“And so he did,” Davonshire agreed. “All you have to do now is prove his madness.”
“No one will believe it.” But he thought a moment and said, “But they might believe a doctor. If we take him to an asylum, they can fill him with enough opium that he won’t even know his name.” Adrian’s tone brightened, and he added, “We can bribe someone to testify that he isn’t fit to manage the estates.”
“He’s still bleeding,” Davonshire reminded him. “Should we have a doctor heal his wounds?”
“It’s better if he dies,” Adrian answered. “He wassupposedto die, in India, so that I would become the earl.”
“Why did you hire a woman to kill him?” Davonshire asked.
“I didn’t,” Adrian snapped. “But her brother was aboard the ship with them, and he turned Arnsbury over into her hands.”
Matthew kept his eyes closed, feigning an unconscious state. But inwardly, he felt cold inside. His cousin’s greed was boundless, it seemed—enough to want him dead.
“We should bring him to Bethlem Hospital,” Adrian suggested. “No one will think to look for him there.”
Matthew gritted his teeth. He would rather bleed to death than be committed to an asylum for the insane.
The sound of their footsteps retreated, and he overheard their voices growing quieter as they departed. When there was only silence, Matthew forced himself to open his eyes and discern his surroundings.
His cousin had brought him inside the house, but it appeared that they were within the servants’ quarters. The narrow bed he lay upon had hardly anything more than threadbare sheets and a wool coverlet. But if he was on the lowermost level, he could follow the corridor to another set of stairs that would lead outside. He didn’t know if he possessed the strength to make his own escape.
There was a strong chance that he wouldn’t be able to get out of bed, much less find a way out. But he steeled himself with the image of Lily’s face. He remembered the soft curve of her cheek, the rose lips that had kissed him…and the golden brown strands of hair framing her beautiful face.
She would be worried about him, and if she dared to track him here, it would endanger her. He had to get himself home again, one step at a time. Though his body did not want to cooperate, his mind remained strong. He had to get out of here.
One by one, he swung his feet over the side of the bed and managed to sit up. Dizziness rushed to his head, but he took slow breaths to steady himself. He touched his ribcage, and his fingers came away sticky with blood. The wound throbbed, but he could do nothing except hold his hand against it, keeping pressure upon the ache.
He kept Lily’s face fixed in his mind as he made his way to the door and paused to look for Adrian or Davonshire. He heard the distant sounds of arguing, but it did not seem that either manwas within view. He had a few precious moments to get out, and Matthew forced himself to stagger down the hallway toward the stairs leading outside.
The pain in his ribs was vicious, tearing through him with every step. Likely they hadn’t bothered to lock the door, knowing he could barely move.
But when he reached the stairs at the end of the hall, he didn’t know if he had the strength to climb them. Droplets of blood had leaked upon the floor, and if the men decided to search, it would be an easy matter to find him.
He had to continue fighting for his life, for Lily’s sake. She had brought him back from the edge once before, and he would use her love to do it again.
Matthew nearly stumbled at the first step, but he bit his lips hard and forced himself onward. His wound felt like fire, burning his ribs. Each step was agony, but he refused to give up. His vision blurred, and he continued onward.
In his mind, he focused on what he would do once he reached the outside. He would hail a hackney and go home. There were drivers out, even this late at night. Surely, he could find someone.
The night air was frigid and malodorous when he managed to push open the door. And yet, it held the scent of freedom. Step by step, he ventured beyond the property lines, keeping his gaze fixed in the distance. He thought he heard voices, but when he turned, there was no one there.
Twisted memories invaded, causing him to hallucinate. He heard Nisha’s laughter in his mind, and he continued to hobble forward, trying to push away the visions that were not real. He closed his eyes, telling himself that he only had to make it a little further until he reached the London streets. He heard the soft nicker of horses, and it gave him hope. He trudged onward, trying to lift his hand to signal for a hackney, but his arm wouldnot move. Every muscle in his body ached. The slick flow of blood, mingled with the effects of the opium made it impossible to lift his hand.
He looked at his surroundings and saw none of the London streets. There were horses, yes, but he had come out by the mews instead. God help him. He didn’t think he possessed the strength to prepare a horse, much less ride away from Adrian’s townhouse. Every last bit of strength was draining away from him.
He managed to enter the stable, but he could not take more than a few steps before his knees buckled. He tried to pull himself back up, but the tide of dizziness swept over him until he collapsed to the ground.
Behind him, he heard voices. “Should we bring him back?”
“No. Leave him there. He’ll be dead by morning.”
And with that, the heavy wooden door closed, leaving him in complete darkness.
Chapter Twenty
Lily stood beside her brother outside Adrian’s house, her heartbeat pounding within her chest.Please let him be here,she thought silently.Let him be alive.“Do you think Matthew is here?” she asked her brother.
“Even if he is, Adrian will lie about it.” James pounded on the door once again, waiting for a servant to answer.
