That had her asking, “What would you do if I got fired from my job?”
So far she was planning to arrest an ex-bobby and it was becoming evident that another prominent officer was involved in another crime. If it wasn’t an officer it was the dragon and she knew she would be the sacrificial lamb to the god of political expedience if she had to arrest Victor.
Her father asked, “Charles wouldn’t allow that, would he?”
“He might. You see I’m pretty sure there is someone in the department who is a killer. There are too many questions and not enough answers but I’m scared that at the end of this thread I’m pulling it will reveal a dirty peeler.” She didn’t tell them about the blackmailer as she didn’t want them to ask any questions that she couldn’t answer.
Her brother realised the issue straight away as he said, “No one wants egg on their face. They might sacrifice you to get rid of the embarrassment.” No one said they would be happy to get rid of her because of her gender and that this would merely be the excuse.
Her father hummed thoughtfully and her mother said, “It shouldn’t matter. The whole reason you’re there is to help people. You can’t let a murderer go.”
“What if it embarrassed Uncle Charles?” Rayne pressed.
“He wouldn’t care. It would be others that would put the pressure on you,” Lady Ancaster stated with some authority. Since her and Charles had been friends since childhood she might have a reason for her confidence. Maybe Lady Beechworth was right and she really was bulletproof when it came to her job.
Her sister said, “Whether you finish this or not there will always be a murderer in the department. If you don’t find them, someone else will. Though probably after someone else dies.”
Her father nodded. “We’ll support you, you know that. Go with your heart.”
“You all know that I’m going to go after the murderer,” Rayne answered the question in her father’s voice.
Everett snorted. “That is a given.”
Rayne shook her head at the ridiculousness of a ducal family encouraging her to scandalise their name. “You know if it isn’t a peeler then it is the dragon.”
“The one that wants to marry you?” Bethany asked over her embroidery. Bethany was the youngest in their family and preferred the country to the city. If she was any older their parents might have left her behind in the country but by then it would be her turn to whirl around society.
Everett poked Rayne in the side and she snarled at him, “He wants to marry my hand not me.”
Her father said, “He is unlikely to kill you.” As if that had ever been one of her concerns, she thought sarcastically to herself. Though she had to admit her father had a point. Marriage was a risky business amongst most classes. She knew better than anyone in the family that most murders of women were committed by their husbands or lover. Her father though didn’t dispel the idea that the dragon was only interested in her because of her brass hand. Dragons were not to be taken lightly though. For centuries they had been the only predator of human beings.
To assume, because of the treaty, Victor wasn’t violent was naïve. “He could have killed his wife,” Rayne said though she didn’t even sound convincing to herself.
“You don’t believe that,” her mother stated. Again that authority still in her voice. This time because she knew Rayne.
Rayne though felt perverse so she asked, “Yeah and why not?”
“Because you like him.” Her mother flashed her a smile. Sure her manipulation would eventually see fruit.
“Only you would think that, mom.” There would be endless conversations about Victor as a suitor. His possibility of being a murderer wasn’t a deal breaker for Lady Ancaster, apparently.
Her mother nodded her head with finality. “You do.”
Rayne groaned and put an arm over her eyes. “I thought there wouldn’t be any pressure to marry the dragon.”
“No pressure just an insight.” Her mother defended her pressure to marry the dragon.
Rayne shook her head at the ridiculousness of it all. She got to her feet and said, “I’m going to bed. Don’t do anything stupid.” Though she was hoping for a miracle.
Chapter Nine
“Why are we back here?” Larkin asked this as they were again outside the residence of the dragon. He already knew she didn’t suspect him of the murder. Though others in the office were all convinced he had killed Sebastian and Eleanor.
Rayne tugged on her coat to straighten it. Not afraid that Larkin would comment on it anymore. “You heard the man at the pub. All he knew was that the man meeting Sebastian was a famous policeman. We can’t take what we know back there. We don’t know who we can trust. But the dragon was there during the investigation. Also, I want to know if he killed Eleanor.” She was pretty sure he hadn’t killed Sebastian as he was right. If he was going to kill the man it would have been years ago. And she was sure they wouldn’t have found any part of his body at all. Eleanor’s demise had too many questions though that she hoped the dragon could answer.
Larkin frowned. “Are you sure you want to confront him if you think he is the killer?”
“Yes.” Mostly because she didn’t think he was the killer but she had to follow the lead. A dragon wouldn’t need to dump a body in the river. Eleanor could have disappeared and Victor could have admitted that she was a thief and that she had run away. No one would have questioned him whether he had merely eaten her. The dumping in the river was what a human would do. A falling out amongst thieves was more likely or someone had noticed Eleanor in the wrong neighbourhood with a lot of wealth and had thought to relieve her of it.
This theory didn’t explain how Sebastian got Eleanor’s ring or why he kept it if it was a falling out amongst thieves. There just were too many questions and at the moment the dragon was her only source of information.
This time when the dragon opened the door he was dressed for guests. His face lit up and he reached for her hands. Rayne stumbled back, out of his reach.
Victor frowned at her recoil. “You haven’t come to accept my proposal?”
“What? No.” She had forgotten he had gone to her father to ask for her hand. He stepped aside so they could enter and led the way into the sitting room. It had since been cleaned and the colour had returned to much of the once dust coated furniture. Everything gleamed with a tender touch and brass and silver reflected the light. If he hadn’t hired servants since she had first spoken to him then he had certainly done a decent job of cleaning himself. He sat on the love seat and patted it to encourage her to sit down.
Rayne instead went for shock factor. “Your wife was a con artist.”
He glanced at the seat and gave up trying to get her to sit with him. “Thief as well.” He admitted while he eyed Larkin, “This is not something I feel comfortable speaking about amongst strangers.”
“Larkin is hardly a stranger.” Though she wasn’t sure why she was exempt from the stranger status. She had only spoken with Victor a handful of times and always with an audience. Did he believe his offer for her hand gave them a connection that didn’t exist?
Victor gave her an inscrutable look so she added, “Fine. Larkin you can go. I’ll be heading home after this.”
“Are you sure, my lady? He’s a dragon.” What he meant was he was a suspect for murder. That might be where the clues were leading but Rayne had a hunch there was more to it all and she was willing to risk her life on it. Obviously she hadn’t convinced him yet of the dragon’s innocence or was he more convinced that it couldn’t be a fellow peeler.
“I’m sure he will abide by the treaty,” Rayne reassured him. Larkin grunted but tipped his hat in farewell and left. Victor patted the couch next to him. She shook her head. There was no reason to tempt the dragon with proximity.
He didn’t seem disappointed. Instead he hopped up and said, “Come look at my collection.” He didn’t wait for her agreement and led her out of the room. Forced to follow or be left alone in the par
lour she followed him as he made his way to a long gallery. She had expected art instead there were pedestals with glass cabinets framed in deep mahogany. Inside were specimens she never expected in a dragon’s home. The first one was a broken cog.
Victor beamed and said, “This is from the textile factory that I collected when I first came to England. It took longer than expected to collect the gold I needed to get what I wanted. The owner was a brute and beat his workers till they were unable to work then he would fire them and hire children for half the price. One even died.” The cog was the cleanest cog she had ever seen. It glistened. It had certainly seen more care than the house had when she had first come to question him. She wasn’t sure whether the neatness was a new thing along with clean-up of the rest of the house.
Victor glowed with pride. “It won the most productive mill last year. Even though they have two days off a week and only work forty hours. I hope others will follow the trend.” Rayne followed him as he went to the next cabinet.
She stalled him before he explained the next item, “Tell me about Eleanor.”
The light of pride dimmed considerably as he stopped by the new cabinet. Inside was a single embroidered handkerchief. He tapped the edge of the framed glass as he thought. He had probably thought he would never have to articulate this story to anyone so she allowed him time to find his words.
“I met her at an inn just outside the city. Not that it mattered where I met her. It was a reputable place and her carriage had broken down and she was forced to walk. Her footman carried her things. That was Sebastian. I didn’t know it was a show. She was charming and intelligent. We spent the night debating the merits of different laws in the Empire compared to the other countries. She rode with me the next day. I bonded with her that night. Within a week she had figured how to steal everything that wasn’t bolted down. She left one day while I was out. I put out that she was kidnapped as I didn’t want to reveal her betrayal.”
She winced. “That is honest.”
“Dragons usually are honest. We tend to lose our powers if we start to lie.” That was a bit of dragon lore she wasn’t familiar with. She would have to ask her father the validity of his claim. In the meantime she would take everything he said with the pinch of salt required of every detective.
“But you didn’t find her. She was found floating in the Thames a few days later. What happened when the police became involved?”
“This was before the police. It was one of the cases that convinced the local government to instigate a policing system like the continent has. They found out she had a lover. He was passed out, drunk in the Maiden’s Hare with her blood under his fingernails. He confessed after that. But that wasn’t enough.”
Rayne frowned confused. “Why did they pardon him then?” She had assumed there was some circumstantial evidence that had been ambiguous enough to convince the Governor.
“Politics. The Governor didn’t like dragons. He thought we were invaders. He didn’t last long but he lasted long enough to bury the evidence and give Sebastian a pardon. When my lawyer told me there was no way to get a conviction when the Governor himself was against me I confronted Sebastian. I left the city after that. Since you found his body chopped up only the other day you must know I left him alive. I have no motive to wait all this time to find him now.”
She believed him for now as it mirrored her own thoughts on the murder. “Do you know what happened to him when you left town?”
“No. I was frustrated with the system. Eleanor and Sebastian were merely a symptom of what is wrong here, so I went away.”
He stepped away from the glass cabinets. “You don’t think I killed her or Sebastian.”
It wasn’t a question but she answered it anyway, “No. I think you would have saved yourself the hassle of this investigation and just eaten them. I think this was done by a human.”
He flashed her a grin. “It wasn’t my charm that convinced you of my innocence. So when you close this case will you accept my proposal?”
Would she never be able to convince those around her that she wasn’t interested in a relationship that would turn her into a virtual slave? “No. I turned you down because I’m never going to marry.”
His voice was thoughtful as his eyes dropped from her own, “So it isn’t a dragon thing?”
Rayne wanted him to know all the reasons why she wouldn’t accept his proposal, so he didn’t get his hopes up that she might change her mind one day. “Yes, that as well. You guys keep slaves.”
He growled in frustration. “It isn’t slavery.”
She wasn’t convinced by his fierce denial. “You can call it whatever you like, it is slavery.”
“It is a reciprocal slavery. You would own me.” As if that would make the prospect any more palatable.
“That still isn’t very appealing. You haven’t been able to show your best side.” So far she had seen his temper and his entanglement in a confidence scam. Not flattering in the least.
“No. I suppose not. Normally I show off my chemistry skills. But can I tempt you?” His voice was so hopeful she felt sympathy for him but she wasn’t sure what he was talking about until he laid his hand on her waist. She knew that she should step back, that if she gave him any indication he would always chase her. But she was tempted as well.
He was striking and interesting, and what other time would she have a chance to kiss a dragon. He placed his other hand gently on her cheek. The warmth seeped into her. His proximity warmed her deeper than the touch. Turning her insides into a quivery jelly.
Victor’s gaze was on her lips. “Step away now if you don’t want me to.” Her answer was to lick her lips.
He lowered his head slowly. His lips grazed hers. Asking permission. She opened her lips and merged with Victor. She stepped towards him. All her senses drawn to where they were joined. She brought her own hand up and laid it on his shoulder. The lack of heightened sensory connection brought her back to reality.
She touched him with her mechanical hand. The hand that was the only reason the dragon even desired her, as dragons only collected unique things.
Rayne stumbled away. Catching herself on the pedestal behind her. Victor didn’t follow her.
He stood with his arms limp beside him as he asked wistfully, “Rayne?”
“We are not that familiar, sir.” Her voice harsher than she intended. It was because she felt as a fool to even give in to the temptation he had offered. She couldn’t even pretend that he had manipulated her into the situation as he had made his desires very clear.
“I think we are but I will call you Miss Ancaster if that is your wish.” His voice sad though he had reverted back to her more formal title at least.
“It is and we can’t do this again.” She straightened and tugged on her coat to neaten the line. It also gave her something to do, her eyes steadfastly lowered.
He asked, “This?”
She waved a hand to indicate the two of them. “This.”
A smile only touched the corner of his mouth. “You mean the kiss?”
Heat stained her cheeks and she ran a finger around the starched collar of her coat. Angry that he teased her instead of having a serious conversation. “Yes, because I am not going to be in your collection.” To remind herself just as much to remind him why she would never be able to take their desires any further.
“I know. You told me. But is an affair off the table?” His wistful tone made her steam. He only wished to collect her as a trophy. It wasn’t her he wanted.
“Yes.” She growled.
His face dropped. She had been propositioned before but this was certainly the most unique. Rayne muttered some excuses and made her escape. Everything Victor was confused her. He was arrogant and possessive. But he was also clever and handsome. It didn’t help that her own feelings were only more confusing.
Chapter Ten
Rayne had barely stepped into her house when her fourteen year old sister, Katherine, barrelled into her. “Pe
rfect. You can take me shopping.”
Katherine caught her hand and dragged her outside to the carriage that had just delivered Rayne. “Macy is ill and I desperately need to get out of the house.” Katherine turned to the driver and gave instructions. The carriage was already moving before Rayne could even come up with a few excuses for why she shouldn’t go shopping with her sister.
Instead of whining Rayne asked, “What are we shopping for?”
“Books.” Of course, Rayne wasn’t even sure why she asked. Her sister was on an endless quest for more knowledge.
“Surely you have enough. Father even gave you a wall in the library for the books so you have a place to store them.”
“I’m starting a new field of study.” Of all the duke’s children Katherine was the most brilliant. She preferred science and every year she got excited about a new experiment or field. She had outstripped every school and tutor their father could find for her.
Rayne asked, knowing the answer would be amusing, “What are you studying now?”
“Electricity. I thought I’d see if I could bring something back to life.”
Last month Rayne had arrested a man for stealing bodies from the cemetery. She remembered telling Katherine about it. She hoped that hadn’t sparked her interest in this new study. Her parents wouldn’t appreciate another daughter playing with the dead.
“Life? And just what are you going to bring back to life.”
Katherine waved off her concerns airily. “Animals at first, then I think I’ll see if I can reanimate people.”
“You know there is an illegal trade in bodies?” Rayne assumed Katherine remembered the conversation last month so didn’t add any more details.
“Yes, they wouldn’t be able to help me. I’ve decided that anything that I bring back needs to be recently deceased. Body traders would have to kill someone to bring me something fresh enough. No, I’m planning to go to a hospital and talk with people who are dying. Get their permission first. It only seems right if you are going to be mucking around with their bits.” Some foresight on her sister’s part and certainly more ethical than other comments from her sister. It seemed the pursuit of science was enough to wipe out many sane objections. Though she didn’t want to ask what her fourteen year old sister meant by bits. This plan at least would avoid Rayne having to arrest Katherine when she got into trouble with body traders.
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