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Back Cardinal Black Save as PDF
Chapters (44)
  1. Title Page
  2. One: Into the Storm
  3. One
  4. Two
  5. Three
  6. Four
  7. Five
  8. Six
  9. Seven
  10. Two: London Calling
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Twelve
  16. Thirteen
  17. Fourteen
  18. Fifteen
  19. Three: The Malignant Seven
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-One
  26. Twenty-Two
  27. Twenty-Three
  28. Four: Squirrels and Cats
  29. Twenty-Four
  30. Twenty-Five
  31. Twenty-Six
  32. Twenty-Seven
  33. Twenty-Eight
  34. Twenty-Nine
  35. Thirty
  36. Thirty-One
  37. Thirty-Two
  38. Five: Revelation
  39. Thirty-Three
  40. Thirty-Four
  41. Thirty-Five
  42. Thirty-Six
  43. Thirty-Seven
  44. About the Author

“Wrong.” Hudson put his hands on the edge of Fell’s desk and pushed his face toward the professor. His eyes darkened. In an instant he became a fearsome ogre. “I was on fucking pins-and-needles waiting for Matthew to come back. Thinking every day and every night he’d been killed. Couldn’t sleep, had to drink myself into a stupor. And thinking about Berry over there in that house being turned into the Nashes’ pretend daughter, and unable to do a thing about it. Maybe everyone has a different opinion of what Hell is, sir, but I can tell you that for me, Hell is having to sit on my hands while people I care about are out there at risk. So … you’d better load up the muskets, sharpen the swords, call in the sharks or whatever else you do to kill people around here, because you’ll have to kill me to keep me from going with Matthew on this … venture,” he said, finishing with a slur of sarcasm.

The professor stared into Hudson’s eyes. For a few seconds Matthew thought they would come to blows right then and there. At last Fell broke the impasse and looked over at Julian.

“Not me!” Julian said, lifting his hands. “I’m not going to any damned Italy, no matter what you say!”

Professor Fell seemed to wilt in his chair. In a matter of seconds he was transformed from the master of his world to a frail old man in a crimson cap and robe that screamed too loudly of wealth and importance. He looked to Matthew as if he needed to take out his teeth and call for a hot toddy.

“I’m going,” said Hudson, taking advantage of the obviously weakened moment. “That’s the end of it.”

Fell stared at his hands. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and in all honesty very weary. “All of you, get out. Go to the tavern and the hospital. Or do as you wish. Matthew, do you want to go see her?”

“I advised against it until he’d gotten some rest,” said Hudson.

“Yes. I see. All right, Matthew. Tomorrow morning. I’ll have Firebaugh meet you there, say around nine o’clock. You’re still in the house on Lionfish Street. Whatever you need, ask at the tavern.” Fell waved a hand for them to go. Julian stood from the chair with an arm up from Matthew. Before they reached the stairs, Fell said, “I will have you know that I believed in both of you, Matthew and Julian. I think you have done the impossible … but I believed in both of you. Good work.”

They descended the stairs and left the house.