The Touch of the Outcast_A Gothic Mystery Romance

by Amalia Altman

  “You need to mind your business, girl,” said a gruff voice in her ear, his breath hot on her neck. “Otherwise you’re going to get drowned just like the last one he took an interest in.”

  Elise struggled, trying to squirm out of the man’s grasp. He only held her tighter. He wrapped his arm around her neck and started to squeeze. Elise brought her hands up to his arm, clawing at him, but it was no use—she kept her nails short in order to work and her fingers scratched uselessly at his skin, doing nothing but making him squeeze her tighter. Elise closed her eyes, black spots forming behind her lids as she lost air. She went limp in the man’s arms, falling to the ground in a veil of black.

  Elise woke in a daze on the ground. She looked up to see the high shrubbery of the maze towering above her, looking as if it was two stories tall. Elise shivered as she climbed to her feet, leaning unsteadily against the bushes, her head spinning. She looked down to see that her dress was covered with dirt and leaves, and she brushed off her legs before she started along the path. Her mind was blank as she wandered, hitting dead -ends and doubling back. It was pitch black outside, with only a half -moon to light her way. By the time Elise found the end of the path, she was worn out and tired, her body exhausted and feeling ragged. She was almost stumbling by the time she got to the mansion and made her way inside.

  Elise went upstairs through the servant’s hallway and up to her room, where she was desperate to throw herself into bed. She couldn’t do it, though; she was too afraid, too fed up with the house to stay there another instant. Elise opened her bag and threw a couple of dresses inside, hoping that Julian wouldn’t mind her taking them. She had nothing else to wear. She had nowhere to go, either, but that didn’t matter now—what mattered was getting out of the house as soon as she could.

  Elise changed quickly into a clean dress, then hurried down the stairs. She was at the front door before she noticed anybody behind her, and jumped when she felt somebody reached around her to hold the door shut.

  “Where are you going?” came the soft, dangerous voice of Julian behind her. “Where are you going, Elise?”

  “I’m leaving,” she said, her voice trembling. He was standing very close to her, nearly pressing her body forward against the door with his. “I have to.”

  “No, you don’t,” he said, and she felt him bury his face in her hair. She braced herself to see what he was thinking, every raw image that was going through his head, but he pulled back before their skin made contact, leaving her aching and bereft.

  “I do,” she insisted.

  “Tell me why,” he said, his lips close to her ear. She shook her head and he put his hands on her waist then, turning her around to face him without touching her skin.

  “You cannot leave,” he said to her in a stern voice, one that filled her with heat and longing.

  “You can’t stop me,” she said to him.

  A grin passed over his face.

  “Is that a challenge?” he asked in a way that made something coil between her hips, stirring with desire. “Do I have to pin you down, Elise? Is that what I have to do to stop you from leaving me?”

  “You wouldn’t,” she said, but looking into his eyes, she wasn’t actually sure. They were wild and hungry, almost desperate. She had never seen a man look like that before, and it almost made her feel weak with need. “You—you won’t hurt me.”

  “I wouldn’t hurt you, no,” he said softly. “No, Elise. I’d make it so that you’d never want to leave here. Ever.”

  “Oh,” she breathed, then found the next word coming out of her mouth before she could stop it. “How—how would you do that?”

  He grinned at her then, a look that made her shiver.

  “In all the ways you’ve imagined,” he said. “And then some.”

  “I haven’t,” she protested.

  He looked at her lips then.

  “Don’t lie to me,” he said. “I can see your every thought on your face.”

  “You are mistaken, my lord,” Elise said, though the words came out breathless. His hands were on her hips, then on her backside, pulling her flush against him. She bit her lip, knowing what was coming, closing her eyes and preparing for the kiss, her lips parted. She felt his breath on her lips, could almost feel his mouth against hers.

  “Are you leaving, Elise?” he asked. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” she said. He pulled back then, looking away from her.

  “You may take Lovely if you wish,” he said. “She’s yours.”

  “Thank you, my lord,” Elise said softly. She wished that he would look at her one more time, but he didn’t before he turned around and went upstairs, leaving her in the foyer. She paused for a moment before she went outside, making her way quickly along the open lawn toward the stables. She looked all around her as she walked, keeping an eye out for anybody who might be following her. Her heart was beating fast from her encounter with Julian, along with the fear that had been inside of her since the first time she’d heard a noise on the third floor. She knew what was up there now—an old man and a demon, something evil and wicked that nobody would ever tell her the truth about. Elise couldn’t live like that, so despite herself, she mounted her horse and started in the direction of the town, not sure where she was going or what she was going to do.

  Chapter 13

  Julian sat in his office, staring at the ceiling. He felt tired and hadn’t been sleeping well; Nikola was still in the city in the hospital. She had lost a lot of blood and was weak, and Doctor. Owen hadn’t been sure that she was going to make it the last time Julian had been up to visit her. That had been a week ago and he hadn’t heard much since. He’d spent a lot of time in his office, trying not to think about it, knowing that there was nothing he could do for Nikola. Not now. Not after what had happened. All there was to do was to wait and hope that she would wake up and come home. Nikola was like a mother to Julian, the woman who had practically raised him while his own mother was too sick to do so. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her, especially not in such a horrendous way.

  Julian sighed, standing up, and beginning to pace in his office. As it usually did, his mind went to Elise. He wondered constantly where she was, if she’d gone back to the brothel after she’d left. He hoped for her sake that she had; he couldn’t stand the thought of her sleeping outside on the street alone as she had been when the madam had found her in the first place. Elise was not fragile, but to him, she seemed small, perfect and delicate. He didn’t want to think about her alone on the streets, especially after what she had already been through.

  Julian got up and left his office, leaving the mansion to go outside. He found himself wandering toward the stables without any sense as to where his feet were talking him. He found King there and saddled him, then climbed atop the horse’s back and started toward the road. The more he thought about Elise and what had become of her, the less he could stand sitting around not knowing where she had gone. Even if she didn’t want to see him, he would go to the brothel and find out if she was there, if she’d made it back safe and unharmed.

  Julian stirred his horse to a gallop through the town, sweeping past people who were standing on the streets or walking on the paths. He stopped in front of the brothel and handed his horse over to the attendant, straightening his clothing before he went inside. His eyes immediately scanned the room for a glimpse of fiery hair, his heart leaping when he caught sight of a girl. When he looked at her closely, though, he realized that she wasn’t Elise—the girl was thinner, her hair more orange than red, and her smile did nothing for her the way that it did for Elise.

  “Well, hello, handsome,” came a sensual voice behind him. Julian turned around to see Veronica, who sidled up to him and wrapped her arm around his waist, looking up at his face with an expert pout. “You never come to see me anymore.”

  “I’ve um—I’ve been very busy,” Julian said. “Have you seen Elise around?”


  The girl’s face slid into a real pout and she let him go.

  “She left two days ago,” Veronica said.

  “Two days ago? Where did she go?”

  “With another lord,” said Veronica, waving her hand. “She went to marry him, I think.”

  “What?” Julian asked numbly, his mouth gaping open. “To marry him?”

  Veronica shrugged and Julian felt frustration well up inside of him.

  “Who did she go with?” Julian asked. Veronica rolled her eyes.

  “I don’t know, my lord,” she said, frowning at him. “Is that all you came here for, t? To ask about Elise?”

  Julian stared at her and found that he wasn’t even half-tempted to take her to bed, not even to relieve the frustration he felt in missing Elise, in hearing that he had lost her.

  “Yes,” he said. Her face screwed up in anger and she stalked off without another word. Julian made his way through the front room, looking around for Madam Svarosky. When he didn’t find her on the first floor, he rushed to the second, nearly running into her as she came around the corner.

  “Lord Ashton,” the madam said, clutching her chest in surprise. “You startled me.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just wanted to ask you about Elise. Veronica says she left a couple of days ago.”

  “That’s right,” Madam Svarosky said, peering at him. “After she left your place, she was just desperate to get out of London. Took the first offer that came in.”

  “She was only here for a few days,” Julian said in disbelief. “How could she have possibly gotten an offer to leave so soon?”

  “It’s that hair,” the madam said. “And that figure. She’s a pretty girl. Why did you kick her out?”

  “I didn’t kick her out,” Julian said through gritted teeth. “So what did she leave here for? Someone offered to marry her?”

  “Lord Wilder Bishop offered to take her on at his estate,” the madam said.

  The words made Julian go cold all over.

  “Wilder?” he asked, his throat dry. “Wilder took her?”

  “Yes,” said the madam. “He was absolutely determined to have her the moment he saw her. She was just ready to get out of here as quickly as she could.”

  “I see,” said Julian, swallowing hard. He knew Lord Bishop, he had grown up with him. The man was cruel, always joking, always putting other people at his mercy. Julian had heard about the way that Lord Bishop treated women. “Thank you, madam.”

  The madam frowned at him. “Is that all you came here for?”

  “Yes,” he said. “I’m afraid I won’t be taking any girls with me.”

  “Won’t you need a new maid now that Elise is gone?”

  Julian took a deep breath, shaking his head.

  “I’ll make do. Thank you again,” he said, then left before she had a chance to say anything. Julian fought to still his racing heart as the attendant brought his horse around. He climbed atop the horse, struggling to resist the urge to go to the Bishop estate at once and bring Elise back. He couldn’t do that, though. Julian hadn’t spoken to Lord Bishop in over two years and he couldn’t just storm over there and steal the man’s servant. Julian wasn’t even sure if that’s what Elise was to him—it was possible that the man had gone to the brothel to find a wife or a concubine. He had done so before more than once. Julian couldn’t stand to think what it might mean if Elise was put in that position, knowing that she had nowhere else to go.

  The moment Julian arrived at home, he stabled his horse and headed to the mansion, going inside and up to his office. He drafted a letter to Lord Bishop immediately. Luckily, Julian had a reason to contact him—a few years before, Julian had mentioned interest in purchasing a piece of artwork that Lord Bishop had acquired on his trip to India. Julian wrote the lord to tell him that he was interested in seeing the piece, inquiring as to whether or not he could come see it in a few days. Julian sealed the envelope and hurried downstairs to find Potts, asking him to send it off immediately. Julian already knew that it was going to be a struggle to wait days for a reply, then wait even longer as he traveled to Lord Bishop’s estate.

  Julian didn’t sleep that night. He couldn’t get his body to calm down. He hadn’t realized how much he’d wanted Elise until he left him, but now that she was gone, she consumed his every thought. The fact that she had gone with another man—that she was in his house, under his power—made , made Julian’s fists clench at his sides. He imagined Wilder Bishop’s hands on Elise’s beautiful skin, imagined him touching her in all the ways that Julian never got to. It filled him with such a jealous heat that he could barely stand it, and he had no idea how he was going to be able to wait as long as he needed to go to her and get her back from the hands of another man.

  The days passed as slowly as he thought they would, dragging by as they waited for a reply. He was even more frustrated when he received a reply from Bishop saying that he was going to be traveling and wouldn’t be back for a full fortnight. The thought of waiting that long drove Julian mad. All he could think about was all the horrible possibilities—the idea that she would be mistreated by Bishop if she wasn’t as docile as he wanted her to be. Julian knew that was impossible for Elise, and he knew that Bishop was the kind of man who wouldn’t take kindly to her attitude.

  Julian set off in a curricle to Lord Bishop’s estate, the fastest carriage that he owned. He wanted to ride straight through but he knew that he had to be alert, awake, and ready when he saw Elise again. He stopped at an inn overnight and, found himself deep in his cups before he went to bed, stumbling upstairs to his room. Julian was drinking a lot lately, especially since he’d found out that Nikola would need at least a couple more weeks in the hospital if she was going to survive. He had visited her nearly every day, held her hand, and talked to her while she slept.

  Julian kept his eye on the massive mansion as he rode up the estate. It was grand, even larger than his, white with tall columns and statues of angels on the front lawn. Julian gazed at them as he made his way up to the front door, knocking on it while holding his breath.

  A woman answered the door, short and round with a pleasant face. Julian exhaled, having expected to see Elise.

  “Hello,” he said politely, forcing a smile. “I’m here to see Lord Bishop. My name is—“

  “Julian,” came a loud, booming voice from behind the woman. She opened the door wider to reveal her employer, Lord Bishop, a large, portly man with a voice that was almost as massive as he. “My lord, welcome in.”

  Julian stepped inside, glancing around the room. He didn’t see Elise anywhere, but knew that she had to be there. He didn’t know what he would do if he’d come here to find out that his search had ended with no results.

  “How were your travels, my lord?” Lord Bishop asked.

  “They were fine, thank you,” said Julian stiffly. He had never been friendly with the other eEarl and wasn’t about to do so now.

  “I prepared dinner for us and I have a room ready for you tonight,” said the Lord as he led Julian into the grand dining room. “I thought you’d be hungry after a long day of traveling.”

  “I am, thank you, my lord,” Julian said, his eyes on the other man as he took a seat across from him. Julian wanted desperately to ask about Elise but he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or not. He decided that after dinner he would find some reason to explore the house if he had to in order to find her. There was no way he was going to leave the estate without her, even if it meant sneaking through every room in the middle of the night to find out where she was staying. “And how have you been?”

  “I’ve been very well, thank you,” said Lord Bishop, a smile crossing his face that made Julian shift uncomfortably in his chair. “I’ve recently purchased a new toy.”

  Julian gritted his teeth, feeling a heat spread through his body.

  “Oh?” he said.

  “Elise,” Lord Bishop called,
saying the word that Julian was dreading. “Come here, darling. We have company for dinner.”

  Julian waited, his entire body tense as the door opened and Elise entered the room. She froze when she saw him, her eyes widening as they met his. She hesitated for only a moment before her eyes flickered over to Lord Bishop and she forced a smile to her lips, sitting down next to him. Julian nearly leaped over the table when the man wrapped his arm around Elise’s waist, pulling her against his side.

  “This is Elise Dawson,” Lord Bishop said. “Elise, this is Lord Julian Ashton.”

  “You didn’t tell me we were going to have company, my lord,” Elise said, her eyes meeting Julian’s across the table. She looked flushed and caught off-guard, beautiful in a way that wasn’t natural to her. She was heavily made up, her eyes lined with kohl, lips painted red. Her hair was pinned at the top of her head and curling tendrils surrounded her face in that way that made her look like she’d just woken up. The dress she was wearing was all wrong for her, beautiful but too low-cut, her breasts pushed up prominently in a corset that seemed too tight, given the way she was breathing.

  “I don’t need to tell you when we’re having company,” Lord Bishop snapped. “I told you, you should be ready to entertain at all times.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Elise, looking down in a passive way that filled Julian with rage. He knew the only reason that Elise would bow in such a way would be out of fear that he would hurt her. Julian wondered if he’d already had. His fists tightened into balls in his lap as two maids brought the food into the dining room and served them.

  “You’re sorry?” Lord Bishop asked, his voice raising.

  “My lord,” Elise added quickly. Julian cleared his throat, desperate to end the interaction before he was forced to intervene.

  “How did you come to meet Miss Dawson?” Julian asked.