Chapters (50)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- The Pengarron Sagas
- The Harvey Family Sagas
With lightning speed he thrust a long blade into the tree, beside her neck. ‘With this very knife – the traditional blow to the heart. I’d hardly stepped off my ship when Sir Decimus handed me the contract on him. Sir Decimus thought it would make things more interesting, me being Luke’s cousin. Longbourne died quickly, if that’s any comfort to you. I’m not a sadist.’
Alicia opened her mouth to scream but did not get the chance to utter it. He clamped a hand over her mouth. ‘Longbourne threatened to name names. I’m certain anyone foolish enough to try to blackmail the Society would’ve had evidence stashed away somewhere. You think Luke has it, don’t you? I’ve seen you searching Polgissey when he wasn’t there. Where is it, Sophia? Tell me now or my knife will find its way into your heart, and then Jack’s.’
‘Stand back from her or I swear I’ll kill you!’ Bartholomew turned his head a fraction.
Luke was there, harsh-faced and sober, a short firearm held out at full length, his expression deadly. ‘I meant it, Cousin. Move away from her or I’ll shoot you where you stand.’ Bartholomew loosened his grip on Alicia. She kept her terror-filled eyes on him. He gazed at Luke with an ice-cold smile. ‘You know what I want, Luke. Hand it over and I swear neither I nor the Society will ever bother you again.’
Luke aimed the weapon between Bartholomew’s eyes. ‘Do you think I trust anything you say? The Society owns you body and soul.’
‘Believe this, Cousin. I wouldn’t hesitate to carry out the Society’s policy and remove all witnesses to Longbourne’s death, except for one man. Your father. I owe him everything. He has my first loyalty. I didn’t come here intending to kill this woman. If I was forced to, and then had to kill Jack, I might even have to kill you. No, I couldn’t murder my uncle’s son and heir, nor mar his estate with a Society killing, it would bring him into Sir Decimus’s scope of attention, and you know how dangerous he is.
‘I’ve written to Sir Decimus, stating that Jack’s married a local servant and you are content with your new estate and pastime. He trusts me, you need never fear him again. You can read the letter, take it to the post yourself, if you so choose. Then the three of you can go on with your lives. But you do see, if Longbourne had written down the evidence he said he had, I can’t allow it to continue to exist. Show me, and we’ll destroy it together, and you can watch me add to my letter that I’m confident such evidence was just the prattlings of a pathetic man.’