Edgeworth is bringing him here so that
you both may die together in this room.
It will all be excessively tragic and very
romantic, I assure you. We should not
have much longer to wait."
Victoria smiled coolly.
I fear you have
made a mistake in sending Edgeworth to
fetch my husband. stone vale will be here
soon, of that I have no doubt. But it is
my guess that Edgeworth will not survive
to accompany him."
Isabel walked over to the window, gazing
at the dingy alley that ran alongside the
Green Pig.
I fear you have a great deal of
misplaced faith in your husband's abilities,
Victoria."
I have a great deal of faith in his
knowledge of strategy, madam."
From the dark confines of Edgeworth's
carriage, which was parked in a lane near
the Green Pig, Lucas watched Victoria
alight from the coach and go into the
gaming hell. His hand tightened into a
fist.
You have just sealed your own death,
Edgeworth. You should never have in
volved my wife in this business," he said
icily.
Your wife was involved before I was,"
Edgeworth said with a thin chuckle of
satisfaction.
Her death is as important to
Isabel as yours is to me."
What is your plan?"
I suppose there is no harm in telling
you now. You are known for your ability to
plot tactics and strategy, stone vale, so you
should be able to perceive the cleverness
of my scheme."
Lucas did not take his eyes off the
front door of the Green Pig. He could
feel Edgeworth's tension filling the coach.
The man smelled of it.
You are a coward
and a fool, Edgeworth. The combination
means that whatever you have planned is
bound to end in failure."
Edgeworth raised the pistol slightly, his
smile of satisfaction turning to a snarl.
You will see, stone vale. This time your
luck has finally run out. It is not only your
life you will lose tonight, but your precious
honor. Tomorrow morning all London will
be talking about how the Countess of
stone vale left Lady Atherton's reception
to carry out a secret rendezvous with an
unknown lover in the upstairs room of a
gaming hell. They will delight in saying
how you followed her and discovered her
in bed with another man."
Who is this other man?"
No one will ever know because he will
have mysteriously escaped while you were
busy killing your wife."
And my own death? How will it be
explained?"
Very easily. What else could a man in
your situation do except put a pistol to his
own head?"
Tell me, Edgeworth, was it you who
notified Lady Nettleship of Victoria's
whereabouts on a certain evening?"
Edgeworth smiled dryly.
I followed her
from the ballroom that night, as usual.
When I realized you were taking her to
that inn in order to seduce her, I thought
I saw my chance to enjoy a most agreeable
vengeance against you. I was certain that
when you were discovered, your reputation
would be in shreds. I thought you would
be shunned by Society afterward and cast
out of the clubs. But you moved too
quickly and married the lady within hours.
And once Lady Nettleship and Jessica
Atherton made it clear they approved the
marriage, there was nothing to be done."
Edgeworth motioned with the weapon
in his hand. The movement was jerky,
betraying the man's anxiety.
I think we've
given my associate enough time alone with
your wife. Isabel has the instincts of a
cat, you see. She wanted to toy with her
victim a few minutes before she delivered
the death blow."
Lucas started to step out of the carriage.
He stumbled in the process and grabbed
at the edge of the door, stifling a groan.
Damn you, stone vale." Edgeworth moved
back hurriedly, the pistol coming up sharply
as he made a grab for his own balance.
Sorry. My leg, of course. It has a habit
of giving way at inappropriate moments."
Shut up and get out of the carriage,"
Edgeworth said nervously.
Lucas obliged, moving cautiously. He
watched Edgeworth alight behind him.
There is a flight of stairs at the back.
We will use those," Edgeworth said.
I
don't intend to have you try to escape in
the tavern, where there would be witnesses
if I was forced to shoot you."
Very farsighted of you." Lucas started
into the dark alley that led to the back
of the building that housed the Green
Pig. The shadows suited him well. All
that running around at odd hours with
Victoria had paid off, he thought wryly. He
had become quite accustomed to moving
about in the deepest part of the night.
He did not make his move until they
reached the stairs. Then, in obedience to
Edgeworth's command, he started up the
steps ahead of his captor.
Hurry," Edgeworth muttered, his voice
quavering and anxious now.
This must be exceedingly difficult for
you, Edgeworth. Your nerve was always
somewhat weak, was it not? I can just
imagine what a strain this must be on
you."
God damn you, stone vale. You will
soon pay for that, I swear it. Hurry."
Lucas waited until he was on the third
step before he deliberately let his bad leg
go out from under him again. He started
to reel backward, flailing wildly.
What in hell's name are you?" Edge
worth instinctively tried to get out of the
way, but the stairs were narrow and he
wound up having to grab at the shaky
railing as Lucas's full weight hit him. He
fought to get the pistol back in line to fire
but it was too late.
The struggle was brief. Both men rolled
together down the three steps. Lucas paid
attention only to the pistol in Edgeworth's
hand. Edgeworth's finger began to tighten
and Lucas used both hands to force the
man's arm across his body.
Edgeworth heaved frantically, just as the
pistol exploded. He cried out as the bullet
went into his own chest at point-blank
range.
Lucas felt the shock and the sudden,
terrible limpness that went through the
other man. He was vaguely aware of a
ringing in his ears caused by the noise of
the pistol. Then he felt the unmistakable
sensation of warm blood pumping over his
fingers.
God damn you to hell, Edgeworth." He
levered himself away from the dying man.
He did that a long time ago. The day
I turned and ran on the field of battle."
Edgeworth's eyes were already closing.
You never told anyone about that."
Each man must see to his own honor."
You and your bloody damn sense of
honor," Edgeworth said, his voice strained
and not much above a whisper.
Which room is my wife in, Edgeworth?
Do not go to your maker with murder
on your conscience along with everything
else."
Edgeworth coughed and choked on
blood.
Find her yourself, stone vale." He
fell silent.
Lucas got to his feet, certain the man
was already unconscious. He dried his
hands on Edgeworth's coat and picked
up the pistol.
He had just turned to start back up
the steps when Edgeworth spoke one last
time.
Should have slit your throat that day
when I saw you lying on that goddamned
battlefield, stone vale. Should have killed
you when I had the chance. You have
haunted me ever since, like some damned
ghost. And now you have had your
vengeance."
Lucas said nothing. There was nothing
left to say. He bounded up the stairs as
fast as he could without jeopardizing his
balance.
At the top he found himself on a narrow
landing. There was a door at one end
which opened onto a dingy hallway. The
grunts and groans and laughter that came
from behind the closed doors told him
where he was.
He could start throwing open each
door as he came to it, but that would
cause alarm and give Isabel Rycott too
much time and warning. Lucas reluctantly
stepped back out onto the outside landing
and eyed the narrow ledge that ran
beneath the windows. It was a lucky
thing he had a head for heights, he
decided.
Victoria was still leaning against the
mantel when she caught the trace of
movement outside on the window ledge.
She knew immediately who was out there.
Relief soared through her. Lucas was here
and everything was going to be all right.
She redoubled her efforts to keep Isabel
talking and to make certain the other
woman's attention did not stray to the
window.
Tell me, Isabel, do you think you will
be able to give up the habit of going
about in men's clothing now that you have
discovered the freedom associated with it?
I vow, I will have a hard time resisting the
temptation. It is a marvelous sensation, is
it not? Think how much better off the
world would be if all women felt free to
wear breeches when it suited them."
Isabel shook the pistol menacingly.
Shut up, Victoria. You will not have
to worry about that particular temptation
after tonight."
Victoria smiled and used the toe of
her boot to poke a small stick back into
the fire.
Edgeworth will let you down,
you know. Weak men may be useful on
occasion, but I fear they cannot be counted
upon in a crisis. I shall be the first to