Vincent was confident he had him. “You can’t escape, Guy,” he called. “Surrender. Don’t make me shoot you. I don’t wish to carry a dead weight all the way to the curricle again. But I will if I have to.”
Gasping, Guy’s searching fingers alighted on a button-like protuberance. He hit it hard. A click sounded, and the door swung open. Vincent cursed. The passage brightened. Vincent had snatched up a candle and was coming fast.
With a grim smile, Guy leapt through and put his shoulder to the door, closing it behind him. He swung around in the pitch dark. Which way out? He trailed his hand along the wall, searching for a doorway. From the shape of the room, he gained confidence. It was the long chamber under the solar. He paused to orient himself, then stumbled forward to where he thought the steps leading up to the kitchens and solar were, and fell onto them, barking his shins. He scrambled to his feet and took the stairs two at a time. His heart hammered and his breath came in large gasps. He cursed that his strength was deserting him.
In the main house, he passed the solar, a tired dusty room where the family had once gathered but not used for a very long time. Nearby came the clatter of plates and the chatter of the servants in the kitchen. Not wishing to endanger them, he ran up the next flight of stairs. On reaching the upper corridor, he made his way to the east wing. The butler walked toward him along the passage.
Hammond stopped dead. His cool persona dropped away as his mouth dropped open and shut again.
“Come with me, Hammond!” Guy pushed the astonished man backward and ran toward his chamber.
Performing a swift about-turn, Hammond huffed behind him as they raced through the house. On reaching his chamber, Guy took out his pistols and loaded one, expecting Vincent to burst through the door at any moment.
“M-my lord,” Hammond stammered, his cheeks crimson.
“My twin brother is here in the house. He is armed and extremely dangerous.”
“Your brother, my lord?” Hammond’s eyes widened with bewilderment. Guy didn’t blame him, but he had no time to explain.
With both guns loaded, Guy placed them in his waistband, then opened the door and peered into the corridor, surprised to find no sign of Vincent. “Take care. He intends to kill me. Keep the servants out of the way and send a footman for the magistrate.”
“Right, my lord.” Hammond scurried away toward the servants’ stairs.
With a firm grip on the pistol, Guy edged along the corridor, listening for any movement.
A servant girl emerged from a chamber. She squeaked at the sight of him in his dirty clothes and bloodied hair.
“Go and find Hammond.” He jerked his head back, indicating the way he’d come. She rushed away.
When Guy reached the main staircase, he found Vincent in the hall below, and saw the reason he had not been right on Guy’s tail. He looked up at Guy, his lips stretched in a manic grin, blood dripping from his chin. He had freshened the wound on his face with the knife he held in his left hand. “When I take your place, the baron will have a scar. Foolish of you, Guy. You should’ve run.”
Vincent raised his pistol.
“Your plan to kill me has failed, Vincent. The servants know.”
“I’ll make them believe I’ve killed the imposter.”
Guy leaned sideways against a pillar which offered him a little protection. “Shall we both die here?”
“You won’t shoot me.”
Guy was inclined to agree with him. He had no wish for his brother’s blood on his hands.
An explosion echoed hollowly around the huge hall. Stone chips from the pillar peppered Guy as he leapt back.
Vincent climbed the stairs, slightly off balance as he reloaded his pistol.
“I have a loaded gun, Vincent.”
“You won’t shoot me,” he repeated.
Guy took his chance and rushed him. He took six stairs at a leap and crashed into Vincent. They both tumbled down the stairs, landing hard at the bottom.
Bruised and winded, Guy retrieved his pistol and approached Vincent, where he lay crumpled and still.
Hammond and the rest of the staff appeared as Guy crouched to examine him. He took his brother by the shoulders and called his name. Vincent’s head lolled, all the strength and fierce determination gone from his body. Guy lost his breath and his throat closed. “The fall broke his neck,” he said, his voice an anguished growl.
“He looks so like you, my lord,” Hammond said in a hushed tone.
