to avenge yourself against me."
Hugo's hand clenched around his walking stick. He stared out
the window." I have no intention of hurting Lady Patricia."
I am, of course, pleased to learn that." Matthias flexed his
fingers absently." Because if anything were to happen to my sister,
I would be obliged to take action. I am responsible for her."
Hugo turned his head swiftly to stare at Matthias." Are you
warning me to stay away from Lady Patricia?"
No. I confess that I had intended to do just that, but Lady
Colchester advised against it. I am, however, warning you not to
use my sister in any scheme of vengeance that you may have
concocted. If you feel that you must blame me for your father's
suicide, then come after me directly. Deal with me man to man. Do
not hide behind a lady's skirts."
Hugo flushed." I am not hiding behind Patricia's skirts."
Matthias smiled fleetingly." Then there is nothing more for us to
discuss. I shall inform my wife that we had this pleasant little chat
and perhaps she will give me some peace."
Do not tell me that you did this just to please your lady wife.
That does not sound at all like you, Colchester."
What would you know about me?" Matthias asked softly.
I know what my mother told me after my father died. I know
of the rumors surrounding your association with Rutledge. I know
that you were accounted wild and reckless. That you shot a man
named Exelby several years ago. Some say you killed Vanneck in
cold blood only this morning. I know a great deal about you, sir."
So does my wife," Matthias mused." She has heard all the tales
that you have heard. But she married me regardless. What do you
think prompted her to do that?"
Hugo looked taken aback." How would I know?" He cleared his
throat." Lady Colchester is said to be an Original."
She is that. Definitely one of a kind. And I suppose there's no
accounting for taste." Matthias pulled himself out of his brief
reverie." She told me that you and I have something in common."
What could we possibly share?" Hugo demanded scornfully.
Fathers who chose not to take responsibility for their sons."
Hugo stared at him. That is outrageous. The most outrageous
thing that I have ever heard."
An hour ago I told my wife that she was talking nonsense. But
now that I've pondered the matter further, I do believe she has a
point."
What point?"
Does it occur to you, Bagshaw, that your father and mine both
left their sons to pick up the pieces of the messes that they them
selves had created?"
My father did not create a mess," Hugo retorted passionately.
You ruined him at cards."
As I told Imogen, this was a complete waste of time." Matthias
glanced out the window and recognized the neighborhood. The
hackney coachman had followed instructions.
So it was," Hugo said sullenly.
Matthias rapped on the roof of the carriage to signal the
coachman to halt." I believe I shall walk from here. I need some
fresh air."
Hugo glanced out the window, confused." This is not your
address."
I am aware of that."
The hackney rumbled to a halt. Matthias opened the door and
got out. Then he turned to look back at Hugo." Remember what I
said, Bagshaw. Pursue your vengeance if you feel you must. But do
not use my sister as a shield. You are not your father. Something
tells me that you are made of sterner stuff than he was. You can
face your problems as a man."
Damn you, Colchester," Hugo whispered.
You might start by making a few inquiries of your father's old
solicitor. He can tell you what really happened to the family
finances." Matthias started to close the carriage door.
Colchester, wait."
Matthias paused." What is it?"
You forgot to warn me that I must not pay my addresses to
your sister."
Did I?"
Hugo scowled." Well?"
Well, what? I have other matters to attend to this evening,
Bagshaw. You must excuse me."
Are you telling me that I will be welcome in your house?"
Matthias smiled slightly." Why don't you pay a visit and find out
for yourself?" He slammed the door and walked off down the
street without a backward glance.
He was in a quiet, respectable area of Town. The dark expanse
of a long, narrow park loomed between two rows of modest town
houses. A few of the residences were dark, but windows were still
lit in the majority. The rumors had been correct on one point,
Matthias thought. Vanneck's fortunes had definitely plummeted.
Until a few months ago Vanneck had lived in a much larger house
in a wealthier neighborhood.
The notion of paying a late night visit to Vanneck's residence
had occurred to him that afternoon as he reflected again on the
events of the morning. Matthias had said nothing to Imogen of his
plans because he suspected that she would have insisted on
accompanying him.
He came to a halt and studied the twin rows of town houses.
The one in which Vanneck had lived was darkened.
Matthias stood on the street for a long time, reflecting on the
various possibilities that presented themselves. Eventually he
walked around the corner and found the shadowed alley that
would lead him to the back of Vanneck's town house.
There was sufficient moonlight to allow Matthias to find his
way to the gate that opened onto the small garden. The hinges
squeaked in the darkness.
He closed the gate as gently as possible and went through the
garden to the kitchen door. Fortunately, he was able to see very
well at night. The ability had come in handy over the years.
He was surprised to discover that the kitchen door was open.
The departing servants had evidently forgotten to lock up
securely before they left for their own homes.
Matthias stepped into the kitchen and paused to allow his eyes
to adjust to the deeper shadows. Then he removed the candle he
had brought with him from the pocket of his greatcoat. He lit it.
Shielding the weak flame with one hand, he started down the
long hall that divided the first floor of the house. He was not
certain what he was looking for, but he intended to start his search
in Vanneck's study. It was the most logical place to begin.
He found the cluttered chamber on the left side of the hall.
Vanneck's desk was littered with a jumble of papers. Matthias
glanced at the inkstand and saw that the lid was open on the small
bottle of ink. A quill pen lay nearby. It was as if Vanneck had been
interrupted in the midst of writing a letter or a note.
Matthias set down the candle and picked up the first sheet of
foolscap. He paused when he noticed several small, dark stains on
one of the papers. He held the paper closer to the light. Not ink
spots. It was possible that the dried droplets had been caused by
spilled tea or claret, but Matthias did not think that was the case.
&n
bsp; He was almost certain that the stains were dried blood.
Glancing down, he saw a much larger, more ominous-looking
patch on the carpet near the toe of his boot.
Something stirred the hair on the nape of his neck just as he
bent down to take a closer look at the dark stain. He did not need
the almost inaudible scrape of a shoe on the carpet to warn him
that he was not alone in the study.
He flung himself to the side just as something very large and
very heavy slammed downward toward his head. There was a
splintering crash as a heavy candlestick struck the edge of the
desk.
Matthias twisted and came up out of the crouch just as his
attacker raised the candlestick for another blow.
Chapter 15
Matthias avoided the second swing of the candlestick by no more
than scant inches. He did not allow his assailant time for a third
attempt. He slipped to the side, using one of the movements he had
learned from an ancient treatise on Zamarian fighting methods.
Before his opponent could alter course, Matthias kicked out
with his booted foot. The blow slammed his attacker back onto the
top of the desk. Quill, papers, and inkstand cascaded off the far
side.
The attacker grunted heavily and scrambled to get off the desk.
He was hampered by his cloak and a thick woolen scarf wrapped
around the lower half of his face. His hair was covered by a cap
that was jammed securely onto his head.
A rustle of sound in the hallway alerted Matthias just as he was
about to launch himself across the desk. There was not one, but
two people in the house with him. The face of the second figure
was lost in the shadows of a cloak hood and scarf.
Even as Matthias watched, the newcomer raised one arm.
Candlelight glinted on the barrel of a small pistol in a heavily
gloved hand. Matthias seized the candlestick that had nearly
broken his skull and hurled it toward the figure in the doorway.
The pistol exploded just as the heavy candlestick struck the
second attacker in the chest. Matthias heard the ball thud into the
oak paneling behind him and knew he now had some time. It
would take a few minutes for the second assailant to reload the
tiny one-shot pistol.
Matthias leaped over the top of the desk and came down on top
of the first man, who was struggling to get to his feet.
The impact sent both men down onto the carpet. They rolled
violently into a chair and then back toward the desk. Matthias
avoided a bunched fist and raised his own hand for a blow. At the
last instant he sensed the approach of the second villain.
Resorting again to one of the Zamarian techniques he had
practiced for years, he twisted to the side and uncoiled to his feet.
Cold fire lanced through his arm.
He ignored the pain and lashed out with one booted foot in a
swift, brutal arc that caught the first man just as he rose from the
floor. The man reeled back against the desk.
Matthias readied himself for the next onslaught, but to his
surprise, both of his assailants turned and rushed from the study.
Their shoes echoed on the tiles in the hall as they dashed toward
the rear of the house.
Prepared and braced for another attack, Matthias was momen
tarily disconcerted by his opponents" flight.
He raced out of the study into the hall, but he knew he was too
late. He heard the kitchen door slam shut behind his quarry.
Hell's teeth."
He put out a hand and flattened it against the wall to steady
himself while he drew several deep breaths. He was feeling oddly
dazed.
Matthias frowned. What the devil was the matter with him? he
wondered. The battle had not lasted more than a few minutes, and
he considered himself to be in excellent physical condition.
It occurred to him that the fire in his left arm was no longer an
icy flame. It was now a hellish blaze. He glanced down and saw that
the sleeve of his coat had been slashed open. There was enough
light from the single candle that still burned in the study to see the
color of his own blood as it saturated the expensive fabric.
His opponents had been well armed. One had carried a pistol.
The other had wielded a knife. Whatever it was that they had
sought in Vanneck's house had been very important to them.
Matthias wondered if they had found it.
He ripped off his neck cloth, tied it quickly around his bleeding
arm, and then turned back to examine Vanneck's study. He made
himself think the way he had trained himself to think when he had
searched the ghostly ruins of ancient Zamar.
An hour later Matthias reposed on the dolphin sofa in the comfort
of his own library and listened as Imogen flew down the stairs. He
grinned in spite of the discomfort he was experiencing as Ufton
finished stitching up the knife wound.
Injured?" Imogen's voice penetrated the closed door of the
library with no difficulty. Matthias would not have been astonished to learn that passersby outside in the street heard her." What
the bloody hell do you mean, he is injured? Where is he? How
badly is he hurt? Has Ufton sent for a doctor?"
Imogen's rapid string of questions was punctuated by the staccato beat of her footsteps on the stairs." Ufton is tending him?
Ufton? Ufton? Ufton is a butler, for heaven's sake, not a doctor."
Madam is concerned," Ufton noted as he carefully secured the
white bandage around Matthias's arm.
Apparently." Matthias closed his eyes and leaned his head back
against the sofa. He smiled to himself." Odd, having a wife around
the house."
No offence, my lord, but Lady Colchester is a trifle more odd
than most wives."
Yes, I suspect she is," Matthias said.
He listened contentedly as Imogen continued to hurl orders
and demand more information.
See to it that his bed is turned down at once," she said to some
one." You, Charles, yes, you. Prepare a litter of some sort that we
can use to carry his lordship upstairs."
Matthias stirred and reluctantly opened his eyes." I suppose one
of us had better stop her before she converts the entire house into
a hospital."
Ufton blanched." Pray, do not look at me when you suggest that
someone should attempt to halt Lady Colchester's chosen course
of action, sir."
I have never before known you to lack nerve and fortitude,
Ufton."
I have never before been obliged to deal with a lady of
madam's peculiar temperament."
That makes two of us."
Outside in the hall, Imogen's voice rose." That is blood on the
tile, is it not? Colchester's blood. Dear God. Bring bandages.
Water. And a needle and thread. Hurry, for God's sake."
Brace yourself, Ufton." Matthias glanced toward the door." She
is almost upon us."
Ufton sighed as he tended to the bandage.
The library door slammed open and Imogen, garbed in a chintz
wrapper and a frilly little white cap, rushed into the room. Her
wide, alarmed eyes went
instantly to the sofa. Matthias tried to
look both heroic and tragic.
Matthias, what on earth has happened?" She skidded to a halt
near the sofa. Her eyes flew to the white bandage around his left
arm and then to the torn, bloodstained shirt that lay wadded up on
a tray. Matthias could have sworn that she paled.
It's all right, Imogen," he said." Calm yourself, my dear."
Dear heaven, this is all my fault. I should never have sent you
off alone in a hackney carriage tonight. The streets are so dangerous. If only you had come home with the rest of us. Whatever was
I thinking of when I told you to talk to Mister Bagshaw?"
Matthias raised his hand, palm out." You must not blame
yourself for this, my dear. As you can see, I am not at death's
door. Ufton has had some experience with this sort of thing. He
is far more competent than the average London doctor, I assure
you."
Imogen glared suspiciously at Ufton." What sort of experience?"
Ufton looked down his austere nose." I accompanied his lord
ship on his travels abroad in search of ancient Zamar. Accidents
and adventures of all varieties were rather commonplace. I
became quite adept at attending to wounds, broken bones and the
like, suffered by our companions both on board ship and during
the excavations."
Oh." Imogen looked briefly nonplussed. Then she nodded,
seemingly satisfied." Well, if you are certain that you know what
you are about, Ufton, I suppose we can rely upon you."
Yes, we can," Matthias assured her." Ufton has always had a
flair for medical matters. During our travels he picked up all sorts
of interesting techniques and recipes for medicines."
What sort of techniques and recipes?" Imogen asked.
Ufton cleared his throat." As an example, I poured brandy into
his lordship's wound before I closed it. Many sailors and military
men believe that strong spirits ward off infection."
How very interesting." Imogen gave a dainty sniff." I collect that
you also poured some of the brandy down his lordship's throat.
Was that part of the treatment?"
Absolutely critical," Matthias murmured.
Ufton coughed discreetly." I also held the needle in the heart of
a flame before setting my stitches. It is a technique favored in the
East."
I have heard of it." Imogen crouched to study the white
bandage on Matthias's arm." The bleeding appears to have
stopped."
The cut was not terribly deep," Ufton said. His voice softened
Amanda Quick - Mischief.txt Page 27
