Chapter 27 #2
Quickly deciding that Ertha wouldn’t have willfully gone against Adam’s orders and unable to come up with any other reason why Corliss might be upset, she concluded it must be due to what the maid had told her.
“Corliss, I’m really much better,” she reassured her as the young woman reached the door. “You don’t have to be so anxious about me.”
“I know, Mistress Camille, and I’m glad to see it. Is there anything else I can bring you when I come back? Something more from the kitchen? Some playing cards from the game room? You might want some diversion to occupy yourself while you’re not sleeping.”
“A few books would be nice if you wouldn’t mind fetching them from the library. The ones I’ve been reading are on that small table by the window—”
“Oh, dear, I’m sorry, Mistress Camille, but I can’t go in there right now. Master Thornton’s got a visitor—” Gasping, she clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.
“Corliss, what are you talking about?” Susanna asked, confused. “Hasn’t Adam left yet for Williamsburg?”
The maid lowered her hand slowly. “Uh, no, but the carriage is already out front. I ‘spect he’ll be leaving soon, though I can’t rightly say for sure…” She opened the door. “I’ll go fetch that hot water now.”
“Wait a minute, Corliss, you said he had a visitor. My husband didn’t tell me he was seeing anyone this morning. Surely this must be unexpected. Who is it?”
“Master Thornton asked me not to say anything to you, Mistress Camille. He said it would only worry you, and what with you needing your rest—”
“Corliss, I demand that you tell me,” Susanna said sharply, struck by a chilling intuition. Why would Adam have said that unless…unless…“Who’s down there with him?”
Sighing as if realizing there was no way to get out of it, the maid blurted in a rush, “That planter you were thinking of marrying. Mr. Spencer.”
Stunned, Susanna’s mind sped wildly.
Why had Dominick come here and why had Adam allowed him into the house? He had told her that until Dominick was in prison, he wasn’t going to take any chances. But they were downstairs in the library, alone. That was taking a chance, wasn’t it? She couldn’t think of a worse one.
Suddenly a darker concern pressed in upon her, strangling her breath and making her heart pound.
Unless Adam had wanted Dominick to meet him here…
unless he planned to do something rash…take justice into his own hands.
He had sworn to her that one day he would have his vengeance, hadn’t he?
Was challenging Dominick to a duel what he had meant?
Had Adam perhaps lured that monster here by sending a reply that he would meet all of his demands?
Dear God, no, this couldn’t be happening! He could be seriously injured, or…
“How long has Mr. Spencer been here?” Susanna demanded, tossing her plate onto the tray with a crash and vaulting so abruptly from the bed that she staggered dizzily, a sharp pain shooting through her head.
Not allowing herself to even consider the grimmer prospect that Adam might be killed, she ran to the wardrobe. “How long, Corliss?”
“Only since I was about to bring your tray upstairs…no more than a few minutes ago. What are you doing, Mistress Camille? You should be in bed!”
Susanna flung open the doors and grabbed the first gown she touched, dreading that at any moment she might hear the sound of pistols firing from the back lawn. “Quick, help me dress! I have to get downstairs!”
“But Mistress Camille—”
“No questions, Corliss! Please! Just help me!”
“You bastard! So this meeting was nothing but a trick,” Dominick said through clenched teeth, his eyes bloodshot with fury.
“One you brought upon yourself.” Swept by grim elation that his nemesis had played so easily into his hands, Adam kept his pistol trained squarely on Dominick’s heaving chest. “Fool! You let your selfish greed overpower your reason. You thought you knew me so well, thought I would do anything to keep Briarwood for myself, even if that meant paying you blackmail for the rest of my life. But you were wrong, and now you’re going to pay for your reckless miscalculation.
Start moving to the door! My carriage is waiting to take us to Williamsburg. ”
“You’re the fool, Adam Thornton!” Dominick spat, remaining right where he was. “Surely you realize the magistrate will throw both you and your London slut Susanna Guthrie in prison for your charade—”
“Call her that again, Spencer, and my finger just might slip on this trigger.” Adam was sickened that Spencer would even say her name.
“True, the court might do that, but I doubt it. I imagine the magistrate will simply be glad to have this matter cleared up and Briarwood returned to the proper heir’s hands. There can be some reward in honesty.”
“Honesty?” Dominick scoffed, his face livid. “Petty revenge is driving you. Don’t you see, man? We could all profit from our arrangement, there’s certainly enough Cary wealth to go around, but you’re going to throw everything away just so you can see me suffer!”
“Exactly, so save your deal-making for the court,” Adam countered bitterly.
“Though I seriously doubt they’ll listen to any scheme you propose.
No, I fully expect that they’re going to lock you inside a cell and toss away the key while your estate is sold bit by bit to satisfy your anxious creditors.
I only wish you were going to find a noose lowered around your neck, not only for Keefer Dunn’s murder earlier this morning, scum that he was, and one to which you so callously admitted, but James Cary’s as well.
Why don’t you admit you killed him, too, and clean the slate? ”
“That’s one satisfaction you’ll never have,” Dominick said, his hand moving suddenly to the sword hilt protruding from the vent in his coat.
“Draw it even an inch, and you die,” Adam warned, pointing the pistol at Dominick’s forehead.
“And don’t think I wouldn’t shoot you with the greatest relish.
Ease your hand away…that’s it, and walk very slowly to the door.
Once we’re outside, my coachman Elias will have the pleasure of binding your wrists so you won’t be causing me any more such trouble. But for now, just keep walk—”
Adam was startled into shocked silence when the door suddenly burst open, and he watched in disbelief as Susanna rushed into the room.
“Adam, please stop! You can’t do this!”
“Dammit, Susanna, get out of here!” He lunged to thrust her from the room, but his twisted ankle prevented him from moving quickly enough.
Dominick reached her first and with a great heave, pushed her into Adam.
They both toppled to the floor, Adam landing hard on his back and Susanna sprawling on top of him, the pistol knocked from his hand.
It slid across the carpet and came to rest under a chair, well out of his reach.
“I’ll teach you to threaten me!” Dominick raged, drawing his sword and advancing upon them. “I see this as a clear case of self-defense, and so will the court. Now I have only to kill you and then I’ll marry the bitch myself!”