“Such an offer is a gross insult,” hissed Blanche with a sneer to matchhis own.
Beth wished the fiery beauty would be more careful until the situationturned in their favor but suspected caution was not in the woman’s nature.Beth wondered if she could make some move while it was two against one.She slowly reached out towards a china figurine on a table. Lord Deverilturned such a baleful look on her that she quickly gave up the notion.
She heard the men leave the kitchen and clatter up the stairs. In amoment they were back, pushing a pale and trembling Clarissa ahead ofthem. The girl let out a cry when she saw Lord Deveril.
“Fear not, my little chicken,” he said, with a parody of fondness.“See, I have come to rescue you and return you to the bosom of yourfamily.”
Clarissa clutched the newel post but was dragged forward by the beardedman to face her husband-to-be. Lord Deveril put out a bony finger tostroke the girl’s cheek. Clarissa flinched away.
Unable to bear this tormenting, Beth leapt to her feet. “Stop that, youvile man! How can you marry someone who hates you so?” Ignoring thepistol, she ran over and grabbed Clarissa, pulling her away.
Lord Deveril’s eyes narrowed, but he did nothing to prevent the act.“But hate, Lady Arden, is the finest spice for the bedroom,” he said, showing too many of his rotten teeth. “I myself am anenthusiast for it. I seek it out. If necessary, I create it.”
“Hardly necessary at all, I assure you.” Blanche rose stiffly to herfeet. “You’re loathed the length and breadth of London, you chancrousscab. Even if you manage to take that girl from this house, do you thinkwe’ll leave her in your hands?”
“Oh,” said Lord Deveril, “I think I can persuade her to be a biddablewife.” Beth felt shivers run down her back.
“If you live to wed her,” said Blanche.
Holding the trembling Clarissa, Beth desperately wished to gag theWhite Dove. She was going to get them all killed.
Lord Deveril, however, seemed to find amusement in the situation. “Asyou have so clearly stated. Mistress Blanche, I have plenty of enemies andyet I survive. I am well protected. Even,” he added dismissively, “from anangry dove.”
Blanche’s lips turned up in what could have been a smile if her eyeshad not been filled with hate. “You have not yet had an enemy like me, mylord,” she said. She seemed to relax slightly and even rearranged thefolds of her white-on-white figured skirt. A shrug of her shoulder madethe neckline slip a little.
Beth carefully eased Clarissa back to a seat on the sofa, willingBlanche to stop before she provoked the man. If only he would go, even ifhe took Clarissa, there were still many opportunities to do something. IfBlanche drove him to violence, none of them would survive.
It was too late. In chilling silence Lord Deveril gave Pig-eyes hispistol and took the one he had fired. Without haste he took out hispowder-box and loaded the second weapon. Beth watched in numb horror,wondering if this was the preparation for their deaths. Surely he wouldn’tkill Clarissa, but she was convinced he could keep the girl so confinedand terrorized that she would never tell what had occurred. But Lucienwould know.
She spoke up quickly. “Arden brought Clarissa here. If anything happensto us, he will know the cause.”
Lord Deveril looked at her with the flat malevolence of a snake. “ThenI will have to kill him, too, won’t I? Even a strong and healthy young manwill fall before a pistol ball.”
“You imagine you can call him out and win?”
“I am an excellent shot,” remarked Lord Deveril, “but I don’t think Iwould put myself to such inconvenience. A few guineas and any number ofrogues would do the job from behind some bushes.”
Beth felt as if her heart would stop. More than her own death, shecould not endure the thought of Lucien’s. Casually disposed of,dishonorably, from out of the shadows. She surprised in herself the suddenconviction that Lord Deverilmustdie. She, who had always despised violence, would shoot theman now, in cold blood, if she had the means.
Lord Deveril gave the newly loaded pistol to the other man.
“You are to guard those two,” he said, indicating Beth and Clarissa.“If they cause any trouble, kill Lady Arden. Shoot my dear little Clarissain the leg. Mistress Blanche, you will come with me.”
“What are you going to do?” asked Beth.
“As the White Dove pointed out, I have neverhadan enemy like her. She is going to entertain me, with herhate to spice the pleasure. If she serves me well, you will all live. Ifshe does not, you, Lady Arden, will die with her, and dear Clarissa willhave yet more to bear to make up for my disappointment.”
Clarissa gave a moan and Beth wrapped her arms around the girl. Blancheseemed little affected by all this, though Beth could no longer see herface. Lord Deveril jerked his thumb at the stairs and Blanche walkedtowards them. He spoke to his men. “I would let you watch if I didn’t needyou here. Never fear, I will find some suitable recompense.” With that hefollowed the White Dove up to the bedroom.
Beth couldn’t believe there was nothing she could do. God only knewwhat was going to happen upstairs, though she suspected that Blancheunderstood. And even if Lord Deveril left with Clarissa, leaving the restof them alive, he would shoot down Lucien in cold blood. No, he couldn’tlet Beth live, for she would warn Lucien or report all to the duke. Shehad only lived so far as a weapon against Blanche.
Did the White Dove know it? Almost certainly. The maids too would die,leaving only poor Clarissa as witness to the whole. Once married she wouldnot be able to testify, and her future life did not bear contemplation.Lord Deveril was surely mad, but it was a cunning madness backed bywealth, and Beth feared he would accomplish his plan.
Had Robin got away? Surely the bullies would have mentioned it if theyhad found an extra person in the house. Would he bring help? Even theofficers of the law would be welcome now.
Beth looked at their two guards. They were bored but not unalert. “Ifeel faint,” she said. “May I pour a glass of brandy for myself and MissGreystone?”
The two men looked at each other, then Pig-eyes shrugged. “If you want.But don’t try any tricks. I don’t mind shooting you.”
