Confessions at Midnight

by Jacquie D’Alessandro

  He briefly squeezed his eyes closed. He wanted to hate the man, but how did one hate a dead man? A man who'd been a friend? A man he'd liked and admired? A man who hadn't deserved to die at such a young age? He could understand that Carolyn would always love Edward, but why did she have to love only Edward?

  When she'd told him their affair must end, his first strong, primal instinct had been to argue, but he forced himself not to. It was for the best, especially now, that he keep his physical distance from her, as he didn't want to bring danger her way. Perhaps, after all this was over, he could try to convince her-

  He ruthlessly sliced off the thought. What was the point? She'd made her choice and had chosen her husband's memory. For him to try and convince her to prolong their affair would only humiliate them both. Rather than trying to accomplish the impossible task of finding a way to make her forget a man she'd never forget, he would be much better served to try to find a way to make himself fall out of love.

  A tight, bitter sound clogged his throat. God, if only he could do so. Somewhere the gods must be laughing at him. That after a lifetime of scoffing at the notion of love, it had reached up and grabbed him, body and soul, and left him with nothing but a numb, empty space where his heart used to beat.

  His gaze lifted to Carolyn's bedchamber window. To the small balcony over which he'd tossed a rope then scaled to enter her room. Had he truly thought he'd merely desired her body? Had wanted nothing more from her than sexual games? Had felt nothing beyond lust? He thunked his head against the cold, rough stone. What a bloody idiot he was.

  He kept his vigil all through the night, senses on alert, ears attuned to any strange sounds, eyes ceaselessly scanning, but nothing suspicious occurred. It began to rain around three a.m., at first softly, but then more steadily, until the drops fell in a cold, silent sheet that plastered his hair and clothing to his chilled skin. By the time dawn broke, a barely discernable gray streak in the dreary, opaque sky, the rain had tapered off to a light drizzle.

  Suddenly, a soft glow illuminated Carolyn's bed-chamber window. He instantly pictured her lighting a lamp. Rising from bed. Brushing her hair. Getting dressed. And wished with everything in him that he was in that room with her.

  An hour passed before the light went out, a sign that she'd left her bedchamber, most likely to go to breakfast, and he realized that the rain had finally stopped. In a perfect match to his mood, the sky remained gloomy and overcast. He rose stiffly, his cold, cramped muscles protesting. He pushed his damp hair back with both hands and grimaced at the feel of wet clothing sticking to his skin. He'd go home and change his clothes then resume his vigil.

  When he entered his foyer a few minutes later, Samuel and Barkley reported all was well. "Not a peep o' disturbance, milord," Samuel said.

  "Excellent. I want you to keep watch in Lady Wingate's garden while I change clothes."

  "Yes, milord. Got me knife right here," Samuel said, patting his boot. "Won't nobody get by me."

  He departed through the rear of the house, and Daniel started up the stairs.

  "Shall I arrange for a hot bath, my lord?" Barkley asked.

  "No, thank you. Just breakfast and coffee." He'd made it halfway up the stairs when the brass door knocker sounded.

  Barkley peeked through the side window. "'Tis Mr. Mayne, my lord," he reported in an undertone.

  "Show him into the dining room and offer him breakfast. I'll join him shortly." He took the remainder of the stairs two at a time, anxious to change, complete his business with Mayne, then resume his watch in Carolyn's garden.

  Ten minutes later he strode into the dining room, noting that Mayne was only drinking coffee. After exchanging greetings with the Runner, Daniel asked, "Where's Rayburn?"

  Mayne frowned. "He said he had other matters to attend to. I'll report to him later."

  While helping himself to eggs, ham, and bacon from the sideboard, Daniel reiterated what Samuel had told the Runner last night. As he took his seat at the head of the table, he concluded by saying, "I warned Lady Walsh of possible danger. Lady Wingate as well."

  Mayne's impassive face didn't show a flicker of emotion. "Lady Wingate… is she the reason you lied about your whereabouts the night before last?"

  Daniel clenched his jaw. He didn't want this man to know of his affair with Carolyn, but since she clearly intended to tell him herself, there was no point in prevaricating. "I didn't precisely lie. I did come home. But then I left. And went to Lady Wingate's town house. I didn't tell you, as my private life is none of your business, nor did I want Lady Wingate to become gossip fodder."

  "You were there all night?"

  "Until dawn, yes."

  "And Lady Wingate will vouch for this?"

  "Yes."

  Mayne's gaze settled for several seconds on Daniel's still damp hair. "Where were you last night, Lord Surbrooke?"

  Annoyance rippled through him at the man's silky tone, and he made him wait for his answer while he chewed then swallowed a forkful of egg. "In Lady Wingate's garden. Keeping watch."

  "And will Lady Wingate vouch for that as well?"

  "She doesn't know I was there."

  "Did anyone see you?"

  "No. But my butler and footman know I was."

  "Because they saw you there-or merely because you told them that's where you'd be?"

  "Are you insinuating I was somewhere else?"

  "If you're asking if I've discovered another body of one of your former lovers, the answer is not yet." He lifted his china cup and looked at Daniel over the rim. "The day is young, however."

  "Your time would be better served trying to come up with a plan to capture the true killer."

  "Do you have any suggestions?"

  "As a matter of fact, I do. As you know, both murders occurred during or after a party I attended. I'm scheduled to attend a soiree at the home of Lady Pelfield this evening."

  Interest flickered in Mayne's dark eyes. "So you think it possible our man may strike again tonight. Will Lady Walsh and Lady Wingate be in attendance?"

  "I'm not certain about Lady Walsh, although as it's a huge soiree, she probably will. I know Lady Wingate plans to attend."

  "So we could use one of them as bait."

  "No." The word came out harsh, forceful. "Absolutely not." The thought of a murdering madman so much as touching Carolyn twisted his insides into a painful knot. "I was thinking we could employ extra help and all be extra vigilant. Keep a careful eye on both ladies. Have one of us within arm's reach at all times. As soon as someone tries to lure either of them off alone, we'll have our killer."

  Mayne said nothing for several seconds, just looked at him through his dark, inscrutable eyes. Finally he murmured, "And what if this is a case of the fox guarding the chicken coop?"

  "Meaning what if I'm the one who will attempt to lure one of them off alone?" Daniel leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "And what if, Mr. Mayne, you are the fox?"

  Something flickered in those dark eyes, then Mayne inclined his head. "Appears this will be an interesting evening."

  Daniel took a swallow of his coffee, tapped his napkin to his lips, then rose. "If there's nothing else, I wish to return to Lady Wingate's garden."

  Mayne rose. "I'll go with you. I'd like to speak to Lady Wingate myself."

  They'd just entered the corridor when Daniel heard the front door open. Seconds later Samuel yelled to Barkley, "I must speak to his lordship at once!"

  His anxious tone shivered a chill down Daniel's spine, and he took off at a dead run toward the foyer, Mayne hot on his heels. As soon as Daniel saw Samuel, his dread grew at the sight of the young man's wide eyes and pale face. His footman was breathing hard and clearly agitated.

  "What is it?" Daniel asked tersely. "Lady Wingate?"

  "She's gone, milord."

  Daniel felt the blood rush from his head. "What do you mean, gone?"

  Samuel's words poured out in a rapid flow. "I were watchin' Lady Wingate's garden, just like ye to
ld me. After a bit Katie came outside. Seen me through the window, she had, and wanted to say hello. We got to talkin' and then she asked me what I were doin'. When I told her I were guardin' the back o' the house in case the murderer were lurkin' about, she says, 'Oh, no need to worry about that, the murderer's been caught.'"

  "What?" Daniel and Mayne asked in unison.

  Samuel nodded. "That's wot she said. When I asked her how she knew, she said because Lady Wingate had received a note from Lord Surbrooke tellin' her so."

  The floor seemed to shift around Daniel's feet. "I sent no such note. Where is Lady Wingate now?"

  "Katie wasn't sure, she only knew Lady Wingate went out. I told her to get Nelson and find the note. I ran here to tell ye."

  Daniel grabbed his pistol from the foyer table where he'd left it on his way up the stairs. His gaze flicked between Samuel and Mayne. "Let's go."

  Carolyn made her way along the winding path in Hyde Park and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders to ward off the damp, chilly breeze. Ghostly fingers of smoky fog rose from the ground, while the dismal sky, gloomy with low-hanging clouds, threatened to spew rain at any moment. As a result the park was deserted.

  She hurried along, anxious to reach the spot where Daniel's note had indicated that she would meet him and Mr. Mayne. Thank goodness they'd apprehended the killer. She looked forward to giving the Runner a good dressing down for suspecting Daniel.

  The path curved just ahead, which led to the small U-shaped area surrounded by a thick copse of elms and hedges where Daniel had asked her to meet them. She veered off the path and entered the break in the tall hedges. A lone figure stood in the far corner of the small fog-shrouded clearing, and Carolyn called out a greeting.

  The figure approached and Carolyn blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

  A smile. And an odd glitter in green eyes that stilled Carolyn and raced an icy shiver down her spine.

  A black gloved hand raised a pistol and pointed it at the center of her chest. "I'm here to see you, Lady Wingate."

  Carolyn stared at the pistol, trying to make sense of what was happening. She drew an unsteady breath and raised her gaze back to those eyes she now realized gleamed with madness. "Surely that weapon isn't necessary."

  "Oh, but I'm afraid it is. If you cooperate, only you will die. If you move or scream, I'll kill you, then make certain your sister dies next. Do you understand?"

  Heart pounding so loud she could hear its echo in her ears, Carolyn managed to nod. "Yes."

  Dear God. Surely someone-Nelson, Katie, Daniel, someone-would soon realize she'd been lured away on false pretenses. She just had to remain calm and stay alive until they found her. Her gaze flicked to the pistol, which didn't waver at all.

  She lifted her chin. "Obviously the note wasn't from Daniel and I am to be your third victim… or have there been others, Lady Walsh?"

  A cunning smile curved Kimberly Sizemore's lips. "Only Lady Crawford and Lady Margate. After you're gone, I'll have what I want."

  "And what, precisely, is that?"

  The smile disappeared and cold, stark hatred kindled in Lady Walsh's eyes. "I want Daniel ruined. As he ruined me."

  Carolyn nodded slowly, as if that made perfect sense. "I see. And how did he ruin you?"

  The hatred burned brighter. "He courted me, flattered me, seduced and charmed me. I fell madly, passionately in love with him. Just when I was certain I was on the verge of winning him, he cast me aside like day-old trash to attend a house party at Lord Langston's country estate. Oh, he was very civil about ending our liaison, but it still amounted to being thrown away."

  Her glittering eyes narrowed. "I'd planned to regain his favor when he returned to London, but he came back a different man. Every time I approached him, he put me off. And I realized he'd taken another lover. All I needed to do was find out who so I could best plan how to win him back."

  Her gaze raked over Carolyn with ill-concealed disgust. "I saw the two of you the night of my masquerade ball. On the terrace. I couldn't credit that he'd chosen you-a boring, timid widow who'd never be able to please him as I had. Surely you didn't think you could keep a man like Daniel satisfied."

  Anger over the destruction this madwoman had caused pushed aside a portion of Carolyn's fear and she lifted her brows. "Perhaps I'm not as boring and timid as you think."

  Lady Walsh's eyes turned to slits. "He would have returned to me if not for you. I tried to tempt him back, but he stubbornly refused. And turned my love to hate. That's when I decided that if I couldn't have him, no one would."

  "Then why didn't you simply kill him?"

  Her lips curved up in a travesty of a smile. "But that's exactly what I'm doing. Shooting or stabbing him would be too quick, and Daniel must suffer. Must be ruined. So I decided to frame him for murder. Of his former lovers."

  "How did you kill them?" Carolyn asked, straining her ears, praying she'd soon hear footsteps coming along the path.

  Pride now gleamed in Lady Walsh's eyes. "I lured them to their deaths by sending them the sort of time and place lover's notes that are currently all the rage. I disguised my handwriting to resemble Daniel's and asked them both to wear pieces of jewelry to their liaison that he'd given them. After you're found dead, his fate will be sealed. Especially after I plant the notes he sent to Lady Crawford and Lady Margate where the authorities will find them."

  "Why didn't you just leave the notes on the dead women?"

  "I'd planned to send one to you on the night you would be killed, and I didn't want you afraid to answer the missive." Her expression turned cunning. "That's if you didn't die sooner."

  "You mean the shot you fired?"

  A sly smile curved her lips. "Perhaps."

  "Why this change in your plans?"

  Lady Walsh frowned. "Because Daniel decided both you and I were in danger. Did you know he came to me last night, to warn me to be careful? I almost felt sorry for my plan to ruin him, and I might have halted it had he accepted my invitation to stay. But instead he left." She glared at Carolyn. "To go to you, I'm sure."

  "Yes."

  "That final rejection sealed his fate, and forced me to act sooner than I'd planned. I knew he'd see to it that you were never out of his sight." Another sick smile. "But I fooled him. And you. And now here we are. And you're going to die."

  A cold fury unlike anything she'd ever known rose in Carolyn. "You already failed when you shot at me the other night," she said with a sneer.

  "I won't miss this time."

  Realizing it was now or never, Carolyn sprang at her attacker with a feral scream that cut through the chilled air. Shock, then profound hatred, registered in Lady Walsh's eyes as they struggled over the pistol. Carolyn fought with every ounce of her strength to keep the muzzle pointed away from herself, but Lady Walsh was demonically strong, and as determined as she. Fear and fury forced Carolyn to keep struggling. Sweat broke out on her skin, and her every muscle trembled with her efforts.

  Yet despite her valiant attempt, Lady Walsh managed to jam the pistol's muzzle directly beneath her breast. Dear God, I'm going to die. At the hands of this madwoman.

  No sooner had the thought whispered through her mind than Lady Walsh cried out and stiffened. Her eyes went wide and her grip slackened on the pistol. Carolyn grabbed the weapon and scurried back, away from her. Shaking, she pointed the pistol at Lady Walsh, fully prepared to squeeze the trigger, but to her astonishment, the woman fell to her knees. A trickle of blood oozed between her lips and a thin line of scarlet trailed over her jaw. Her eyes were rapidly dimming, but they remained focused on Carolyn.

  "I'll have my revenge," she whispered. "Even from the grave I'll see you dead." She collapsed forward then, and Carolyn stared with disbelief at the hilt of the knife protruding from her back.

  Dazed, she looked up and saw Daniel standing in the opening in the hedges. Before she could move, he ran to her. "Are you hurt?" he asked, gently removing the pistol from her suddenly nerveless
fingers.

  "I… I'm fine." Although fine didn't precisely describe the shakiness attacking her limbs.

  He passed the pistol to Mr. Mayne, who'd entered the clearing along with Samuel and Nelson, who held a knife in one hand and brandished a fire iron in the other.

  She blinked at her very proper butler. "Good heavens, Nelson, what are you doing here?"

  "Came to help rescue you, my lady."

  For some reason, that filled her eyes with tears. "Thank you. All of you."

  Daniel wrapped an arm around her then led her away from the body. She glanced at it over her shoulder and shuddered. When they stopped walking, she turned to face him. He cupped her cheeks between his hands and his anxious gaze raked her face.

  "You're certain you're not hurt?"

  She nodded. "Yes."

  Before she could utter another word, he crushed her to him in a hug so tight she could barely breathe. She clung to him, grateful for his strength, because her legs still felt decidedly wobbly.

  "My God, Carolyn," he whispered against her hair. "I've never, in my entire life, been so frightened."

  "She was going to kill me," she mumbled into his chest.

  A shudder racked his frame. "Yes, I know."

  She lifted her head and leaned back just enough to look into his eyes. "Did you kill her?"

  "Yes."

  "You made an excellent throw with that knife. I'm very relieved you didn't miss."

  "There was no possible way I was going to miss. Not with all that was at stake."

  "I wasn't going to let her shoot me. Not without a fight."

  He brushed back a loosened tangle of her hair. "I'm very relieved to hear it. I didn't know you were so fierce."

  "Neither did I."

  "You're a veritable tigress."

  "Apparently. But I certainly hope I never have to prove it again in such a manner."

  "As do I. Do you feel able to walk?"

  "I'm a bit unsteady, but I'd rather walk home than stay here."

  Keeping his arms around her, Daniel looked over her shoulder. "I'm going to escort Lady Wingate home, Mayne. Do you need me to send for anyone?"

  "No. Samuel's offered to fetch Rayburn, and Nelson can stay with me, if that's all right with Lady Wingate."