Viridis - A Steampunk Romance (37 page)

Phoebe pulled her gaze away with some difficulty and
said, “There really isn’t much to say, is there? Victor will go
free. It really is a simple matter.”

He frowned, the worry clear in his eyes. Reaching
out, he took her hands in hers. “I swear to you, Phoebe, he’ll not
come near you.” She saw his gaze flick over to Gavin for just a
moment.

She shifted a glare between the two of them, pinning
them to the spot, anger erupting within her. “If I hear either one
of you has gone near him, so help me, I will never speak to either
of you again.”

“Och, love—” Gavin started, only to be cut off.

“Don’t
och, love
me! It’ll get you nowhere.
Now, have I made myself clear? If you so much as speak a word to
the man—”

Gavin mumbled, half under his breath, “It wasna
speaking I had in mind, aye?”

“I heard that.” Phoebe was out of her chair and at
his side, looking up at his six feet and six inches from her five
and two. “I swear to you, Gavin MacKay, if I hear he’s come to harm
and you had a hand in it, I’ll cut your heart out.”

Gavin threw his head back and laughed. “And how were
ye planning on doing that, love? Cause I tell ye, I willna be
standing still while ye go and fetch a knife and a stepstool.”

Seth slipped an arm around her waist to pull her
away, but she gained some satisfaction from landing a kick to
Gavin’s bare knee before she was pulled out of reach.

“Bleeding hell, lass. I thought it might do ye some
good to vent a bit of anger, but I didna ken ye’d be trying to
break my leg.”

“Hmph! Serves you right.” Phoebe stood there,
indignant, with Seth’s arm still secure around her waist. He turned
her towards him and away from Gavin.

“Phoebe, my love,” he couldn’t quite conceal his
smile, “I will not make promises I cannot keep, for circumstances
may at some point dictate that I come in contact with the man. And
though I cannot speak for my dearest of friends,” he tilted his
head in Gavin’s direction, “I do promise ye, the man will not meet
a horrible end at my hand.”

Phoebe glared at him suspiciously. Seth’s promise
had more holes in it than a sieve.

“Aye, and I’ll promise ye the same, love.” Gavin
took a step forward, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Now gives us
a kiss,” he pointed to his cheek, “and I’ll forgive ye for nearly
taking off me kneecap.”

Chapter Seventy Seven

With William gone and Gabriel resting, Phoebe
slipped up to her laboratory to get another batch of Viridis
distilled. She had just added the oils and started the distillation
when Samuel knocked on the door
.

“Pardon me, Mum. There’s someone here to see ye,
though if ye’re busy I can tell them ye’re not receiving guests at
the moment. ‘Tis Lilly, Mum. Anne’s sister.”

Phoebe pulled off her brass goggles and smiled at
him. “No, of course not. Please show her to the sitting room, and
I’ll be down momentarily. Have Martha bring us up a tray with tea
and cakes, if you would, and also let Anne know her sister is here.
I’m sure she’d like to see her.”

“Yes, Mum.” With a nod, he spun on his heels and
walked out the door.

After making sure everything was running properly,
Phoebe headed to the sitting room where she found Lilly pacing the
floor. “Mum!” she cried, wringing her hands and on the verge of
tears. “Is Gabriel all right?”

“He’s doing much better. He’ll be excited that
you’ve come, though I’m afraid he’s asleep at the moment.” Phoebe
took a seat across from Lilly, and tried to give her a comforting
smile.

“I’m so sorry to hear ‘bout his injury, Mum. I just
heard when I went over to Viridis. ‘Tis ‘orrible. There must be
some madman going about. And yer brother no less— a kinder man ye’d
have a hard time finding.”

“Thank you, Lilly. It’s looking as though he’ll make
a full recovery.” Trying to lighten her mood, Phoebe changed the
subject. “I do not know if you’ve spoken to your sister recently,
but she recently joined our household here. Just yesterday, as a
matter of fact.”

Lilly shook her head no, sending her red curls
bouncing. Phoebe thought it must be wonderful to have such lovely
hair.

“I’m afraid I have not seen ‘er in a few days time.
I thought perhaps she’d spent the night at the shelter when she
didna come home. I do hope she’ll work out for ye, Mum. She’s a
hard worker.”

“Mrs. Farthing has only had good things to say about
her.” Just then Anne came wheeling in the teacart, casting a
nervous glance between Phoebe and her sister. “Thank you, Anne.
Lilly’s come to pay Gabriel a visit, but I thought, afterwards, if
you’d like, you can take your luncheon together.”

“Yes, Mum.” Anne pinned her sister with a look
Phoebe didn’t quite understand, her small body stiff.

“Is everything all right, Anne?” Phoebe had only
wanted to make the girls feel comfortable in her home, especially
with Anne working here and Lilly over at Viridis. And yet Anne
seemed unaccountably upset.

Lilly spoke up. “Pardon me, Mum. I don’t suppose I
could speak to my sister for just a moment out in the hall?”

“Of course. Please.” Phoebe gestured towards the
door, confused by the strange exchange between the two sisters.

Though they had moved outside the room and into the
hall, Phoebe could still see them from where she sat, and could not
help but hear parts of their exchange. Anne’s face had gone red
with a fury that surprised Phoebe.

“What is the matter, Anne?” Lilly shifted so her
back was now to Phoebe, so she could not see what was
happening.

“…need to leave… not have ye…”

“…offer is a good… I’m accepting it.” It was clear
the sisters were arguing, but the rest of the conversation was too
muddled to understand. Finally, Lilly’s hands went defiantly to her
hips. “We’re done, here, aye?” And with that, she spun around and
came back into the room, her face flushed so red that her freckles
were nearly invisible.

“I’m awful sorry ‘bout that, Mum,” she said, taking
her seat. “Anne’s a good girl, but sometimes she gets these ideas
in her head and there’s no ridding her of them. Stubborn is what
that girl is, if ye’ll pardon my saying so.”

Phoebe went to the teacart and poured them each a
cup, handing Lilly hers. “Here, this will help calm your nerves a
bit.” Phoebe took her seat. “Lilly, I do not mean to interfere in
your affairs, but if there is a problem with Anne being here or
with you coming to see Gabriel, I do hope you’ll let me know.”

“No, no. ’Tis nothing like that.” Lilly took a deep
breath while she fidgeted with her skirt. “I do want to thank ye,
though. For everything. Ye’ve always been good to me and my own,
and I’m right sorry ‘bout ye having to see Anne like that. I don’t
know where she gets her odd ideas from.”

“No worries, dear. We all have our little
idiosyncrasies. Would you like—” A deafening crack exploded from
upstairs, and Phoebe jumped from her chair, her heart racing.

“Upstairs!” Lilly said, and together the women ran
for the door.

Another shot split the air as they hit the stairs
running, holding their gowns high above their ankles so as not to
trip. As they came into the upstairs hallway, they ran into Seth
and Gavin.

“Get back downstairs!” Seth shouted at them.

She struggled to get past Seth. “Gabriel! G—” but
her brother’s name was torn from her lips by the thundering sound
of Gavin crashing down the bedroom door
.

Phoebe watched in horror as Gavin rushed through the
door, dirk in hand, ducking so as not to get his head blown off,
with Seth following right behind him. The fuse gun cracked yet
again, sending them scrambling for cover. She could see her brother
through the doorway, blood gushing from his chest.

Screams tore from her throat as she lunged forward,
desperate to save her brother, but Samuel grabbed her and held
fast. She struggled against him, watching as the scene unfolded
before her in slow motion.

Anne stood in the center of the room, eyes wild,
holding the fuse gun in her wavering hands and turning on Seth.
There was a flash and a thundering boom, just before Seth cried out
and the shot hit him in the arm. Phoebe screamed and broke loose,
running into the room just as Gavin vaulted over the bed, grabbing
Anne and burying his dirk to the hilt.

Phoebe stepped into Gabriel’s room and felt her
world tilt out from under her. There was blood everywhere she
looked, the blood of those she loved.

Lilly screamed in despair as she threw herself on
the floor next to her sister. She pressed her hand against the
wound in Anne’s chest, but the blood poured through her fingers,
drenching Anne’s clothing. Anne’s face grew pale, and she looked
far smaller and younger than her years.

Phoebe rushed to Gabriel’s side and took his hand in
hers. She whispered frantically to him that everything would be all
right, but even as she uttered the words, she knew that they were
just a lie. Blood bubbled over her brother’s lips, trickling over
the pale skin of his cheeks.

Seth and Gavin both came to his bedside, but there
was little to be done. Phoebe cradled Gabriel’s head in her lap,
just like she had when he’d been just a young lad weeping in her
arms after their mother’s death.

He looked up at her, struggling with the words. “I
love you, Phoebe. ”

“And I you, my love. Always.” She lowered her lips
to his forehead, and the light went from his eyes.

Chapter Seventy Eight

William stood in the middle of the sitting room,
stunned by what had happened. None of the evidence had pointed to
Anne, yet he could not help but blame himself for not figuring it
all out.

He walked to where Phoebe sat, crouching before her.
“Lady Hughes, I’m so terribly sorry for your loss. I wish there
were something…” He sighed, feeling defeated. “I’m sorry.”

She turned a tear-stained face on him, and said,
“Why did she do it? Did she say?” Tears welled up in her eyes, and
Seth reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

William took a seat across from Phoebe, not sure how
to approach the matter. He did not know if Phoebe was aware of the
nature of her brother’s relationship to Niles. Deciding the poor
girl had enough to deal with, he said, “Mr. Elliott, if I could
speak to you in private?”

Phoebe looked at him furious. “No. If this has to do
with Gabriel, than you need to tell me. I need to know why.”

William looked at Seth in question, but he said,
“She has a right to know, Inspector.”

William resigned himself to the difficult task.
“Very well. Before Anne slipped into unconsciousness, she did
confess to not only the previous attack on Gabriel, but also to
murdering Lord Hawthorne.”

Phoebe looked stunned. “I don’t understand.”

“You see Niles had asked Lilly to marry him, but
Anne got suspicious as to why a young man of family would want to
marry someone as poor as Lilly with no name or prospects. She
followed Niles and found out the reason he wanted to marry her.”
William stopped there, knowing how difficult the next part would
be.

“Inspector, I want the truth.”

William nodded, knowing it was unavoidable. “She
found that Niles needed a wife to act as a guise for his relations
with other men.” William paused to give her a chance to take it in,
not sure if she would make the connection to her brother.

Phoebe managed a rueful smile, despite the tears
still streaming down her face. “Is that what’s been worrying you,
Inspector? I can tell you it made no difference. It did not change
the man my brother was, did not change the goodness of his heart or
his soul.” She choked back a sob, but managed to pull herself
together enough to continue. “Tell me the rest.”

William let out a weary sigh but continued on. “It
turns out Lilly also knew about his inclinations, though it did not
matter to her. Anne, however, thought Lilly was being taken
advantage of, since she’d be marrying someone who would not only be
unfaithful, but, in her opinion, would be sinning, the acts not
natural.”

Phoebe swore under her breath, her anger lashing
out. “Sin! How can loving someone be sinful? Of all the ridiculous
things. Can it not be enough that two people love each other?”

William nodded in sympathy. “When Anne was unable to
persuade Lilly, she decided she’d keep them apart at all costs.
Lilly hadn’t any idea of her sister’s role, and indeed did not
suspect her. To be honest, I do not think they spent very much time
together, what with Lilly working nights at Viridis, and Anne
working days at the shelter.”

Phoebe shook her head. “So she killed Niles and then
tried to kill Gabriel because of their relationship?”

William shrugged. “I do not believe that to be the
case. Her motive was always to protect Lilly. She did not attack
Gabriel until he made Lilly a similar offer, one she was going to
accept. Though Niles was dead, your brother knew there may come a
time when he would pursue another relationship. It would be
difficult to find someone as willing and understanding as
Lilly.”
.

A fresh wave of tears fell, as she shook her head.
“The conversation… it all makes sense now. I could have stopped
her!” Seth looked over at Gavin and he stepped forward, gently
pulling Phoebe to her feet with an arm around her shoulder. This
time, she did not resist, and was escorted out of the room.

“I am sorry, Mr. Elliott. I wish there was more I
could do— more I could have done before this tragedy occurred.”
William had never before been so affected by a case.

Seth sighed, his hand absent-mindedly going to his
bandaged arm. “What has happened to Anne?”

“She’s been taken to the infirmary, though I will
say, her prognosis is not good. She lost a lot of blood; the knife
wound was deep and hit vital areas.”