He laughed. “Love? Of course not. It was the principle of the matter. No one would have found me such a wealthy wife. No one would have arranged my match. No one cared if I did not wed at all. Why should I not have Joshua’s wife first? I would seduce her better than he ever could.” He took a step closer. “Why should I not have you first?”
“Gerald!” Mrs. Lewis protested.
“I will have you first, and he will see it before he dies.” Gerald shed his jacket. “He will follow you here and find you despoiled, a fitting reward for both of you, then he will die.”
“Miss!” Becky whispered.
Truly, Helena had nothing to lose in speaking the truth.
“You are despicable!” she said, her words low and hot. “You are all foul beyond compare. Your brother has treated you with honor and dignity and you would insult him, rob him and injure him after his kindness to you.” Knowing that Gerald’s heart could not be reached – indeed, she doubted he possessed one – she spun to face Francis. “A fortnight ago, did you have any prospect of an apprenticeship?” The boy shook his head, eyes wide. “So, you show your gratitude for this opportunity, which the viscount was under no obligation to provide, by betraying his trust? You tempt me here, at this man’s bidding, knowing full well that my fate will not be good?”
“I did not know, my lady…” the boy protested but he dropped his gaze.
“I do not believe it. By participating in this scheme, you show that a foul nature can be inherited. I am ashamed of you, Francis.”
Francis looked as if he might cry. He hastily unbolted the door and lunged through it, his footsteps echoing on the street. Helena gave Becky a shove and the maid tried to follow.
Before she could reach the door, Gerald lunged forward. He was between Becky and the door, then closed it with a savage gesture and bolted it. “We have need of a witness,” he whispered and Becky retreated even as she shivered.
Helena took a breath, determined to hide her fear.
“And you,” she turned her attention to Mrs. Lewis. “An annuity is given to you, yet you contrive the downfall of the man who has graciously provided it.”
“I will be a viscountess,” she said proudly. “I will have no need of a little annuity. I will have all the wealth of Addersley Manor to call my own, and my son will inherit the title.”
“You are assuming that the viscount will die.”
“He will die,” Gerald said. “He has been fortunate time and again, but this time, he will die.”
“You have tried to kill him before,” Helena said, wanting him to declare as much. Gerald was not the only one who could make use of a witness.
Gerald smiled, an expression so cold that she shivered. His confidence was such that she understood another detail.
“It was not Miss Havilland who was supposed to die that night,” she suggested and his grin widened.
“I should have told her we were changing places,” he said. “She heard that I had challenged Michaels and everyone knew that Michaels never missed. I even started a wager that he would miss this time, the better to goad him into taking that shot. Then I pretended to be uncertain so Joshua would fight in my stead. He always has to step in to save matters.” Gerald spat on the floor. “Charlotte had to ruin it all by interfering. Stupid woman.”
“Maybe not so stupid as that,” Helena said, wanting only to shake his confidence. There was a small knife on the table closest to her and to seize it, she would have to distract Gerald. “I find it easy to tell the two of you apart, though the resemblance is strong,” she said, daring to provoke him. “I am certain Miss Havilland knew the duelist was your brother, and that as he held her heart, she strove to save him.”
“You lie!” Gerald said, his eyes flashing, and reached back for his knife.
Helena, undaunted, stepped quickly toward the table and claimed the small knife, hiding it in her skirts by the time he looked up. “Did she refuse your advances? Did she favor your brother over you, and remain loyal to her betrothed?”
“You know nothing!”
“I will guess that your father bought you a commission because he knew the truth. He knew you meant to kill your brother. He knew you had tried. So, he did the only thing a father could do to defend his heir without scandal, he sent you to war.”
Gerald’s expression hardened.
“That’s why you knew he wouldn’t be glad of your survival,” she continued easing away from Becky and toward a corner. “That’s why he didn’t welcome your return. He knew that you would try again.”
“He always preferred Joshua. I deserve the title!”
“Murderers don’t inherit titles.”
Gerald laughed. “I’m not such a fool as to do it myself.”
“He will die, and I will be viscountess,” Mrs. Lewis insisted.
