The Daughter of Doctor Moreau(85)

“Carlota, you will be safe and content in the countryside. I won’t mind spoiling you, and you in turn will be generous to me. It’s not unusual for a man to take a mistress, and it is definitely more than you would be able to hope for under the circumstances.”

Her fingers found purchase on his shoulder. “What would you do with the hybrids? If you had me, would you let them go?”

“Goodness, no,” he said with a smirk. “They’re ours to keep. Your father’s former assistant will take over the operations here. You’ll be more comfortable at Vista Hermosa, with me. Yes, I’ll be in Mérida for a few weeks at a time, but—”

She wrenched his hand away from her and took two steps back. “I do not wish to be your mistress, nor am I willing to live at Vista Hermosa. If you think this offer a kindness, then you are mistaken.”

“You’d refuse me.”

She felt as though there were a knot in her throat, and she swallowed. “I might agree to it, but only if you let the others be.”

“You think you can give me terms?” he asked, his voice turning rough. “You don’t have a choice.”

She closed her eyes, scalding tears threatening to drown her. But when she opened her eyes again she spoke without a hitch. “Then I’ll refuse you.”

With a violent movement he bent down and pressed her to him again, throwing her head back and savaging her lips. It startled her, and she froze in fury, feeling his tongue in her mouth, before regaining her wits and shoving him away. Eduardo stumbled back, bumping against the mantelpiece and accidentally knocking down the delicate clock that rested there. It fell with a resounding crash that made her yelp.

She stared at the ground and let out a soft oh. That clock had presided over each of her waking hours; its bells marked the rhythm of her days. The beautiful courting scene it showed had entranced her young eyes. The gentleman kissed the hand of the beautiful lady and above them the cherubs smiled their blessing at the couple.

But now it was shards on the ground, the mechanism of the clock lying naked and exposed.

“What have you done?” she asked in a murmur.

“I am trying to be good to you!” Eduardo yelled.

The doors to the sitting room flung open, and the men walked in again, weapons at the ready, throwing her hard looks. She noticed that Lupe’s and Montgomery’s wrists had been bound.

“What is this racket?” Hernando Lizalde demanded.

Eduardo ran a hand through his hair, then rubbed his wrist. “Nothing.”

“Has she told you anything useful?”

“No,” Eduardo muttered.

“Well, then, you better start talking, girl.”

“I do not know where they are. I’ve said so already,” she said, her eyes fixed on the broken clock.

“You’re a stubborn cat. Let’s see exactly how stubborn. Bring Laughton next to me,” Lizalde said, and two men shoved Montgomery forward.

Without further preamble Hernando Lizalde pressed the barrel of his gun against Montgomery’s cheek and stared at Carlota. She crushed a hand against her chest.

“It’s hard to miss at this distance.”

“Montgomery doesn’t know anything, either,” she said quickly. “We aren’t trying to lie to you.”

“No, you are trying to trick us.”

“I’m not. Truly, I’m not.”

“I don’t think you want your friend’s brains decorating these walls, do you? Where are the damn hybrids?!” he roared.

She couldn’t breathe again. Her warm hands were now burning, and she felt the tears searing a trail down her cheeks as she grabbed on to the settee and knelt on the ground with a sob.

She thought another fainting fit was coming upon her. Carlota opened her mouth and pressed a hand against her throat.

“I know where they went. I can take you,” Lupe said, surprising Carlota when she spoke, sounding resolute. “It’s not far.”

“At least someone has common sense around here,” Hernando Lizalde rumbled.

She hardly heard the rest of what they said. Her breath was shallow, and she clung to the settee, shivering.

“Eduardo, you’ll come with us. As will you, Laughton. I don’t trust you to leave you behind. Isidro, you’ll stay with Moreau’s daughter. I don’t want her running off. Well, what’s the matter with this bitch? Is she ill?”

“It’s her nerves,” Lupe replied, staring at her. “It will be fine, Loti.”

Carlota swallowed, the taste of bile in her mouth. Eduardo’s fingers closed around her arm as he helped her to her feet. She swayed, unsteady, and tried feebly to push him away, but her strength had drained from her body.

“Where is my gun with the ivory handle?” Hernando Lizalde asked. “I’ll want that.”

“I didn’t mean to yell at you. But don’t talk to me the way you did again,” Eduardo whispered, guiding her toward the doorway, where Isidro was standing. “I do love you, silly girl. Don’t you understand? We belong together.”

He tipped her head up and looked into her eyes, a confident smile on his lips.

She felt, as she stood there and looked into his beautiful, youthful face, another wave of nausea and recoiled from him in disgust when his hand brushed down her face. Carlota thought the fracture in her body might finally cleave her in two, but she did not tumble to the ground, instead stumbling forward as Eduardo pulled her with him.