueful smile." I suspect the pain was worse

  for you than it was for me, Matthias."

  Not bloody likely. Lucy was your friend, not mine."

  Yes, but you have been tormenting yourself because you asked

  me to read her journal. The talons of self-inflicted guilt are

  extremely sharp, are they not, my lord?"

  Matthias raised his brows." I confess that I have not had much

  experience with them until recently. I cannot say that I care for the

  sensations they cause. Have mercy, madam. I may deserve the

  torment, but I trust that you will put me out of my misery as

  quickly as possible. Did you learn anything of importance, or was

  it all for naught?"

  I think I know why someone is after the journal. And possibly

  who is after it. Lucy discovered some dark secret about Alastair

  Drake."

  Drake?" Matthias frowned." What sort of secret?"

  I don't know. She did not write it down in the journal. But it

  must have been something very important, because she hired a

  Bow Street runner to investigate it."

  How very interesting," Matthias said softly.

  Her last entry concerns the runner's report. Whatever he told

  her seems to have confirmed some suspicion she held. She

  intended to use the information to blackmail Mister Drake into

  taking her to Italy."

  What a poor, benighted fool she must have been." Matthias

  shook his head." Anyone acquainted with him can see that Drake

  is a creature of London Society. He thrives on it. He would never

  willingly abandon Town life."

  Imogen gripped the journal very tightly." I doubt that Lucy

  understood that. I certainly did not."

  Matthias shrugged and said nothing.

  Imogen glowered at him." If you make a single comment on the

  subject of my supposed naivete sir, I shall lose my temper."

  I would not dream of saying a word."

  Very wise of you, my lord." Imogen cleared her throat." In any

  event, as I told you, Lucy was not herself toward the end."

  You may be right on that point. Surely no rational female

  would have concocted such a crazed plan. She gave no hint of this

  secret she discovered?"

  No." Imogen blushed at the memory of what Lucy had written.

  Only that it was something Mister Drake accidentally allowed to slip

  during one of those curious periods of extreme exhaustion that

  appear to envelop members of the male sex following an

  encounter."

  An encounter with what?" Matthias's brow cleared." Oh, I see.

  Drake didn't have the brains to keep his mouth shut while his

  breeches were off, is that it?"

  That is a rather crude way of expressing it."

  But accurate, you must admit."

  I suppose so." Imogen tapped her toe on the carpet." You do

  realize the implications of this information, do you not, my lord?"

  A keen, predatory intelligence glittered in Matthias's eyes." Of

  course. Your friend may, indeed, have been murdered. But the

  killer could easily have been Alastair Drake rather than Vanneck."

  Yes." Imogen sank slowly into a chair. She stared at the journal

  in her lap." Mister Drake might have concluded that he had to kill her

  in order to keep her from revealing his secret. What a strange

  notion. For three years I have assumed that Vanneck murdered

  Lucy. It is very difficult to imagine Mister Drake as a killer."

  I have no particular difficulty imagining it," Matthias muttered.

  But it's that damned secret that interests me. I wonder if it would

  be possible to locate the runner Lucy hired three years ago. I

  would like to interview him."

  Imogen glanced up." That is an excellent notion, Matthias."

  I shall send a message to Bow Street immediately." Matthias sat

  down and reached for a pen." In the meantime, I believe I shall pay

  a visit to someone else who may have knowledge of this matter."

  Surely you are not going to confront Mister Drake? We do not

  have enough information yet."

  Not Drake. That shining beacon of Zamarian scholarship, the

  Angel."

  You intend to speak with Lady Lyndhurst?" Imogen frowned.

  Why?"

  I feel certain that she is somehow connected to this matter."

  Matthias finished his short note and put down the pen." I think she

  was the one who attempted to get her hands on the journal this

  afternoon."

  Quite possibly, my lord. She may know something more than

  we do." Imogen sprang to her feet." I shall accompany you."

  No, you will not." Matthias eyed her with determination." You

  will wait here until I return."

  I cannot allow you to go off by yourself in search of information, Matthias. Only consider the disastrous situation you got

  yourself into when you searched Vanneck's house without my

  assistance. You could have been killed on that occasion."

  I seriously doubt that Selena will attempt to murder me in her

  own drawing room." Matthias was amused." She's a lady, not a

  ruffian from the stews. Women of her sort rely on their charms to

  achieve their goals."

  Hmm. No offense, my lord, but I am not certain that we can

  depend upon your experience in the matter. My mother once told

  me that men frequently underestimate women."

  I am always careful never to underestimate you, madam."

  Imogen wrinkled her nose." Very well, then. Since you insist

  there is no danger, it follows that there is absolutely no reason I

  should not accompany you to Lady Lyndhurst's, my lord."

  Matthias paused in the act of sealing the note." I can see that I

  shall have to take more care with my logic in future."

  Do not blame yourself, sir." She cast a thoughtful glance at the

  Zamarian sofa." After all, we arose from the conjugal couch only a

  short while ago. Perhaps you have not yet recovered fully from the

  debilitating ennui that strikes the male of the species in the after

  math of the amorous embrace."

  Matthias's teeth flashed in a wicked grin." You do have an

  unsettling effect on my delicate sensibilities. Very well, you may

  accompany me to pay a call upon Selena, but you will allow me to

  conduct the interview. Is that understood?"

>   Imogen gave him her most beatific smile." But of course, my

  lord. I would not dream of attempting to take charge of this

  matter when you are so obviously in command of the situation."

  Matthias looked distinctly skeptical." Indeed."

  Less than half an hour later, a disgruntled housekeeper opened

  the door of Selena's town house. She glowered at Imogen and

  Matthias." What can I do for ye?"

  Please inform Lady Lyndhurst that the Countess and Earl of

  Colchester wish to speak with her about an urgent matter,"

  Matthias said coldly.

  Lady Lyndhurst is not at home," the housekeeper grumbled.

  Don't know when she'll return."

  It occurred to Imogen that it was nearly five o'clock." Has she

  gone for a drive in the park, perhaps?"

  The housekeeper gave a bark of harsh laughter." Not unless the

  fancy has taken to packing its bags afore it sets out for the park."

  Are you telling us that Lady Lyndhurst has packed up and left

  Town?" Matthias asked.

  Aye, that's what I'm sayin"."

  But we were just here a few hours ago," Imogen protested." She

  held her Zamarian salon earlier today."

  She shooed all them young ladies out the door the moment

  you two left," the housekeeper said." And then she set the staff to

  packing as fast as they could. Never seen the like."

  Did Lady Lyndhurst mention her destination?" Matthias

  asked.

  Not to me, she didn't." The housekeeper shrugged broad shoulders.

  Damnation," Matthias muttered.

  Something in the housekeeper's tone caught Imogen's attention. She recalled the tales that misses Vine had related concerning

  her former tenants and their secret lives." Did Lady Lyndhurst

  remember to pay the quarterly wages to the staff before she left?"

  No, she did not." Indignation flared in the housekeeper's eyes.

  Typical of that sort. After three years of loyal service, she takes

  herself off without bothering to pay any of us."

  Imogen slid a sidelong glance at Matthias." My husband would

  be happy to reimburse you and the rest of the staff if you could

  give us some notion of where Lady Lyndhurst went."

  Imogen, what the devil are you about?" Matthias demanded." I

  never said"

  Hush, my lord." Imogen kept her attention on the housekeeper.

  Well? Do we have a bargain?"

  A hopeful gleam appeared in the housekeeper's eye." Expect

  her brother will likely know where she's gone."

  Her brother?" Imogen gazed at the woman in astonishment." I

  was not aware that Lady Lyndhurst had a brother."

  That's because the two of" em kept it quiet," the housekeeper

  said slyly." I learned about it by accident right after I went to work

  for Lady Lyndhurst. No one pays any attention to staff. Act as if

  we're invisible. But we got eyes and ears, same as the fancy. I over

  heard the pair of" em talkin" one day when he came to visit."

  What is the name of Lady Lyndhurst's brother?" Matthias

  inquired softly.

  The housekeeper looked shrewd." I'll be happy to tell ye, sir,

  once me and the staff have got our wages."

  Never mind," Matthias said." I believe we can hazard a guess

  concerning the identity of Lady Lyndhurst's brother. There is only

  one likely candidate for the post."

  Inspiration struck Imogen." Alastair Drake?"

  The housekeeper's face crumpled." Ain't that just like the fancy.

  Spend a fortune on clothes and horses and then turn all clutch

  fisted and cheeseparing when it comes to paying the poor folk that

  work for" em."

  Give her the money for the quarterly wages, my lord." Imogen

  instructed.

  Matthias glowered." Why should I do that?"

  Colchester, this is no time to be stubborn. Pay her the money."

  Matthias sighed in resignation." Very well." He turned back to

  the housekeeper." As I have just agreed to pay for information that

  I already possess, perhaps you will be so good as to confirm it?"

  Relief shone in the woman's face." Lady Lyndhurst's brother is

  Mister Alastair Drake, all right. Don't have any notion why the two

  of" em wanted to keep their family connection a secret. What

  possible difference could it make to anyone?"

  An excellent question," Imogen murmured.

  Thus far, we seem to be collecting far more questions than

  answers," Imogen remarked as Matthias handed her up onto the

  phaeton box." So Mister Drake and Selena are brother and sister. I

  wonder if that is the secret Lucy discovered."

  She may have learned of the relationship," Matthias said as he

  picked up the reins." But it does not seem worthy of blackmail, let

  alone murder."

  Not unless Mister Drake and Selena concealed their connection

  in order to hide another, more dangerous secret." Imogen grabbed

  at the crown of her wide, shell-trimmed bonnet as the horses set

  off." I wonder if Mister Drake also left Town this afternoon."

  That should be easy enough to confirm. I shall drive past his

  lodgings. I believe they are in Hollowell Street."

  How do you come to know that, Matthias?"

  I made it my business to learn a few things about Drake shortly

  after we came to London," he said grimly.

  Imogen was suddenly deeply intrigued." Why on earth did you

  make inquiries about him?"

  Let us just say that the sight of you in his arms that day I called

  upon you and your aunt raised a number of interesting questions."

  Imogen gazed at him in astonished wonder." Never say that you

  were jealous of Alastair Drake, Matthias."

  Of course not." Matthias fixed his attention on his horses" ears.

  Jealousy is a ridiculous, immature passion suited only to smolder

  ing poets and very young men."

  Of course, my lord." He had definitely been jealous, Imogen

  told herself. She smiled complacently." What do you propose to do

  if MisterDrake has disappeared?"

  Take precautions." Matthias's eyes narrowed." I do not care for

  the feel of this situation, Imogen. Something is very wrong."

  I agree."

  A few minutes later Matthias halted the phaeton in front of 12

  Hollowell Street. No one responded to the knock on Alastair's

  front door.

  A glance through the undraped windows revealed a chaotic

  scene inside the rooms at Number 12. Alastair Drake had obvi

  ously packed his belongings in a hurry.

  They're both gone. It is incredible." Imogen led the way back into

  Matthias's library a short while later." But why? What made them

  so uneasy that they felt they had to leave Town?"

  The fact that we possessed the journal and had no intention of

  letting it fall into Selena's hands," Matthias said. He yanked impatiently at the knot of his cravat." After that scene in Selena's draw

  ing room today, she obviously concluded that we had either

  discovered the same secret Lucy had uncovered, or that we would

  soon do so."

  She must have notified Alastair." Imogen frowned in thought.

  And the pair of them panicked and left Town?"

  Perhaps."

  She glanced up swiftly, alarmed by Matthias's ominous tone.

&nb
sp; What do you mean, perhaps?"

  Matthias went to stand in front of the window, the ends of his

  snowy white cravat draped casually around his neck." There is

  every likelihood that Drake killed Lucy because she had learned

  his secret. He may also have shot Vanneck for the same reason."

  But Vanneck would have inherited Lucy's journal three years

  ago. Why wait until this year to murder him?"

  Matthias braced one hand on the windowsill." Who knows when

  Vanneck actually discovered the journal or when he got around to

  reading it?"

  A few months ago he sold his large house and bought a new,

  smaller residence," Imogen reminded him." Perhaps the journal

  came to light when his staff packed up his household for the

  move."

  Quite possibly. There is something else though. Lucy did not

  reveal this deep, dark secret in her journal. She only alluded to

  having discovered it and stated that she planned to use it to black

  mail Drake. The secret itself is not actually written down in that

  damned book."

  True." Imogen clasped her hands behind her back and began to

  pace the library." But the fact that Vanneck had concealed the

  journal in his study implies that he knew it was important."

  And the fact that Selena and Drake want it indicates that they

  believe that Lucy did write down the secret. How would they

  know otherwise if they have never read the journal?"

  Excellent point," Imogen whispered." What if Vanneck had only

  recently discovered the journal, as you suggest? What if he

  learned that Selena and Alastair had something to hide but did

  not know what it was?"

  Vanneck might very well have tried a bluff. He may have let

  Drake think he knew the secret that Lucy had discovered and

  attempted to blackmail him, just as Lucy had done. And Drake

  killed him, just as he killed Lucy."

  Yes. A brilliant deduction. That makes perfect sense,

  Colchester."

  Thank you. Coming from I A. Stone, that is praise indeed."

  Matthias turned away from the window and walked toward his

  desk." One thing we know for certain is that the journal is dangerous. Until we know why, I intend to make sure that both you and

  Patricia are protected."

  Imogen was startled." Surely you do not believe that your sister

  and I are in jeopardy? Selena and Alastair have left London."

  So they would have us believe. I do not intend to take any