Page 128 of Enslaved
“She’ll be here later when things liven up and the dancing begins,” replied Dame Lightfoot with a straight face.
Lady Emily Castlereagh and her husband, the Marquis of Londonderry, who had been such close friends of her father, had joined the Granvilles for the drive to Bath. William Lamb, one of her disappointed suitors, arrived with Caro Ponsonby, and Diana was almost sorry to hear that the couple were engaged.She’ll lead him a dog’s life. Poor William!
The eccentric Countess of Cork was holding court in the drawing room when Diana and Mark strolled in to mingle. The old girl pinned her to the wall with her piercing gaze. “So, where was it you disappeared to all those months, Lady Diana?”
The room fell silent as Diana gathered her wits. “You know how men always have a grand tour before they settle down to married life? Well, I decided that was completely unfair to the female sex, and took a trip to Rome.”
“Bully for you, my girl,” cheered the countess, and the rest of the ladies in the room seemed all in favor of equality.
Mark opened his cigar case and offered it to the man beside him. “Do you ladies mind if we smoke?”
“Not if we join you,” said Diana outrageously, reaching for a cheroot. Dead silence followed, then the Countess of Cork reached for one, held it to her nose, and said, “Turkish blend. Actually I prefer American.”
When Mark and Diana moved on to the next room, she gave him back the cigar.
“You love to shock people,” he accused.
“Not all all. Save it for me and I’ll smoke it later.”
As the evening shadows started to gather, Diana found Mark. “I’m going upstairs to take off my veil before we go up to the ballroom for the dancing.”
“Good, your hair is far too beautiful to hide.”
“It has been an absolutely perfect day. You have all of my heart.” Diana couldn’t wait until they danced together in the magnificent Elizabethan ballroom, while the music drifted down from the minstrels’ gallery.
He took hold of her hands and lifted them to his lips. He longed to kiss more than her fingers, but knew if his mouth began to explore hers, he would not be able to stop.
Diana went into Mark’s bedchamber, which had once been used by a queen, and was now theirs. When she turned from closing the door, she looked straight into the eyes of Peter Hardwick. How in the world had he gotten in here? Then she knew. He had used the secret passage so none would know he was there.
“Peter, what do you want?”
“You were too fine to spread yourself for me. You and Mark conspire to rob me of my father’s land and wealth. Until you came along, I was his legal heir, now he thinks to breed heirs on your body. But I shall get it all, and you, my beautiful bitch, will get your just deserts.”
“Petrius!” she cried out in horror.
“I shall take you up to the roof, where of your own accord you will jump off! None know I am here, and none shall ever know.”
When he lunged for her, Diana did not waste time screaming. She reached for the door and had it open when his cruel hands took possession of her. She wrenched away from him with all her strength. Her red veil came away in his hands, but her feet were already running along the hallway to the staircase. Peter was behind her; she could hear him breathing.
Then she saw Mark at the foot of the stairs with Charles Wentworth. Before she could cry out his name, she felt a brutal shove from behind, then she was tumbling helplessly down the long curved staircase.
A look of horror came across Mark’s face as he watched Peter push Diana down the stairs. Mark bent and picked her up in his arms, his heart thundering inside his ears. He was a stranger to fear, but he felt its hammer blow now as he searched his beloved’s face.
“I’m all right, Mark … it was Petrius!” she gasped.
Charles Wentworth took her from Mark’s arms. “I’ll look after her—get him!”
With murder in his black eyes, Mark took the stairs three at a time. He did not hesitate, but went straight to the master bedchamber and the secret passage that led to the roof. Peter had fled on this course before when they were boys and he had done something brutal to one of Mark’s horses. He hadn’t caught him then, but he intended to trap him now.
Peter pressed himself against the tall chimney in the deep shadows. He had planned to fling Diana from the roof, but this was even better. Mark was the real impediment to his future. Hatred and bloodlust rose up within him; it was the most ecstatic feeling he had ever known.
Mark stood absolutely still until his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. His gaze slowly moved across the pitch and gabled roof and along the parapet walk. When he saw nothing, he knew Peter must be behind him on the other side of the chimney stack. Very deliberately, he walked out onto the open parapet, where he knew that he would be visible.
“Come out.” It was a command.
For the space ofperhapstwo minutes, there was no sound, no movement, nothing. Then suddenly Peter was hurtling himself toward Mark at full speed.
Ancient memories flooded Mark’s consciousness. Petrius had poisoned their father and had made Nero turn Diana into a living torch!
