“And now he’s trying to show his nobility and take the blame for something he didn’t do,” Vlad said. “I attempted to poison Prince Nicholas. I put a gelatin capsule containing cyanide into his red wine at the start of the meal. I planned to be well away by the time it acted. I was not about to let him have the woman I love. I am just angry that I failed. I shall not fail a second time.”

“Vlad!” Matty ran toward him. “How could you? I trusted you. I loved you. I never thought for an instant . . .”

“For you, Maria,” Vlad said. “I did it for you. I didn’t want you to be condemned to marrying someone you didn’t love, when you loved me.”

“We went through that before,” Matty said. “I told you that my duty to my family came first and always will come first. Now put that gun down. You’re not going to shoot anyone.”

“Stand aside, Maria.” Vlad prodded her with the barrel of the pistol.

“You’ll have to shoot me first,” she said, eyeing him calmly and defiantly.

“Of course I don’t want to shoot you.” His voice had risen dangerously.

“I’m not going to let you shoot Nicholas,” Matty said, “or anybody else.”

“Why do you always have to be so bloody noble?” Vlad demanded.

“Because I was born to it,” Matty said.

“Damn you,” Vlad shouted. “Damn all of you to hell.”

Without warning he grabbed Matty around the throat and pulled her in front of him. “She’s coming with me,” he said. “Did you think I was going to give you up that easily?”

“You’re mad. Let go of me,” she gasped as the arm tightened around her throat.

Nicholas took a step toward them.

“Stay back,” Vlad warned. “I won’t hesitate to shoot her, you know. I have nothing to lose now. In fact, why not? Shoot her and then myself. At least we’ll be together in death.”

He was dragging her back to the door, which had now swung shut again. He was reaching behind him with the hand that held the gun when suddenly the door came flying open, catching him in the side of the head and knocking him off balance. As he staggered, Nicholas and Anton fell on him and overpowered him, while Patrascue dragged Matty clear. Vlad cried out in pain as he was pinned to the floor and Nicholas wrenched his arms up behind him.

In the doorway stood a grimy, disheveled and bewildered-looking Queenie.

“Sorry, miss, I didn’t mean to hit nobody, but they said you was in here,” she said. “He’s going to be all right, ain’t he?”

“Princess Maria is going to be all right, which is all that matters,” I said.

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

November 24
Finally going home. Can’t wait.