Post by Meomi on Jun 13, 2012 17:07:16 GMT -7
A WICKED PROPOSITION
..::Chapter 11::..
Catherine was told by the housekeeper that Gabriel had already left for the day. She was strangely disappointed as she went down to the dining room for breakfast. She must find a way to contact Lilly. Her sister had so much explaining to do. Her growing admiration for him made it difficult to accept Lilly's word anymore.
Later that morning, after breakfast, she wrote a note to Lilly. She waited until Higgins left his post and looked out onto the stoop. Catherine saw a small boy loitering on the street corner. She called him over, gave him the not and a shilling, and promised more if he ran her notes to the Countess. The boy agreed readily and ran to complete his errand. She prayed her sister had the means of getting her out of this mess before she was too deeply involved.
Lilly read the note delivered by the boy. She tossed it in the fire with a curse. Catherine was ruining everything with her blasted conscience. Lilly wrote a hasty reply and gave it to the boy. Lilly fumed. Catherine was threatening to leave. Lilly could not afford for that to happen.
Gabriel eyed Edward Thornton incredulously when he finished speaking. He refused to believe what the man said.
Gabriel: What do you mean there is not sufficient evidence to suggest the Countess is unfaithful? My wife has dangled herself upon every man in London! Find any man to come forward! Pay him if you must! Just find the damned proof!
Edward: Lord Iverleigh, you as a peer are well aware of what a scandal such as this is going to mean to you reputation? The men you have named refused to bear testimony against the Countess. I have approached them, they refuse. I even tried to push the petition through. Without a credible witness to vouch your wife's adultery, you have no case.
Gabriel: Are you married, Thornton?
Edward: No, my lord, I have not married yet.
Gabriel: Then do not presume to understand my frustration. Consider yourself fortunate, Thornton. I can assure you if you had spent the last ten years of you life married to my wife, you would find the nearest cave to hide in! If find I know little about you except that you once worked for my father-in-law. You references were impeccable. Dunleavy wrote a glowing account of you skills at litigation. Yet I can't get this one thing done. Why is that Thornton, I wonder? Do you have remaining loyalties to Dunleavy and his daughter? Do you play against me on this?
Edward: I don't like what you suggest, my lord. A divorce is easy enough to obtain. You have enough money and connections. I cannot be blamed because you have no proof of any gross misdeeds against your wife, other than your word. No attorney could help you. I cannot do the impossible, Lord Iverleigh.
Gabriel: I apologize, Thornton, if I have offended you. I want to be free of the woman. I am anxious for this to be over.
Edward: Our man Vickers has been adequate enough in his reportings, my lord. I must have witness who is credible in order to persuade the courts to approve your petition. There is nothing I can do otherwise.
Gabriel: Let us hope Vickers turns something up, shall we?
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Gabriel was already convinced Thornton was doing absolutely nothing to aid his cause. He also accepted the nagging suspision Thornton was working against him for his wife, though he had no proof of it.
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The Earl left. Edward thought of her. She knew he had no choice but to help her, knowing what they had done to improve his future. Edward's lips twisted when he remembered her assurances it was so they could be together. She had played him false to do her bidding. He dared not cross her. She knew too much about his past and held it over him now. He was her puppet now. Edward was trapped into making sure her husband found no way out of their marriage. He stalled the petition as long he dared. The Earl was growing suspicious of him. Edward hastily wrote a note to Lilly.
Lilly muttered under her breath as she crumpled the note in her fist. She donned a cloak, used the rear entrance, and slipped away from Vicker's unseen. She enters a dark alleyway and Edward Thornton slips out from behind a dumpster and approachs her. He looked panicked.
Edward: I had to contact you, Lilly! We have a problem. Iverleigh came to see me unannounced. He grows suspicious. I must move forward with his petition. He will dismiss me and find another attorney if I don't. We knew this could happen. You must seek to hurry along your plan. Time runs out.
Lilly: My plan is underway, however, several loose ends have emerged. The Devereaux woman must be dealt with. I want my mother's diary back. She threatens to go to Gabriel. Get the diary back, Edward. I did warn you things would get ugly!
Edward: Lilly, there is another matter. Vickers identified Clarice leaving your residence on two occasions. Iverleigh has seen the reports. Any question of foul play would draw their notice.
Lilly: Then you will have to be more creative, Edward. I'm sure you will think of something clever.
Edward: I am finishing this, Lilly. I have everything in place. When I get you back your dear mother's diary, I plan my exit.
Lilly: You do not wish to stay to see my success? I'm rather hurt Edward. All our planning... You flee before the end of the game.
Edward: This is no blasted game, Lilly! People are dead! You play rather loosely with both our freedom for your own bloody enjoyment! I have no choice but leave, my dear. It was time to run when your sister arrived! She will expose me, Lilly!
Lilly: You give the little droll too much credit, Edward.
Edward: Lady Catherine is not an idiot, Lilly! You underestimate your sister, much like Iverleigh. Your arrogance will see us both to the gallows.
Lilly: My sister knows nothing! The little idiot played right into my hands.
Edward: And she will play right out of them, unless you help me finish this, Lilly! Quit enjoying it so bloody much! Your vanity will cost you, my lady.
Lilly: It pleases me when you act like you have a backbone, Edward. I would like much for you to yell at me like that again, and do it slowly.
Gabriel stared at the little man, expecting something more. Nicholas claimed this man was the answer to all his problems.
Gabriel: Forgive me for staring, Mr. Chumley. Captain Van Ryker says you are the best, and that is what I find myself needing. Money is no object, sir.
Myron: Let us worry about payment when you tell me what it is you wish to know, my lord.
Gabriel gave him a brief accounting of the last ten years of his marriage, earning a sympathetic gaze from the tiny man.
Myron: Marital woes are not usually my forte, Lord Iverleigh. I tend to avoid them. People can be quite unpredictable when it comes to matters of the heart. It defeats the nature of my work.
Gabriel: I assure you, that is not the case here, Mr Chumley. I want every speck of dirt you can find on the Countess since she left the schoolroom.
Myron: To do that, Lord Iverleigh, we must go back to the beginning. I will need your letters of introduction. There will be travel expenses. I will need to have full access to your papers. I need the names of all the servants within your household, as well as the Countess's. Tell me, My Lord, is there a reason you are going to such lenghts to extricate yourself from Lady Iverleigh? Something you are not telling me?
Gabriel told of Lillianne's treachery after her arrival, and the awkward position it put him in with his title.
Myron: You needn't worry, Lord Iverleigh. Whatever you tell me stays in my confidence. Thank you for your candor.
To be continued...
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