“Now Mr. Brown, might I call yer Bart, sir?” Finch stared hard at Bella.
“Mr. Brown’ll do.”
“So that’s how ’tis, eh?” He leaned forward, stare narrowing. “A man o’ business, same as me. Good, good.” His head flicked to Elizabeth, who stood just behind Bart’s chair. “Y’ won’t mind if th’ lady sits with me then, while we chat?”
In the distant recesses of this foul man’s lair, Elizabeth thought she heard metal scrape, chain on stone.
“She’s a mind of her own,” Bart nodded at Bette, “an’ can do as she likes.”
Elizabeth took the opportunity to sidle over to Finch and boldly seat herself on his lap, placing her arms about the foul man’s neck. He immediately slid his arm about her waist and squeezed.
“Now here’s a lass what knows her place.” He pinched her roundly, making her wince, though she began to twine her fingers into the greasy curls at his neck, searching for a chain between skin folds—in vain.
Bart kept his cool. “I’d remind you th’ lady came with me, sir, an’ she’ll leave with me too.”
“That so?” Finch leveled. “Why don’t we play for her then?” He pinched Elizabeth hard enough this time she yelped. “She understands th’ stakes, an’ you’ve a clear talent, boy.” He reached into his desk and pulled out a deck. “My win takes th’ lady, and yer win takes her back.”
Bart remained shockingly calm. “Yer game don’t favor me no gain, sir.”
“Right-o,Bella.” Finch lurched forward, violently knocking Elizabeth from his lap. He planted both hands atop his desk and loomed across the surface. “But it sure do even th’ score.”
Elizabeth’s heart leapt as Annabelle thrust her own chair away from the desk, refusing to back down.
“You just call me some girlie name?” Bart puffed himself up as much as he possibly could, making Elizabeth both proud and terrified for her sister. When and where had Bella found such courage?
Finch coughed a sick snort while the scrape of metal grew more audible from the dark. Someone was here. Could it be Jasper? Or was it a different, sad soul in chains? Elizabeth’s skin tingled as she peered into the dark, far arches of this cavernous vault. Her eyesight was too poor to make out more than shadows, but her hands now roamed Finch’s body from behind. She patted his pockets in tease, pretending to stroke his upper arms, his chest, his waist. She felt something hard through the lining of his waistcoat as hope leapt.
“Annabelle, darlin’,” the devil drawled at Bart, “y’ make a handsome lad, but them hips swing too well on yer fine, heart-shaped arse. An’ yer eyes, me sweet”—he leaned closer across the desk—“are too rare a color t’ mistake.”
Elizabeth froze.
“Wondered how soon I’d get a visit after yer sister’s maid delivered me message.” He laughed, and Elizabeth’s hand scrambled for the key, but his own gripped hers in a twist so vicious he made her cry out.
“An’ as feryou, Lady Milton…” He wrenched Elizabeth to his side, painfully pinning her arms behind her back. “Though I’ve enjoyed having yer French self on me lap, dearie, ’tain’t no place fer a married lady, now is it?” His voice slid malevolently into her ear. “Did y’ wish t’ pay yer husband a visit, ma’am?” He snickered. “He’s here in me lair, trussed an’ waitin’. Go on then—go an’ give yer man a kiss.” He pushed her so roughly, Elizabeth landed hard on the floor, her hidden spectacles biting into her thigh with acrunch.
She scrambled to her feet, shaking with rage. “You’ve no right to hold my husband hostage, sir, just as you’d no right to swindle my father for Annabelle’s hand!”
“Quite th’ spitfire.” His laugh was pure wickedness. “Only I’ve had enough o’ yer type assumin’I’ll do yer biddin’.” His laugh all but died. “Because this here’smyturf, Baroness, so you’ll do as I say now, yer bonny sister too—if y’ know what’s good for yer.” He reached across his desk and dragged Bella clear across the surface.
“Please!” Elizabeth cried. “Let her go or?—”
“What?” Finch snorted. “Y’ think a few screams down here’ll disturb my sorts o’ guests? Think me guard’ll come runnin’ t’ yer rescue? I’ve men crawlin’ this den, ready t’ pounce at a word, nay, a blink from me.” He hauled Bella off the desk, planting her body flush against his own, his hand gripping her neck.
“I’m sure you do.” Elizabeth’s resolve only grew, for if Jasper were here shewouldget him out. This wretch needed a lesson indecency. She had a perverse desire to provoke him as much as she humanly could. So she did.
“Only I wonder, sir.” Elizabeth trained her eyes on the squat blur before her. “Why should a man as successful as you need to entrap an innocent young woman like my sister, or kidnap an honorable man like my husband? Is it that you recognize you will never be accepted by society, no matter how great your wealth, how pure your bride? That no man or woman of class would ever stoop so low as to admire you, but will only ever revile you? That not even the lowest of scum, your army of degenerates, serve you with true fealty, their loyalty needing to be bought with blackmail and coin?” Both Li and Mary Audrey had explained how Finch gained, and wielded, power.
“What a lonely life you must lead, Mr. Finch. How sad you require both my husband and my sister to rouse anyone’s attention. What else are you unable torouse, I wonder?” Somewhere in that small, mean heart of his she hoped she poked his Achilles. “No matter whom you use, or how often you cheat and steal, you will neverreceive the respect you crave from those who are your betters. You are pathetic.” She shook her head at him in disgust. “Society does not even deem you aman.”
Bella let out a short, choked gasp. Did Finch now squeeze her sister’s very breath? Elizabeth heard Annabelle wheeze and flail, then watched her claw at the hand encircling her throat.
“Fine speech, miss,” Finch hissed at Elizabeth. “But if you’d rather not see th’ life squeezed out o’ yer bonny sister, you’ll apologize on yer knees t’ me,now.”
Elizabeth instantly dropped. Head bent and chest thrust forward, without thinking she assumed the position she’d been trained to perform for her husband.
Because nothing mattered but Bella now. Nothing.
“Lovely,” he crooned in his sick, rasping voice. “Just lovely,Lizzie. That’s how I likes yer, yes.”
