[Victoria Alexander] The Virgin's Secret (Harringt(BookZZ.org) (34 page)

He nodded. “John told me.”

“John?” She pulled her brows together. Xerxes. “Yes, of course, John.”

“He sent word as to what had happened but it only arrived a few minutes ago. I was about to come after you.”

“It wasn‟t necessary.” She cast him a bright smile. “I am fine.”

“Are you?”

She laughed, and even to her own ears it had a strange, vaguely hysterical sound to it. “Perfectly fine. And the brandy is much better than tea.”

“Do you feel better now?”

“Much.”

He studied her cautiously. “It is understandable, you know…your reaction, that is.”

“I would think so,” she huffed. “Why, the contrast alone between the serenity of the garden and the—” She shivered in spite of herself. “—violence of what must have happened was enough to make anyone ill.”

“Are you sure you‟re all right?”

“Perfectly.” She took another long drink. “He must have been dead for some time, you know.

We‟d been there all morning so it must have happened last night.” She nodded. “He looked

quite…dead.”

“Gabriella.”

“Not recently dead.” She shook her head. “Not that I know what someone recently dead would look like, but he looked, well, rigid. Quite, quite dead I would say.”

Nathanial‟s brow furrowed in concern. “Gabriella.”

“Am I babbling?”

“Yes.”

“Don‟t be absurd.” She took another bracing swallow. “I never babble.”

“And yet—”

“I don‟t think it was a robbery,” she continued, as if he hadn‟t said a word. “There was nothing disturbed in the treasure room. At least not that I noticed. And I would have noticed. I notice such things. I am nothing if not observant.”

He stared at her.

She ignored him. “And if one were to rob the viscount, there are any number of things—priceless things—one could quite easily abscond with simply by slipping them in a pocket.” She shook her head in an earnest manner. “No, it wasn‟t robbery, but then he wasn‟t a very good man, was he?

I imagine there are all sorts of people who would have gladly slit his…” She tossed back the rest of her brandy and held the glass out to him. Her hand shook uncontrollably and she noted it with a strange sort of detachment. As though she wasn‟t the one looking at her hand and it wasn‟t her hand.

“But you are still shaking.” He took the glass from her and set both their glasses on a table.

“It‟s nothing.”

“And your hands…” He took them in his. “Are very cold.”

“They are, aren‟t they?” Her voice was oddly detached, as if it were someone else‟s voice. “How very unusual.”

“You are not fine at all.” He pulled her into his arms, and she rested her head against the solid protection of his chest. “You have been through an ordeal.”

“I am fine.” A sob rose up inside her. Where on earth had that come from? She didn‟t sob. Or weep. Or cry. She couldn‟t remember the last time she had. She swallowed hard. “Perfectly…”

“Yes, of course, perfectly fine.” He chuckled. “And have you at last run out of things to say?”

“No,” she muttered against his chest, but it did sound somewhat like a sob and his arms tightened around her. She closed her eyes and listened to his heart beat. The warmth of his body coupled with the heat of the brandy washed through her, and with it the most remarkable understanding and acceptance. Nothing in the world could hurt her if she was in his arms. She closed her eyes and sagged against him, abruptly too weary to stand.

He scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the room.

“What are you doing? Where are we going?” she murmured, but she didn‟t really care. He could take her anywhere and she would go willingly.

“I‟m taking you to your room.” His voice sounded very far away.

“Mmm.” She snuggled against him. “How lovely.”

He said something she didn‟t quite hear, and scarcely cared. In some distant still functioning part of her mind she realized she‟d be asleep long before they reached her bed. And wasn‟t that a pity? She had so very much to tell him. About who she was and what she wanted. And that what she wanted most of all was him.

Twenty-five

Well?” Nate demanded the moment Quint stepped into the library. It was already evening, and his brother had been gone for hours. Sterling and Mr. Dennison had been waiting with him for Quint. They each sat behind their respective desks.

“Did you learn anything of value?” Sterling asked.

Sterling had sent Quint to find out what was known thus far about Rathbourne‟s death. And only did so because of the possibility that the murder might be connected to Gabriella‟s search for the Montini seal, not because Sterling still harbored some feelings for Lady Rathbourne. He hadn‟t actually said that, and no one had dared to ask.

Quint grinned. “It‟s amazing what one can learn when bandying about the name of the Earl of Wyldewood.”

Sterling shrugged. “It can be useful on occasion.”

“The inspector in charge practically fell all over himself to help me.”

Sterling raised a brow.

“Well, perhaps not all over himself but he was helpful.” Quint plopped into a chair. “They don‟t know much at the moment.” He glanced at Nate. “I don‟t have much more than what John told

you.”

Nate clenched his jaw impatiently. “Blast it all, Quint, just tell me what you do know, then.” If Gabriella was in danger, he needed to know. “And his name is really Xerxes Muldoon. He is

employed by Gabriella.”

“My, she is full of surprises,” Quint said under his breath.

“Quint!”

“Very well.” Quint thought for a moment. “Nothing appears to have been taken. The servants said there was nothing missing in the rest of the house, and Miss Montini told the police nothing appeared to have been disturbed in his treasure room.” He cast Nate an incredulous expression.

“Did you know he had a treasure room? The inspector said it was on the order of a vault.”

“You knew he was a collector of rare antiquities,” Nate replied. “He was also very protective. He didn‟t display them as most collectors do but kept them locked away, for his enjoyment alone.”

He shrugged. “Most of his collections were antiquities, but there were gems and paintings as well. The sum worth must be in the millions.” He glanced at Sterling, who displayed no

particular reaction. Rathbourne‟s death would leave his wife a very wealthy woman, which

might well come as a relief to anyone who might be concerned about her welfare.

“The police are using lists Miss Montini compiled to make certain nothing is missing, but at this point they are fairly certain robbery was not a motive.” Quint paused. “It‟s believed from the state of the body that he had been dead ten to twelve hours.” He met Nate‟s gaze. “Which means he was killed last night. It also means…” Quint winced. “When Miss Montini found him it was not a pretty sight.”

“I know.” Nate had talked to Xerxes again after Gabriella fell asleep. The older man had been quite detailed in his description of the morning‟s discovery.

“Excellent.” Sterling nodded. “Then there is nothing to indicate any connection between Miss Montini‟s search and Rathbourne‟s murder.” His younger brothers traded glances. Sterling

narrowed his eyes. “Is there?”

“Rathbourne‟s throat was cut.” Nate drew a deep breath. “As was Montini‟s.”

“What?” Surprise crossed Sterling‟s face. “I thought Montini died of a fever.”

“Not according to what Quint heard in Crete,” Nate said. “I suspect Gabriella was only told that to protect her.”

For the first time, Dennison spoke. “It is somewhat awkward for foreign officers to inform a relative, particularly a young lady, of a loved one‟s death, when that death has been violent, sir,”

he said. “It‟s often believed kinder to conceal the fact of a violent death, as nothing can be done about it. I have heard about such things happening before.”

“And she still doesn‟t know?” Sterling asked.

“I don‟t see any reason why she needs to know,” Nate said simply.

Quint glanced at him. “Have you told her the rest of it yet?”

Sterling frowned. “The rest of what?”

“About the seals,” Quint said.

Nate shook his head. “I haven‟t had the chance. I fully intend to tell her, but the opportunity has not yet presented itself. I need to find the right time.”

“Perhaps,” Gabriella‟s voice sounded from the doorway, “that time is now.”

For a long moment none of the men said a word. Then Quint jumped to his feet. “If you will excuse me, I have an errand to attend to.”

Sterling stood. “Mr. Dennison and I were just on our way out as well.”

His brothers and the secretary hurried out of the room, murmuring polite greetings to Gabriella as they passed by. So much for brotherly support, Nate thought. Gabriella stared at him, stone-faced. They were rats deserting a ship that was not only sinking fast but on fire.

“Do you feel better?” he asked cautiously. Just how much had she heard?

“I‟m fine.”

He smiled. “Perfectly fine?”

She ignored him. “What haven‟t you told me about the seals?”

“Perhaps you should sit down.”

Her jaw clenched. “I prefer to stand.”

“Brandy, then?”

“No, thank you.”

“Whisky?” Nate strolled to the whisky decanter and poured himself a glass.

“No.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “What haven‟t you told me about the seals?”

“Quite a lot really.” He took a long sip of his drink. “Are you sure you wouldn‟t rather sit down?”

Her eyes narrowed.

“Very well, then.” He wasn‟t exactly sure how to say this. It did not cast Quint in a good light.

Although, on the other hand, at least Quint hadn‟t stolen the seal. He drew a deep breath. “Quint saw Gutierrez steal the seal from your brother. Some months later, he managed to wrest it from Gutierrez in a game of cards.”

“Then Quinton has the seal?”

“Not exactly.” He shifted uneasily. It had been awkward enough to tell her of the path the seal had taken, but to tell her now that its whereabouts were still unknown, might always be

unknown, was even more difficult. “When Quint unwrapped the seal the other day, right here in the house, he discovered someone had taken it and substituted a different seal.”

She stared at him. “That‟s exactly what happened to my brother.”

“Ironic, isn‟t it?” Nate pulled the seal Quint had found in the attic from his waistcoat pocket and handed it to her. “This is the seal Quint had.”

She turned it over in her hand, glancing at it briefly. “This is chalcedony. My brother‟s was greenstone.” She met his gaze firmly. “Where is it?”

He shook his head. “I don‟t know.”

“Does your brother know?”

“No.”

Suspicion flashed in her eyes. “Are you sure?”

He drew his brows together. “Yes. Quint wouldn‟t lie to me.”

She shrugged. “He said he didn‟t steal the seal.”

“And he didn‟t.” Nate frowned. “He came by it in a relatively legitimate manner.”

She snorted. “Relatively.”

“Nonetheless, he didn‟t steal it.”

“He could have told us all this at the beginning.” She put the chalcedony seal on the desk. “It would have saved us a great deal of trouble.”

“It would have made no difference at all. And yes, he could have told us.” Nate paused. “He should have.”

“And you trust him now?”

“Yes, I trust him. He would never lie to me.”

“Do you know that?”

“I haven‟t a doubt in my mind.”

“Well, I don‟t trust him.”

“You don‟t have to.”

“His reputation is not one that engenders trust.”

“His reputation is not nearly as bad as—” Nate caught himself.

“Not nearly as bad as what?” Challenge flashed in her blue eyes.

“Nothing,” Nate muttered.

“Not nearly as bad as my brother‟s?” Her voice was hard. “Is that what you were going to say?”

He tried to deny it. “No, of course not.”

“Come now, Nathanial, there‟s no need to protect me. I know exactly the kind of man my brother was.”

Nate stared. “I didn‟t—”

“My brother, Nathanial…” She met his gaze directly. In spite of the cool tone of her voice, there lingered an undercurrent, the merest hint, of despair. “Was the kind of man one would expect to end his days with his throat cut in some foreign land.”

“You heard that as well?”

“Yes.” She sighed and brushed a stray stand of dark hair away from her face. “I heard that.”

“I am so sorry.”

“What? Sorry that I heard it? Or sorry that it happened?”

“Both.”

“You needn‟t be.” She studied him for a moment. “I didn‟t know how he died, but it comes as no surprise.”

“Still, surely it‟s upsetting.”

“Upsetting?” She scoffed. “Of course it‟s upsetting, especially after finding Lord Rathbourne.”

She shuddered. “Although I suspect it‟s a rather quick way to die.”

“Gabriella, I—”

“But I did know what kind of man Enrico was. I have always known. It was simply difficult to acknowledge aloud. He was all I had, all the family I‟ve ever known.” She paused for a long moment. “I watch you with your brothers and your mother and sister. There is a bond between you all that is…quite remarkable. And I confess I am envious.

“My brother and I,” she shook her head, “we did not share what I see between you and your

family. I was an obligation for Enrico. Not that he treated me badly,” she added quickly. “He saw to it that my needs were met.”

“You needn‟t say anything more.”

She ignored him and paced the room. Her words seem to come of their own accord. “It wasn‟t until he died that I learned we weren‟t in the financial straits he had always led me to believe we

were. I discovered I had a significant fortune that had supported me and my brother‟s work.

Enrico had never mentioned it.”

He nodded. “I know.”

She continued as if he hadn‟t said a word. “When Enrico found me, a few years after my father‟s death, my circumstances were dismal. He rescued me, Nathanial. He was my savior and I adored him.

“He dressed me as a boy and took me with him on his excavations and his hunts for treasure.”