“I’m sure you were very concerned,” she replied with a touch of sarcasm. “While I appreciate it so deeply, your worry is completely unnecessary. The police have only escorted Lord Glenrothes to the coroner to identify the body of his ex-wife. It seems that she was tragically murdered last night.”
Shaftesbury tsked with a shake of his head. “I had heard. Tragic, indeed. It is the talk of the town,” he went on with a neutral tone. “The locals are calling for blood and demanding justice be done.”
“Justice will be done,” she said with conviction.
William shook his head and tsked again in a chiding manner. “Are your affections so fickle that you care not that your lover has been arrested for her murder? Yes, I know he has. Of course, one should distance oneself from such a scandal so you are probably quite correct in your behavior. One never wants to be linked to a man about to be hanged at the gallows.” He turned his head and watched the boys playing through the trees, though they could not see him.
“I told you they did not arrest him, William,” Eve lied blithely. “He is a peer of the realm, did you forget? They do nothing here to their nobility. They are untouchable. Even if they thought he did it… were certain he did it, they would do nothing to him.”
“He is a highland heathen among more heathens!” he declared in disbelief. “These people live for violence. I’m surprised a mob hasn’t demanded his head already.”
“You do not know anything, do you?” she questioned mildly and was strangely pleased to see his jaw clench at her insult. “He is Glenrothes, William. His title is ancient and his wealth immense. He donates freely to the arts and orphans. He is a god among these people. They will not touch him.”
When he remained stonily silent, she went on, “In truth, they have another suspect in mind and the earl is assisting them in developing a description and search for the true culprit.” Bluffing was not a strong suit of Eve’s at all. She had never been a good card player but years of denying William the satisfaction of seeing her misery during his punishments had given her some talent. She would not allow him that satisfaction now and she knew that was what he wanted. He wanted her upset. He wanted to see her mourn for her lover. This was his punishment. This is what his twisted mind had come up with. A deed that not only reprimanded her, but castigated Francis as well. A blow to take them both down. William had always been evilly clever.
Her resolve only strengthened at that realization. William would not get that pleasure from her again.
“You lie,” he hissed.
“I do not.” Eve finally looked up and leveled him a cool glare. She was so enjoying turning the tables on him! And look at him! His expression was confused and disgruntled. It was not at all what he expected to hear. In truth, he had probably come here expecting to find her in tears, wailing and bemoaning Francis’ fate! Her voice took on a gleeful satisfaction as she lowered her tone to ape a gypsy fortune teller. A portent of doom. “They know it was you, William. They know you did this horrible thing and framed Francis. They are coming for you! You will not get away with it!”
Incredulity froze his features as he scanned her, searching for the truth. After a moment, his expression evened and he lowered himself until his face was inches from hers. “Oh, but I will, my dear, and do you know why? Because if they come for me, I will send your precious Laurie to the bottom of the loch in a burlap sack!”
Bravado fled. “You wouldn’t!” Eve gasped in shock. “He is your own son!”
“Which one is he?” he asked, absently looking at the boys nearby. “I confess I cannot quite decide. Perhaps I will just kill them both.”
With a blink of horror, Eve could only gape at him.
Shaftesbury leaned back against the tree and studied his fingernails dispassionately. “You would be surprised how a year in a Chinese jail can change a man, my dear. It can truly set a man’s priorities apart. There will be no humiliation in my life again from any source and that means from you. Your behavior with the earl is beyond shocking. The expediency in which you had me declared dead, appalling. But I need you to gain my fortune. Then perhaps I will do away with you as well,” he shrugged. “And, as I mentioned before, I can always make another son.”
The blood drained from her face over the course of his monologue. “You’ve gone mad!” she whispered in horror.
“Merely determined, my dear. There is nothing I will not do to get what I want,” he added. “Please keep that in mind as we move forward. Your brief love affair caused this, Evelyn. It is all your fault.”
“Glenrothes has been my love since before we married, William,” she hissed as her disgust was pushed aside by anger. Mother wolf indeed. “He has held my heart for longer than I have known you. I have been his lover for years!”
“Lie!” he spat and brought back his hand forcefully catching her across the cheek and throwing her to the ground.
From the ground, Eve glared up at him, holding her cheek. The pain of his blow ringing through her head. Rationality fled and she could not stop the further insult that fell from her lips. “Laurie’s not even your son.”
“Mummy?” Laurie called in a shaking voice as he saw his mother fall to the ground. “Mummy, are you all right?”
“Run away and get help, Laurie,” she urged, desperately as she scrambled to her feet.
“Mummy?” the boy hesitated, wanting to protect his mother but scared as well. Nonetheless, he gripped his golf club tightly and squared his little shoulders. “Move away from my mother, sir,” he ordered William with all the authority ingrained in him.
Shaftesbury stared at the boy with an odd mixture of pride and loathing. He searched the boy’s features but saw only Evelyn stamped there. There was nothing of him, but still, she must be lying. Lawrence was his son, he was certain. If for no other reason than he had never allowed his wife any freedoms that might allow her a lover. “Put down the club, son. Don’t you know who I am?”
“No, sir, we have never met.” Eve couldn’t entirely stop the rush of pride she felt at hearing her son’s disdainful tone. “I will have to ask you one more time to leave.”
William chuckled. “You would fight me? Did you not know that I am your father?”
“My father is dead, sir,” he piped certainly, as Tristram wandered over, curious as to what was happening.
“I’ll tell you what.” William reached out and grabbed Eve, pulling her over to him. “You come for a little ride with your mummy and I promise not to hurt her. What say you?”
The boy wavered, his gaze frantic on his mother’s as he tried to determine what to do. Eve fought against William, trying to get away and cried desperately, “Run, Laurie! Run, Trist!” William backhanded her once more as he started toward the boys.
“Get Uncle Richard!” she cried as she spat out blood. “Trist, get your papa!”
The boys took off at a run as William turned and glared down at her. “Unwise, my dear. Come along then. We must leave now.” He pulled a pistol out of his pocket and aimed it at the backs of the fleeing children with a considering expression. His aim moved from one boy to the other as they retreated.
“NO!” Eve screamed and threw all her weight against him. His shot went awry and the boys cried out in terror as they fled to the house. To her dismay, she saw that his gun was a Colt .45 six-shooter. A favorite of the Americans, she was surprised he would condescend to carry one. Still, he had five more chances in the gun to prove his point.
“Come with me now or I will shoot the others as they come out of the door,” he threatened.
Eve could do nothing but nod shakily. “I will come, just put that away.”
Chapter 46
Hatred is blind, anger is foolhardy,
and he who pours out vengeance
risks having to drink a bitter draft.
Alexandre Dumas – from The Count of Monte-Cristo
Pushing aside her fears, Eve braced herself against the sides of the carriage as William urged his driver to a faster
pace. After a few streets, they slowed to a more reasonable pace and Eve was able to settle herself more firmly on the seat. William had dragged her along the footpath behind the townhomes to the end of the row, where his coach had been waiting on Gloucester Street. Though they had passed behind at least ten other homes, Eve had not seen another person. Such a quiet neighborhood was why the homes overlooking the Water of Leith were so fashionable. Without finding aid along the way, Eve had no chance to call for help or run away, but instead had been pushed into the carriage and whisked from the locality.
“Well, my dear, you made the correct choice and saved the lives of your friends.” He adjusted his waistcoat and settled the pistol in his lap. “I realized quickly you were merely taunting me with your allegation of Lawrence’s paternity. The time to have had such an affair was never made available to you, I see that now.”
“Shut it, William,” she hissed. “You are a vile bastard. Your very presence offends me in ways unimaginable.”
William caught Eve’s upper arm tightly, causing her to wince slightly and shy away. “It seems that your wild side tends to shine through when you are away from me, my dear. It will be my pleasure to reeducate you to a more becoming manner.”
He patted her cheek, but Eve jerked away and glared at him. “There is nothing you can teach me, William. If I were you I would concentrate on my escape because right now a mob of angry Scotsmen are tracking us down and, believe me, they will kill you when they find you. Am I worth that much to you?”
“Unfortunately, my dear, you are,” he curled his lip. “I need your company and I require you to be alive for a while longer. If I did not, I would kill you here and now for all the humiliations you have rained upon the earldom these past weeks.”
“And you are a shining example of nobility?” she snorted in a most unladylike fashion. “What could you possibly need me for?” she asked idly as she scanned the passing scenery, trying to determine an escape from him. Now that Laurie and Tristram’s safety was ensured, she turned her thoughts to saving herself from whatever evil he had planned for her. Where were they? It seemed that rather than heading out of town, they were moving toward the center, down toward the Mile that extended between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood. She wondered why he would head into a populated area, but decided she did not care.
The town meant traffic and traffic meant they would have to slow. She could call for help. Surely someone would hear her. But would they assist her? People became notoriously blind and deaf when faced with violence. Better to ignore a cry for help than risk their own safety.
The droning of William’s voice caught her attention and she turned back to him. “What did you say?” She hadn’t even realized he had answered her question.
“I have bounty hunters from China tailing me and need access to funds, beyond the paltry amount of I have available, to bribe them into calling off their pursuit,” he repeated angrily. “Because of your actions, I cannot even access the monies of the estate since I have been declared dead! It might take years to regain my position so I need you to get it for me!”
“You stole the vase back?” she asked in amazement, ignoring the bile he was spewing. “Even after you were put in jail for a year, you still stole the vase before you got away?”
“Of course I took the vase, and another as well, in fact,” he snapped irritably. “I didn’t spend all that time there for nothing.”
“Incredible!” She blinked in disbelief, shaking her head. “I thought many things about you, William, but I never took you for an utter imbecile!”
Shaftesbury’s hand flew out and slapped her, throwing her into the side of the window. Groaning against the window frame, Eve saw the buildings of Edinburgh’s government district racing by. As the courts flew by in a blur, Eve gasped at the realization that she knew where they were. And if the courts were near…! She wondered if William had any idea.
She turned to see him glaring at her and her mind raced. “You were never one for violence, William. Time has changed you.”
“I told you prison had done that. It changes one’s priorities.”
Eve eyed the pistol loose in his lap and scrambled for an idea, anything to get out of the carriage quickly before they had gone too far. Her eyes narrowed mockingly. “Oh,” she drawled, “they couldn’t have changed too much if you hadn’t thought to just give back the vase. Truly, what sort of dolt trades his own life for a piece of pottery? Only the stupidest bastard…”
His hand snapped out again and even though Eve was expecting it, the pain still dulled her senses for a moment. But as she was flung against the side of the carriage once more, she recalled her wits enough to grab the handle of the carriage door and jerk it down. Her weight pushed against the portal as it flung it open and she rolled through the opening. Tensing against the anticipation of more pain, she wasn’t disappointed as she landed on the cobbled road on her back, scraping her hands and arms in an attempt to protect herself against the oncoming traffic when a wagon passed near her head.
Fighting the pain, Eve forced herself to her feet, desperately trying to untangle her skirts even as she heard William call for the carriage to halt. Scrambling to gain her footing, she started forward and cried out against the shooting pain that raced through her hip. Forcing herself to run, she turned back up the street toward the police station they had passed a couple of streets back.
As she heard footsteps pounding behind her, adrenaline and panic fed her allowing her to forget the pain as she fled like a startled rabbit. Picking up her skirts, she ran full out as she had as a child in Newport, gaining speed as she went, but still she heard him behind her. Her long legs flashed out beneath her skirts, her pink silk stockings drawing whistles before onlookers realized what was going on. “Help!” she screamed breathlessly as she ran. “Somebody please help me!”
“Hey there, man!” she heard someone shout behind her. “Leave that lady alone!” A quick glance over her shoulder showed two men in suits trying to detain William on her behalf. Lawyers most likely, they would not be able to hold him for long. Turning her attention back to her flight, Eve focused on the road in front of her even as a shot sounded behind her. Fearing for the lives of her saviors, Eve glanced back again to find the two men now held motionless by the gun in William’s left hand, but in his right was another, pointed directly at her.
“Stop, Evelyn!” he shouted but Eve turned her back and continued running. He had a pair of guns? she gasped in disbelief. Another shot rang out and the crowd in front of her cowered with cries of surprise and terror, as a bullet hit a lamp post to her right. Every instinct in her body urged Eve to drop down and cover her head like everyone else, but she denied herself as she saw her destination a few buildings ahead, even as the pounding feet behind her grew in volume. He would not shoot her, she tried to reassure herself. He just said that he needed her alive.
A few steps from the police station, she recognized the man exiting the doors as one of the agents who had come for Francis that morning. The one who had wanted to put Francis in shackles. “You… you… oh, blast it, the killer, the real killer is chasing me!” she flung her arm back, pointing the way. “Help me!” she pleaded.
The detective took in her dishabille and cast a skeptical glance, ready to dismiss her, before he recognized her. “Lady Shaftesbury?”
The man’s gaze darted past her and his brows shot up in surprise, but rather than ensure her safety he only frowned and raised his hands in the air. Dismayed, Eve turned to find William not twenty feet away, pointing a pistol at the man.
“Stop right there, Evelyn,” William gasped catching his breath as Eve inched toward the entrance of the building. “You have only delayed the inevitable, my dear. Now let’s go.”
Eve eyed the pistol directed at her, aware that the detective stood frozen in the face of the armed man before them. Did William not realize where he was or was he so completely crazed he didn’t care? What kind of insanity was it for him to think this was a good
idea? “Look around you, William. Do you not realize where we are?” she tried to reason with him.
Shaftesbury looked up at the building for the first time and a frown creased his brow. “It matters not. I am armed and they are not. Come, let’s go now.”
“Are you mad?” she gaped in amazement. “You cannot just kidnap me in front of a police station!”
“Lady Shaftesbury,” Shaw whispered urgently, fearfully eyeing the man who held him at gunpoint, sensing the villain wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. “What is going on here? Who is he?”
“This madman is the murderer…”
Shaftesbury’s hand whipped out again and the butt of the pistol caught her with a glancing blow. Raising a hand to the wound, Eve wavered where she stood.
“Now see here!” Shaw protested, lowering his hands instinctively in defense of an injured lady. “You can’t treat a lady like –” A shot sounded and Shaw fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder in surprise.
Aghast, Eve turned to see William shrug carelessly. He had just shot a man without second thought. Clearly he was beyond prediction or expectation. She felt the fear snake back up her spine when he uttered absently, “How tiring. Come now, Evelyn.” He waved the gun, indicating she should precede him. “Let’s move on, shall we?”
“You won’t shoot me, William. Remember? You need me,” she told him with false bravado since it was clear she had no idea what William was capable of any longer.
“That is true, but it will not stop me from shooting the good people here if you resist.” He indicated the people huddled against the building or standing across the street, staring at the scene with morbid fascination. “How about her?” he asked, motioning to a young woman crouched in the alley hugging a young girl to her. “Or him?” This one an adolescent boy protecting an older woman behind him.
A Question of Love (Questions For A Highlander Book 1) Page 30
