creation. Reality and fantasy had blended to such an extent that
she could no longer tell where one stopped and the other began.
Her obsession with Alastair Drake had driven her beyond logic
and reason. Perhaps Lucy had not been truly mad, but she
certainly had not been entirely rational.
Imogen rose from her chair. She tucked Lucy's journal under
her arm and went slowly downstairs to find Matthias.
He was right where she had left him less than two hours earlier,
seated behind his desk, deep into a Greek text. He looked up as
she walked into the library.
Imogen." He started to smile and then he saw the journal. All
hint of emotion disappeared from his ghost-gray eyes. He got
slowly to his feet." You have finished it."
Yes."
Well?" He watched her as she came to stand before him on the
opposite side of the desk." Was it worth the anguish, my dear?"
Imogen gave him a rueful smile." I suspect the pain was worse
for you than it was for me, Matthias."
Not bloody likely. Lucy was your friend, not mine."
Yes, but you have been tormenting yourself because you asked
me to read her journal. The talons of self-inflicted guilt are
extremely sharp, are they not, my lord?"
Matthias raised his brows." I confess that I have not had much
experience with them until recently. I cannot say that I care for the
sensations they cause. Have mercy, madam. I may deserve the
torment, but I trust that you will put me out of my misery as
quickly as possible. Did you learn anything of importance, or was
it all for naught?"
I think I know why someone is after the journal. And possibly
who is after it. Lucy discovered some dark secret about Alastair
Drake."
Drake?" Matthias frowned." What sort of secret?"
I don't know. She did not write it down in the journal. But it
must have been something very important, because she hired a
Bow Street runner to investigate it."
How very interesting," Matthias said softly.
Her last entry concerns the runner's report. Whatever he told
her seems to have confirmed some suspicion she held. She
intended to use the information to blackmail Mister Drake into
taking her to Italy."
What a poor, benighted fool she must have been." Matthias
shook his head." Anyone acquainted with him can see that Drake
is a creature of London Society. He thrives on it. He would never
willingly abandon Town life."
Imogen gripped the journal very tightly." I doubt that Lucy
understood that. I certainly did not."
Matthias shrugged and said nothing.
Imogen glowered at him." If you make a single comment on the
subject of my supposed naivete sir, I shall lose my temper."
I would not dream of saying a word."
Very wise of you, my lord." Imogen cleared her throat." In any
event, as I told you, Lucy was not herself toward the end."
You may be right on that point. Surely no rational female
would have concocted such a crazed plan. She gave no hint of this
secret she discovered?"
No." Imogen blushed at the memory of what Lucy had written.
Only that it was something Mister Drake accidentally allowed to slip
during one of those curious periods of extreme exhaustion that
appear to envelop members of the male sex following an
encounter."
An encounter with what?" Matthias's brow cleared." Oh, I see.
Drake didn't have the brains to keep his mouth shut while his
breeches were off, is that it?"
That is a rather crude way of expressing it."
But accurate, you must admit."
I suppose so." Imogen tapped her toe on the carpet." You do
realize the implications of this information, do you not, my lord?"
A keen, predatory intelligence glittered in Matthias's eyes." Of
course. Your friend may, indeed, have been murdered. But the
killer could easily have been Alastair Drake rather than Vanneck."
Yes." Imogen sank slowly into a chair. She stared at the journal
in her lap." Mister Drake might have concluded that he had to kill her
in order to keep her from revealing his secret. What a strange
notion. For three years I have assumed that Vanneck murdered
Lucy. It is very difficult to imagine Mister Drake as a killer."
I have no particular difficulty imagining it," Matthias muttered.
But it's that damned secret that interests me. I wonder if it would
be possible to locate the runner Lucy hired three years ago. I
would like to interview him."
Imogen glanced up." That is an excellent notion, Matthias."
I shall send a message to Bow Street immediately." Matthias sat
down and reached for a pen." In the meantime, I believe I shall pay
a visit to someone else who may have knowledge of this matter."
Surely you are not going to confront Mister Drake? We do not
have enough information yet."
Not Drake. That shining beacon of Zamarian scholarship, the
Angel."
You intend to speak with Lady Lyndhurst?" Imogen frowned.
Why?"
I feel certain that she is somehow connected to this matter."
Matthias finished his short note and put down the pen." I think she
was the one who attempted to get her hands on the journal this
afternoon."
Quite possibly, my lord. She may know something more than
we do." Imogen sprang to her feet." I shall accompany you."
No, you will not." Matthias eyed her with determination." You
will wait here until I return."
I cannot allow you to go off by yourself in search of information, Matthias. Only consider the disastrous situation you got
yourself into when you searched Vanneck's house without my
assistance. You could have been killed on that occasion."
I seriously doubt that Selena will attempt to murder me in her
own drawing room." Matthias was amused." She's a lady, not a
ruffian from the stews. Women of her sort rely on their charms to
achieve their goals."
Hmm. No offense, my lord, but I am not certain that we can
depend upon your experience in the matter. My mother once told
me that men frequently underestimate women."
I am always careful never to underestimate you, madam."
Imogen wrinkled her nose." Very well, then. Since you insist
there is no danger, it follows that there is absolutely no reason I
should not accompany you to Lady Lyndhurst's, my lord."
Matthias paused in the act of sealing the note." I can see that I
shall have to take more care with my logic in future."
Do not blame yourself, sir." She cast a thoughtful glance at the
Zamarian sofa." After all, we arose from the conjugal couch only a
short while ago. Perhaps you have not yet recovered fully from the
debilitating ennui that strikes the male of the species in the after
math of the amorous embrace."
Matthias's teeth flashed in a wicked grin." You do have an
unsettling effect on my delicate sensibilities. Very well, you may
accompany me to pay a call upon Selena, but you will allow me to
conduct the interview. Is that understood?"
> Imogen gave him her most beatific smile." But of course, my
lord. I would not dream of attempting to take charge of this
matter when you are so obviously in command of the situation."
Matthias looked distinctly skeptical." Indeed."
Less than half an hour later, a disgruntled housekeeper opened
the door of Selena's town house. She glowered at Imogen and
Matthias." What can I do for ye?"
Please inform Lady Lyndhurst that the Countess and Earl of
Colchester wish to speak with her about an urgent matter,"
Matthias said coldly.
Lady Lyndhurst is not at home," the housekeeper grumbled.
Don't know when she'll return."
It occurred to Imogen that it was nearly five o'clock." Has she
gone for a drive in the park, perhaps?"
The housekeeper gave a bark of harsh laughter." Not unless the
fancy has taken to packing its bags afore it sets out for the park."
Are you telling us that Lady Lyndhurst has packed up and left
Town?" Matthias asked.
Aye, that's what I'm sayin"."
But we were just here a few hours ago," Imogen protested." She
held her Zamarian salon earlier today."
She shooed all them young ladies out the door the moment
you two left," the housekeeper said." And then she set the staff to
packing as fast as they could. Never seen the like."
Did Lady Lyndhurst mention her destination?" Matthias
asked.
Not to me, she didn't." The housekeeper shrugged broad shoulders.
Damnation," Matthias muttered.
Something in the housekeeper's tone caught Imogen's attention. She recalled the tales that misses Vine had related concerning
her former tenants and their secret lives." Did Lady Lyndhurst
remember to pay the quarterly wages to the staff before she left?"
No, she did not." Indignation flared in the housekeeper's eyes.
Typical of that sort. After three years of loyal service, she takes
herself off without bothering to pay any of us."
Imogen slid a sidelong glance at Matthias." My husband would
be happy to reimburse you and the rest of the staff if you could
give us some notion of where Lady Lyndhurst went."
Imogen, what the devil are you about?" Matthias demanded." I
never said"
Hush, my lord." Imogen kept her attention on the housekeeper.
Well? Do we have a bargain?"
A hopeful gleam appeared in the housekeeper's eye." Expect
her brother will likely know where she's gone."
Her brother?" Imogen gazed at the woman in astonishment." I
was not aware that Lady Lyndhurst had a brother."
That's because the two of" em kept it quiet," the housekeeper
said slyly." I learned about it by accident right after I went to work
for Lady Lyndhurst. No one pays any attention to staff. Act as if
we're invisible. But we got eyes and ears, same as the fancy. I over
heard the pair of" em talkin" one day when he came to visit."
What is the name of Lady Lyndhurst's brother?" Matthias
inquired softly.
The housekeeper looked shrewd." I'll be happy to tell ye, sir,
once me and the staff have got our wages."
Never mind," Matthias said." I believe we can hazard a guess
concerning the identity of Lady Lyndhurst's brother. There is only
one likely candidate for the post."
Inspiration struck Imogen." Alastair Drake?"
The housekeeper's face crumpled." Ain't that just like the fancy.
Spend a fortune on clothes and horses and then turn all clutch
fisted and cheeseparing when it comes to paying the poor folk that
work for" em."
Give her the money for the quarterly wages, my lord." Imogen
instructed.
Matthias glowered." Why should I do that?"
Colchester, this is no time to be stubborn. Pay her the money."
Matthias sighed in resignation." Very well." He turned back to
the housekeeper." As I have just agreed to pay for information that
I already possess, perhaps you will be so good as to confirm it?"
Relief shone in the woman's face." Lady Lyndhurst's brother is
Mister Alastair Drake, all right. Don't have any notion why the two
of" em wanted to keep their family connection a secret. What
possible difference could it make to anyone?"
An excellent question," Imogen murmured.
Thus far, we seem to be collecting far more questions than
answers," Imogen remarked as Matthias handed her up onto the
phaeton box." So Mister Drake and Selena are brother and sister. I
wonder if that is the secret Lucy discovered."
She may have learned of the relationship," Matthias said as he
picked up the reins." But it does not seem worthy of blackmail, let
alone murder."
Not unless Mister Drake and Selena concealed their connection
in order to hide another, more dangerous secret." Imogen grabbed
at the crown of her wide, shell-trimmed bonnet as the horses set
off." I wonder if Mister Drake also left Town this afternoon."
That should be easy enough to confirm. I shall drive past his
lodgings. I believe they are in Hollowell Street."
How do you come to know that, Matthias?"
I made it my business to learn a few things about Drake shortly
after we came to London," he said grimly.
Imogen was suddenly deeply intrigued." Why on earth did you
make inquiries about him?"
Let us just say that the sight of you in his arms that day I called
upon you and your aunt raised a number of interesting questions."
Imogen gazed at him in astonished wonder." Never say that you
were jealous of Alastair Drake, Matthias."
Of course not." Matthias fixed his attention on his horses" ears.
Jealousy is a ridiculous, immature passion suited only to smolder
ing poets and very young men."
Of course, my lord." He had definitely been jealous, Imogen
told herself. She smiled complacently." What do you propose to do
if MisterDrake has disappeared?"
Take precautions." Matthias's eyes narrowed." I do not care for
the feel of this situation, Imogen. Something is very wrong."
I agree."
A few minutes later Matthias halted the phaeton in front of 12
Hollowell Street. No one responded to the knock on Alastair's
front door.
A glance through the undraped windows revealed a chaotic
scene inside the rooms at Number 12. Alastair Drake had obvi
ously packed his belongings in a hurry.
They're both gone. It is incredible." Imogen led the way back into
Matthias's library a short while later." But why? What made them
so uneasy that they felt they had to leave Town?"
The fact that we possessed the journal and had no intention of
letting it fall into Selena's hands," Matthias said. He yanked impatiently at the knot of his cravat." After that scene in Selena's draw
ing room today, she obviously concluded that we had either
discovered the same secret Lucy had uncovered, or that we would
soon do so."
She must have notified Alastair." Imogen frowned in thought.
And the pair of them panicked and left Town?"
Perhaps."
She glanced up swiftly, alarmed by Matthias's ominous tone.
&nb
sp; What do you mean, perhaps?"
Matthias went to stand in front of the window, the ends of his
snowy white cravat draped casually around his neck." There is
every likelihood that Drake killed Lucy because she had learned
his secret. He may also have shot Vanneck for the same reason."
But Vanneck would have inherited Lucy's journal three years
ago. Why wait until this year to murder him?"
Matthias braced one hand on the windowsill." Who knows when
Vanneck actually discovered the journal or when he got around to
reading it?"
A few months ago he sold his large house and bought a new,
smaller residence," Imogen reminded him." Perhaps the journal
came to light when his staff packed up his household for the
move."
Quite possibly. There is something else though. Lucy did not
reveal this deep, dark secret in her journal. She only alluded to
having discovered it and stated that she planned to use it to black
mail Drake. The secret itself is not actually written down in that
damned book."
True." Imogen clasped her hands behind her back and began to
pace the library." But the fact that Vanneck had concealed the
journal in his study implies that he knew it was important."
And the fact that Selena and Drake want it indicates that they
believe that Lucy did write down the secret. How would they
know otherwise if they have never read the journal?"
Excellent point," Imogen whispered." What if Vanneck had only
recently discovered the journal, as you suggest? What if he
learned that Selena and Alastair had something to hide but did
not know what it was?"
Vanneck might very well have tried a bluff. He may have let
Drake think he knew the secret that Lucy had discovered and
attempted to blackmail him, just as Lucy had done. And Drake
killed him, just as he killed Lucy."
Yes. A brilliant deduction. That makes perfect sense,
Colchester."
Thank you. Coming from I A. Stone, that is praise indeed."
Matthias turned away from the window and walked toward his
desk." One thing we know for certain is that the journal is dangerous. Until we know why, I intend to make sure that both you and
Patricia are protected."
Imogen was startled." Surely you do not believe that your sister
and I are in jeopardy? Selena and Alastair have left London."
So they would have us believe. I do not intend to take any
Amanda Quick - Mischief.txt Page 33
