Read Online Accomplished In Murder by Dara England - Free Book Online Page A

felt the railing behind her. She
was growing increasingly desperate.
    Southorn seemed to sense her fear. “In case
you were thinking of screaming,” he said, “if I were you, I’d save
my breath. You’ll soon be needing it. Anyway, I assure you, there
is no one near enough to hear.”
    “What are you going to do?” she asked.
    He twined the silk neck cloth around his
hands. “I’ve always thought strangulation must be a rather
satisfying way to kill,” he said conversationally. “What do you
think? I imagine it would feel…what’s the word? Empowering?”
    “Barbaric?” she suggested. “Beastly?”
    “Now you’re hurling insults. I think that
means we’ve talked long enough. Shall we draw this delightful
conversation to a close?”
    He lunged at her.
    His movement was so sudden she scarcely had
time to react. She attempted to dodge aside but her clumsy skirts
tripped her up, so that she ended up sprawling across the roof
stones.
    Unable to stop, he slammed into the railing
where she had stood mere seconds ago.
    The ancient structure groaned beneath his
weight and gave way.
     
     
     

Chapter Thirteen
     
    Drucilla watched out the train window as the
dark figure of Lord Litchfield standing back on the railway
platform was enveloped in a cloud of smoke.
    He had been kind enough to drive Drucilla,
Aunt Bridget, the maids, and their baggage to the Morcastle station
immediately following the double funeral of his younger son and his
daughter-in-law. Considering Drucilla was at least partially
responsible for his youngest son’s death and the revelation of his
elder son’s shocking affairs, it seemed a generous action.
    The lord had maintained admirable composure
following what happened with Southorn. There was grief in his eyes
to be sure but not shock. Perhaps some part of him had always
suspected Southorn’s inner darkness but refused to accept it.
    As for Absalom, he found his courage during
the aftermath of Southorn’s death. He was determined to acknowledge
Evita as his wife. Between them, Drucilla and Lord Litchfield
managed to persuade him to a better course of action: to allow it
to be believed that he and Evita had married only after Celeste’s death. This would spare Celeste’s London family further
grief and would lessen the scandal surrounding the entire
business.
    But the greatest surprise was to be found in
Lord Litchfield, who took Absalom’s marriage in better stride than
would have been expected.
    “It’s all due to you, you know,” Absalom told
Drucilla during an aside before her departure. “He’s a milder man
when you’re about. For that reason, I hope we can count on future
visits from you again.”
    His words were oddly echoed by his father a
short time later.
    “I hope your visit to Blackridge House was
not so distasteful as to discourage you even visiting our part of
the country again,” Lord Litchfield said during the carriage ride
to the depot.
    “My household is a sober one at present, but
we would welcome the distraction of seeing you again at any time.
In fact, in the unlikely event I find myself in London someday, I
hope you will permit me to call on you. I realize there is a
disparity in our ages but, to be blunt, I find your company
stimulating.”
    Started at this revelation, Drucilla glanced
at Aunt Bridget, who was somehow managing to doze against the door
as the carriage jounced along the bumpy road. At the old lady’s
feet was the basket of restless cats, too precious to ride in the
separate conveyance provided for the maids and baggage.
    Drucilla said cautiously, “I fear you may
find me overly frank, my lord, but I believe candor is called for
in this instance. You see, I understand how your mind works
regarding matters of, well, courtship and matrimony. So I think it
only honest to save you a great deal of time by informing you
straight off that my family, though respectable, is by no means
wealthy.”
    He smiled. “And allow me to assure you