Part 41 (2/2)
Inside her pocket, her fingers tightened on the letter opener.
He stopped, leaving about six feet between them. ”I'll go when I get what I came for.”
She lifted her chin, refusing to let him intimidate her. ”And what is that?”
”As if you don't know.” His voice grew deeper, more menacing. ”You interfering little b.i.t.c.h.”
”Get out of my house.”
Lifting her voice, she called for the footmen, but they didn't arrive. Had he done something to them?
She pulled out the letter opener and held it in front of her like a weapon.
He laughed. ”You think that's going to stop me? You didn't learn much, did you, from when we were married?”
”I learned plenty, including what a vile waste of a human being you are.”
”Is that what you told her? I want to know.”
”Who?”
”Who?” he repeated, his words louder, then louder still until they were nearly a shout. ”Who? Miss Duxworth, of course. She broke off our engagement this morning. Turned me away with barely a word of explanation. I want to know what you said to her. I want to know what lies you put into her head.”
”I didn't tell her anything. I've never even met her.”
Actually, it had been Mathilda and Jane who had told her. Mathilda and Jane who had gone to Lydia Duxworth and explained to her exactly how much danger she would be in if she was foolish enough to marry Lord Kemp. Apparently their entreaties had been effective.
”Someone told her something to make her change her mind. Whatever the source, the information had to have come from you.”
”Then it cannot have been lies. Whatever her reasons for reconsidering your suit, she is well-off to be away from you.”
A red flush of fury crept up his neck and into his face.
He took another step forward. ”Two years I spent cultivating that relations.h.i.+p. Two years ingratiating myself to her parents, to her friends, so that she would say yes when the time was right. Now, in the matter of a few days, you've undone all my careful planning. All my hard work. She was the perfect one to marry. The right one to give me the heir you were too weak to provide.”
His eyes bulged, his chest and shoulder muscles taut with rage. ”I could kill you. I should have killed you years ago when I had the chance. It would have been a h.e.l.l of a lot easier to just put you in a grave when I had the chance. Maybe I'll do it now.”
”Get away from her, Kemp!”
It was Leo. Lawrence stood at his side.
Slowly, Gordon swung around. ”The valiant savior returns? What are you going to do, Byron? Hit me again?”
”Hitting you again would be a pleasure. Now step away from her.”
”You dare to give me orders, puppy?” He pointed at his chest. ”Me? A peer of the realm. You may think that family of yours gives you protection, but it wouldn't if I decided to pursue charges against you for a.s.sault.”
”If anyone is going to pursue charges, it would be me.” Leo pointed a finger. ”You are the one who barged into my house uninvited. The one who attacked my servants and threatened the woman I love. Now, I'm giving you one last chance to be gone, or I'll toss you out myself.”
Kemp gave a harsh laugh. ”Just try. You are nothing, you know. Just some trumped-up younger son who hasn't learned to respect his elders. I see that beating I arranged for you didn't drum any sense into your head after all.”
Leo arched a derisive brow. ”You're the one who lacks proper intelligence, Kemp. I heard you blaming Thalia for having had a hand in ending your engagement, but you're directing your anger at the wrong person. You see, I'm the one who saw to it that Miss Duxworth was given a thorough appraisal of your character. That she knows exactly the kind of cruel, callous b.a.s.t.a.r.d you are. That she's aware how you abused and tormented and lied about Thalia-a woman whose name you aren't even fit to speak.”
Kemp opened and closed his mouth, his fists clenched, arms trembling at his sides.
Leo took a pair of steps forward. ”Miss Duxworth's going to tell everyone in the Ton about you and this time they'll believe the truth. She's going to whisper in the ears of every girl of marriageable age and warn them to run as far and as fast from you as they can. You'll become a pariah, so tainted and condemned that no decent woman will have you. You'll never marry again. Never have that heir you want, Kemp. Just illegitimate b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who won't be able to inherit your t.i.tle or your estate.”
Leo leaned closer, as if imparting a secret. ”All your clever plans and machinations, your cruelty to Thalia, it will have been for naught. In the end, you will have nothing. And should Miss Duxworth fail to finish you off, Kemp, rest a.s.sured that my family and I will not.”
A roar came out of Kemp's mouth, his hands clenching so hard it looked as if his fingers might break. His skin turned the color of a ripe apple, red and s.h.i.+ning with a film of sweat from throat to hairline, eyes bulging in his head.
”You impudent whelp,” he said on a shout. ”You think you can best me? I'm going to destroy you and I'm going to destroy her too.” He jabbed a wild finger toward Thalia. ”By the time I'm through with the pair of you, you'll wish you'd-you'll wish-you'll-urgh-”
Suddenly he froze and clutched at his chest, his words turning to a wheezing sputter. He staggered, his lips wide, gasping as if he could no longer draw breath. His fingers clawed at his waistcoat, his cravat. He let out an odd, gagging moan, then crashed in a heap onto the floor, where he moved no more.
There was silence in the room as Thalia, Leo and Lawrence all stared.
She was the first to recover, hurrying to the door. ”Fletcher,” she called. ”Fletcher, fetch the doctor, now!”
”Thalia,” Leo said quietly.
Turning back, she found him kneeling beside Gordon.
”There is no need for the doctor,” he told her.
”Of course there is. He's collapsed. Whatever he's done, we cannot leave him like this. He needs someone to attend him.”
Leo exchanged a look with Lawrence; then he stood. ”No, he doesn't. Thalia, Kemp is dead.”
Chapter 36.
”Are you all right?” Leo asked Thalia several hours later as they settled together onto the sofa in the sitting room that adjoined their bedchamber.
Hera had joined them, the little tabby cat curling into her new favorite spot in the window seat. She'd made a bed out of one of Thalia's old woolen shawls, and not having the heart to dislodge her, Thalia had let her keep it.
”Of course,” Thalia said. ”It has just been an eventful day.”
”We ought to have canceled dinner.”
”No, I am glad your family came over.”
Even though the evening had been a quieter one than originally planned, without the games and the music, she'd been pleased to have the company. The confrontation with Gordon and his unexpected death had been shocking and unsettling.
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