The Viscount's Counterfeit Wife

by J. Jade Jordan

  “Here’s where I come in,” Reed said.

  “Naturally,” Jace and Max said the same thing at the same time. They knew him enough by now to acknowledge his acumen for devising clever tactics.

  He ignored their good-natured mockery. “Chase and Francis have agreed to help. I need only send word to them and our plan can begin. Your role is to gather as many of the Spares, as you can. We’ll only prevail by sheer strength in numbers.” He pulled out a large map from inside his coat and, unfolding it, he placed it on the table in front of them. “Here’s what I thought we could do.”

  * * *

  Edgar Traubridge was emptying his home of everything he could carry with him and making arrangements for the rest of his things to be packed and sent to… Where? Not Egypt this time. There were informants there. He’d better lie low elsewhere for awhile.

  Italy? Now that the wars were over and Napoleon was no longer terrorizing the Continent, the place was overrun with British travelers. He hated the idea but perhaps less civilized Spain or even rougher Portugal? He needed to be near the ocean, where a trip to Algiers was easily arranged should he suddenly need to escape.

  “Be careful when packing my Egyptian artifacts, Clarence, and take special care with the “Green Heart of the Nile”. We want everything to arrive safe and sound, don’t we?” He gloated at just the thought of his favorite possession. A necklace of pure gold, set with the finest emeralds ancient Egypt had produced. It was named for the verdant green banks of the Nile River and was said to have belonged to an Egyptian king’s daughter in the 12th dynasty. Worth well over twenty thousand pounds, to Edgar it meant much more than money. It represented the first major step in his bid to surpass his older step-brother.

  “Yes, sir.” The anxious look on Clarence’s face told Edgar that his longtime butler knew who would be blamed if they didn’t. Poor devil wasn’t to know these were the very last duties he’d be performing for his master. Edgar couldn’t afford to leave any loose strings dangling. Hallmoor, or Olvin as he was now called, would extract information from anyone left behind, damn him.

  Which meant disposing of Adley, too. Pity. He’d been an able assistant, but Edgar knew going alone was his only chance of making it away safely this time.

  The doorbell rang.

  He moved swiftly to enter the open door to a secret hallway in the wall behind the fireplace and, placing his hand on the stone that would activate the closing feature, he prepared to push it once he knew he had to remain concealed. He’d left this bolt-hole ajar and at the ready because, thanks to Jones, he knew his step-brother was, even now, arranging to have him arrested as soon as Olvin returned from the funeral. He had little time to gather his belongings and escape. “Remember, I’m not home to anyone, especially not to family.”

  “Yes, sir,” Clarence intoned without inflection before going to open the front door. He returned within moments. “It’s a message for you, sir.”

  Traubridge came out of his hiding place and took the envelope. “That will be all for now, Clarence. Get on with packing my clothes. I will be leaving the instant everything is ready. Have the boy run to the stables. Tell them we need two of our largest carriages. In the back lane. And pack it quickly, Clarence, we don’t have much time.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Edgar heard the wobble in the old butler’s voice. Clarence knew this was not the normal procedure. That something serious was happening. Never had his master been forced to make such a hasty departure.

  It was all Hallmoor’s fault! Edgar’s older brother had doggedly pursued information to catch the Vanisher, which — Edgar had been delighted to learn — was the nickname they’d given him. And now, Edgar’s informant had told him that his step-brother was about to receive documents from that bastard, Selwich, containing all the ammunition he needed to hang yours truly.

  Melvin had failed him this time. He was supposed to have killed the two ex-military and Selwich, or Gordon as he was now calling himself, before they ever reached England. Edgar had even provided his cohort with the exclusive services of the Horde to accomplish the deeds, but every attempt had ended in failure.

  Adley was going to pay for that. Failure could not be tolerated. Especially when it meant the difference between Edgar’s being able to remain here in England and his having to flee to some wretched and obscure part of the Continent to live out his life. In a luxurious manner, it was true, but forever hiding in the shadows. That did not please him at all.

  He slit open the envelope and unfolded the note and was surprised to see it was from Chase Eames, Selwich’s younger brother. They’d been friendly at school at first. That was prior to Eames joining that ridiculous Brotherhood of Spares. What a bunch of fools they’d been. He’d been invited to join too, being that he was also a spare, but since he’d never had any intention of remaining one, he’d graciously declined. Why be a spare when you can, with a little judicious planning, just as easily become an heir?

  After Cambridge, Eames had remained friendly, despite Edgar’s patent derision of the Brotherhood. They’d even run in the same social set for a short while before Edgar began traveling abroad for business purposes. He hadn’t seen Eames in ages.

  And now, his older brother was trying to bring Edgar down. What could Eames want?

  Traubridge,

  I’ve come across some interesting documents that might be of interest to you. As a fellow younger son, I can understand that we spares must see to our own means of earning a decent living. It is clear you have provided very well for yourself, indeed. I believe it would be to both our benefits to work out a mutually satisfactory agreement regarding said documents. I was prepared to ask for the paltry sum of ten thousand pounds, which — from what I’ve read in the documents — would prove no hardship for you. I realize, however, it might be difficult for you to put your hands on that much ready blunt in time, so I am willing to accept the Green Heart of the Nile you acquired several years ago. In exchange for that piece of jewelry, these documents can be made to disappear.

  To avoid being seen together, I will be at St. Pancreas Old Church in Camden, at midnight tonight. Come alone. Bring the necklace and I will have the documents. This is the best I can offer. I am in need of a secure future and this is my one opportunity to obtain it.

  Faithfully,

  Chase Eames

  Edgar dropped into an armchair. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears. It must be a trap! He dared not go. He was almost safely away.

  But what if it weren’t?

  A tantalizing thought. As matters were now, he’d never be able to come home again and that bothered him. Living abroad was always more difficult, no matter how much money you had to smooth your path. He also had plans for assuming the title one day. Executing them from afar was not impossible, but would be damned inconvenient.

  But dare he take the chance that Eames was truly out to fill his coffers at his brother’s expense? He’d never seemed the type to betray a friend or family but then, like Eames himself said, spares had to fend for themselves and find their fortunes where they could.

  Making a quick decision, he went to his desk and scribbled a note. Tugging on the bell pull, he waited impatiently for Clarence to appear. “Have this delivered to Adley immediately. If he’s not home, he must be found posthaste.”

  If this was a legitimate offer, he’d have the last laugh on his high-and-mighty, purer-than-thou brother. And if it wasn’t, he had utter confidence in the Horde’s ability to protect him from capture. For that very reason and at great expense, he’d shipped the lot of them home with Adley — his group of hardened Egyptian native fighters. They’d been working for him for over a decade now and their loyalty to him was unwavering.

  His brother would not be expecting him to have that many defenders and certainly none as ferocious and ruthless. If the Horde arrived at the church well ahead of time and settled into hiding places, they’d be able to counter any plot to apprehend him. He knew the plac
e well, having conducted some of his illicit dealings there in years gone by. With that advantage and careful planning, such as approaching the area by boat on the River Fleet, he’d be able to arrive and be gone within a few minutes. They’d never be expecting him to arrive by water.

  And if it wasn’t a trap… Suffice it to say, he had no intention of leaving Chase Eames alive to be able to blackmail him again later. If he thought Edgar was about to surrender his most desired possession, Eames was sorely mistaken. The poor fool would never know what hit him. Traubridge didn’t even try to hold back his evil cackle, not even when his butler came into the room. He felt a sadistic pleasure at the fear he saw grow in the old buzzard’s eyes. The Vanisher would make Chase Eames vanish, never to be heard of again!

  * * *

  They’d chosen the meeting place well. Reed glanced around, pleased with the choice of location.

  To minimize the possibility of innocent people being harmed, he had suggested this almost abandoned church on the outskirts of town and the Chief agreed. A plaque on the church said it was one of the oldest Christian sites of worship in Britain. Looked like it had suffered with the expansion of the parish. It had obviously been reduced to a chapel of ease long ago.

  It was a well-devised site, with a wooded park along one side, fields leading down to a river and a cemetery at the back and to the side of the church. Best of all, it was far removed from any residences.

  Hallmoor… Olvin! It was going to take some time to become accustomed to his new title… knew his brother well. So did the three men who had tracked his dealings for almost two years. They were all well aware that Traubridge would have his imported band of foreign fighters on hand and in place, well before the agreed hour. The Vanisher’s Horde were capable of undertaking any atrocity he asked of them.

  But so are we well prepared. A plan had been drawn up and Jace had called a hurried meeting of the Brotherhood of Spares — where Reed was now considered an honorary member — to explain their role in it. The entire Brotherhood’s former military unit was on hand. They’d been uncommonly lucky during the wars and had only lost one of their group, on the very last day in the battle at Waterloo. Or so they thought, until he’d reappeared a few years later.

  There were also numerous government sharp shooters and a covert, well-trained militia under the Chief’s direct command. At present, over eighty men were stationed in every possible nook and cranny of the church, in culverts near the river, and behind almost every bush and tree in the surrounding graveyard, church grounds and park. The culmination of all their work was going to play out here tonight, and the Chief was not taking any chances.

  It was past time to end this investigation. Traubridge was too dangerous. He’d killed too many people, ruined too many young ladies’ lives, and smuggled too many forbidden artifacts. It was time the man himself vanished, preferably at the end of a noose.

  “The men are in position. There are so many of us, we’ve been able to double up in crucial spots, just as we’d hoped,” Luke Townsand, the Earl of Treynor, said. He looked at Reed and added, “When the Horde begin to spread out, they will be silently apprehended by at least two men, then tied and gagged. They haven’t a chance.” His voice brimmed with anticipation. “My men haven’t had this much excitement since we returned from the Continent.”

  “I hope they aren’t so primed, they go off half-cocked,” the Chief bit out.

  Luke stiffened. Reed jumped in. It wouldn’t do to have them at each other’s throat before the confrontation began. “No need to worry, Chief. The Spares are well accustomed to battle. They know what to do and will accomplish it without fail.”

  “Quite. I’ve heard of your stellar record, Treynor,” the Chief allowed. “I trust we don’t put a blemish on it tonight.”

  Luke was becoming annoyed by Olvin’s gloomy attitude. Reed made a sign to Jace to distract the Chief. Not that he didn’t have a lot of sympathy for the Marquess’ circumstances. It couldn’t be easy knowing you were setting a trap to catch your own step-brother.

  Max hurried up to the foursome. “They’re coming,” he reported. “It’s just as we expected, there are at least three dozen of them.”

  “Looks like your suggestion to bring in the Spares was a wise one, Selwich,” Luke commended him. “Or should I say Gordon? Which are you answering to these days?”

  “Tonight, I’ll answer to anything.” Now wasn’t the time or the place to quibble over names. They were about to engage in combat.

  “We’re going to need every last one of them,” Olvin sounded relieved that the skirmish was about to begin. He moved toward his chosen position, an alcove at the side of the church. “To your places, men. It’s time.”

  Almost complete silence reigned after that. All movement, all sound was curtailed. At first, a series of furtive noises could be heard by those listening attentively for them. Reed hoped that meant the first part of their mission was accomplished and that the Horde were safely secured. The churchyard seemed too peaceful with nothing but the occasional hoot of a lone owl to disturb the silence.

  It was just going on eleven when Traubridge arrived with his shadow, Adley. As predicted, well ahead of the appointed hour. The pair found seats on a small bench in a tree-covered area in front and to the right of the Church and sat there silently waiting.

  Approaching midnight, a carefree whistle was heard in the distance. Reed shook his head. Trust his brother to sound like he hadn’t a care in the world.

  He had argued against Chase acting as a decoy, but Chase, himself, had proposed the idea. Spare to spare had the best chance of appealing to Traubridge, he’d claimed, and Reed agreed it was likely their only means of capturing the Vanisher without endangering innocent bystanders and before he fled abroad.

  Reed pointed out to his brother just how dangerous this task was, but Chase insisted he wanted to carry it out and, though Reed was worried about his younger brother, he was also very proud of his resolve.

  Soon Chase sauntered up the path. He came to a stop at the fountain in the center of the churchyard. Several tense, uncomfortable minutes ticked by while everyone held their breath, waiting for something to happen.

  Chase leaned his backside casually against the fountain, half-sitting with long legs crossed, looking utterly unperturbed.

  “Eames.”

  Finally! He’s taken the bait. Reed turned to look at Jace, whose expression showed relief and anxious anticipation. This was the culmination of all their efforts.

  Traubridge moved from the darkness into the moonlight by the fountain. “Well met.”

  “I see you’ve arrived early.” Chase said, “Eager, were you?”

  The wild laugh that erupted from the Vanisher sent an icy chill slithering down Reed’s spine. Even Chase looked a little spooked for a few seconds before his usual, cynical smile returned.

  Reed raised his gun, ready to protect his brother. He didn’t trust Traubridge one iota. Without taking his eyes off the target, he sensed Jace and the others in their vicinity doing the same.

  “Where are the documents?” Traubridge asked.

  “Well hidden, until we’ve worked out a deal. I’m not foolish enough to carry them out here, where I’m alone and could easily be made to disappear.”

  Chase was nothing if not blunt, but Reed wished his brother would shut his mouth. Traubridge had enough evil ideas to begin with!

  “You don’t trust me, Eames.” Traubridge let loose another maniacal laugh.

  “After reading those documents, you bet I don’t.”

  “Word of a gentleman, I won’t harm a hair on your head.”

  “No. But your sidekick there might.”

  “Melvin?” Yet another insane cackle that had even Adley looking uneasy and sidling backwards. “He’s no danger to you. He’s just along to carry the jewel.”

  “I hope you brought what I’ve asked for because, from what I understand, you’re well able to afford it. And with the evidence in those documents, if y
ou’re ever apprehended, you’ll never live to enjoy it.”

  Reed saw Traubridge bristle. With a quick gesture of his finger, Reed motioned the others, wordlessly viewing the scene, to be ready for any move on Traubridge or Adley’s part. He was relieved that, because he had planned this operation with his brothers, the Chief suggested he be the one in charge of this ambush. He wasn’t sure he could have stood by and followed another’s orders when his brother was in such peril.

  He swore he could hear all of their hearts galloping with nervous anticipation. Could feel the tension all of them were feeling. If the blood was rushing through their bodies like his was… It was almost painful! He knew that, to a man, they were primed and ready to shoot. It was an anticlimax to see Adley advance timidly with a bag, but Reed’s finger eased not a jot on his rifle. Traubridge’s trusted ally may look like a weakling but his lethal skill with knives was well known to the three who had been investigating the Vanisher and his gang for the past two years.

  “When I have the documents in my hands, Eames, you will be well rewarded.” To Reed, Traubridge’s evil leer implied but not with money. He felt dirty just watching this scene play out. He prayed for it to end. He was anxious to get Chase away from that monster as quickly as possible. If Traubridge shot Chase in the head, there was little Reed could do to protect him. He wished he’d thought to bring up that argument earlier.

  “Then I may as well retrieve the documents.” Chase moved closer to the fountain and reached behind the statue to pull something out.

  Reed kept his eyes on both men watching his brother remove a sheaf of documents from its hiding spot. So when Traubridge motioned and Adley’s hand went up and back behind his head, he was ready for the glint of metal in the moonlight.