Vow of Deception (The Ministry of Curiosities #9)(78)

"Change into your wolf forms," Swinburn ordered his pack. "Then attack them."

"We can't beat all of them!" Ballantine cried. "There are too many!"

Swinburn turned his icy glare onto him. "You're just like your father and grandfather. No wonder the leadership passed to me. You're spineless, as they were. I said," he roared, "change and attack!"

"Wait!" The shout came from behind me. Dozens of feet shuffled as the army parted to allow the newcomer through. "Wait! Nobody attack!"

"Harriet!" Relief flooded me at the sight of her.

She held her belly with both hands and puffed heavily. She looked hot and drained, her waddling gait awkward as she approached us.

"Seize her!" General Ironside commanded.

"No!" his son blurted out. "She's with child."

"Seize her gently."

Two soldiers gripped her arms. She did not struggle, thank God.

"Harriet, are you all right?" I asked.

"No," she snapped. "I am very far from all right. I am as large as a house, my knees ache, and I feel ugly. I was fast asleep when Lady Vickers demanded I come here. What is the meaning of this?"

"My mother?" Seth asked.

"I sent her back to Lichfield with the cook."

He nodded his thanks. "We're sorry you had to be dragged into this, but we need your help. Can you convince Swinburn to speak to Yallop and drop all charges against Fitzroy and the ministry? He might listen to you."

"I doubt it," she muttered.

"Just try!" I snapped. "Or are you on his side?"

She pouted. "Charlie, we went through this. I am your friend. You know that. Please say you do."

I turned my back on her.

"Sir Ignatius," she called out. "Come now, be reasonable. Charlie has the upper hand. They greatly outnumber you. Have Lincoln released and everything can be as it was before."

"Why would I?" he said. "Why should I?"

"Because your pack is in danger!" I cried. "What sort of leader lets them die because he's too proud to admit when he's beaten?"

"The sort of leader who will get a new pack."

Ballantine expelled a breath. His pack mates murmured among themselves, too far away for me to hear their words.

"You don't deserve them," Harriet said. "They would die for you—some already have. And yet you will toss them away. I knew you were a weak man when I met you. An upstart, that's all you are. A ridiculous little sailor who cares for no one but himself."

"Enough!" Swinburn bellowed. "Kill them all. I don't care."

He went to shut the door but Jenkin grabbed him and pulled him back outside. He threw Swinburn down the steps to the pavement. Swinburn groaned but lurched to his feet.

"You damned fool," he growled at the footman.

Harriet clapped her hands. "Well done, Jenkin. Now, I have a task for you."

The footman stood to attention. "Yes, ma'am?"

"There is a necklace in Sir Ignatius's possession that belongs to Miss Holloway. It's an amber orb pendant. Please fetch it."

Jenkin's gaze darted to his master.

Swinburn bared his teeth and emitted a low, animal growl. "You will no longer be welcome in my pack if you do."

"You will be welcome in mine," Harriet said. "I will also employ you. I can always do with a handsome shape shifting footman."

Jenkin disappeared into the house.

I glanced at Harriet over my shoulder. She smiled at me and I gave her a nod. It was all I could manage.

"You will not be safe anymore, Harriet," Swinburn snarled. "I will come for you and for your offspring."

Harriet's lips quivered, her chin wobbled. "Oh, Sir Ignatius, how could you say such a thing? Did you hear that, my lord?" She appealed to Ballantine. "He has no care for his own kind. No care at all. I can excuse his murder of Gawler by telling myself it was self-defense, but this threat is horrid. Simply horrid."

"He admitted to murdering those people in the East End too," I said, playing along. It would seem this fight wasn't going to be won with weapons or claws, but with words. "All because he wanted to put the blame on Gawler so he could remove him and become the leader of both packs."

Harriet gasped. "Ignatius, how could you."

"Not only that," I said, "but he has put all of you in danger by telling the newspapers and Mr. Yallop about the ministry. You are all named in our records, and those records are now in the possession of the police."

Ballantine dragged a hand over his mouth and jaw. "Why?" he growled at Swinburn. "Why did you do that?"

"I didn't inform the papers!" Swinburn cried. "Christ, man, she's lying. She's trying to turn you against me."

"Who else would have done it?" Seth snapped. "We know you used Julia to get as much information about us as you could, and then you killed her too."

"She killed herself!" Swinburn said.

"Not according to the police."

"Mr. Salter admits that you gave Gawler's name to him," Harriet said to Swinburn.

I frowned. Lord Gillingham had given Gawler's name to Salter. It would seem she was going to cast blame onto Swinburn to keep her husband's name out of it.