“I feel compelled to point out that you have already insulted, degraded and endangered by favourite niece.”
Maker rather admired the way Great-Aunt Flora could control the room without raising her voice. It was like having a battleship you didn’t see coming till its weapons were trained on you.
“Furthermore, I know now that you are a penniless wastrel, and if you don’t acquiesce to everything the good Inspector here sets out, I will personally ensure that the rest of the country knows it too.” She looked at Jenson in a rather demure manner. “Did I miss anything?”
“I don’t believe so, Great-Aunt Flora, no.”
The lady turned to look at Monty, who had moved nearer to plead his case. “Great-Aunt Flo–”
A cane butt to the belly stopped that. “You will address me as Lady Gordon.”
Rubbing his stomach, Monty tried again. “Lady Gordon.”
“Oh, are you still here? Haven’t you left yet?”
The man had to be an insensitive dolt to continue standing there.
“Monty‒”
How Amethyst could be so pleasant and calm, Maker wasn’t sure; he could feel the tension in his fists again. It was getting harder to control.
“‒No insult was intended.”
“Yes, it was, deary.”
Amethyst tried again. “Please Monty, with all that’s happened over the last twenty-four hours, your acceptance now would be a great boon.”
The man looked at her. Amethyst offered what Maker hoped was a politically driven smile. Then Monty straightened his waistcoat and offered her a respectful bow. “As you wish, my dear.”
A collective sigh released the tension after his departure. Amethyst got to her feet, rolled her shoulders and started to pace again as Blanchard entered the room and looked at Maker.
“You asked for me, milord?”
Since he hadn’t, he directed the man to Jenson instead.
“A situation has arisen.”
Was that detective-speak for ‘we’re in trouble’?
“I was hoping you would be willing to help with it?”
Blanchard looked to Maker, who agreed with a small nod. “In whatever way I can.”
“Miss Forester is under threat and I’d like to ensure that at least one of us is with her at all times. That if she absolutely must leave the house, she is accompanied by a minimum of two of us. And only if she absolutely must.”
“Hold on a minute, you can’t just put me under arrest.”
Jenson stepped up to meet her. “Actually, if I deem that that is the best way to secure your safety, that is exactly what I can and will do.”
Her mouth opened to speak, but Jenson placed one finger on her lips, stopping her.
“Amethyst, I am quite aware of your intelligence and capability, but you should be aware of mine. I am experienced in the safeguarding of important people in times of crisis. I will do my best to keep the disruption to your life to a minimum, but you are going to have to accept some small inconveniences. It is your own fault for being so intelligent that bad people realise they can use you.”
Under Jenson’s finger, those lips closed and pursed. Her eyes narrowed. She was looking for ways to argue with him. Only when she huffed her acceptance did Jenson remove the finger.
“Thank you, Miss Forester.” He offered that small head incline Maker was starting to see as his form of respect. Amethyst moved away to sit at the desk. “Since your bedroom is on the inner track of the quadrant formed by this house, we are in a good defensive position. Blanchard, you will ensure that all entryways, doors, windows and cellars are locked tight tonight, including the gates into the central quadrant.” The big valet nodded. “You will also help with an all-night vigil outside Miss Forester’s room. I want two men to cover outside and two inside. We’ll work out hours –”
“Wait! Wait.” This time Amethyst stopped Jenson with a raised index finger. “I was just going to point out that I am not entirely undefended.” She raised her right hand and in it was the A-Gun.
Jenson’s moustache tipped up at the sides. “Well that, I can’t argue with.”
“Good, because you can’t argue with this simple statement, either. Jade is my twin brother.”
Jenson frowned in confusion, and Maker joined him.
“If you really want to ensure maximum protection you’d put someone in the room with me. Jade can be that someone.”
“You need more than one for constant surveillance.”
“Not if he’s sleeping in the room with me. Besides, he’s quite the lightest sleeper in the world. Light can wake him up, never mind sound.”
“And it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve shared a bed,” Great-Aunt Flora stated. “Did until they were ten or so.”
“Eleven,” Jade corrected and turned to Amethyst. “How close is her room.”
“Far enough away I can’t hear anything.”
“I do not snore.”
“Of course not, Great-Aunt Flora,” came the automatic response, in stereo.
Attention focused back on Jenson, and Amethyst looked very serious. “If Jade is inside, and I have this little helper.” She indicated the A-Gun. “Then that will allow the other three of you to share the watch in the corridor of the house. Though I have to point out that other members of the household might find that noteworthy. Something that might have a particularly negative effect on Maker here.”
Jenson nodded. “A concern, true.”
Maker wanted to downplay it, but he was still recovering from the last assault. He shrugged. “One night.”
“It may take a few more than that,” Jenson suggested.
That made no sense. “Take her to a safer location tomorrow.”
“I’ve got work to do here!”
Maker wanted to argue, but if he could convince Jenson, what Amethyst said would be overridden, so he kept his attention on the officer. Who seemed to be thinking far too hard about things.
“Here is as safe as anywhere.”
That was foolish, but Maker knew which battles to fight. “I’ll watch three am to seven.”
“The great and good here will be dead to the world during those hours,” Blanchard agreed. “But a lot of the servants will be up at five, the fire lighting will start at six. I’ll take over from you then.”
“From six there will be little need,” Jade pointed out. “I’ll be up by then anyway.”
“And I’m usually not far behind.” Amethyst said. “That’s why I find all the late nights here so difficult, and why I could do with a good nap now.”
“That’s more likely the shock wearing off,” Great-Aunt Flora stated as she placed her tea cup on the side and stood. “Come along, deary.” Her flapping hand indicated Amethyst should go with her. “We’ll let these men make their plans while you and I take a medicinal nap.”
“Not sure how much sleep Amme’ll get with Great-Aunt Flora in the room,” Jade said as the two women left.
“Well she can always zap her with the A-Gun,” Blanchard pointed out. “Just what is the threat to Miss Forester, and how serious is it?”
When Jenson finished telling them what he had discovered of Vostock, there could be no doubt that it was very serious.
Amethyst lay down next to Great-Aunt Flora, but unlike the older woman, she couldn’t sleep. Being alone just made everything so much worse. All the menace she had imagined grew so much more real, until she could bear it no longer. She had to think of something else. Her usually busy mind drew a blank. There had to be a way of banishing these shadows, she had to be careful, but she couldn’t hide away from life.
Unable to stand the immobility a moment longer, she eased herself from Great-Aunt Flora’s bed and moved carefully to the door. She would go to her own room; perhaps reading a good book would take her mind off things.
The door opened easily and quietly. She kept an eye on Great-Aunt Flora as she squeezed out and just as quietly closed the door. Relief sighed out of her. There�
�d be a lecture the next time she saw her relative - either of them, in fact. Carefully she turned, jumped and only just controlled the scream shocked from her by Monty’s presence right in front of her.
“Good Lord.” Her hand went over her thumping heart. “Monty, what are you doing here?”
“I was heading toward my room.” He kept his voice down, and ushered her back, towards a shady alcove.
Prickles ran up her spine, muscles tensed, this wasn’t comfortable. It also wasn’t on his route to his room from just about anywhere.
“Monty, I have to go.”
“No, wait,” he begged when she tried to move away. “Please Amethyst, please. I just wanted to apologise. I was a fool the other night, I shouldn’t have treated you so roughly.”
His hand smoothed over her cheek, and revulsion shuddered through her. She didn’t want to remember what he’d done, nor how easily he’d nearly overcome her.
“You’re too special to toy with.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
His lips were dry as parchment, they rasped against her skin like sandpaper. “Monty, stop this.”
“I only want to tell you that I’m sorry,” he said between butterfly rasps. “That I’ll make it up to you.”
“You can’t.” She tried to shove him away, but he had her by the waist and he wasn’t going anywhere, his lips were on her neck now. If this was what nuzzling felt like, she didn’t want it.
“Let me take you out tomorrow, treat you. Just the two of us.”
It had been just the two of them three times now, four including this one, and she hadn’t enjoyed a single moment of any of it. She reached inside her pocket and drew out the A-Gun, pressing it against his stomach. She felt him freeze.
“It’ll never be the two of us, Monty.” She said it sweetly enough as he let go of her waist and stood up straight. “Your actions have assured me that we do not make a good match. I wish you well, Lord Montgomery, really, I do, but I can’t accept such close attention. I’m sure you understand how careful a young lady has to be.”
His eyes were cold and hard as he looked down at her. “A young lady, indeed. But what are you?”
As his long legs carried him away, she checked the gun was on level 1 and shot him in the calf. He yelped, staggered, looked back at her with anger, and just a touch of hate, then moved on as if the moment had never happened.
Have to use a higher setting next time.
Chapter 49
“I don’t know why you’d even bother with that worthless woman. She’s too old, anyway.” Willimena declared.
Amethyst sat between the rows of shelves in the back end of the library, looking through the Encyclopaedia Mechanica, stuck on a reference Jade had graciously given her five minutes of freedom to check in the library. Moving was now an impossibility, and even breathing seemed a questionable idea. She felt Willimena’s words were a little harsh, given that they were about the same age.
“She’s not worthless, far from it,” Montgomery stated. “She’s rich.”
After what Monty had done last night, she didn’t care what he thought or what he did with whom.
“I’m rich.”
Montgomery laughed. “Not like she is. The Professor may only have left her a small fortune, but he also left her his patents and investments, and they’ll be bringing money in for years to come, no work necessary. And she’s got the brains to ensure she gets richer.”
“But she’s such a dull, ugly little thing.”
Amethyst could almost hear the petulant pout Willimena would be pulling. She was probably doing the swinging from side to side like a little-girl-lost thing too. Amethyst hated that.
“Ugly’s a bit harsh. Plain, yes. Besides, that’s what makes her such an easy mark. She laps up the attention.”
That brought Amethyst’s head up. Did she? Yes, she liked to be paid attention, and she’d always tried to be unfailingly polite to Monty when he’d been attentive, but that didn’t mean she was desperate for his attention. Or did it? Was the mistake hers or his? Her mouth dried out at the thought.
“Then how come you haven’t fucked her yet?”
She wasn’t used to hearing such language from any young lady.
“Or does Maker wear her out?”
Montgomery laughed again. “He can’t even fuck his own wife, he’s not screwing Amethyst. Besides, she’s too uptight. Marriage before sex type, probably not even after, she’s that frigid. I almost pity the poor sod who has to marry that.”
“Sounds perfect for Maker, then. Or maybe I should warm his bed as you warm his wife’s.”
The laughs that they shared made her feel sick. They were worse than a prostitute and her touch.
Monty spoke again. “Ha, you’d be lucky.”
“From what I hear, he couldn’t get it up if he tried. Hardly worth the effort.”
During the following pause, Amethyst hoped they were leaving but dreaded that they weren’t. Willimena’s voice confirmed her fears. “Not like that oaf from town. He’s ready in seconds.”
“Don’t know how you can bear such uncouth hands on you.”
The laugh was girly and powerful, someone who knew she had the upper hand. “It keeps him in check.”
“Is that what they call it now?”
Amethyst had heard plenty of details from Sapphire, but this was getting truly distasteful. Maybe if she waited, they’d just go away. It was a hope.
“A bit of rough can be fun.”
“I can be rough.”
“Later, darling.”
“No, now.” There was movement, a laughing complaint, and some piece of furniture scraped on the floor. “I didn’t bring you in here to talk about fucking other people. Now lift your skirt and let me fuck you.”
No hope now. “Alternatively!” Amethyst slammed the book back on the shelf and stepped into view of the two degenerates. “Don’t.” She stepped towards the two shocked faces. Monty had Willimena pinned against the reading desk. But Willimena clearly had Monty exactly where she wanted him. Amethyst’s lip curled when she looked at the younger woman as she swept past. “Your parents must be so proud.”
It was not a pleasure to see the workroom door open – propped open, Jenson noted. Amethyst had her back to it, the working grey dress interrupted by the brown of the apron tie and sleeve protectors and the loose thick rope of chestnut hair to her waist tied by a lavender ribbon. A band around her head, heavy goggles, the solid sides of which would prevent her seeing someone like him at the door.
“Don’t just stand there, Jenson,” Amethyst said. “Come in if you’re coming.”
“How did you know it was me?” he asked, moving inside.
She twisted, tightening a screw, then pulled the goggles from her head, smiling broad and bright. “I heard you coming down the corridor.”
Seemed plausible. “Did you sleep well last night?”
“Very.” She nodded.
That was a relief, the proof he needed that she didn’t know what had happened last night.
“Didn’t expect to, expected to be awake worrying, but having Jade around helped. Hadn’t really realised how much I’ve been missing him. I mean, we haven’t shared a room since we were eleven, but having him there made me feel safe. You don’t look like you had such a good time.”
He hadn’t. When sleep had finally overtaken him it had been fitful and restless. Full of dreams of her being dragged off into a world of aether and threat that he didn’t understand and was helpless against. “I’m fine. The agreement was that you wouldn’t be left alone.”
“I’m not alone.”
“Not now I’m here, but you were.”
Shaking her head, she held the goggles up to her own eyes and then passed them across. “No, I wasn’t.”
When he took the glasses, she pointed to the desk, a peer through them showed him Stephen sitting at the desk, a multiplied image that waved at him, since conversation was impossible.
“Oh, hello.” He returned the goggles. “He’s not much use in a fight. No offence meant,” he told what now appeared to be an empty chair.
“I’m sure he didn’t take any. While I did hear you coming down the corridor, who do you think told me it was you?”
“Told? I didn’t think he could talk.”
“He can’t. He did this.” She put two fingers from each hand under her nose and drew the length of her top lip. “You’re the only one here who has such a moustache. And don’t forget, I have this.” She pulled the A-Gun from the pocket on the front of the apron. “Besides, it’s not like anything happened last night. The threat was probably just one of opportunity.”
That assured him of two things; she really had slept well last night and his fellow protectors were as trustworthy as they should be.
“And you.” She put her hand on his arm. “You’re being overprotective.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
Her being charming would not dissuade him from being protective. “Jade promised to ‒”
“Jade only popped out for a moment,” Jade said, coming in carrying a large brown box. “I had an idea.”
“What’s that?” Amethyst asked.
“The idea.”
“How hard do you want me to slap you?”
He grinned at her. “It’s a Ouija board.”
“This isn’t a time for games.”
Jade put the box on the table. “Might be if we get bored tonight. Even you have to stop talking some time.”
The friendly rib poke happened again. “You said you wanted to know everything you missed.”
“Not in real time.”
“Won’t say another word then.” Amethyst crossed her arms.
Jade took the lettered board from the box and propped it against the windowsill. Reaching out to take the goggles, he stood straight. “Stephen, can you spell out my name?”
He stood with his eyes fixed on the board, while Jenson and Amethyst watched.
“J… A… that could have been a D, oh.” Jade carried on watching. “Oh, nice. Thanks.” He took off the glasses. “That works. In principle.”
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