Part 24 (1/2)
This was far worse than the attack from those Italian brigands that had crippled Luigi. They had only wanted money and were content with beating him senseless once they got it. This could only end in death.
Thump thump... thump...
”Stop!” Mary's voice split the darkness, drowning the wheel.
His heart froze. What in Hades was she doing here?
Ruddy paused, his arm poised to strike.
”Drop the knife,” she ordered, stepping into the flickering candlelight. One hand nearly obscured a tiny pistol, but her expression rivaled the furies. Blue ice flashed in her eyes. Her voice sliced the air like tempered steel. And despite the pistol's diminutive size, its barrel yawned as wide as a cannon.
Hope kindled in his breast-and joy. But they were immediately swamped by terror. Ruddy was insane. What would he do to Mary?
”Drop it,” she repeated coldly.
”Not b.l.o.o.d.y likely,” swore Ruddy. The knife descended.
”Run,” shouted James at the same moment. He couldn't bear to have her witness his death. ”I lo-”
An explosion obliterated his words.
”Aaah!” screeched Ruddy, grabbing his leg. The knife twisted, slamming against James's side, then bounced free to clatter onto the floor a foot from his face. Ruddy fell behind him.
James gasped, rolling to dodge Ruddy's kick. Stars danced through his head with the change of position, but he fought down the darkness. Mary might need help.
”Don't move, Mr. Ruddy,” she snapped, the steel clear in her voice. She pulled out a second pistol, c.o.c.king it to drop the trigger into place. ”The next shot will hit your heart. If that doesn't kill you, I'll try again. m.u.f.f pistols are wonderful weapons. Half a dozen will fit in a pocket.”
Ruddy froze. Mary was now only six feet away. He had no doubt she would make good her words.
”Are you all right?” She glanced briefly at James.
”I'll live.” Thanks to her, but he couldn't say that yet. The situation was still precarious. Terror swirled through her eyes. He doubted she had even a third pistol. How long until Ruddy deduced that?
”Can you slide away from him?” She stooped to pick up the knife, keeping her eyes on Ruddy and the pistol steady.
He didn't waste energy answering. Searing pain burned through the cuts on his arm and leg, and sharper stabs radiated from kicks to his groin, ribs, and spine, but he humped across the floor until he was out of Ruddy's reach. Only then did he gingerly sit up.
Keeping the pistol steady, she sawed through the rope that bound his hands, nicking him twice, but he remained silent. The moment the cord parted, he grabbed the knife and freed his legs.
Ruddy was whimpering, still clutching his thigh. Mary's bullet had pa.s.sed clear through, leaving a gaping hole in the back. Blood pooled on the floor.
Fighting down nausea and light-headedness, he tied Ruddy's arms and legs, then collapsed with his head between his knees.
”Lord Ridgeway was telling the truth,” Mary declared, unc.o.c.king the pistol and returning it to her pocket. ”John often impersonated his brother, but I've never known James to do so. John was a liar. You should have realized that. Everyone else does.”
”Ha!” snorted Ruddy.
”It's true. I've caught John impersonating James more than once. As has Cotter, Turnby, and several others. Didn't you know that James left England ten years ago and did not return for five years? Even then, he stayed away from Ridgeway, for John had thrown him out following their father's funeral.”
She ripped a strip from her petticoat as she talked, first bandaging James's cuts, then giving him the rest so he could stop Ruddy's bleeding.
”I was in London when John attacked your daughter,” James said as he worked. ”If you need proof, ask the Regent. On the night your daughter died, I was at Cariton House with two thousand others, celebrating the prince's elevation to his new office.”
”Ha!” snorted Ruddy again. ”Why would the prince invite a younger son and not the earl?”
”You aren't the only one who had grievances against my brother,” said James sadly. ”Refusing John an invitation to the most prestigious event of the Season was a cut direct from Crown to subject.”
”Oh, no!” Mary's soft gasp drew the men's attention. ”Frederick was also cut that night. No wonder they came home without warning.”
”And no wonder they were looking for trouble,” James finished for her. ”Inviting me emphasized the cut, proving that even John's t.i.tle brought him no power and no respect in higher circles.”
”So they would have sought to prove their power here.” Her voice cracked.
”The inn fire. Wilson's farm.” He should have seen it sooner, he realized in despair. But he had not connected the dates.
”But why attack my Alice?” demanded Ruddy.
”I heard she went to Ridgeway to ask for a position,” said Mary. ”Perhaps she wanted a peek at the house, or maybe she sought a glimpse of the earl. She would not have realized that she was putting herself in danger.”
”My Alice was a good girl,” insisted Ruddy.
”I'm sure she was,” agreed James. ”But that would not have stopped my brother.”
”Or my husband,” added Mary.
”Especially when they were spoiling for trouble. Her fate would have been the same if she were a saint.”
Ruddy crumpled, a broken man. ”I wronged you, my lord. You're right that he was a liar. He told me straight out, even through pain, that it was you. He swore he'd not been here. He swore he'd been in London celebrating with the Regent. I didn't believe him at first-and things had gone too far to let him go anyway-but the words ate at me. I couldn't take a chance. Alice deserved better.”
”How did Alice die?” asked James.
”They ravished her.” Tears trickled down Ruddy's cheeks. ”Both of them. She lost count of how many times, but she was desperate to escape, so when they left her alone, she tried to run. But she was so weak, she stumbled and hit her head on the corner of a table. When they found her, they thought she was dead. Ridgeway was furious at Northrup for leaving her, so he made Northrup dispose of the body. She tried to tell them she was alive, but she couldn't make her voice work. Northrup took her out to the quarry and dumped her.”
”How did she survive that?” demanded James.
”It were the nearest end, which isn't so steep as up by the road. I musta happened on her almost immediately.”
He didn't ask what Ruddy had been doing on Ridgeway land. If he hadn't been looking for Alice, he had undoubtedly been poaching.
”She lived long enough to tell you the tale?” asked Mary softly.
Ruddy nodded. ”Poor Alice. Her hair was soaked in blood, and her face was so pale. I figured G.o.d helped her survive that long so's I could avenge her death.”
”I doubt it, but you'll have to make peace with G.o.d yourself.”
”She died almost immediately. I carried her home and let on that she had influenza. Enough others were afflicted that no one questioned it. My wife was attending her mother's deathbed, and I hoped to spare her the pain of knowing how Allie died.” His voice suddenly hardened. ”I'd hardly got her settled when Northrup showed up, raising a ruckus in the shop. He called my Allie a lazy s.l.u.t for not being there-as if he didn't know where she was. I couldn't s.h.i.+rk my duty after that.” His eyes closed, shutting his pain inside.
”What now?” Mary asked James quietly.