Amanda Quick - Mischief.txt

by Mischief (lit)

  miss the parties and balls this week though. You and my brother

  are going to be the chief topics of conversation at every affair in

  Town. Today in the park Hugo and I were stopped again and

  again. Everyone wanted to know about the dreadful events in the

  Zamarian museum."

  Horatia chuckled." I suspect that is the principal reason

  Colchester has insisted that Imogen cannot accept any invitations

  for a fortnight. He has no interest in satisfying the curiosity of the

  ton."

  You are absolutely correct, Horatia," Matthias said from the

  doorway of the library." I have better things to do than make polite

  conversation about a matter that has so deeply affected my

  nerves."

  Ah, there you are, Colchester." Imogen smiled at him." We have

  been waiting for you. Did your friend Felix have the information

  you sought?"

  He did." Matthias crossed the room and leaned down to give

  her a quick, possessive kiss on the mouth.

  What information?" Patricia demanded.

  Imogen glanced at her." Why, the answer to the question of what

  happened in the north, of course. Mister Drake and his sister refuse

  to confess to anything, you know. They have guessed, correctly,

  that Lucy never actually wrote down the dark secret she uncovered."

  But with the information that Imogen and I had plus what

  Felix Glaston had discovered, I have finally managed to put the

  whole story together." Matthias sat down on the sofa next to

  Imogen and glanced at Horatia." You will no doubt find this rather

  interesting."

  Why is that?" Horatia asked.

  Remember the lurid tale of the infamous Demon Twins of

  Dunstoke Castle?"

  Of course." Horatia's eyes widened." Never say that Mister Drake

  and Lady Lyndhurst are the evil twins."

  That is precisely the case," Matthias said.

  Patricia frowned in confusion." But they aren't twins."

  Not all twins are identical," Imogen reminded her as she

  reached for the teapot to pour a cup for Matthias.

  Just so." Matthias frowned." Here, let me do that. You are not to

  exert yourself yet." He took the pot from Imogen's hand." Selena

  and Drake escaped the fire they set to kill old Lord Dunstoke, just

  as the rumors claimed. What is more, they got out with Dunstoke's

  hoard of gems and jewels. They have been living off the profits for

  the past three years."

  Imogen's imagination leaped to fill in the missing parts." They

  assumed new identities and moved to London. They had the

  money to keep up appearances and the acting skill to play the

  parts they had chosen. No one thought to question them."

  Matthias agreed as he poured his own tea and sat back." But

  when they reached London they learned that everyone in Society

  was talking about the Demon Twins. An unknown brother and

  sister appearing on the scene would have been suspect. So, as an

  added measure of caution, they decided to keep their relationship

  a secret."

  And then had to go on maintaining the secret after the gossip

  had died down," Horatia murmured." They could hardly announce

  that they were brother and sister after letting people think other

  wise for several months."

  Exactly," Matthias said." But then Drake began the affair with

  Lucy. At some point he made the slip of the tongue that made her

  suspicious. Probably said something about the theater or about

  his own acting talent. Whatever it was, it was enough to make her

  hire a runner, who, in turn, must have learned something of inter

  est."

  Imogen grew thoughtful." And three years later Lord Vanneck

  found Lucy's journal. He did not learn the precise nature of the

  secret, but he realized that there was a secret of some sort. It was

  enough. He needed money, so he decided to try blackmailing

  Alastair."

  He convinced Drake that he knew what Lucy had known, and

  in the process he signed his own death warrant," Matthias

  concluded." The Polite World was everything to Drake and his

  sister. They were willing to kill to protect the positions they had

  created for themselves."

  Patricia shuddered." Will they hang, do you think?"

  Transported to Australia, most likely," Matthias said." It's the

  usual fate for that sort, now that we can no longer ship convicts to

  America."

  Imogen grimaced." Something tells me Selena and Alastair will

  do very well in the colonies."

  She was standing in a black-draped bedchamber this time.

  Somehow she knew that it was nearly midnight. The windows were

  open. Cold night air caused the candles to flicker. There was no sign

  of Matthias. She turned slowly, calling his name. There was no

  answer.

  She was suddenly seized by a sense of panic. She had to find

  Matthias. She hurried out of the bedchamber and ran through

  Uncle Selwyn's funereal house. Desperation and dread consumed

  her. If she did not find him, they would both be lost forever in this

  dreadful mausoleum . .

  She searched every dark room in the mansion until only the

  library remained. She looked at the closed door, afraid to open it. If

  Matthias was not inside, she would never find him. They would

  both be alone forever.

  Slowly she reached out her hand to twist the knob .

  Good morning, my dear," Matthias said.

  The fragments of the dream dissolved in a heartbeat. Imogen

  opened her eyes and saw Matthias standing at the foot of the bed.

  He had a small, ornately carved chest tucked under one arm and

  a copy of the Zamarian Review in his hand.

  Sorry to awaken you," he said." But I thought you'd like to

  know that the newest edition of the Review has just arrived. You

  will never guess what that arrogant, presumptuous, overbearing

  I. A. Stone has dared to write this time."

  Imogen yawned and sat up against the pillows. She examined

  Matthias surreptitiously. He looked very solid and quite real. He

  was dressed in his shirt-sleeves and breeches. Sunlight gleamed on

  the icy silver in his hair. His eyes were the clear gray of an early

  dawn.

  She suddenly realized that there was a great deal of light pour

  ing through the window." Good heavens, what time is it?"

  Not quite ten o'clock." Matthias looked amused.

  That is impossible. I never sleep late." She glowered at the

  clock on the dresser and saw that it was, indeed, five minutes until

  ten o'clock." It's your fault. You kept me up until all hours last

  night, sir."

  He gave her a devilish grin." Your insistence upon practicing

  half the positions illustrated in my Zamarian marriage instruction

  scroll inspired me, my sweet,"

  Imogen blushed at the memory of his passion and her own." Not

  half. Merely a select few that appeared especially interesting."

  All of those positions that featured the lady on top, as I recall."

  Matthias's grin widened." But never fear, my dear. You know how

  it heats my blood when you take command." He walked around

  the bed and handed her the Zama
rian Review.

  You woke me up to show me my own article?" she asked,

  beginning to take an interest. She opened the Review.

  Well, no, actually. That was not why I awakened you."

  Oh, look, Matthias, the editors printed my article ahead of

  yours."

  Yes, I know," he said." But as to why I woke you, Imogen"

  This is the first time that they have actually printed one of my

  articles in front of yours," she said with gathering enthusiasm.

  Perhaps they have finally come to the conclusion that my obser

  vations are as well reasoned and as interesting as your own, my

  lord."

  I intend to speak to them about the matter. They seem to have

  forgotten that I founded that damn journal." Matthias sat down on

  the edge of the bed." But first there is something I wish to give to

  you, my dear."

  One moment, sir. Let me see if there are any letters concern

  ing my last article on the relationship of Zamaris and Anizamara

  in Zamarian mythology.

  I have something for you, Imogen."

  Ah-ha. Here is a letter from that idiot Bledlow. I knew he

  would try to dispute my arguments." Imogen paused." What did

  you say?"

  He smiled faintly." I have a gift for you."

  How lovely." She sensed that he was trying to tell her some

  thing very important." Is it in that chest?"

  Yes." He put the carved box into her hands.

  Slowly she opened the lid and peered inside.

  Nestled against black velvet was a magnificent object about the

  size of her hand. It was fashioned of gold, heavily inscribed on one

  side in the formal script of ancient Zamar. The other side was

  crusted with gems and crystals of singular beauty. They glowed

  with such brilliant clarity that Imogen could scarcely believe that

  they were real.

  The Queen's Seal," she breathed.

  You are looking at the artifact that caused Rutledge to attempt

  to murder me."

  She searched his eyes." You have had it all this time? You kept

  it hidden away and allowed the legends to grow?"

  He lifted one shoulder in a small shrug." Yes. I suppose it represented a ghost."

  Why have you given it to me?"

  He touched her cheek with his elegant fingers." Because you

  saved me from the ghosts. You are my Anizamara."

  Oh, Matthias. I do love you so." Imogen tossed the priceless

  seal aside and reached for him.

  I am glad to hear that." Matthias managed to grab the seal just

  before it tumbled off the bed and fell to the floor. He set it down

  very carefully on the nightstand." Because I love you too. I will

  love you for the rest of my life and beyond."

  Is that a promise, my lord?"

  Yes. The most important one that I have ever made."

  Imogen wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him

  down on top of her with joyous enthusiasm. The whole world

  knew that Colchester always kept his promises.