Page 12 of Payback

“Seventeen,” I said. “Why?”

His shoulders sagged. “It’s sixteen over here. I was hoping we could prove that one or both of them seduced an underage girl to get her to entrap another underage girl into a violent abduction.”

“What if they took her somewhere with a higher age of consent?” I asked.

Henry barked out a laugh. “There’s no way we can convince Charlotte to fuck an old man in England, let alone a place where it’s illegal for her to have sex.”

“She’s already sleeping with Philippe,” I said. “She’s upset enough that he’s allowing her to take the fall for spiking the girls’ cocktails. We just have to get her to lure him overseas.”

“It’s fifteen in France,” muttered Blake.

“Fourteen in Italy,” added Henry.

“Eighteen in California,” I said.

All three of the triumvirate turned to stare at me.

“What?” I asked.

Edward sighed. “If we had a year to cajole Charlotte and the stomach to encourage such a liaison, it might be a workable idea. But we don’t. Let’s not waste any more time on this line of thinking.”

As we continued toward the lake, the people lying on the grass wore fewer clothes, and at the banks, they sat on towels and wore swimsuits. Henry explained that this part of the lake was a natural swimming pool, and the entire body of water was built during the reign of King George II.

I pulled my gaze away from the bathers and tried to think up ways to get even with Rudolph. We threw out ideas, ranging from recording Rudolph’s gloating confession to outright poisoning him, each as ridiculous as the other.

Edward ran his fingers through his mahogany hair. “Regardless of what we decide, Carbuncle is still at large and still being hidden by Philippe or Rudolph. At any time, our enemies can use him as a weapon against you.”

His warning sent a chill through my bones that not even the midday sun could warm.

Chapter 4

The only way I could describe Monday morning was desolate. Thick clouds covered the sky, so no natural sunlight streamed into the dining room’s tall windows. That, combined with the ten-foot-tall mahogany panels and lack of burning fireplaces made the room appear dull. It didn’t help that a quarter of the girls were missing, reminding me of the darkness that had permeated the academy.

Many of the boys I had seen leaving the booze cruise sat together as though giving each other moral support. Coates, Bierson, and a few of the rugby boys gathered around a table at the back, leaving the dais bare.

“Have you noticed all the sex party wankers sitting together?” Blake glowered at Henry’s former rugby teammates.

Henry grunted. “They’re probably ashamed of themselves.”

Edward poured himself a cup of earl grey from a china teapot, releasing the fragrant scent of bergamot. “Hopefully, they realize the danger of paying for access to unwitting girls.”

“Let’s hope so.” I shot Patterson-Bourke a filthy look. He was the stout rugby boy with no talent for the sport who had implied to a fifth-year girl that she would warm to him at Charlotte’s party. His words and tone of voice had indicated that he knew exactly what would happen.

The chatter dulled to a tense silence, and I glanced around to see what had caused everyone to stop talking.

Charlotte stood at the doorway with a crutch under one arm and the other in a loose sling. I sucked in a breath through my teeth. The wretched cow fought me with the strength of a bull last night when I had tackled her to the ground. This had to be one of her sympathy-getting tactics. I straightened, ready to call her out on her deception, but Edward placed a hand on my forearm.

“Don’t distract the rest of the house from their grievance,” he whispered. “If you speak up against her, some might take her side over yours and forget her transgressions.”

I gave him a sharp nod and turned back to my spinach and cheese omelet. “Will you reclaim the head table?”

Edward shook his head, the faintest of smiles curving his full lips. “There’s no need for such an ostentatious display. Thanks to the three of you, I have everything I need.”

“Hear, hear.” Blake nodded. “The most damning of our secrets are out, and we’ve survived unscathed. His Grace has the best care money can buy, Chaloner has disappeared to hell and taken his mobsters with him, and we have a beautiful bedwarmer who suits all our tastes.”

My head snapped up. “Did you just compare me to a hot water bottle?”

“She’s more like a koala,” said Edward.