Possession (23 page)

Mortlock leapt
up and punched me across the face. "Stop," he growled. "Before I
knock all those pretty white teeth out."

I couldn't stop.
Couldn't afford to. There was no one else but me. I sucked in precious air to
steady my rapid heartbeat and began again. But just as I opened my mouth to
utter the words again, long, fine fingers wrapped around my throat. George's
fingers but Mortlock's intent. All the air whooshed out of me. I couldn't
breathe, couldn't move. I needed air. My lungs begged for it, my chest
tightened, burned. I scrabbled at his hands, clawing until I felt blood and
skin beneath my fingernails but still he held me down by my throat. Crushing. I
couldn't utter a single word to send him back or call Jacob.

I was utterly
powerless.

Theo! Wake
up, Theo!

"This'll
work a charm it will," Mortlock said, laughing now as he pressed down.
"I know it. Beaufort'll hate it, hate hisself, for not bein' 'ere to save
you. It'll eat 'im up, just like I said it would." What did he mean? What
was he saying? I couldn't focus on his words, their meaning. Everything was
slipping away.

The room dimmed.
I couldn't keep my eyes open. They were too heavy, as if a great weight forced
them closed. Sleep. Blissful, heavenly slumber called me, and I could feel
myself succumbing. I wanted to.

Then suddenly
Mortlock let go. The room and the world returned with a loud rush like a steam
train at full speed. Everyone seemed to be shouting or screaming. Lucy, Theo,
Mortlock, and Jacob. Jacob!

Lucy helped me
to sit up. I swayed against her and gingerly touched my throat. It hurt, but at
least I could breathe again. Gasp after gasp of beautiful air filled my chest.
As I watched, Theo grabbed Mortlock's arms from behind, pinning him to his
chest. Jacob stood in front of him, the knife now in his hand, pressed up
against Mortlock's cheek.

"You all
right, miss?" Lucy asked, hugging me. "You were as white as me, you
was, and you wasn't moving. I was so worried." She burst into tears and I
wrapped my arms around her and she wrapped hers around me.

"Emily?"
Jacob said at the same time Theo asked if I was all right. "Emily, say
something."

"I'm well
enough." The words scratched my throat and came out a harsh whisper.

A look of pain passed
over Jacob's face, but it was fleeting, replaced by cold ruthlessness like I'd
never seen. He said nothing, but I knew it would take a magician to get past
him now. He would not allow Mortlock to escape this time.

"I ought to
gut you for hurting her," Theo said, his voice low and ominous. He jerked
backward, pulling Mortlock's arms hard and awkwardly. It must have hurt, but it
was George he was hurting, not Mortlock.

"Say the
words, Emily," Jacob said to me. "Send him back."

Gladly. But
first, we needed answers. He was our only chance to learn the identity of
Jacob's killer. "Who had the girl summon you?" I asked him.

Mortlock said
nothing. He just laughed and closed his eyes. His face suddenly went blank.

"He's preparing
to transfer to Hyde!" Jacob shouted.

There was no
time to question him. If he transferred to Theo, then he would have a better
chance of getting free. Jacob could only use weapons, not fists, and so without
a second strong man to help, he was limited in what he could do. George would
be dazed and useless for some time after Mortlock left him, if Wallace
Arbuthnot's experience was an indication.

"Go back to
whence you came," I chanted, moving closer as I did so. "Return,
spirit." I repeated the order over and over until finally George's body
went limp and I saw the hazy, transparent spirit of Mortlock rise. He hovered
briefly and shot me a look filled with venom.

"She can't
save you," Mortlock's ghost said to Jacob. "You'll become nothin',
not even a spirit. Your enemy will get revenge." A strong breeze whooshed
past us, flapping my skirts, and whisked Mortlock away as if he were a puff of
smoke.

Jacob lowered
the knife but kept alert, his gaze darting around the room.

"Is he
gone?" Lucy whispered.

"He's
gone," I said and hugged her closer. "He won't be coming back."
I couldn't be sure of that and Jacob said nothing. He was looking at me now,
and at Theo who approached. George sat on the sofa, rubbing his eyes and nursing
his cut hand.

"Are you
all right, Emily?" Theo asked, taking my hand. It was warm and such a
comfort. I squeezed and he squeezed back and sighed heavily, as if he could
finally relax. "You were marvelous. Very brave."

"As were
you," I said. "Thank you for your assistance."

He tucked a
strand of my wayward hair behind my ear. "No need to thank me. I was glad
I could help. It was lucky Beaufort came by when he did."

Jacob placed the
knife very deliberately on the table near George who was looking about him as
if he'd just woken from a puzzling dream. Jacob did not meet my gaze.

"Where am
I?" George asked, squinting. "Where are my glasses? You know I cannot
see well without them. Emily, that is you, isn't it?"

I went to him
and reassured him that all was well. I didn't want to tell him what had
happened yet, so I simply brushed off his questions and asked Lucy to fetch tea
if she was up to it. She bustled away, checking the hallway beyond before
stepping through the door.

"Your
throat," Jacob said. He regarded me through blue eyes darkened to the
color of a storm cloud. "Does it hurt?"

I touched my
throat. The skin was tender and raw. "A little."

"I'm going
to fetch a doctor," Theo said. He held his hand up when I protested and
strode out of the room.

I took up his
coat, left forgotten on the floor, and went after him. "You shouldn't go
out without this."

He accepted it
and our hands touched. His fingers closed around mine. I looked up into his
eyes and saw something in them that made my heart flutter. Something fierce and
filled with longing. Before I could speak, he bent his head and kissed me on
the lips. It was feather-light, like he was afraid I would break if he
unleashed the desire I saw in his eyes.

But I could not
kiss him back. Not with Jacob standing behind me. I didn't need to see him to
know he was there, I was as acutely aware of him as always. Jacob's presence
was more powerful than a flooded, raging river. I couldn't ignore it.

Theo seemed to
sense my hesitation and pulled back. "I apologize," he muttered.
"The emotion of the moment overtook me." He made to leave, but I
caught his arm.

"Theo,"
I said but could say nothing more. What could I tell him? That the man I loved
was watching us? That kissing Theo felt like betraying Jacob? That despite
everything, I'd enjoyed it and wanted him to kiss me again?

I didn't know
what to think let alone say, so I just gave him a weak smile.

"I'll
return with the doctor," he said and left.

I closed the
door but did not turn around. "You shouldn't have watched us," I
said. "That wasn't fair."

It was a long
time before Jacob finally spoke. "Emily," was all he said. There was
so much heartache in the one word that I was compelled to turn around.

He too turned
suddenly and I could not see his face. His shoulders, however, were slumped and
his head hung low. "I have to go," he said. "The Administrators are
calling me."

I blinked and he
was gone. I watched the space where he had been until I felt composed enough to
return to George. As I told him what had transpired, I could not stop thinking
of one thing in particular, one thing that had nothing to do with Mortlock or
the man who had controlled him: Jacob had saved my life. He did not want me to
die anymore.

What that meant,
I was too befuddled and suddenly too tired to decipher.

CHAPTER 14

The doctor
applied a salve to my throat and Lucy's bruises. He gave all of us odd looks
but said nothing about our injuries. Fortunately he'd left by the time Celia
and Cara arrived home with their purchases. My sister took one look at me and
sent Cara up to her room. My little aunt obeyed, but I suspect that was more
because Lucy promised to bring her a cup of hot chocolate and a pouch full of
marbles she'd found in the attic.

When the door
closed on them, Celia rounded on me. "Is he gone?"

For a moment I wasn't
sure if she meant Jacob or Mortlock but since she wasn't currently upset with the
former, she must mean the latter. "He's gone. We sent him back."

"
You
sent him back," Theo said, and I felt my face heat upon hearing the pride
in his voice.

Celia heard it
too and, like a hawk spotting its prey, she went in for the kill. "My
sister is a remarkable young lady, isn't she, Mr. Hyde?"

"Quite
remarkable."

"I
wholeheartedly concur," George said, rising. He was rather the worse for
wear after his ordeal. Mortlock had not treated his body well. The beginnings
of a scraggly beard had sprouted on his chin and a web of red lines crisscrossed
the whites of his eyes. "I must apologize most vehemently for my behavior,
Miss Chambers," he said, trying to brush off a dark patch of dirt on his
sleeve and failing. "Emily has told me some of the things I did…" He
shuddered and pulled a face.

"It was not
your fault, Mr. Culvert," Celia said. "None of us blame you."

"Alas, I
blame myself," he said on a sigh.

"Don't,"
Theo and I said together.

"If only I
could have fought the villain!" George shook his head and sat down again,
weary. "I always thought my mind would be strong enough to withstand an
attempt of possession."

"I doubt
any of us could," I said. I didn't want poor George to feel bad. He'd been
through enough and he looked so forlorn. "Shall I send Lucy to fetch your
coach to take you home?"

He gave me a
smile of thanks but shook his head. "Your maid is needed here. I'll walk
home. The air will do me good."

"I think
you are overstating the restorative properties of a London pea-souper,
George." I held my hands out to him and he took them. "Are you sure
about the coach?"

"I'm sure.
Perhaps the air won't be good for me, but the exercise will. I need to clear my
head and I've not far to go."

He bid us
farewell and Celia walked him to the door, leaving Theo and I alone together
which I rather suspected was her intent.

"Are you
all right?" Theo asked, frowning.

"My nerves
are somewhat frayed, but they'll recover now that Mortlock is gone."

"Mortlock
may be, but the one who summoned him is not." We settled on the sofa, side
by side, our knees touching. "Emily, I am very concerned. Mortlock
indicated that you are now the target, not Beaufort's family. Why is that do
you think?"

I shrugged and
didn't meet his gaze. I wasn't ready to tell him that I loved Jacob and that I
suspected he still had feelings for me too, even though he was denying it of
late. Mortlock must have thought killing me would hurt Jacob more than
possessing a member of his family would.

The situation
between my spirit and me was too uncertain to discuss with Theo, not to mention
socially unacceptable. Besides, something told me not to mention it to this
gentleman. I dared hardly admit to myself that it was because I liked Theo too
and didn't want to ruin any chance I may have with him.

I pushed the
thought aside. Jacob was the only one for me, whether he were alive or dead.

"Promise me
you'll be careful," he said, fixing me with an earnest stare.

"I
promise."

"And you
will come to me if you need anything. I mean it, Emily. I am at your
disposal." He gripped my hands and his stare grew fiercer, as if he could
will me to obey him.

"You are
very kind. Thank you, Theo."

His eyes
softened and a small, guarded smile tugged at his mouth. "It is not
kindness that motivates me." He glanced at the door, perhaps looking to
see if Celia were returning. She did not and I suspected she would give us
several minutes to ourselves.

I suddenly felt
uneasy. If Theo declared himself, what should I say?

"Emily, you
must know…" He cleared his throat. "You must have realized how much I
admire you."

I blushed all
the way to my scalp. Oh my. He really was going to do it. Dear lord, don't let
Jacob pop in yet.

"I think
you are a remarkable young woman and a very pretty one."

"Thank
you," I said.

"I have
enjoyed your friendship and I hope…I hope that we can…get to know each other
better."

"Of course,
Theo. I would like that."

He looked
relieved. "I will be basing myself at my aunt's house while I study so I
won't be far away."

"Your
studies will keep you busy, I'm sure."