Surrender (71 page)

admit there are difficulties in dealing with

a strong man, but I have learned that at

least one can depend upon them. Have you

ever met a man you could depend upon,

Isabel? I have come to the conclusion that

they are a rare and valuable commodity."

 
I told you to shut up, damn you.

Edgeworth will be here any minute and

then you will not be feeling so talkative,"

Isabel hissed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Victoria

saw a booted foot slide along the ledge.

She put down the sack of clothing and

absently fiddled with the cloak that was

still draped over her arm.
 
The thing about

talking is that it will help to pass the time

until stone vale gets here."

 
Your husband is not going to rescue

you, Victoria. You might as well get that

notion out of your head."

 
Nonsense. Lucas is the most amazing

man, you know." She smiled very brilliantly

and in that second Lucas came through the

window in a shower of glass and shattered

wood.

 
No." Isabel Rycott screamed in fury and

swung her pistol toward the window.

But Victoria was already whipping the

cloak out in an arc that caused it to

settle over Isabel's head. Isabel screamed

again. There was a shriek from under the

cloak and then the pistol skittered along

the wooden floor.

Lucas looked at Victoria as he straightened

and brushed off his clothes.
 
Are you

all right?" he asked quite calmly.

 
Amazing." Victoria ran into his arms.

 
I knew you would get here. Where is

Edgeworth?"

 
In the alley. Dead."

Victoria swallowed.
 
Somehow that does

not surprise me. What will we do with

Lady Rycott?"

 
A good question." Lucas released her

and picked up Isabel's pistol. Then he

yanked the cloak off his victim, who glared

at him with her glittering, gemlike eyes.

 
We don't have a great deal of time to

make the decision. We must get back to

the ball before we are missed. I suppose

the easiest thing to do is simply kill Lady

Rycott here and now. The proprietor of

the Green Pig is already fated to discover

one body in the morning. He might as well

discover two."

Victoria was horrified.
 
Lucas, wait. You

cannot simply shoot her dead."

 
I told you, we cannot afford any time

to think about alternatives. We must be

gone from here as quickly as possible."

Isabel stared at him, her eyes full of

fear.
 
You cannot just shoot me in cold

blood."

 
I fail to see why not. The proprietor

will no doubt see to it that both your

body and Edgeworth's are removed from

his premises and dumped into the river.

There will be no questions asked."

 
No," Isabel choked on a scream.
 
You

cannot do such a thing."

 
Lucas, she's right," Victoria said.

 
You care what happens to her?" Lucas

asked.

 
Of course not. But I cannot allow you

to shoot her down like this. Not only will

it go against your sense of honor, but I

do not want you to have to endure yet

another act of violence. You have had far

too much of killing in your life as it is."

 
You are, as usual, much too softhearted,

my dear. I assure you my honor is not

offended by the thought of killing the

woman who was going to kill you, and

one more death on my conscience will

not make much difference."

 
It will to me," Victoria said quietly.
 
I

will not allow it."

 
Then have you any other ideas?" Lucas

asked a bit too casually.

Isabel's eyes widened in horror.

 
Well," said Victoria, thinking quickly.

 
I don't see why we could not just leave

her here and let her find her own way

home tonight. In the morning, she can

begin making arrangements to return to

the continent."

 
The continent?" Isabel looked momen

tarily startled.
 
But I cannot go back there.

I will be penniless. I will starve."

 
I doubt it," Victoria murmured.
 
Lucas,

make her leave the country. It will serve

our purposes just as well as killing her."

 
Yes," Isabel said slowly, taking another

look at the pistol Lucas was idly pointing

at her.
 
Yes, I will go back to the continent.

I give you my word I will leave the country

at once."

Lucas considered that.
 
I suppose it is a

possibility."

 
Yes." Victoria spoke at the same time

Isabel did.

 
You will naturally want to leave Town at

the earliest possible time," Lucas remarked.

 
And you will not return for a very long

while, if ever."

 
No, no, I won't come back at all, I give

you my word."

 
Because if you do decide to return, you

would very likely find yourself tried for

murder."

Isabel's mouth fell open.
 
But I have

killed no one."

 
I fear you are wrong, Lady Rycott."

Lucas smiled.
 
You see, in a fit of

jealousy, you followed Edgeworth to this

tavern tonight, where you suspected he

was meeting another woman, and you

shot him."

 
But I did no such thing."

 
Unfortunately for you, madam, there

will be a signed confession saying you

did precisely that. That confession will

be produced under appropriately dramatic

circumstances should you ever return to

England."

Victoria looked at Lucas with fresh

admiration.
 
How very clever of you, Lucas.

What an excellent notion. It is the perfect

answer. We shall keep the confession and

have it handy in case Isabel returns."

Isabel's gaze swung from Lucas's calm,

implacable face to Victoria's delighted

expression.
 
But I have signed no such

confession."

 
You will before you leave this room.

Lady Rycott," Lucas said.

 
Hurry and get those damned breeches

off. We have no time to waste if we are

to salvage both our reputations." Lucas

opened the sack that contained the amber

yellow ball gown. He tugged out the rolled

up silk as the public coach he had hailed a

few minutes earlier worked its way through

the crowded streets.

 
I am doing the best I can, Lucas. There

is no use snapping at me. It is not my fault

men's breeches are difficult to get off."

 
If you think I am snapping at you

now, you may rest assured it is nothing

compared to what I am going to do to

you when we get home tonight."

Victoria stopped working at the breeches,

her head jerking upward in consternation.

It took her a few seconds to realize he was

furious.
 
Lucas, what's wrong?"

 
You have the nerve to ask me that?

After what has happened tonight?" He

peeled off her waistcoat and shirt, seeming

not to notice her bare breasts in the

shadows. He was too busy trying to stuff

her into her gown.

 
Be careful or you'll tear my gown." She

thrust her arms through the small sleeves.

 
I really wish you wouldn't yell at me

just now. I have had a most upsetting

evening."

 
Your evening has not been any more

upsetting than mine, and I would like to

point out that I am not yelling at you

now. I will save that for when we are in

the privacy of our own home. Good God,

we forgot your petticoat."

 
Never mind. No one will know I am

not wearing it."

 
I will know it. I am not about to let

you go back into Lady Atherton's ballroom

without a petticoat."

 
Yes, dear." She struggled obligingly with

the petticoat.
 
Lucas, I was so worried

about you tonight."

 
How do you think I felt when I saw you

get out of the carriage in front of the Green

Pig. You would have been in no danger if

you had done as you were told. Here we

are. Put on your cloak."

She slid her feet into her slippers and

pulled the hood of the cloak over her

head. The next thing she knew, Lucas was

opening the carriage door and hurrying her

out onto the street.

A few minutes later he led her back into

the alley outside the Athertons" garden

wall.

 
I will go first." Lucas found a toehold

and hauled himself up to the top of

the wall. Then he leaned down to pull

Victoria up beside him.
 
I think breeches

are a better idea for climbing walls/ he

muttered as her skirt hiked up above her

knees.

They dropped down onto the graveled

walk on the other side. Lucas rubbed his

leg and glanced around the dark, empty

corner of the gardens.

 
The worst is over," he announced.
 
If

we are seen now, the most anyone can say

is that the Earl of stone vale was dallying

with his bride in the darkest section of

the garden. Not exactly proper, but hardly

scandalous. Let's get back into the house."

Victoria ran a hand through her short

curls, brushed a few creases out of her

skirts, and put her gloved fingertips on

her husband's proffered arm in a graceful

gesture. She could not repress a small grin

as he walked her back toward the lights

and laughter of the crowded ballroom.

 
There is nothing funny about this,

Vicky."

 
Yes, my lord."