Page 53 of Betrayal from Beyond
“Sculley.” The man was trying to slide along the wall of seascapes to escape the corner. When Kara said his name, he whimpered. “You were in his rooms when we came looking for Tom Hawkins.”
“I was posing,” Petra said with a roll of her eyes. “It was the price he demanded for giving me a place to stay. There were too many bailiffs and moneylenders’ thugs banging on the door of Tom’s place. I slipped out of Sculley’s when you lot showed up.”
“But you couldn’t resist staying to watch.”
Petra shrugged. “I do enjoy watching you dance at the end of my string.”
Behind her, Sculley slipped away and into the crowd in the main part of the hall, but a gasp came from one of the few people left in the corner. “That maid has a gun,” a female voice said in a loud whisper.
“Everyone go,” Kara called to the remaining guests in the corner. “Hurry now.”
“No.” Looking over, Petra brandished the gun in their direction. “You will all just stay there for now. Back up along the other wall and pretend like you are admiring the pretty oceans.” She narrowed her eyes at them. “As long as you don’t draw attention, I won’t have to use this.”
There were perhaps eight people left to move and do her bidding. One slid away as soon as Petra turned her attention back to Kara. “I’ll bet Robert convinced you all that I tore apart Tom’s rooms, didn’t he?” she said with a sneer.
“Didn’t you?” asked Kara.
“No! It was the moneylender’s bully boys, looking for anything of value.” Petra rolled her eyes. “Robert always was squeamish about violence.” She set aside the tray, and with a tug, she pulled off her apron and tossed it away. “I did enjoy our games for a while.” She said it like it was an admission of weakness. “I liked the idea of you unbalanced and frightened.”
“As you have felt? Since your League disbanded?” If Kara could keep the woman talking until Niall came… Behind Petra, the party went on. No one seemed to notice the drama playing out in the corner.
“Do not flatter yourself,” the woman snarled. “Since I escaped that government prison cell, I have been nothing but focused, angry, and determined.”
“And turned away by everyone you approached.”
“Not everyone,” Petra corrected her with a smirk.
“Sculley knew you have a sister?” Kara looked down at the painting in her hand. “A twin.”
“Hada sister.” She gestured at the artwork. “Loose lips are the perils of drink. Let it be a lesson to you. But posing is such boring work. Especially when you are forced to listen to the droning of a fool like Sculley. I drank to make it through. So many damned sketches he had to make—and that was all before he even began to paint.” She glanced at the piece again. “If Ihad known what he was going to paint, I would have killed him then.”
“You told him about her? Your sister?”
“In a moment of weakness, brought on by too much gin. Vile stuff. I must have said too much. But I had been thinking about her lately, you see.”
Plotting her death, Kara almost said, but Petra continued to speak.
“I didn’t know about her, actually. Not until we broke into the Hanlins’ files that first time. We found out about the money they’d been stealing, and I found out that they had stolen my sister.” She sneered. “Just another part of thegreat experiment. A comparison. Give her to an ordinary family and see how she fares, measured up next to me with all my opportunities.”
“How did she fare?”
“Surprisingly well. Not that I let her know that. She became a teacher herself, you know. I read some of the reports on her. She was respected. Well liked. At least the children were safe with her, unlike with Hanlin.” Her mouth twisted. “But then, she had advantages, too. She grew up with a family. Parents, siblings, cousins, all of it. A little house on the river with a tiny garden and a cat.” She seemed to be looking inward for a moment, before she shook her head. “But they held her back, in the end. She might have been something, someone of value, had she joined me when I asked her.”
“That’s what happened? She didn’t join you, so you killed her?”
“No. That invitation was extended years ago.” Petra shrugged. “She should have taken it. Perhaps I would not have had to kill her now.”
“Had to? Is that what you tell yourself?” Kara scoffed. “Nonsense! You took her life just to fake your own death!”
“Yes! To convince the Crown, the Yard, and the government that I was dead. To leave me space, give me freedom to make my plans.” Petra snorted. “None of them could find me. They never got close. But you wouldn’t stop, would you?” She tilted her head. “You know, perhaps you need to acknowledge your part in my sister’s death. If you hadn’t been so persistent, she might still be alive.”
Kara snorted. “Congratulations on your ability to continually shift blame for your sins on someone else. I will never hold myself responsible for your evil deeds.”
Petra smirked. “Well, her death did allow me another chance to torment you, didn’t it?” She laughed. “Come now, admit it. You felt your mind was slipping, didn’t you? When you spotted me in the square?”
“Do you want to know what I’ve felt lately, Petra? I’ve felt actual grief. Sadness, when I saw a woman of your intelligence, with all of your potential, lying dead on a slab—and all anyone else felt was relief.”
Darkness flooded the woman’s features. “Oh, no. You donot. You will not feel pity for me.You?You, who have had your own advantages! Intelligence, a pretty face, charm, and money. And youwastethem all. You might have had a grand alliance. Married into the royal houses of Europe. Or into one of the great banking families. You might have grown your father’s empire beyond measure. Instead, you settled for a royal bastard’s boy and fiddle around with your clockwork toys.” She raised her arm and pointed the pistol at Kara. “I will wieldmygifts, and I will collect my own fortune and power. I will create my own legacy.”
