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Authors: Late for the Wedding
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No, sir, you did not."
She was Zachary's lover."
Elland's lover. I see. That explains a few things, I suppose."
They met in the spring before Waterloo. Aspasia conceived a
great passion for Elland, and he appeared equally enthralled by her.
They made plans to wed. When Zachary returned to his work as a
spy that summer, he used Aspasia's entree in Society to obtain
access to certain wealthy people. We believe that in addition to
using the introductions to gather intelligence, he also took advantage of those opportunities to acquire
some of his private clients."
Dear heaven."
One evening Aspasia stumbled onto the truth about how Elland
made his living. In her horror, she fled from him. I have often
wondered if the real reason he put the pistol to his head that night
was not because I was closing in on him but because he had lost the
woman he loved."
I find it rather difficult to believe that a killer would have such a
romantic sensibility," she muttered.
The odd thing is that, in his own way, Elland's nature was both
dramatic and romantic. He reminded me of an artist or poet who
lusts after any experience that will provide him with the highest
peaks of emotion and sensation."
Without regard to the price he must pay?"
Elland never counted the cost. He lived for the next thrill."
What did Aspasia do after she learned he had taken his own life?"
She was utterly distraught. It is the only time I have ever seen
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her in such a state. Elland was the only man she had ever truly
loved, and she was inconsolable. It was not just the fact that he had
taken his own life that wounded her so deeply."
It was that she had loved him and not seen the truth of his
nature?"
Yes. Aspasia is a woman of the world, as I'm sure you have
guessed. She considered herself too intelligent and too strong
minded to be deceived in matters of love. Zachary's deception shook
her to the core."
She told herself that she ought to feel some sympathy for
Aspasia, but every time she thought about how she had discovered
the other woman with her arms around Tobias's neck, she found it
impossible to summon up much pity.
Nevertheless, she had to admit, learning that one's lover was a
professional killer who took such a degree of satisfaction in his work
that he marked it with his personal signature was enough to give
any woman, even Cleopatra, a bad case of nerves.
I collect that you feel a sense of obligation in all this," she said.
And Misses Gray is no doubt playing on that sensibility. Does she
blame you for starting Elland down the path that led to his personal
destruction?"
She did not say as much aloud, but, yes, I suspect she does."
Rubbish," she said again, very harshly this time. Absolute
rubbish."
I think she also feels a measure of guilt, because she was the one
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
who helped him achieve the connections in Society that led to
certain murders."
Lavinia sighed. What a sad tale."
He opened his hand once more so that the candlelight flared on
the small skull and crossbones. And now it would seem that some
one is determined to retell it."
Surely you do not believe that Zachary Elland has come back
from the grave to resume his career?"
No, of course not. I myself found Elland's body, and I saw him
buried. But this new killer sent a ring such as this to Aspasia, and
I am quite certain that he intended for me to find this one
tonight."
An old acquaintance announcing that he is back in town?"
So it would seem. The discovery of the ring on her doorstep this
morning threw Aspasia into a panic. That is why she followed us
here."
Hmm."
Tobias frowned. What is it?"
I must tell you, sir, that Aspasia did not appear to be in a panic
tonight."
His mouth twisted wryly. She is hardly the type to succumb to a
fit of the
No, sir, you did not."
She was Zachary's lover."
Elland's lover. I see. That explains a few things, I suppose."
They met in the spring before Waterloo. Aspasia conceived a
great passion for Elland, and he appeared equally enthralled by her.
They made plans to wed. When Zachary returned to his work as a
spy that summer, he used Aspasia's entree in Society to obtain
access to certain wealthy people. We believe that in addition to
using the introductions to gather intelligence, he also took advantage of those opportunities to acquire
some of his private clients."
Dear heaven."
One evening Aspasia stumbled onto the truth about how Elland
made his living. In her horror, she fled from him. I have often
wondered if the real reason he put the pistol to his head that night
was not because I was closing in on him but because he had lost the
woman he loved."
I find it rather difficult to believe that a killer would have such a
romantic sensibility," she muttered.
The odd thing is that, in his own way, Elland's nature was both
dramatic and romantic. He reminded me of an artist or poet who
lusts after any experience that will provide him with the highest
peaks of emotion and sensation."
Without regard to the price he must pay?"
Elland never counted the cost. He lived for the next thrill."
What did Aspasia do after she learned he had taken his own life?"
She was utterly distraught. It is the only time I have ever seen
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
her in such a state. Elland was the only man she had ever truly
loved, and she was inconsolable. It was not just the fact that he had
taken his own life that wounded her so deeply."
It was that she had loved him and not seen the truth of his
nature?"
Yes. Aspasia is a woman of the world, as I'm sure you have
guessed. She considered herself too intelligent and too strong
minded to be deceived in matters of love. Zachary's deception shook
her to the core."
She told herself that she ought to feel some sympathy for
Aspasia, but every time she thought about how she had discovered
the other woman with her arms around Tobias's neck, she found it
impossible to summon up much pity.
Nevertheless, she had to admit, learning that one's lover was a
professional killer who took such a degree of satisfaction in his work
that he marked it with his personal signature was enough to give
any woman, even Cleopatra, a bad case of nerves.
I collect that you feel a sense of obligation in all this," she said.
And Misses Gray is no doubt playing on that sensibility. Does she
blame you for starting Elland down the path that led to his personal
destruction?"
She did not say as much aloud, but, yes, I suspect she does."
Rubbish," she said again, very harshly this time. Absolute
rubbish."
I think she also feels a measure of guilt, because she was the one
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
who helped him achieve the connections in Society that led to
certain murders."
Lavinia sighed. What a sad tale."
He opened his hand once more so that the candlelight flared on
the small skull and crossbones. And now it would seem that some
one is determined to retell it."
Surely you do not believe that Zachary Elland has come back
from the grave to resume his career?"
No, of course not. I myself found Elland's body, and I saw him
buried. But this new killer sent a ring such as this to Aspasia, and
I am quite certain that he intended for me to find this one
tonight."
An old acquaintance announcing that he is back in town?"
So it would seem. The discovery of the ring on her doorstep this
morning threw Aspasia into a panic. That is why she followed us
here."
Hmm."
Tobias frowned. What is it?"
I must tell you, sir, that Aspasia did not appear to be in a panic
tonight."
His mouth twisted wryly. She is hardly the type to succumb to a
fit of the
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