Strike at Midnight(73)
“It was twisted that a hateful man like Lord Camembert got to have her while I didn’t. He should have treated her right.”
This wasn’t time for a lecture, I had to remind myself. My theory had been proven, but I needed to find out if there was anything he could tell me in addition to what Helena had given us.
“I take it the guy had dark hair, gold tooth, scruffy hat?”
He nodded.
“And you met him on the border of the Nightmare Woods to get the potion?”
“Oh no,” he replied. “He met me at my residence and that’s when we came up with the plan of saying I was leaving town before taking the potion. That way no one would become suspicious of my disappearing.”
“What about your own staff? Family?”
“I dismissed the staff with a bonus for their trouble, and I don’t have any family.”
Another perfect target. Shit. Someone was definitely doing their homework.
“Did you discuss this plan with anyone else at all?” I asked, wondering how the hell they would have known about his affections towards Lady Camembert. He shook his head.
“And what about your feelings towards Marianne? Did anyone know about that?”
“I don’t think so. We only had a few conversations ourselves about it when I asked her to leave him and be with me. I had to do it at public functions because he wouldn’t let me visit her.” He sighed. “But I needn’t have bothered. She said she couldn’t survive any scandal that would arise in leaving him.”
When the Duke of York had been targeted, we knew it had been because someone was aware of his movements and tendency to disappear from time to time. But on this occasion, instead of Lord Camembert being the target, it had been Lord Havenly.
Helena had been a pawn who was just at the right place at the right time, because as evil as it sounded, I bet there would have been a few people willing to take the place of the duke. But as for Lord Camembert and his prickly wife, however, I doubted that there would have been so many offers. No. On this occasion, it had been Lord Havenly who had been the goose, and they had taken advantage of his love for Marianne to get what they wanted.
“I have to return to my wife,” he said anxiously, interrupting my thoughts as he continued with his fa?ade of what she was to him. “Are you going to tell her?”
“What’s to tell?” I asked with a shrug of my shoulders. But before any form of relief could set in, I added, “The people who are doing this are going to get caught. What are you going to do when Lord Camembert turns back up on his own doorstep?”
He was quiet for a moment then looked at me with resignation.
“I’ll have to tell her before that happens,” he said with a sadness I couldn’t help but feel sorry for. “Hopefully I’ll have a bit more time beforehand.”
He nodded to me and walked away with a large weight on his shoulders. He was an idiot, but deep down I had to admit that his heart had been in the right place.
This case was turning out to be as twisted as my stepmother, and I suddenly got the urge to really go outside and get some air. My feelings were suffocating me, and I needed to get away from the ballroom that I swore was getting more crowded by the minute.
I couldn’t wait for this case to be over with so I could go back to being a sullen drunkard. No more balls, no more pretty gowns, and no more sexy-ass, head-screwing princes.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
A Kiss to Remember
The mermaid fountain where I had met with the prince called to me as the light breeze of the cool night air reached my skin. It would be a private enough place for me to escape for a few moments, and if I remembered correctly, it wasn’t too far from where the ballroom was situated.
The water was still pouring out of the fountain when I reached it, but the amazing thing about it was how the marble seemed to light up from the moonlight pouring down on its surface. It gave me enough light to navigate to the edge of the fountain where I could sit down without falling in.
The dress I was wearing really was lovely as it shimmered like the stars, and I felt an odd pang in my chest at the thought of leaving it behind when we went on our way tomorrow. There would have been no point in me keeping it. Not once I made it clear to the prince there would be nothing between us. I would want no reminder of him anywhere near me after that. It was going to be difficult enough just saying goodbye.
“I thought I saw you come out this way,” a voice said from in front of me, and I lifted my head to see the prince looking in my direction.
“Are you following me now?” I asked with frustration, and his face fell as he came closer. Couldn’t I just get five minutes from this head fuck of emotion?
“I was just worried about you coming out here alone,” he said tentatively. “I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“I’m a hunter, remember?” I asked, the feelings I had for him clashing with the need to put an end to this shit for good. It was a battle I couldn’t seem to win on either side, and I was sick of it. I was sick of feeling this way. It was like someone was dangling a carrot in front of me that I knew would be snatched away at any moment, and it had to stop.
“I know you can look after yourself,” he said quietly, but I stood up when he took another step towards me. Anger was needed right now, because if I didn’t bat him away with that, I would most likely end up jumping into his arms instead.