“Oh, I couldn’t,” said Beth.
“If you’re going to be squeamish, you’ll have her married to Deveril,”said Blanche plainly. “She can’t stay hidden here too long without wordgetting out, particularly if they post bills and a reward. She needs to bewell away with a new identity and some form of employment. Someone willhave to forge something.”
Beth felt as if she had suddenly found herself at the edge of aprecipice. “So if I behave correctly I will fail a girl in dire need,” shemurmured.
“ ‘Rules to regulate behavior,’ ” quoted Blanche quietly, “ ‘and topreserve reputation, too frequently supersede moral obligations.’ ”
Beth stared at her. “Mary Wollstonecraft!”
Blanche smiled. “You seem like a woman who would have studied her.Surely she would say, ‘Help Clarissa and be damned to Society.’ After all,Miss Greystone’s position can’t help but remind me of her Maria inThe Wrongs of Woman”she said, referring to Mary Wollstonecraft’snovel.
“Indeed. I wouldn’t put it past Lord Deveril to consign Clarissa to aninsane asylum if it suited his purpose. But it’s not just reputation,Blanche. It’s the law.”
The two women immediately plunged into a penetrating debate on rightand wrong. Only the rapping of the door knocker broke their absorption. AsAgnes passed through the hall on her way to answer it, they looked at oneanother and smiled.
“Oh,” said Beth, slightly appalled at the situation in which she foundherself “but this is likely to be a tortuous friendship.”
“It’ll give Lucien giddy fits,” said Blanche, laughing.
“Indeed,” said a sneering voice. “A more improper association is hardto imagine.”
Both women turned sharply to see Lord Deveril standing in the doorwaywith a pistol in his hand. Two unpleasant-looking men were behind him, onedark and bearded, one sandy with piggy eyes. Pig-eyes was holding Agnes.His fat hand was clamped over the maid’s mouth and above it her pale eyesbulged with terror.
“I think it my duty to remove my bride from such a den of iniquity,”said Lord Deveril.
Chapter Twenty
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He was as horrible as Beth remembered ? gaunt but with a brutishstrength in his jaw and hands; sallow with shadows almost black around hisbloodshot eyes. The vile smell of him was already oozing across theroom.
Beth looked at Blanche and saw she was almost exploding with rage atthis invasion. She spoke quickly before the other woman could make thesituation worse. “Clarissa is not here.”
“No?” remarked Deveril. “You consort with your husband’s whore of yourown accord? No wonder he chose you for his bride. So compliant. Do youperhaps enjoy thelit a trois?”He turned his disgusting gaze on Blanche. “Do youallow voyeurs Mistress Blanche? I would gladly pay for such aspectacle.”
“You bloody grubshite,” said Blanche between clenched teeth. “If youaren’t out of here ?”
The room reverberated with the explosion of the pistol. The delicatecrystal chandelier plunged from the ceiling to lie shattered on thecrimson and gold carpet. Agnes fainted, and her captor let her fall to thefloor.
While Beth and Blanche were still frozen with shock. Lord Deverilhanded the smoking pistol to the bearded man and pulled another from thepocket of his greatcoat. “The next ball will go into you. Mistress SoiledDove. What’s one trollop more or less?”
Beth forced herself to her feet. “I hardly think you dare kill me,however. Lord Deveril.”
Before he could respond, Redcliff came running and was immediatelygrabbed by the other man. “Take both the maids to the kitchen,” said theviscount. “Tie them and gag them. If everyone is sensible, it shouldn’t benecessary to kill them.” He looked at Blanche. “Do you have otherservants?”
Blanche seemed to have trouble speaking, but eventually said tightly,“A cook. It’s her day off.”
Deveril studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Get on with it,” hesaid to his men. “Then go upstairs and find Miss Greystone.”
Beth wondered about Robin. If he hadn’t come running up with Redcliff,surely he would have gone for help.
Deveril showed his brown and rotting teeth as he smiled at Beth. “Ihave come here for my bride-to-be. Lady Arden, with the full force of thelaw behind me. If I have to kill all of you, I will. I’m sure theever-proud de Vaux family will pay richly to hide the fact that you metyour untimely end in this house.”
Beth feared he was only too correct, but she was mainly thinking aboutRobin. If he had the sense to run for help, where would he go? As Deverilsaid, he had the law on his side. The person needed was the marquess, buthe was in Richmond. Beth wondered if the duke would help in such anunlawful situation.
Whatever was to happen, it would be wise to play for time. Beth satdown again and pulled Blanche down beside her. She saw that the actresswas almost frozen with pure rage. Her hands had formed little claws andher eyes were feral as she stared at Deveril. He seemed totally unaware ofhis danger.
“Very wise, Lady Arden,” sneered Deveril. He looked Blanche over. “Yourefused my offer of protection once,” he said. “I never forget an affrontlike that.”
