Page 76 of The Untamed Heart

Chapter 21

Beauty’s Revenge

Seagull Heights, Little Valentine, East Sussex, 1st October 1816

“Where is it?”

Eustacia tried to keep her expression impassive as she stared at Keller, but it was hard. This man had tried to kill Marcus, but Marcus had shown himself to be a hero. Not the kind who seeks glory for the fanfare, to gain the admiration of others and acclaim for himself. Simply a man who was brave and true and tried to do what was best.

She knew what it was Keller wanted, but she was damned if she would help him find it.

“Where is what?”

Keller’s jaw tightened. “The bloody portrait. You know what.”

“Not here. I finished it a few days ago.”

This was a blatant lie. Even if she had finished, which she had not, the paint was too wet, and she would have to wait a couple of weeks at the very least before considering transporting it. But Keller would destroy it if he got the chance, and she would never allow that. If she died today, she would leave that as her legacy: a portrait of the very best of men, by the woman who loved him.

“Don’t lie to me, missy. I know very well you’ve had nothing large transported in the past few days, for I’ve been watching the house.”

Eustacia shuddered at the notion he had been outside for so long, spying on them, but she held her nerve. Meeting his eye, she spoke evenly.

“It is in a large, sturdy crate which has been nailed shut and it would take you considerable time and effort to pry it free.”

He laughed, and she saw a glimpse of the man he might have been if envy and indolence hadn’t taken hold of him. He might have been handsome, might have so easily been the man whose image sat alongside Marcus’s. But he believed everything wrong in his life was someone else’s fault, instead of looking closer to home.

“You are sweet to worry for me, pet, but that’s of no matter. I don’t wish to look at it. I only wish to rid the world of that man’s false image. The crate will simply help it burn. Now, where is it? And don’t lie, else it will be the worse for you.”

Eustacia swallowed. The crate was ready and waiting for the portrait, but it was very obviously empty. He’d know at once that she had lied. So, it mattered little if there really was a crate or not. The most important thing was to get him out of the house, where he would be most vulnerable.

Seb had to have been right: Hawkney, Darenth, and Sheringham were still out there, as well as Marcus. If she could lead Keller outside, they might have a chance.

“You’d best tell me, pet,” he said softly, stroking the heavy barrel of the gun across her cheek.

Eustacia closed her eyes as her stomach knotted, but Marcus had endured the Hollow Road, and she could endure this.

“I-It’s in the g-garden shed ready for collection,” she stammered, not having to work to sound terrified.

“There. That wasn’t so hard, was it? Come along then, show me. But I warn you, if this is a trick, you’ll have a bullet in your brain before you’ve time to regret it.”

Eustacia nodded, almost sick with fear. “I u-understand.” She took a step towards the front door, but he stopped her.

“Ah, ah, not so fast, sweetheart. I’m not so much a fool that I’d let you step outside the front door where anyone can take a pot shot at me. No, pet. Out the back, if you please.”

Eustacia nodded and walked to the back door, now splintered and broken, where he had shot out the lock. She let herself out and slowly, with every sense alert for the men she knew must be here somewhere, or at least drawing near, she made her way through the garden, Keller following close behind. Each step seemed to take her closer to her own demise, for she feared she knew what he intended.

As Darenth had predicted, Keller wanted to hurt Marcus, to make him suffer, so he would destroy his portrait, destroy the woman he loved, and finally destroy his reputation and blacken his soul by allowing Marcus to kill him. Perhaps he hoped they would both die this day. She did not know, nor care. She only knew she would not allow it.

“Get a bloody move on!”

Keller shoved her hard, making her stumble and Eustacia took a moment to right herself. It broke her heart that this dreadful scene would play out here, in the garden Marcus loved so much. But there was no help for it. She walked on, praying silently, until a voice so very familiar and so very dear made her heart leap.

“Let her go, Keller.”

Eustacia turned around, uncertain where the voice had come from, knowing only that it was Marcus.

Keller swung around, searching the garden for any sign of the man he’d come here to destroy.