Deception

  “Could the matter not wait until tomorrow? It is nearly nine o’clock.”

  “I am very anxious to see this particular painting, Jared.” She heaved unsuccessfully on the brass handle of the trunk. “I am hoping that it is a picture of your great-grandfather.”

  “Very well, stand aside. I shall move the trunk for you, my dear.” Jared smiled at the sight of the tendrils of hair that were floating free of Olympia’s dainty muslin cap. “What makes you think it’s a portrait of Captain Jack?”

  Olympia straightened, breathing quickly, and dusted her hands off on her apron. “Because I caught a brief glimpse of it and from what little I could see, the man in the picture looked just like you, patch and all.”

  “I doubt that very much. But I shall be glad to get the painting for you. Here, hold the candle.”

  “Yes, of course.” Olympia took the candle from his hand and gave him a very brilliant smile. “I appreciate your assistance.”

  Jared contemplated her smile. “Is anything wrong, Olympia?”

  “No, no, of course not.” The candle trembled slightly in her hand. “I want to see the painting because if it is of Captain Jack, it may contain some clue to the missing treasure.”

  “Ah, yes. The bloody treasure.” Jared went over to the heavy trunk and shoved it aside. The pale glow of the candle grew more faint as he picked up the next object in his path, a chair draped in heavy muslin. “Olympia, come closer with that taper.”

  “I am very sorry,” Olympia said from the door. Her voice was strangely thin, almost a squeak. “But I fear I cannot do that.”

  Jared set the chair down and swung around just in time to see Olympia slam the door shut. It closed with a reverberating thud that shook the whole room. The draft blew out the candle that she had set on the floor.

  Jared was instantly plunged into a Stygian night. He heard the heavy iron key turn in the lock on the other side of the door.

  “I know you are probably going to be very angry for a while, Jared.” Olympia’s voice was barely audible through the thick wooden door. “And I am really very sorry. But this is for your own good.”

  Jared took a step forward. The toe of his boot collided with a trunk. He winced and cautiously put out a hand to feel his way. “Open the door, Olympia.”

  “I will open it in the morning, I give you my word of honor, sir.”

  “What time tomorrow morning?” Jared asked.

  “Around six or seven o’clock, I should imagine.”

  “Hellfire and damnation.” A clever wife could be something of a nuisance on occasion, Jared thought. “I collect that you have learned of my dawn appointment, madam.”

  “Yes, Jared, I have.” Olympia sounded more sure of herself now. “And since I know that there is very likely no way that I can talk you out of it while you are in the grip of such powerful passions, I concluded I must take drastic action.”

  “Olympia, I assure you, this is entirely unnecessary.” Jared took another step forward and drove his shin into the seat of a draped chair. “Damnation.”

  “Are you all right, Jared?” Olympia asked anxiously.

  “It’s as black as midnight in here, Olympia.”

  “But I left the candle for you.”

  “It was blown out when you slammed the door.”

  “Oh.” Olympia hesitated. “Well, there are more candles and a tinderbox near the door, Jared. I put them there earlier. Light one of them. I also arranged a cold collation for you. It’s on a covered tray near the large box in the corner.”

  “Thank you.” Jared rubbed his shin.

  “Mrs. Bird prepared the lamb and veal pie herself. And the bread was baked fresh this morning. There is also some cheese.”

  “I can see you’ve thought of everything, my dear.” Jared inched his way toward the door.

  “I hope so,” Olympia said. “There is a chamber pot under one of the chairs. I must admit it was Robert who suggested that item.”

  “Robert is an intelligent lad.” Jared found the door with his hand. He leaned down and groped for a second candle.

  “Jared, there is something else I must tell you. The staff has been given the night off. They were told not to come back until after dawn, so there is no use yelling for a footman or a maid.”

  “I had no intention of yelling for anyone.” Jared got the candle lit after the third attempt. “I doubt I would be heard from this chamber.”

  “Quite right.” Olympia sounded relieved. “Also, your father and uncle have taken the boys off to Astley’s theater. They will not be back until very late. They have all sworn not to open this door.”

  “I understand.” Jared hoisted the candle and surveyed the walls of the chamber.

  “Jared?”

  “Yes, Olympia?”

  “I hope you will be able to forgive me. I realize that at the moment you are probably quite furious. But you must see that I could not allow you to risk your life at dawn.”

  “Go to bed, Olympia. We will discuss this business in the morning.”

  “I can tell that you are very angry, my lord.” Olympia’s tone was resigned but resolute. “However, there really is no alternative. You need time to calm yourself. Time to reconsider your actions. Right now you are no doubt consumed by passion and emotion.”

  “No doubt.”

  “Good night, Jared.”

  “Good night, my dear.”

  He listened to her footsteps as they receded in the distance. He had been a boy of ten the last time he had explored this room. It would not be easy to relocate the secret entrance that opened onto the flight of stairs in the gallery below.

  He would have to move a great many boxes and trunks just to get to the wall. And when he did reach it, he would have a devil of a time finding the hidden spring that operated the concealed door. A layer of dust obscured the old landmarks.

  Jared smiled to himself as he contemplated the considerable effort and planning Olympia had done in order to save him from risking his neck in a duel.

  All his life he had wondered who would rescue him. Now he knew the answer.

  It took Jared over an hour to find the hidden door. When his fingers touched the fine line in the paneling, he swore with soft satisfaction. Then he slipped the Guardian from its sheath and slid the tip into the tiny crevice.

  The old mechanism gave a rusty hiss inside the wall but the panel opened. Jared sheathed the dagger, picked up the candle, and started down the flight of stairs that Captain Harry had built.

  It was true the Earls of Flamecrest were a flamboyant lot, but no one had ever called them stupid, Jared reflected. They always had reasons for what they did, even if those reasons were not always fully comprehended by others.

  If visitors to the house had chosen to believe that the staircase that went nowhere in the upper gallery was merely more evidence of Flamecrest eccentricity, that was their concern. Grandfather Harry had believed in having escape routes in every room.

  Jared frowned when he saw that the third floor of the house was completely dark. He descended to the second floor and found it, too, was wrapped in shadows. Perhaps Olympia had decided to work in the library until the Earl and the others returned home.

  He had made love to Olympia often enough in a library, Jared reflected as he started down the last flight of stairs. He had no objection to doing so again tonight.

  Jared reached the bottom of the stairs and discovered that the hall was as dark as every other room in the house. But he smiled when he saw a faint trace of light under the library door.

  He took one long stride forward and nearly stumbled over a large, soft, very heavy object. Visions of Olympia tumbling down the darkened stairs made his whole body go stone cold.

  When he looked down, however, he saw at once that it was not Olympia who lay there. It was Graves.

  Jared dropped to one knee and touched the side of the man’s throat. The pulse was strong. Graves had not broken his neck in the fall. Then Jared spotted the small pool of bl
ood on the marble floor and the silver candlestick lying beside the prone form.

  Graves had not fallen. He had been struck on the head.

  Jared glanced at the closed door of the library. The chill inside him grew stronger. He stood and walked silently across the hall. His hand closed around the knob.

  He slipped the dagger back out of its sheath, inserted it inside the sleeve of his shirt, and palmed the hilt.

  Then he blew out the flame of his candle and opened the door.

  The glow of a single candle on the desk revealed Olympia. She was standing near the window. Her eyes were wide with silent apprehension.

  Felix Hartwell had his arm wrapped around her throat. In his other hand he held a pistol.

  “Good evening, Felix,” Jared said calmly. “I was afraid that you had not had the good sense to leave town.”

  “Do not come any closer, Chillhurst, or I swear, I’ll kill her.” Felix’s voice was hoarse. There was a fine, dangerous tremor in it.

  Olympia’s eyes were brilliant as she looked at Jared. “He told me that he has been watching the house, waiting for an opportunity to gain entrance when it was empty,” she said very steadily. “I fear that my scheme to lock you in the storage room and send everyone away for the evening gave him his chance. He believed no one to be home.”

  “Had you asked my advice, my dear, I could have told you that there were one or two flaws in your plan,” Jared said gently. He did not take his eyes off Felix.

  “Be quiet,” Felix ordered. “Chillhurst, I must have ten thousand pounds and I must have it at once.”

  “He is quite desperate,” Olympia whispered. “I have already told him that I do not think there is anything worth that much money in the house.”

  “You are right,” Jared said. “There is not. At least, there is nothing small and portable about that is worth that kind of money. You could take some of the furniture, I suppose, Felix.”

  “Do not mock me, Chillhurst, I’m warning you. I am as eager to leave England as you are to have me go. But I am very deep in dun territory and my creditors are a rather nasty lot. They got word I was about to leave London and they threatened to kill me. I must repay them before I can be free.”

  “Well, there’s some silver,” Jared said thoughtfully. “But you will need a large cart to carry ten thousand pounds worth away with you. Somewhat awkward, I should think, when one is in a hurry to flee the country.”

  “There must be some jewelry about.” Felix looked desperate. “You have a wife now. You must have given her some valuable jewelry. A man in your position always buys baubles for a new bride.”

  “Jewelry?” Jared took a step closer. He would only get one chance, he thought. “I doubt it.”

  Olympia cleared her throat. “Well, there are the emerald and diamond earrings, my lord. The ones that I wore to the Huntingtons’ ball.”

  “Ah, yes,” Jared said. “There are the earrings. Of course.”

  “I knew it.” Felix’s eyes narrowed with a combination of triumph and relief. “Where are they, Lady Chillhurst?”

  “Upstairs in a box on my dressing table,” Olympia whispered.

  “Very well.” Felix released her and gave her a push. He kept the pistol trained on Jared. “You will go upstairs and fetch them, madam. You have no more than five minutes. If you delay any longer, I swear I shall kill your husband. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes.” Olympia rushed forward. “Do not worry, sir. I shall be right back with the earrings.”

  “Do not hurry on my account,” Jared said as she flew toward the door. “You will need a candle, my dear. Best go back to the desk and light one to take with you.”

  “Oh, my God, yes, of course. I’ll need a candle.” Olympia whirled about and hurried over to the desk.

  “Be quick about it,” Felix ordered.

  “I am trying to hurry, sir.” She picked up an unlit taper and reached for the one that was already lit. Her eyes met Jared’s.

  He smiled slightly.

  Olympia snuffed the candle with her fingertips and plunged the room into darkness.

  “Damn you,” Felix shouted. His pistol roared. Light flashed from the small explosion.

  The Guardian fell neatly into Jared’s hand. He hurled it toward the spot where Felix had been standing.

  There was a high, terrified cry of pain and rage and then a thud.

  “Jared?” There was a scratching sound in the darkness. The candle in Olympia’s hand flared into life. “Jared, are you all right?”

  “Quite all right, my dear. Next time I trust you will consider my potential usefulness before you lock me away in a storage room for the night.”

  On the floor, Felix groaned. He opened his eyes and looked up at Jared. “You always were so bloody clever.”

  “I thought you were clever, too, Felix.”

  “I know you will never believe me, but I am truly sorry that it came to this.”

  “So am I.” Jared crossed the room and knelt beside Felix. He examined the hilt of the dagger as it protruded from Felix’s shoulder. “You will live, Hartwell.”

  “Not much point in that,” Felix whispered. “I do not care to hang, sir. I wish you had killed me while you were about it.”

  “You will not go to prison,” Jared said. “I will see to it that your creditors are repaid. In exchange you will leave England for good.”

  “You actually mean that, do you not?” Felix searched his face. “I do not understand you, Chillhurst. But, then, I have never really understood you.”

  “I realize that.” Jared glanced up at Olympia who was hovering nearby. “There is only one person on the face of the earth who understands me.”

  Graves stumbled into the doorway. He had his hand pressed gingerly to the back of his head, but he looked reasonably alert. “M’lord. I see I’m a bit too late.”

  “All is well, Graves. How are you feeling?”

  “I’ll live, thank you, sir.”

  Olympia whirled around in concern. “Graves. You’ve been hurt.”

  “Nothing to worry about, madam. Been hit on the head more’n once in the course of me career. Never does much damage, I’m proud to say.” Graves grinned his skeletal grin. “Trust ye won’t go tellin’ Mrs. Bird how hardy I am. I’m plannin’ to play on her sympathies a bit, y’see.”

  “She’ll be horrified,” Olympia assured him.

  Graves’s smile disappeared as he looked at Jared. “Sorry about what happened, sir. I snuck back to the house after madam sent me and the rest of the staff off for the evening, but I got here too late. He was already inside. Never saw him come up behind me.”

  “It’s all right, Graves. We have survived the evening.”

  A loud knock on the front door interrupted Jared.

  “Perhaps you had better answer that, Graves.”

  “I’ll get it,” Olympia said quickly. “Graves is obviously not up to performing his duties tonight.” She lit a second candle and went out into the hall.

  Protesting vehemently, Graves followed her to the door.

  Jared touched Felix’s wounded shoulder.

  “Damn.” Felix sucked in his breath and passed out.

  “Demetria. Constance,” Olympia exclaimed out in the hall. “What are you two doing here? And why have you come at this hour, Mr. Seaton? Now see here, if it is to discuss the duel, I may as well tell you that it is not going to take place. Is that quite clear?”

  “You may set Chillhurst free,” Constance said dryly. “Demetria has told her brother everything. Gifford wishes to make his apologies and call off the duel. Is that not correct, Gifford?”

  “Yes.” Gifford’s voice was very subdued. “Please tell your husband that I wish to speak with him.”

  Jared glanced toward the door. “I’m in here, Seaton. Before you make your apologies, would you mind very much summoning a doctor?”

  Gifford came to stand in the doorway. “Why in God’s name do you want a doctor?” Then his eyes went to Felix.
“Damnation. Who is he? Why is there so much blood about?”

  Olympia stood on tiptoe to peer over Gifford’s shoulder. “That is Mr. Hartwell. He tried to rob me of my emerald earrings just now. That’s his pistol over there on the floor. He threatened to shoot Jared with it.”

  “But what happened to him?” Gifford stared at the fallen man with sick fascination.

  “Chillhurst used his dagger to save us.” Olympia’s eyes glowed with wifely pride. “He threw it at Mr. Hartwell just as Mr. Hartwell fired his pistol.”

  “Chillhurst downed him with a dagger?” Gifford asked weakly.

  “Oh, yes. Chillhurst always carries it with him, you see. It was the most amazing thing because it all took place in the dark. I had just snuffed the candle and—”

  Gifford made an odd sound as Jared took hold of the dagger and pulled it quickly out of Felix’s arm. Blood flowed in the few seconds that it took Jared to bind Felix’s cravat snugly around the wound.

  “My God,” Gifford looked distinctly ill now. “Never saw a man with a dagger stuck in him.”

  “If you think this is unpleasant,” Jared said easily, “You should see a man with a bullet in his chest. That’s why I sent you a note reminding you to make certain there would be a doctor present at our meeting.”

  “You’re a bloody pirate after all, aren’t you?” Gifford’s face turned an ashen color. He sank gracefully to the floor in a dead faint.

  Chapter 20

  “I must say, it was very clever of you to escape from the storage room.” Olympia snuggled into Jared’s warmth. “But, then, you never cease to amaze me, my lord.”

  “I’m glad you continue to be impressed with my humble skills.” Jared threaded his fingers through her hair.

  It was nearly three in the morning. The household was quiet once more and everyone was abed at long last. But although she was exhausted, Olympia was finding it impossible to sleep. The events of the evening were still too fresh.

  “I have always been impressed by your many abilities, sir.” Olympia pressed her lips to his shoulder. “I am very glad that you are not angry with me for locking you in the storage room.”