Dark Rider (44 page)

“No.”

“Where is she?”

“I swear she didn’t go past me.” Guillaume scowled. “Who would think a lady would go jumping from windows and trekking in garbage? It’s not my fault. You told me to protect her from Cambre, and that’s what I did.”

Jared muttered a curse and swung back to Lani. “What the devil is he mumbling about?”

“Perhaps the lady could wait outside while you dress, Your Grace,” Guillaume mumbled uncomfortably.

“I’ve seen naked men before,” Lani said curtly. “But put your clothes on, we may have little time. I have a carriage waiting outside. I don’t know how long she’s been gone.”

“Go wake Bradford, Guillaume. Tell him to dress.” Jared snatched up his shirt and thrust his arms into it. “Where did she go?”

“Where do you think she went?” Lani sat down at a small table. “I blame myself. I should have known this would happen when she had time to think.”

“Cambre,” Jared said. Christ, she had gone to Cambre. “He’ll kill her.”

“She has a dagger.”

He pulled on his boots with shaking hands. “Why didn’t she wait? Why didn’t she let me do it? She knew I planned on killing him.”

“You think she wished to murder Cambre before you had the opportunity.” She shook her head. “Cassie is capable of vengeance, but not assassination.” Her hands clenched on the arms of the chair. “Hurry.”

“I’m moving as fast as I can.” He jerked on his coat. “Then why did she go to him?”

“Guilt. She hopes to absolve herself.”

“You’re talking nonsense.” He opened his portmanteau and pulled out his pistol. “She did nothing.”

“She thinks she did.” Her gaze met his across the room. “She believes she loves the man who may have killed her father.”

He froze. “What?”

“And she’s hoping Cambre will convince her you didn’t kill Charles.” She smiled grimly. “But he may murder her before she has the opportunity to question him.”

“What is it, Jared?” Bradford said as he strode into the room followed by Guillaume. He was fully dressed but his hair was still tousled. “Lani?”

“Cambre. I’ll tell you on the way.” He started for the door. “Lani, stay here with Guillaume.”

“I will not.” She rose to her feet. “She’s my friend and sister. I may be of help.”

“And you may be a hindrance if we have to worry about your safety as well.” He turned to Guillaume. “She stays here. I won’t forgive you if she slips through your hands too.”

She whirled on Bradford. “I wish to go.”

He shook his head.

Her eyes blazed at him. “I’ll not forgive you for this.”

“Then so be it,” he said sadly. “I won’t risk losing you.”

“You’ve never had me. If you do this, you never will. Let me go with you. You
need
me.”

An expression of agony crossed his features. “Do you think I don’t know what a risk I’m running? If I give in to you now, there’s a chance I could slide into Deville’s place in your life. I could let you take care of me and make my decisions. I could lean on your strength and bask in your affection.” He drew a deep breath. “But I’m not Deville, Lani. I need to know that you’re alive and well somewhere in this world even if it’s not by my side.”

He followed Jared from the room. Neither man spoke until they reached the hired carriage waiting outside.

“Do we have a plan?” Bradford asked. “Or is that too much to ask?”

“We’re going to get her back.”

“Masterly plan. How?”

God, he didn’t know. He only knew she mustn’t die.

“We’re in enemy territory. We can’t draw attention to ourselves,” Bradford said. “On the other hand, it’s clear Cambre doesn’t want to attract any surveillance, either. Then, too, we’re assuming Cassie needs rescuing, which may not be true. She’s an extraordinary woman.”

“How calmly you’re taking all this.”

“One of has to think.” He opened the door of the carriage. “I’m not sure you’re capable.”

Jared tried to subdue his own panic and begin to reason. “We’ll look the situation over, and then we’ll—”

“Monsieur le Duc?”

Jared stiffened with shock as he whirled to face the man coming out of the shadows.

“How charming you look.” Raoul smiled at her from the head of the table as her father seated her. “The lady who wore that gown last wasn’t nearly as lovely.”

“I’m not at all charming.” Cassie indifferently glanced down at the sea-green gown one of the servants had brought her with the tub. “Why didn’t your guest take the gown with her?”

“She displeased me. When she left, I allowed her nothing but the clothes on her back.” He gestured to the silver plate overflowing with a selection of fruit. “I hope you don’t mind serving yourself. I instructed the servants to go to their quarters and stay there.”

“Why?” her father asked, startled.

Cambre ignored the question and continued addressing Cassie. “I was certain the gown would be useful someday. One never knows when one is going to be visited by another lady who will prove more accommodating.” He smiled. “Tell me, did His Grace find you accommodating?”

“Raoul!” Her father frowned. “This is my daughter.”

“A daughter can be a whore.”

The bald crudity of the words caused Cassie to stiffen. Cambre was still smiling, but his eyes were cold and watchful. The cat-and-mouse game was ended. He was on the attack, and Cassie found it a relief.

“I’m not a whore.” She met his gaze. “And I don’t think His Grace would say I was accommodating.”

“But he did tell you—”

“That my father was dead,” she finished. “Yes.”

“And he sent you to exact vengeance?”

“I don’t go where he sends me. I came because I wished to do so.”

“Perhaps you believed you were doing as you wished, but a clever man can pull the strings with such subtlety that the puppet isn’t even aware of the tug.”

“As you do?”

He nodded. “I’m a true master of the art.” He popped a slice of orange into his mouth. “Well, were you going to stab me with that pretty dagger?”

“Possibly.”

He chuckled and turned to her father. “She has courage.” His smile faded. “But I think you have one more reason to dispose of our old enemy. It’s clear he’s dishonored this sweet
jeune fille.”

“It’s not clear to me,” her father said.

“Well, why don’t we ask him?” He rose to his feet. “He’s waiting in the library.”

Cassie’s heart leaped to her throat.

Cambre’s gaze was on her face. “What a revealing response,” he said softly. “I think you lie. I believe His Grace must have found you overwhelmingly accommodating.”

She tried desperately to wipe every hint of expression from her face. “It’s a trick. He couldn’t be here.”

“Of course he could. I sent for him when I left you this morning.”

“You didn’t tell me,” her father said as he slowly rose to his feet. “You should not keep secrets from me, Raoul.”

“Unfortunately, you have a softness for this lovely thing, and I’m weary of waiting in moonlit gardens for the man to pounce. I thought it might be better to draw in the net and bring the matter to a close.” He turned to Cassie. “I told him to come at once and unarmed, or I’d slit your throat. I wasn’t sure you’d be enough lure to bring him here, but I was pleasantly surprised.”

Her throat was dry. “Unarmed? He wouldn’t do that. He hates you. I mean nothing to him in comparison.”

“Then he’s extraordinarily gallant.” He moved toward the door. “I want this over. Bring her, Charles.”

“I’ll bring myself.” She pushed back her chair and strode after him. She felt as if she were in a nightmare. Jared was a captive and it was her fault. He was going to die.

No, she couldn’t let that happen.

Cambre opened the library door and stepped aside. “After you, mademoiselle. We don’t want His Grace to be concerned for your welfare any longer than necessary. It would be unkind.”

Jared was sitting in a chair facing the door. He went still when he saw her in the doorway. “Are you all right? He didn’t hurt you?”

“You shouldn’t be here,” she whispered. “Why did you come?”

“I had no choice.” Jared smiled. “He had something I couldn’t do without.”

“You’re a fool. He’ll kill you.”

“Those aren’t the tender words a man needs to comfort him in his last hours,” Cambre said as he pushed her into the room. “And after sacrificing himself for your sake, too. Most ungrateful.”

“I’m here,” Jared said coldly. “Now, let her go.” He turned to Cassie. “Bradford is waiting for you in the carriage outside. He’ll take you to Lani.”

“I can’t leave you here.”

“She’s right, she can’t leave you.” Cambre drew a pistol from beneath his coat.

“What are you saying, Raoul?” Her father entered the library. “Cassie has nothing to do with this.”

Jared’s eyes widened as he recognized her father. “Deville?”

Her father ignored him. “The trap was for Danemount. No one else was to be hurt.”

“Sometimes the innocent are swept away with the guilty,” Raoul said as he locked the door. “But she’s far from innocent. She was ready to betray you. She played the whore with your enemy.”

“She never betrayed you,” Jared said. “For God’s sake, don’t you know what she is? She traveled halfway across the world to try to save you.”

“I don’t need you to tell me about my daughter.”

“Then tell Cambre to go to hell and send her away from here.”

Her father whirled on Cambre. “We’ll dispose of Danemount first and then we’ll discuss Cassie. Give me the gun. I’ll do it.”

Raoul’s gaze narrowed on his face. “How brave you’re becoming. I assumed I’d have to do it myself.”

“I’ve been running too long. I want it over, Raoul. Even if you give me a new start, he’d follow me.”

“No!” Cassie moved between Jared and Cambre. “You’ll have to shoot me first.”

“Dammit, get out of the way, Cassie,” Jared said.

“You see, Charles.” Cambre smiled. “I can’t give you the pistol. You don’t have the courage to shoot your daughter to get to Danemount.” He raised the
gun and pointed it at Cassie’s chest. “While I have no such compunction.”

She was going to die. A bullet was going to tear through her flesh and end her life.

“Raoul, you don’t want to do this.” Her father started toward Cambre. “Let me have the pistol.”

“Stay back.” Cambre didn’t shift the weapon, but his voice sharpened. “It’s exactly what I want to do. As you can see, I took the precaution of arming myself with a double-barreled pistol. So much more efficient than the usual weapon when one is never sure who one’s enemies may be. I’ll give you one minute to get that interfering bitch from my line of fire before I pull the trigger.”

Jared suddenly moved to stand beside her. He said hoarsely, “Get out of here, Cassie.”

“Don’t be stupid. I can’t do that.” She placed herself in front of him again and, facing him, put her arms around him. He muttered a curse and tried to break her hold, but she held tight with all her strength.

“How touching,” Cambre said. “Quite like your Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, isn’t it, Your Grace? I think it fitting your tableau has the same ending.”

She braced herself for the bullet.

“You told me I could get Cassie away,” her father said. “Keep your promise.”

“Oh, very well. But it’s a pity to spoil the—son of a bitch!”

Cassie turned to see her father launch himself at Cambre.

A second later they were on the floor, struggling for the pistol.

Jared thrust her aside and darted toward the two men.

A shot.

Blood spattered the Aubusson carpet.

Whose blood? Mother of God, whose blood?

“Fool!” Cambre pushed her father off him. Deville rolled limply, his hands still grasping the pistol that had killed him. Cambre tried to reach for the pistol, but Jared dived toward him, his hands locking around Cambre’s throat.

“Let me—go.” Cambre clawed at Jared’s hands. “We can—deal. I have power. I can—”

Jared was strangling him, Cassie realized. She had never seen murder done. She supposed she should feel horror … something. She felt nothing but fierce satisfaction and regret that it had not been done sooner. Before that shot had taken her father’s life. She moved slowly across the room toward her father’s body.

“Stop …” Cambre gasped. Then he said nothing at all as Jared’s hands tightened.

She fell to her knees beside her father. His skin was pasty and pale, his white shirt bathed in blood. “Oh, Papa, no …”

His eyes opened.

She inhaled sharply in disbelief. He was still alive!

“Didn’t want … to die …”

“You
won’t die.” She gathered him close. “I won’t let you.”

“Is Raoul—dead. Did I kill him?”

“Shh … yes.”

“Had to—do it. Knew he—would never let—me live— Couldn’t—kill—Danemount—retribution.” He touched her cheek. “Lani.”

“She’s not here.
You
can see her later.”

“Take care of—Lani. I—never did. Wrong. So many wrongs …”

“Shh, Lani loves you. I love you.”

“Blessed … blessed …” His eyes closed and a long shudder went through him.

Gone.

Tears flowed down her face as she silently rocked him back and forth.

“Cassie …” Jared’s hand was on her shoulder. “We have to leave. Someone may have heard the shot.”

She gathered her father closer. “I won’t leave without him. He doesn’t belong here.”

“I wasn’t suggesting you do,” he said gently. “Stay here and I’ll go to the carriage and send Bradford to fetch a wagon.”

“It’s like losing him a second time,” she whispered.

Jared’s hand tightened on her shoulder and then fell away. “I’ll be right back.”

She watched him leave the library, then her gaze fell on the crumpled body of Raoul Cambre. His eyes were wide open and bulging from their sockets. He had not died easily.

Good.

She turned back to her father. He had not died easily either, but his expression was serene. Retribution, he had said. Had he gained absolution by that last act of sacrifice? She hoped it was true. Let him be at peace, she prayed.

Forgive him.

Let him forgive himself.