The buzzing in Ellie’s brain grew louder.
“He isn’t important enough to have met him,” she filled in numbly.“He hasn’t been let in to their circle.”
Constance’s brow furrowed.“But then why on earth would he have that tattoo?”
A cold horror ran over Ellie’s skin as she met Jacobs’ burning black gaze from across the room.“Because he saw it somewhere else.I expect… that he saw it the day his mother died.”
Jacobs stalked forward, leveling the Winchester at Constance’s face.
Neil lurched toward him, reaching for his sword.
Adam stopped him, holding an arm in front of his chest as he watched Jacobs carefully.
Jacobs glared at Constance above the barrel of the gun.“Tell me about the ring.”
Constance looked at Jacobs with genuine confusion.“There’s a black cabochon inlaid with gold, showing that falling tower and the two swords.And then the words around the outside—per ardua.”She offered the rest to Ellie.“I noticed it when Mother had him over for tea.Probably because I was so bored with the two of them talking over me.”
Her expression flattened with shock as her attention shifted back to Jacobs.
Jacobs tensed behind the barrel of the rifle.“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You resemble him,” Constance spilled out.
“Resemble who?”Ellie prompted—even as a chill of understanding crept up her spine.
Constance gazed at Jacobs with dazed recognition.“Lord Aldbury.”
Jacobs took a step back, staring at her as though she had just bitten him.
Adam jabbed a finger, forgetting himself out of sheer surprise.“Hold on—helooks like Aldbury?”
“Well, Lord Aldbury’s a bit taller, and he’s gone silver, especially about the temples, but…” Constance trailed off as though seeing a ghost.“It’s a bit uncanny, actually.”
“But Lord Aldbury is Julian Forster-Mowbray’s dad,” Adam pointed out wildly.
Constance waved a dismissive hand.“Julian takes after his mother.”
Ellie thought of the words she had spilled out earlier that day—the moment before Jacobs had tried to throttle her.
Most women are hurt by someone they love.
The logical, rational conclusion fell from her lips.“The man you’ve been trying to find—the man who hurt your mother.It’s him.Lord Aldbury.And he’s your father.”
Jacobs took a threatening step toward Constance.His breath was short and uneven.“If you eventhinkto try to mislead me…”
“But she can’t,” Ellie burst out.“She can’t.You’d know if she was lying!”
His knuckles whitened where he gripped the rifle as though only his hold on the gun was keeping his hands from shaking.
“Hold on.”Adam frowned.“Wouldn’t that make The Mustache his half-brother?”
Ellie felt dizzy.“Fiddlesticks.”
Jacobs began to laugh.The sound tore out of him, harsh and acid, nearly doubling him over.When he raised his eyes to Ellie and Adam once more, they flashed with a new, dangerous sharpness.“Well, then.I suppose now we know how you two were meant to help me along.”
Ellie’s blood chilled with a quick rush of fear.
Jacobs didn’t need them anymore… which meant he no longer had a reason not to kill them.
