The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(89)

"Fairy stories," the other gentleman scoffed. "He's mad."

"My lord, you know I'm not," Pitt cried. "Please." Sweat dripped down his face and he licked his lips again. "You have to help me so that I can continue to provide you with your magic—"

"Enough!" Coyle bellowed. "You are trespassing on my property! Get out!"

Pitt's gun pressed into the side of my head, the cold, hard steel shocking against my hot skin. The gun no longer shook. It would seem a kind of calmness had descended over Pitt. Had he sensed the inevitability of the end, as I had? Lord Coyle would not give in. He was not the sort to be bullied, nor did he want his friend to know of his interest in magic, it seemed. When people like Lord Coyle wanted to keep secrets, they kept them at all costs. Even if the cost was my life.

"I want transportation out of the city, money and a letter of recommendation," Pitt demanded with an evenness that hadn't been in his voice until now. "Or her death will be on your conscience."

I closed my eyes and my lashes dampened from my tears. My watch chimed, as if in sympathy for my plight. It chimed again, louder, and I opened my eyes. Movement in the shadows at the top of the grand staircase caught my attention. Someone lurked there behind the large potted palm, watching, but I could not make out a figure.

"Give him what he wants, Coyle!" the other gentleman begged. "He's going to kill her, for God's sake."

Coyle said nothing.

And Pitt's patience had worn out. He adjusted his grip on the handle. "It seems you and I are both expendable, Miss Steele," he murmured in my ear. "I am sorry."

The click of the cocking gun was drowned out only by the chime of my watch.

I let my watch fall from my hand. Its chain slipped through my fingers. But not down. Sideways.

And then the gun went off.





Chapter 17





It felt as if my insides dropped away. Black spots danced in front of my eyes but quickly cleared. My first thought was that death didn't hurt like I expected it to. And why was it snowing inside Lord Coyle's house?

"India! India!" Matt's voice. Here. Why?

I spun around, searching for him, but only managed to make myself dizzy. I lost my balance and fell, but he caught me. His arms enveloped me. He pressed my cheek to his chest so I could hear the rapid, erratic beat of his heart. He'd forgotten my injuries, however, and the sharp pain in my shoulder snapped me out of my stupor.

I pulled away and blinked. It was definitely Matt, and he was unharmed, although the wretched look in his eyes, coupled with the exhaustion, made my heart ache. But how did he know to come here?

Questions would have to wait. Lord Coyle, the other gentleman and the butler knelt over Mr. Pitt, jerking and writhing on the floor, his face distorted into a grimace. My watch was wrapped tightly around his wrist and Lord Coyle now held the gun.

"What's he doing?" the butler asked.

"A fit," the gentleman said. "Timely."

Coyle's hand hovered above my watch. He reached out a finger to touch it but withdrew it quickly without doing so. He glanced up at me, his wide eyes full of wonder and an odd little smile on his lips.

I pulled away from Matt, bent and unwrapped my watch from Pitt's wrist. I looped the chain around my neck since I'd left my reticule behind in the hack. Coyle's gaze followed my every move.

"Send for the police," Matt ordered the butler. "We can be found at sixteen Park Street if we're required for questioning."

"Wait." Lord Coyle struggled to his feet. "Miss Steele, may I look at that watch of yours?" He reached for it, but I pulled away.

Matt put his arm around me and escorted me outside into a dull day, the sky a monotonous shade of gray. We walked home, since it wasn't far, and I was glad. I needed the air and the exercise to help clear my head. Matt let go of my waist when we reached Hyde Park Corner but gave me his arm to hold. It rippled with taut muscle and an anger that shooting the ceiling had not assuaged. He probably would have preferred to shoot Pitt but his proximity to me had meant he could not.

"It was you who fired?" I clarified.

"Yes." It was a full four minutes before he spoke again. "Are you all right?"

"I think so." My bruises from the day before ached like the devil, but I hadn't acquired any more injuries from this ordeal. "Did you follow the hack to Coyle's house?"

"I climbed onto the back and rode with you."

"You did? I didn't see you."

"Nor did Pitt, it seems. I wasn't entirely sure until we reached our destination."

He must have managed it while the coach moved off and Pitt lost his balance.

"I entered Coyle's house via the service entrance and convinced the footmen who accosted me to let me go. Once he realized what was happening above stairs, he obliged. I took the service stairs to the first floor and bided my time. Almost too damned long," he ended with a growl. "There was no clear shot."

"Hence the distraction of shooting the ceiling."

"I'm not sure whether that provided the biggest distraction or your watch did." He ushered me along the Hyde Park path, his pace must faster than the stroll of other pedestrians. "In the end, I wasn't really needed."