Post by Meomi on Jun 28, 2012 17:53:23 GMT -7
A WICKED PROPOSITION
..::Chapter 14::..
As they took their leave, Catherine raised her chin a notch as she saw others whispering.
Gabriel: You did very well tonight, my dear. That wasn't too terribly awful for you was it?
Catherine: It was not too terrible if you like fishbowls. I liked the play very much. I noticed you did not even watch it.
Gabriel: By tomorrow, we will be the talk of the town. I do not care. I no longer wish to hide from them.
Catherine: Is that what you have done all these years, Gabriel? Hide from those people back at the theatre?
Gabriel: I prefer to call it being more selective in my choice of companions. That is probably why I prefer Nicholas's company to any others, if you must know.
Catherine: He seems... well... not one who I would have thought to be your choice of friends at all.
Gabriel: Do not be such a snob, Catherine. You could never have more of a loyal friend than Nicholas. He is very much at my back, and I am very much at his.
Catherine said nothing. She would never be the one to tell him of his friend's behavior.
Catherine: I am not a snob, Gabriel. Even you have to admit your friendship is quite unlikely. An English lord and a smuggler seem rather unlikely fellows.
Gabriel: There is more to Nicholas than meets the eye, Catherine.
Catherine: You quite idolize Captain Van Ryker, don't you?
Gabriel: Yes, I believe I do. Nicholas has the freedom I have always envied and never had.
Catherine: What would you do if you had such freedom as his?
Gabriel: I would wish to make my choices based on what I want, not what is expected, or necessary.
Catherine: This matters so much to you?
Gabriel: Nothing matters as much when I am with you, my sweet.
Catherine felt she had at last peeled another layer in understanding Gabriel.
Catherine awoke slowly. There, on the pillow next to her, was a single red rose. Today was the day she would confess her part in this mad scheme of hers and Lilly's. She was pensive as she thought of how Gabriel would react. He would be angry, she knew. Catherine was prepared to be thrown into the streets. She prayed he would listen to her and understand why she did it. Lilly had cleverly lied and manipulated her, using her family's welfare against her. There was also the document she had, giving him his freedom. Surely that would appease him for what she had been doing?
Gabriel looked at Lord Seaton curiously as he entered the study. The man looked green. He obviously suffered from his excesses of the night before. He noted how uncomfortable he appeared at once. The man's visit was a surprise.
Gabriel: What is this all about, Seaton?
Seaton: I should ask you the same, Iverleigh! I find I am now in your debt. I must warn you though, such a sum is considerably more than Dartmouth can afford. He has asked that you give him time to come up with the funds.
Gabriel: What in God's name are you yammering on about, Seaton? What debt? What is this about?
Seaton: You are blackmailing us! You sent me the note! Now that the witch is dead; she has passed on her proof to you. You would bleed us as surely as she has! Don't bother denying it! We know she left you her business.
Gabriel: You speak of Clarice?
Seaton: Her house was deeded to you when she died, Iverleigh! Do not bother denying it. Dartmouth learned of it from Yvetta. What I wish to know is how long you will give us to come up with such a large sum? Five thousand pounds each does not grow upon trees!
Gabriel: You must tell me everything, Seaton. I can assure you that it is not me who is trying to extort you. I had no knowledge Clarice left me anything until the other day when the papers arrived from her attorney. I know nothing about any of this.
Seaton: If it is not you, then who is it?
Gabriel: Tell me what happened and we will figure that out.
Seaton hesitated and started his tale. The man recalled the events on a night months before. Seaton engaged Nan for the evening. Dartmouth tried to join the pair. They argued and Dartmouth attacked her. Before Seaton realized it went too far, Dartmouth commenced to hitting the girl. Seaton tried to pull him off, but Dartmouth beat the girl to death. Clarice arrived, handled the matter then, discreetly as always. Seaton and Dartmouth had fallen neatly into her trap. They had been paying the bawd to keep her silence ever since. They had believed the matter resolved when she died, until a note was delivered to Seaton at his club.
Gabriel: You may not have killed Nan, Seaton, but you did very little to help her.
He was grim knowing he now knew the whereabouts of Nicholas's former favorite. The pretty blue collie's remains had been weighted down and dumped in the Thames.
Gabriel: You can be sure the constable would have seen you as Dartmouth's accomplice. You would have been charged with murder as well.
Seaton: I should have stopped him! I tried! Before I knew it, she was dead. There was blood everywhere! I was all over Dartmouth, all over me, and he looked crazed. Clarice came in with a pistol. He got off Nan and she threatened to kill him right then. I didn't know what to do. What was I to do?
Gabriel: You could have gone to the magistrate, Seaton. Now it is too late. You could have pled your case. Do not clear your conscience with me. I do not pity a man who stands by while a woman is beaten to death. As to your assertion it is I who holds this proof over your head, you are wrong. Where is this note you mentioned?
Seaton: This was delivered when I left White's for the theatre last night.
Seaton retrieved the note from his coat pocket and handed it to Gabriel.
Gabriel: Who else knew about what happened to Nan, Seaton?
Seaton: Clarice claimed it was to be kept between us.
Gabriel: It appears rather unlikely someone found this evidence after she died, and is now blackmailing you both.
Gabriel: Dartmouth thinks it is you who blackmails us.
Gabriel: Dartmouth beat a woman half his size to death! Had I known of it at all, I would have gone to the authorities and seen him hang for it! Blackmail is the last thing I would have done!
Seaton: What will you do now that you know what we did? Do you mean to go to the magistrate?
Gabriel: What would be the point? Nan's body is missing and all the witnesses are dead. I ask you to get out of my house, Seaton, and never darken my door again! Whoever blackmails you has as much of my contempt as the pair of you. Seaton appeared relieved Gabriel would do nothing to openly accuse them and heastily took his leave. Gabriel cursed the man under his breath. Dartmouth would get away with killing the girl. He felt frustrated to know it.
He was contemplating Seaton's story when he heard a soft knock at the door. Catherine entered and he met her gaze warmly, grateful to think of something else besides the image of Nan in his mind.
Catherine: Was that Lord Seaton I saw leaving in such a state?
Gabriel: Yes, apparently Lord Seaton had some business he wished to discuss.
Catherine: Do you have any objection to me going shopping today while you are out? I would like to get some books perhaps, anything to occupy myself. I find your library dreadfully limited to my tastes.
Gabriel: I have no problem with you going to the bookstore, Catherine. You may have use of my driver, anywhere you wish to go, as long as you come back to me, my dear.
Catherine: I will not be long.
He dug out some coins within a steel box and pushed the pile towards her.
Gabriel: Enjoy your shopping trip, my dear. You need not hurry back.
Catherine wasted little time directing the driver to the bookstore. It was walking distance of Thornton's office. She kept the man waiting on the walk outside the book shop and entered.
The bookseller was eager to make a sale and was delighted to fill her order. She concluded her sale and paid him.
Catherine: I am trying to avoid a man who follows me on the street sir. Might you direct me to a back door to avoid him?
He showed her to the rear exit of his shop. He directed her to a side alley that reconnected to the main walk and warned her to be on guard. She found herself in front of Edward's offices and went inside.
Nicholas watched Catherine enter Thornton's law office with an angry look. Nicholas followed her for weeks and watched her send messages to Gabriel's wife. Only yesterday he intercepted the last one, finding documents as well, damning evidence Catherine was working for the Countess. Nicholas took no pleasure in being right about her. His friend was besotted with her, adoration slow, but steadily growing in his eyes. Gabriel would not take this well to learn the girl was playing him for a fool. Catherine had been the first woman to bring his friend out of his shell in years. Nicholas waited for her to leave. He wondered what he would tell Gabriel now. He decided to keep it to himself, certain he would learn what she was up to.
A young man rose behind a desk when she entered. He smiled an introduced himself as Edgar Rushton, Thornton's assistant. Catherine wondered where Thomas Sullivan was as she looked past the man. Thomas Sullivan had followed Thornton when he moved his firm here. It was most strange to find this unkown man here.
Catherine: I wish to see Mister Thornton, and I do not mind waiting.
Edgar: Your name is, miss?
She hesitated and decided a false name suited her purposes.
Catherine: My name is Emily Dunne.
Edgar: Very well, Miss Dunne, please have a seat. When his meeting is concluded, I will tell him you wait for him.
When he rose and left the front office, she approached Edward's door and pushed it open a slight crack. It was enough to see who was within. Catherine saw Thomas first, sitting behind the desk. He was speaking with two dapperly dressed men there, deep in conversation. She gazed at the other occupants in the room, looking for her father's former solicitor, and saw him nowhere. Frowning in confusion, she retreated. She sat back down on the bench. What was this? Could Edgar have made some mistake? Thornton was not in the room. She began to feel uneasy.
Catherine: I would see Thomas Sullivan, if I may, sir.
Edgar: There is no one here by that name, Miss Dunne.
Catherine: I must have the wrong offices, pardon me, Mister Rushton.
She was out of the office in seconds.
Fear filled her gaze as she nearly ran from the office. She made her way back to the book store. The driver assisted her into the carriage. Catherine was still reeling what she had learned. She froze as she slid onto the seat.
She stared into the bright brown eyes in shock, hardly able to react to his presence here. Nicholas lounged on the opposite seat. He looked even more predatory than she remembered.
Nicholas: How was your shopping trip today, Catherine?
Catherine: What do you want, Nicholas?
Nicholas: Aside from you telling me why you were just in Edward Thornton's office, nothing at all. Gabriel has his nose so far up your pretty little arse, he doesn't see you for what you are, does he?
Catherine: I said nothing to Gabriel about your accosting me, but if you touch me again, I swear I will tell him all!
Nicholas: Accosting you? Is that what it's called now, love?
Catherine: You know very well what I meant, Captain Van Ryker! You forced your unwanted attentions upon me!
Nicholas: After what we shared in the gardens, you may as well call me Nicholas, sweetheart.
Catherine: We shared nothing!
Nicholas: I'm hurt, and here I thought you accosted me right back, quite eagerly, I might add. Don't think I don't know how eager you were for me to accost you, Catherine.
Catherine: You are loathsome and disgusting! What is it you want?
Nicholas: I know you have been sending messages and documents to Lady Iverleigh these last few weeks. I followed the boy, Catherine. We can dispense with the lies now. The boy gave me the notes. What were you doing in Thornton's office today? Do I need to accost you again to get the answers I seek? Very well, why don't you at least attempt to explain what possible reason you had to go see Gabriel's barrister today?
Catherine: Why don't you tell me, Nicholas? You have already decided you know exactly all there is to know.
Nicholas: I would hear it from you, love.
Catherine: I have nothing to say to you.
Nicholas: Catherine, I cannot help you if you insist on continuing to lie to me.
Catherine: I do not need your help.
Realizing Edward's assistant was not posing as the old man had finally taken hold in her mind. She would get no help from Edward. Edward was no longer Edward anymore, but Thomas Sullivan, it appeared. A sinking feeling was felt in the pit of her stomach. Lilly knew Thomas was posing as Edward as well.
Nicholas: Whatever it is they are paying you, I will double it for you to abandon whatever you are up to.
Catherine: Why would you do that?
Nicholas: Gabriel is my friend. I owe the man my life. What other reason could I have?
Catherine: Why would you pay me off at all? Would it not be easier to run to him with your tales? Then you would not have to pay me anything!
Nicholas: Gabriel deserves better than you. He has been through enough with faithless women in his life. I was hoping to spare him of you. It is obvious he seems to care for you.
Catherine: How much do you offer me to stop what I'm doing?
Nicholas: How much do you want?
Catherine knew unless she gave him a reasonable figure, he would doubt she was telling the truth.
Catherine: Three thousand pounds would suffice.
Nicholas: I would ask for something else in exchange for my silence, sweet Catherine. One day in my bed and I say nothing of what you are doing.
To be continued...
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