“You had everything a young girl could ever want,” Eliza spat. “And you flaunted it in front of others.”
“I did not.”
“Your parents spoiled you and treated you as if you were the queen herself. And I—I hadnothing.”
“Eliza, what are you talking about? Your parents saw to your comfort just as mine did for me.”
“No. My father was a drunk and gambled away our money. My paternal grandmother was the one paying for my schooling. I knew once I was out of school, no man would want me for his bride because I would not have a dowry to give him. I was not as pretty as you. You have no idea how badly I wanted to be you.”
“Eliza? What does any of this have to do with having your uncle kidnap me?”
“BecauseIwanted to be your parents’ daughter.Iwanted to be the one betrothed to Frank—a boy I had loved for many years. But I knew it would not happen unless you were dead. I didn’t want you dead, but I wanted you to disappear. I once caught my uncle kidnapping a child, and I threatened to inform my family of his crimes. Uncle Percy had fallen out of the good graces of my family, and he was desperate to be reclaimed, and he begged me not to turn him in. He told me he would doanythingfor me. That was when I realized he could kidnap you and take you far away. I would tell everyone you had drowned in the river. Then and only then could I take your place in your family’s heart. It took time, of course, but now they look uponmeas their daughter. Not you.”
Louisa hadn’t realized she’d been crying until a tear trickled down her cheek. “If you had only said something to me back then, I know my family would have helped you.”
“Not when I wanted Frank as my husband and I couldn’t because you were betrothed to him. It was after you had told me your parents had betrothed you to him when I started planning your disappearance. I’m sorry you were sold to Macgregor because I had not planned for that to happen. However, I am not sorry about everything else I did. Frank and I are to be married next week, and you arenotgoing to stop it.”
Louisa held up her hands in defeat. “Oh, believe me. I will not stop it at all. I don’t love Frank. I never did. You can have him. All I want is my family—and home. I want myreallife back.”
“Well, I honestly don’t know how you can do that without the truth coming out. If Frank and your parents discover it was me all along…” She waved a hand in the air. “Impossible. It cannot work, Louisa. You cannot reenter your life now. Not when everything is finally falling into place for me.”
Was the kind of anger pumping through her now what criminals experienced before they committed a crime? Yet the hatred inside Louisa ran hot—fiery hot—and she had no wish to cool it any time soon.
Louisa lashed out and struck the other woman across the face, then grasped her thin shoulders for a hard shake. “Just try to stop me. I willnotlet you win.”
For a split second, Eliza’s eyes widened in panic, then a devilish grin spread across her face. “I beg to differ, my friend. Iwillstop you.” She lifted her hand which now clutched a knife. “Release me at once or I will surely use this to protect myself.”
Keeping her eyes on the knife, Louisa slowly backed away. Why in heaven’s name did Eliza have a weapon on her person? A knife—in fact—that looked vaguely familiar… “Where did you get that? Is that not Mr. Macgregor’s hunting knife?”
Eliza laughed with a wicked grate to her voice. “My, my… I’m surprised at you, Louisa. You know so much about Macgregor.” She tilted her head to the side. “I heard you were Macgregor’sbest.Does that mean he made you his whore, too?”
“How dare you! I would not allowthat manto touch me in such a vile way. I would have killed him if he had.”
“Well, what do you know—your wish came true. Now the man is dead, and you can take the credit.”
Louisa shook her head. “What are you talking about?”
Just then the carriage rolled to a stop and Eliza took a quick glance out the window. Her smile widened when she met Louisa’s stare.
“You shall find out in a moment, my dear friend.” She reached for the door and opened it, climbing out backward. Once her feet hit the ground, she motioned with the knife. “Come down.”
Panic settled in Louisa’s chest. Something was not right. She didn’t dare comply with the other woman’s wishes, yet did she have a choice?”
“Miss Watson? What is going on?” a voice asked from behind Eliza.
“Oh, Constable Oxley. I’m so happy you are here. I was accosted in my own carriage by this vagabond, and thankfully, I was able to get the weapon away from her to protect myself.” Eliza pointed inside the carriage. “I have found Mr. Macgregor’s killer. She is a madwoman, I tell you, and completely insane.”
Dread poured over Louisa as the man and two other policemen rushed toward her, pointing their swords at her. At this particular moment, she did not know how to fix this. Perhaps this was her destiny after all.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Trevor hurried intoWhite’s where he’d been told Trey and Dominic were spending their leisurely afternoon. Other lords greeted Trevor, and he nodded to be polite, but never replied. After searching through two rooms, he found Trey and Dominic playing cards with three other men.
Slowing his pace, Trevor strolled to the table so as not to draw any attention to himself. He waited patiently—though he wanted to drag the two out of this room by their ears—until the card game ended and a winner was announced. Trevor sighed in relief.
“Kenbridge, my good man,” Dominic said cheerfully. “Would you enjoy playing the next game with us?”
“No, I do not wish to join. What I would like, instead, is to talk with you and my brother. In private, if at all possible.”
