Read Online His Lordship Possessed by Lynn Viehl - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynn Viehl
Ads: Link
I’d
barely given him a chance to tell me anything before
my temper had gotten the best of me. “How much am I
worth dead?”
“Twenty.”
I felt a little miff ed. “Surely I’m worth more than
twenty pounds.”
“You are. He gave me twenty thousand.” He checked
his watch. “Connell will have the coach out back by now.
Come.”
Still reeling from the thought that my death would
be worth a small fortune to Nolan Walsh, I followed
Dredmore out into the hall and down the back stairs.
Almira intercepted us by the kitchen.
“You sneaking away without paying, milord?”
Dredmore placed enough coin in her hand to make
67
Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 67
7/15/13 10:25 AM
LYNN VIEHL
the cook gasp aloud. “If anyone asks,” he told her, “please
tell them that you saw me leave with Miss Kittredge, and
that she was fi ghting me.”
“Miss Kit?” Almira peered round him. “You’re not
fi ghting this gent.”
“Tell anyone who asks that I did.” I pushed back the
hood enough so that she could see my face. “And please,
do tell Rina I’ll be in touch when it’s safe.”
Dredmore hustled me out into the side alley, where
Connell was waiting with the coach. I peered up at him,
hoping to see a hint of Harry in his face, but the man
ignored me. Dredmore retrieved a woolen blanket from
the rear-facing seat, wrapping it about me before he
scooped me up and placed me on his lap.
“I can sit over there,” I told him.
“Th is is warmer.” He glanced out through the side
window before clamping an arm round my neck. “We’re
being watched. Struggle.”
Out of refl ex I did, and then I caught a glimpse of two
nobbers trotting toward the coach. “Let go of me, you
bastard,” I cried out, loud enough for them to hear before
the horses were slapped and the coach took off .
Dredmore released me as soon as we were out of view
and called up, “Go to the blackstone, Connell. Stay to
the alleys.”
I slid off his lap as soon as he removed his arm, but
stayed close to him. “You have a house in the city?”
“Several.” He tucked in the blanket round me before
leaning his head back and closing his eyes. A shaft of
68
Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 68
7/15/13 10:25 AM
Disench anted & Co., Part 1
light from a gaslamp we passed briefl y illuminated his
weary features.
“You haven’t slept.”
“I imagined I’d fi nd you in some gutter today,” he
said, his voice low. “With your throat cut and your blood
draining into the sewers. It was not an image I found
conducive to slumber.”
“As if your beheading that snuff mage should give me
sweet dreams?” I pulled the blanket up under my chin.
“Maybe it would have been better all the way round if I’d
ended up in the gaol.”
“Better.” He turned his head to regard me. “Walsh’s
consortium controls most of the city, including the police
and the courts. You’d have been found dead in your cell
within an hour of your incarceration.”
“Speaking of murder for hire, why would Walsh off er
you twenty thousand, simply to kill a nobody like me?”
My feet were freezing, so I tucked them up under me.
“He’s frantic to see you dead, but I can’t fathom why,”
Dredmore admitted. “It’s gone beyond the truth behind
the attacks on his wife. Something happened last night
that made him terrifi ed of you.”
“What?” I thought back over the dinner. “I know I
spoke out of turn a few times, but he mostly ignored
me. Th e only time he became really agitated was when I
challenged him.”
“Lady Walsh is a pawn in a much larger game.”
He felt me shivering and pulled me closer, lifting one
side of the blanket over him in order to share his body
69
Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 69
7/15/13 10:25 AM
LYNN VIEHL
heat. “When you spoke of the wound paste, he reacted
strangely. He stared at you for several moments.”
I remembered that look. “As if he were seeing me for
the fi rst time. But
barely given him a chance to tell me anything before
my temper had gotten the best of me. “How much am I
worth dead?”
“Twenty.”
I felt a little miff ed. “Surely I’m worth more than
twenty pounds.”
“You are. He gave me twenty thousand.” He checked
his watch. “Connell will have the coach out back by now.
Come.”
Still reeling from the thought that my death would
be worth a small fortune to Nolan Walsh, I followed
Dredmore out into the hall and down the back stairs.
Almira intercepted us by the kitchen.
“You sneaking away without paying, milord?”
Dredmore placed enough coin in her hand to make
67
Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 67
7/15/13 10:25 AM
LYNN VIEHL
the cook gasp aloud. “If anyone asks,” he told her, “please
tell them that you saw me leave with Miss Kittredge, and
that she was fi ghting me.”
“Miss Kit?” Almira peered round him. “You’re not
fi ghting this gent.”
“Tell anyone who asks that I did.” I pushed back the
hood enough so that she could see my face. “And please,
do tell Rina I’ll be in touch when it’s safe.”
Dredmore hustled me out into the side alley, where
Connell was waiting with the coach. I peered up at him,
hoping to see a hint of Harry in his face, but the man
ignored me. Dredmore retrieved a woolen blanket from
the rear-facing seat, wrapping it about me before he
scooped me up and placed me on his lap.
“I can sit over there,” I told him.
“Th is is warmer.” He glanced out through the side
window before clamping an arm round my neck. “We’re
being watched. Struggle.”
Out of refl ex I did, and then I caught a glimpse of two
nobbers trotting toward the coach. “Let go of me, you
bastard,” I cried out, loud enough for them to hear before
the horses were slapped and the coach took off .
Dredmore released me as soon as we were out of view
and called up, “Go to the blackstone, Connell. Stay to
the alleys.”
I slid off his lap as soon as he removed his arm, but
stayed close to him. “You have a house in the city?”
“Several.” He tucked in the blanket round me before
leaning his head back and closing his eyes. A shaft of
68
Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 68
7/15/13 10:25 AM
Disench anted & Co., Part 1
light from a gaslamp we passed briefl y illuminated his
weary features.
“You haven’t slept.”
“I imagined I’d fi nd you in some gutter today,” he
said, his voice low. “With your throat cut and your blood
draining into the sewers. It was not an image I found
conducive to slumber.”
“As if your beheading that snuff mage should give me
sweet dreams?” I pulled the blanket up under my chin.
“Maybe it would have been better all the way round if I’d
ended up in the gaol.”
“Better.” He turned his head to regard me. “Walsh’s
consortium controls most of the city, including the police
and the courts. You’d have been found dead in your cell
within an hour of your incarceration.”
“Speaking of murder for hire, why would Walsh off er
you twenty thousand, simply to kill a nobody like me?”
My feet were freezing, so I tucked them up under me.
“He’s frantic to see you dead, but I can’t fathom why,”
Dredmore admitted. “It’s gone beyond the truth behind
the attacks on his wife. Something happened last night
that made him terrifi ed of you.”
“What?” I thought back over the dinner. “I know I
spoke out of turn a few times, but he mostly ignored
me. Th e only time he became really agitated was when I
challenged him.”
“Lady Walsh is a pawn in a much larger game.”
He felt me shivering and pulled me closer, lifting one
side of the blanket over him in order to share his body
69
Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 69
7/15/13 10:25 AM
LYNN VIEHL
heat. “When you spoke of the wound paste, he reacted
strangely. He stared at you for several moments.”
I remembered that look. “As if he were seeing me for
the fi rst time. But
Similar Books
