Phantoms In Philadelphia (36 page)

There was a swish to her skirts, so I bolted away
from the door and back into the dining parlor. I closed the door
until there was only a crack, and I watched her leave the house.
Closing the door the rest of the way, I set the servants’ door key
on the table, and left through the same window that I had entered
through.

On my walk home, I worked through what I had heard.
Richard was after the artifacts for the Holy Order, Guinevere, it
seemed, knew the Holy Order personally, Richard sent all of his
servants away from his house, but a man with a gun was there. Was
he after Richard or Guinevere? Knowing Richard, there could only be
one answer, and that knowledge sealed my fate. I would extricate
Guinevere from Richard and Levitas, and then I would have her tell
me all about the Holy Order.

When I arrived home Leo, was busily packing my
trunks.

“Richard Hamilton is the lowest form of vermin,” I
said, using Guinevere’s apt word for him. “He had the audacity to
try to murder his own ward.” Leo’s face drained of all color. Odd
that, but I was too angry to dwell on it. “Did you get the parcel
that I ordered?” Leo went out without a word. When he returned, he
was holding a narrow box. “I must go to see Guinevere, and when I
return, I have some letters to write, but then, we will set
out.”

***

When Martha let me into Guinevere’s house, I heard
voices coming from the parlor. A man’s laughter made my shoulders
stiffen.

In all the times I had visited Guinevere, there had
never been another man present. I did not like the idea of her
entertaining gentlemen when she was betrothed to me. Not that I was
jealous. Not at all.

After handing my hat and gloves to Martha, I walked
to the parlor door. Guinevere and Edith were seated upon the sofa,
and General Harvey sat across from them. Guinevere smiled when she
saw me, but the smile did not reach her eyes as it usually did.

General Harvey turned to look at me, and waved
vigorously for me to enter the room. “Ah, John, fancy meeting you
here.” He gave me a sly wink. “Come bearing gifts I see.” He
pointed a finger at the box I was holding under my arm.

“It is merely a trifle, sir.” I turned to greet
Edith and Guinevere, but the latter I did without my usual
flourish. As I sat in a chair by the general, Guinevere engaged
Edith in conversation, but Edith appeared pale and unhappy.

The general leaned toward me speaking softly. “My
girl there wanted to pay a call upon Miss Clark and begged me to
escort her. Never like her to go out unattended, you understand.”
He did not give me a moment to reply before he changed subjects. “I
hear that Mr. Madison has left town for good; a sad affair indeed.
So unfortunate for your dear sister, but, so I expected it. He was
not the man for her. No, indeed.”

My fury roared to life. It was the general’s fault
that Bess had been so unhappy, and I could not resist the
opportunity to put the general in his place. “On the contrary, we
expect his return within a week.” I leaned in my chair toward him.
“If you will not spread it about, I can tell you that he has
requested to pay his addresses to her.”

“Indeed,” replied the general in a hollow voice. He
turned from me to look at the two ladies on the sofa. “Come, Edith.
I believe it is time that we were leaving. We have trespassed too
long upon Miss Clark’s valuable time.” Harvey rose, and Edith
followed suit. She bid farewell to Guinevere and moved to my side
as the general spoke to Guinevere.

“I do so miss your sister’s company and our rides
together.” Edith looked close to tears, but I did not understand
why.

“You should have Harvey drive you out to the house
one day. Bess would love to see you. As it is, I am heading there
myself today. Perhaps I shall see you within the next few
days.”

Edith’s brown eyes were weary. “Perhaps. Good day,
Mr. Martin.” She dipped a small curtsey and followed the general to
the door.

I bid her farewell, and once the Harvey’s were gone,
Guinevere reseated herself, sighing deeply. “I am glad they have
departed. How tiresome his conversation is, and she, was there ever
such a meek little mouse.”

Leaning back in my chair, I smiled. “I have heard it
said that the meek shall inherit the earth. What say you to
that?”

Guinevere gave her first real smile since I arrived,
“Then I am a lost soul, for I would never be considered meek.”

She was the delight of my life.

Guinevere folded her hands in her lap. “What is this
I hear of you removing to the country? Are you so averse to my
company?”

“Perish the thought! My mother has need of me, and I
have a desire to be with my sister for what time we have left
together.”

She smiled knowingly. “Ah yes,
Andrew Madison is to propose. I heard you telling the general. I am
happy for her, but please do not propose a double wedding.” I cast
her an innocent look, making her laugh. “I know that your poetical
nature would find that romantic, but when I marry,” she sighed, “I
want it to be a small affair, on a hillside somewhere.”

“I shall commit that to memory,” I promised.

After a moment, she asked, “Is that for me?”

I picked up the box and took it to her. “It is a
trifle.”

Guinevere accepted the box casting me a curious look
before lifting the lid. She stared down at the long dagger. The
sheath was ivory with a sunset painted on it, and engraved within
the gold handle was a heart with the initials J and G in the
center. She slowly lifted her eyes to mine.

I grinned as I sat beside her and removed the dagger
from the box. I ordered it the day after the picnic, before I ever
proposed, before I knew that she was the white phantom and could
protect herself. I held it gently in my hand.

“I know that it may appear an unsuitable gift to
give a lady, but as there have been so many disappearances, and you
insist upon going out unchaperoned,” I took her hand in mine when
she started to speak, “it would do my mind good to know that you
have some weapon with which to defend yourself. That is all.” I
kissed the back of her hand. “Do you know how to use such a
weapon?”

Guinevere leaned across the space between us and
pressed her lips against mine. It was a fleeting, soft brush of the
lips, but had the power to ignite a flame within me. I wanted to
let that flame expand into a forest fire, but she broke away. It
took all of my restraint not to pull her into my arms.

“Thank you, Jack. Have no fear about me, I shall do
well.”

I cleared my throat, but it was my
passion that I was trying to clear. “You relieve my mind. Now, my
love, I must be going. There is much for me to do before I set out
for the country.”
And I must get out of
here before my passion for you causes me to lose control.
“I hope to return in a week, but should you have
need of me at any time, do send word.”

She walked with me to the front door, but hesitated
to open it. She turned to me and placed one hand against my cheek,
staring intently into my eyes. Dangling from her wrist was the
bracelet I had made for her when I proposed. My arm instinctively
found its way around her waist like it had the previous night, and
I drew her to me.

Our lips met softly, but holding her, safe, alive,
knowing that she was a victim of Levitas, my feelings came to the
fore. I placed a hand at the back of her neck, my fingers brushing
the tendrils at her nape, and I was lost. My mouthed moved over
hers with the urgency of a man who has been deprived of drink for
too long. Hot, demanding need was increasing in me. I wanted her
closer, every part of her against all of me. Her hands moved to my
hair as she leaned closer. The room faded away, and all thoughts of
Phantoms, plots, plans and warnings left my mind in that sweet
moment. There was nothing but us, and I knew that I loved her with
my whole being. I would do all within my power to keep her. She
moaned softly against my mouth. I thought I would come out of my
skin for all the desire filling me. I wanted her, craved her in
every pore, every joint.

A voice cleared from behind us, forcing me to back
to the room and reality. I pulled my head back but did not release
her. I brushed my thumb across her lips as I stared into her eyes
filled with love and longing.

Fiend seize her errant
chaperone!
I stepped away, turning to see
Martha standing on the stairs with her hands akimbo
on her plump hips.

“Young man, where I come from, when a man gives
kisses like those, he had better be prepared to marry the
girl.”

“Ma’am, I genuinely concur.” I bowed, placed my hat
on my head and turned back to Guinevere. She held out her hand, and
I kissed the back, then kissed the small heart on her bracelet. “I
leave my heart here, with you.”

“Then return soon to reclaim it,” she whispered
before stepping away from the door.

My ride home was spent in thought, about Guinevere
and the adventures we could have after I removed her from Richard’s
clutches. With my new fortune, we could go anywhere, do anything.
She would never have to worry, would never be used for others gain.
I would protect her; cherish her as she deserves.

When I arrived home, my mind was occupied with
thoughts of Guinevere, and I did not notice Leo until after I had
stripped off my gloves and laid them with my hat on the table. One
look at his face and I was on my guard.

“What is amiss?”

“Here, John,” a man’s voice said from my library,
and a cold feeling swept over me.

My hands balled into fists at my sides as I stomped
into my library. “Frederick.”

Frederick was lounging on the sofa with a cigar
sticking out of his mouth and a book in his lap. He blew a cloud of
smoke toward me. “A fine home you have, my friend. Fine
indeed.”

Every ounce of me wanted to grab Frederick by his
throat and escort him, none too kindly, from my house, but I
resisted. “You do not know how relieved I am that you approve.” I
cut the pleasantries. “What are you doing here?”

Frederick smirked at me. “Why, did you not know that
your sister sent for me? Yes, indeed she did. Said she required my
assistance in the capture of Levitas.” Frederick looked pleased
over that.

No wonder Bess agreed to Monroe’s
suggestion to send for Frederick. She had already done so. “What
are you doing in
my
house?”

Frederick laughed and took another puff on his
cigar. Leaning his head back, he blew a circle of smoke in front of
him. “I understand that you have not yet located George.”

The smile that touched my lips was more a sneer.
“But we have. We received word from one of our informant that he
was found in New York. Safe and alive.”

Frederick stared at me, but there was no amusement
left in his eyes. “Rowland?”

I nodded. Freddy sprang up suddenly from the sofa.
“Jack, Rowland has been dead a year.”

No! That would mean...

“You have been duped, my friend. George is still a
captive.”

Bess

W
hen
Mother and I first arrived in the country, I thought monotony would
be my lot, but for the last two days, Jericho and I had been riding
out to watch Stark Manor. I had a feeling that I could not shake.
The only connections between all the stories of the disappearances
was the carriage and the direction that it left the city. Somewhere
around Stark Manor there had to be a place where they were keeping
the people they snatched. Unless they were dead, but I would not
believe that. It would serve no purpose. From what Leo could
discover every person taken owed money, or their family did, to
Richard. Surely ransom would be the course he would
take.

Jericho and I had searched all over the property,
but found no place where those people could be kept. We had
searched Stark Manor before and found no clues, but I was sure they
had to be there somewhere.

We were across the road from Stark Manor, lying on
our bellies in the middle of the woods, and I had my mother’s opera
glasses up, patrolling the area, when a rider came into view.

As soon as I saw the auburn hair, I smiled.
Guinevere did not stop at Stark; she rode past without a care in
the world. Jericho and I were on our feet and mounted within
seconds. We stayed hidden in the trees until she turned off the
road, cutting through the woods ahead of us. She had not seen us,
and she did not look around as she rode deeper into the trees until
she was half a mile from my mother’s house.

What she could possibly be doing was not clear until
a small cottage with smoke coming from a chimney came into view.
There were trees all around, but the weather had stripped many of
their leaves, so seeing Guinevere stop outside the cottage was
simple, even from a distance.

We left our horses and moved ahead on foot as she
knocked on the door. It opened, and a large man with a pockmarked
face stepped out, followed by George.

Sucking in a quick breath, relief and disbelief
tumbled in me. Jericho looked as astonished. George was pushed down
to a wooden bench that was against the front of the cottage and
Guinevere spoke to him. She was wearing her cloak and mask, but now
that I knew who she was, I could see it in the way she walked, and
held herself. We were fools ever to have thought that she was
Hannah.

Guinevere looked over her shoulder,
straight to where we were hiding, and
smiled
.
She
knew we were there.

“You get George, I will handle her,” I said to
Jericho, who took out his pistol, aimed, and shot the man standing
over George.