Page 75 of To Hunt the Hunter

Matilda waited until the door closed. “We must get to the balconies over the assembly rooms.”

Jack shook his head. “They can go. I’m supposed to take you back to your room.”

Matilda returned a scathing look.

“No,” she replied succinctly, pleased to discover Pippin at her side, looking equally determined. “Perhaps you should take Phoebe up to her room, though,” Matilda added, feeling wretched at the fury in the little girl’s eyes.

“No!” Phoebe said, folding her arms. “I hid when Mr Burton came, I won’t hide again. I’ll be safe with all of you. Jack will look after me, won’t you, Jack?”

The big man sighed and nodded. “Reckon it’s more than my life’s worth if I don’t, princess.”

“There, see?” she said, her wide, grey-blue eyes hopeful.

“She knows what manner of man her great-uncle is,” Pippin said, taking Phoebe’s hand. “I think she ought to come, if this big lummox swears to look after her.”

“I’ll look after all three of you,” Jack said, puffing out his chest a little.

Pippin gave a huff, which suggested she’d like to see him try to protect her, before striding for the door.

“I’ve a few words for Theodore Barrington myself,” she muttered. “Once his lordship has said his part.”

“Save some for me,” Dharani chimed in, gaining a measuring look from Pippin, who studied the tiny Indian woman with interest. “I cannot stand a bully.”

“Nor I,” Pippin replied, giving an approving nod. “Especially ones as would hurt a child.”

“Ah, a kindred spirit. We shall right some wrongs, shall we not?”

Dharani’s dark eyes flashed with anticipation and Pippin smiled in return, something like recognition flaring in her expression. All the hairs on the back of Matilda’s neck stood on end. Pippin offered Dharani her arm, and the old lady took it.

“You heard of me?”

Dharani nodded. “We spent some time in Sussex when Aashini was a child. I heard whispers, rumours of the wise woman of Dern Palace.”

Pippin’s lips twitched. “And that interested you.”

Dharani grinned.

“Come along, everyone,” Matilda said, hustling them out, having no time to analyse the strange prickling sensation tripping down her spine as they hurried to the stairs that led to the upper floors of the assembly rooms.

Chapter 20

Dearest Harriet,

I hope this letter arrives before I do, but I know you will forgive me if it does not, for I am hoping we might impose upon your hospitality. Luke and I have been in Stratford-upon-Avon, staying with his mother who was taken ill. The miserable old cow has recovered now, and is just as awful as ever, mores the pity.

This wretched castle seems to be cut off from the world at large, but I have this morning heard of all the horrid gossip about Montagu and poor Matilda. I don’t know what on earth we can do to help, but we are coming at once.

―Excerpt of a letter from Mrs Kitty Baxter to Harriet Cadogan, Countess of St Clair.

9th May 1815, The Old Bath Hotel, Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.

Lucian bided his time for some moments after he heard his uncle enter the grand assembly room. He was just a man; he reminded himself, an increasingly elderly one at that. He was not, in truth, the monster that had stalked his dreams as a boy, as monstrous as his actions had been over the years. He was the man who had turned Lucian’s life into a game of survival, a living nightmare where nothing was as it seemed, but he was flesh and blood, just an old man, and this time Lucian would not be so merciful. He would not murder the man in cold blood, for he was not cut from the same cloth, but Theodore would lose any illusion of freedom. Lucian would keep him a prisoner in the comfortable home he’d given him, and closely watched, and heaven help anyone who thought to betray Lucian’s trust again. Theodore would die alone and unremarked, and Lucian would not have to think of him again.

He drew in a deep breath and opened the door, stepping through. His uncle was standing by a table where two large candelabra had been set, their golden light spilling around them, but not touching more than a fraction of the grand room.

“Good evening, Uncle.”

Theodore spun around, and for a moment Lucian experienced the satisfaction of having shocked him. His eyes grew wide, the colour leaving his cheeks, and then he roared with laughter and clapped his hands together, the sound echoing about the grand hall.