Chapter 24 #2
Ginny paled. “He found you?”
Alexander and I spoke in turns, telling them everything that had happened since we’d left London a fortnight ago.
Well, not everything. Neither of us mentioned sharing a room at the inn, the conversations we’d shared, our dance—or our kiss.
That would certainly have made both of their jaws drop.
But we told them all we’d learned about the robberies, my realizations about my past with Clarissa, and the events of that rainy night.
“So you see,” I said to finish, “the attack at Vauxhall was never about the viscount’s murder. This man and Clarissa Haythorne were in league together, and I was the target all along.”
Jack and Ginny sat in stunned silence.
“I expected a story,” Jack managed. “I did not expect that one.”
I offered a weary smile. “Neither did we, I assure you.”
“You are quite certain?” he pressed. “That this Rowde fellow was the same man you saw the night of the robbery at the ball?”
I nodded. “I am positive. And he confirmed it as well, that night when he—” My mouth went dry. I did not want to talk about Rowde, how close he’d come to killing me.
Ginny reached for my hand, gripping it intensely. “He is dead now?” she asked, voice tight. “He can’t hurt you again?”
“He’s dead.” My throat ached. “Alexander made certain of that.”
Ginny’s brow furrowed slightly, and she glanced at Alexander.
“How are we to connect Miss Haythorne to Rowde?” Jack asked. “If he is dead, we can hardly garner a confession.”
“Miss Haythorne is the key to everything,” Alexander said. “But time is not on our side. If Miss Haythorne somehow learns what happened to Rowde, she will flee, I have no doubt. We must act quickly before she can slip through our fingers.”
Jack nodded. “I agree. We need solid evidence against her.”
“Irrefutable evidence,” Alexander said forcefully. “I won’t have her escaping a guilty verdict because we did not do our jobs. Beatrice has been haunted by this woman long enough.”
His eyes were filled with a brutal determination as they met mine, and I almost felt sorry for Clarissa.
Almost, because she truly was the wickedest woman I knew.
Having Alexander come so strongly to my defense caused a surge of contentment inside me.
How different this was from two years ago, the last time I’d tangled with her.
Now I had friends on my side. I had Alexander.
“Beatrice, my dear,” Ginny said suddenly. “Do come with me for a few minutes. You can refresh yourself after the journey and the men can speak.”
I raised one eyebrow. “Very well.”
She was obviously up to something, but I said nothing more as I stood and followed her from the room.
We went upstairs to the guest room I’d occupied before we’d left.
All my things were still here, the ones I hadn’t packed in my great hurry to leave for Briarstone, and I felt an unexpected relief at seeing them.
The world had gone on in my absence, but these small tokens of my life remained.
Ginny closed the door behind her, then turned in a whirl, her large belly almost throwing her off-balance. “What on earth,” she said, “happened between you and Mr. Rawlings?”
“Me and Mr. Rawlings?” I repeated as if I hadn’t heard her correctly.
“Yes,” she said. “The last time I saw you both, you were at each other’s throats. Now you are using your Christian names like you’ve known each other all your lives, and there is such a strange energy between the two of you, almost like . . .” Her voice faded, and her gaze narrowed.
“Like what?” I asked innocently, sitting on the edge of the bed.
She took one step forward. “When you left London,” she said, a suspicious gleam in her eye, “you had never been kissed.”
“That is true.” I nodded quite seriously.
“Has that changed?” She drew out the word.
“Are you asking if Mr. Rawlings kissed me?” I paused, tilting my head as if considering the question. “Well, yes. Yes, he did. And he is shockingly good at it, though I’ve little to compare it to.”
“Bea.” Ginny stared at me. “Are you quite serious?”
“Indeed,” I said. “The man kisses like his life depends upon it. It’s rather thrilling.”
“No,” she said with a sudden laugh. “Not that. Only, he did kiss you? And you were . . . receptive?”
I grinned. “One could say that, considering I’ve been trying to convince him to kiss me again ever since.”
She crossed the room in two great steps and sat on the bed beside me, taking my hands. “Tell me everything.”
I did. I filled in all the details Alexander and I had left out of our report downstairs—the type suited only for sharing with one’s closest friend. She listened in astounded wonder, mouth wide as I spoke.
“Heavens, Bea,” she said quietly once I’d finished. “That is much more than a kiss.”
My smile faded, and my hands squeezed hers. “Yes,” I said simply. “It is far more than that. I’m afraid I’m rather in love with him.”
I thought she might squeal, throw her arms around me, laugh in delight. Instead, her eyes filled with tears.
“Oh, darling,” she whispered. “That is wonderful.”
My own eyes grew blurry. “It is, isn’t it?”
“I do not even need to ask if he feels the same.” She swiped at a tear on her cheek. “I sensed it the moment he stepped in the door. The way he looks at you, the way he treats you—it is everything I’ve dreamed of for you.”
“Just perhaps with a different man than you’d originally intended?” I gave a small laugh.
She smiled. “But the right one, I think.”
“The only one.”
She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to mine. “I do not believe I have ever been happier.”
“I’m sure Jack would take issue with that,” I said in amusement.
She only shook her head. “He would understand. Your joy only adds to mine. There is no limit, I’m quite certain.”
“That is good,” I said, resting a hand on her belly, “or this little one would surely push you past it.”
Ginny patted my hand. “How glad I am that you are back. You are safe, and everything is as it should be.”
“Not quite yet.” I sighed. “There is still the matter of Clarissa.”
For the first time since our conversation began, Ginny’s eyes darkened. “Yes, there is. But I have little doubt she will get her just reward.”
“Come,” I said, standing. “Let us go back down. Alexander grows anxious when I’m out of sight.”
We returned to the parlor, and as I’d guessed, Alexander was standing at the mantel, fingers drumming on the polished wood. He turned when we entered, and his shoulders lowered slightly as soon as he saw me.
“There you are,” he said shortly.
“Missed me, did you?” I swept into the room and seated myself again before the fire. Ginny followed, going to sit beside Jack.
“You are not out of danger,” he pointed out. “Rowde clearly had accomplices. We haven’t any idea who might still be after you.”
“They would be determined assassins, indeed, to sneak past the pair of you,” I said dryly.
“I’ll not grow complacent.” Alexander crossed his arms. “And neither do you wish me to, I would wager.”
“No,” I said with a saucy smile. “Not in the least.”
Ginny pressed her lips together, hiding a grin.
Jack looked between the two of us, a sharp crease between his brows. “I am not entirely sure what is going on,” he said, “but while you were upstairs, we did have an idea.”
“An idea?” I repeated.
“On how to entrap Miss Haythorne,” Jack said.
Alexander nodded. “We need a confession from her, or as close to one as we can get. The only way we can think to achieve that is with you.”
“Me?” I glanced between the two of them. “How?”
“We want you to meet with her,” Jack said grimly. “Convince her to speak of what she’s done, who she’s colluded with, so we can overhear. If you can do that and we can testify to what we’ve heard, we have a solid chance at a prosecution against her.”
I met Alexander’s eyes. He watched me, expression steely. “If I could have you avoid this, I would,” he said. “But Jack is right. It is the best way, the surest way, to end this once and for all.”
I swallowed, my euphoria from my conversation with Ginny fading.
I’d known I would have to testify against Clarissa once she was arrested.
I’d been ready to face her, preparing myself.
But I never imagined I would be involved in setting a trap for her.
I wasn’t a Bow Street officer. I wasn’t Verity.
How could I be clever enough—brave enough—to catch Clarissa in her lies?
But I looked among the three of them, all with determination etched into their faces, and my own resolve steadied and grew. I would not be alone. I could do this. I took a deep breath. “Tell me what I must do.”