The Telltale Heart Read online

  She dropped her head and he lifted her chin so she was forced to look into his eyes. “No, don’t look away. I’m trying to make you an offer.”

  “What kind?” She whispered her heart pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it.

  “Don’t demean yourself,” he ordered in a gruff voice. “I love you and want you to be by my side forever. Our children will be geniuses, just like you.”

  He took her into his arms. This was a novel feeling for Cam. She’d never been touched this way by any man. She knew very well how to protect herself. When his lips touched hers, electricity raced through her veins and he crushed her to his chest. “Say you’ll be my wife.”

  “Yes, Drex, I will marry you…happily.”

  He kissed her again, this time rougher and with more need. He ran his hands up and down her back and sides. Panting, she pulled away and he grinned. “We must be married immediately, my darling. I fear I cannot wait long to possess your body, mind and spirit. I will post the bans this very day and plan for a wedding next Saturday.”

  She did not protest, only lay her head on his chest to listen to his heart. It beat steadily under the vest she had invented to keep him alive.

  * * * *

  Nugent Templecombe saw the notice in the Manchester Guardian’s society section and dropped the paper onto the floor. How could his uncle be getting married? Last time he saw him, he was on his last legs, literally days from death.

  “Porson,” he screamed for his manservant. The elegantly clad Porson appeared almost immediately. “Help me dress. I must go to visit my uncle. It seems the Duke has become engaged.”

  An hour later, tricked out in a natty yellow waistcoat, blue coat of superfine and trousers of a lighter shade of blue, top hat resting on carefully pomaded locks, Nugent pranced up to his uncle’s door and knocked. He was admitted by Grimwhich, the butler serving the family for the last half century.

  The butler’s eyes were cold and he did not smile. “My Lord Duke is not receiving callers this morning.”

  “Well, he’ll receive me. I’m his heir.” Angered and in no mood to deal with interfering servants, Nugent pushed passed the older man and stormed up the stairs. He found the Duke in the library bent over an account ledger.

  “I say, Drex, read you were about to get leg shackled in the Guardian and couldn’t believe my eyes. Last time I saw you, you were about to stick your spoon in the wall.”

  Nugent stared at his uncle. It occurred to him the Duke’s color was good, his posture upright and his eyes clear. He in no way resembled the sick man he’d seen just over three weeks prior. He was assailed by the horrible thought his uncle had somehow found a cure.

  The Duke leaned back in his chair and smiled. It wasn’t a friendly smile, not at all. It was a victorious smile, the smile of a winner. “I am much better, Nugent, as you can see.”

  Nugent’s hands formed into claws and he started toward his uncle. Drex bounded to his feet with all the agility of a healthy young man. When Nugent tried to plant him a facer, Drex stepped aside and flipped Nugent to the floor over one hip. “Put you a trifle out of curl, have I?” Drex said with a sneer on his face and in his voice.

  Nugent slowly rose and dusted off his pants. Three weeks ago, that much exertion would have killed the Duke. Now he wasn’t even breathing hard. When Nugent had moved in close, he’d felt something hard under Drex’s shirt; something like a metal undershirt.

  Nugent’s temper was flaming. His teeth were clenched so hard, he had trouble spitting out his words. “I don’t know what’s been done to you, who fixed you up, or why you are suddenly cured, but I’ll find out and I’ll take care of it or who forever.”

  The Duke grabbed Nugent by the front of his coat and drew him close. “If you mess with me or mine, Nugent Templecombe, you will lose your generous allowance, the one I give you every month, and I will dispose of you myself.”

  “Tough speech for one who could barely lift a fork to feed himself a month ago.” But the dread of losing that allowance filled Nugent with terror. His creditors would find out and cut him off. He’d be an outcast.

  “Grimwhich!” Drex called as he rang the bell.

  Grimwhich must have been listening at the door because he appeared immediately. “Yes, my lord?”

  “Please escort Mr. Templecombe from the premises and do not allow him back in again.”

  Before Nugent could leave, a woman Nugent had never seen before entered the room. Nugent knew her for a woman, even though she was dressed like a boy; he did after all run an unusual club.

  The Duke was forced to perform an introduction and he could see by Nugent’s glee-filled expression that the dibs were up. “Darling, this is my nephew, Nugent Templecombe. Nugent, this is my fiancé, Camille Torrington. We plan to be married within the week.”

  Nugent’s brain was spinning. The smell of some kind of chemical surrounded this woman like a cloud. She was dressed like an inventor, a scientist, rubber goggles pulled up over a leather cap that covered her hair. She wore men’s pants and a fine linen shirt all covered by a rubber apron.

  Somehow, this woman was responsible for Drex’s miraculous recovery. Remove the woman, remove the Duke’s good health and remove the Duke’s opportunity to breed another heir. Why if his creditors heard of this, and of course they would, his style of life would have to undergo a drastic change.

  Nugent held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my dear. Do you work in some kind of laboratory?”

  Camille glanced at the Duke who lifted one finely-sculpted eyebrow. “Yes, I like to tinker with machines and such from time to time. A gown would only get filthy and be in my way.”

  “I must offer you my sincerest felicitations. Drex has informed me you two are to be married.”

  She blushed and Nugent saw how beautiful she was. The thought of her in one of his punishment rooms, dressed like this, like a young man, aroused him so much, he had to drop his hat over his crotch to cover his rising manhood. He bowed. “I’ll take myself off. Just wanted to offer you my best regards,” he said to Drex, bowed to Camille one more time and left, his mind whirling with plans and possibilities.

  Never let it be said that Nugent Templecombe let fate run roughshod over him. No sir, he would take this problem by its proverbial horns and deal with it now. If he didn’t, the Duke would be married and all hope of an inheritance would go up in smoke.

  Chapter 4

  Nugent went straight to the Hellfire Club. It was morning, but intrepid sex addicts were busy in the back rooms. He could hear screaming.

  He was greeted by Rensley, his major domo. “My lord, I read the news in the Guardian. What has happened? I’ve seen the Duke myself. He was done for sure as I’m alive.”

  “Someone, a female, Rensley, has found a cure for him. This same female is his affianced wife.”

  “We must do something, my lord, or all will be lost.”

  “Do you think I am unaware of this? Remember the assassin we hired to take care of Lord Ombersley? See if he can be located. Ombersley’s money helped build this establishment. Now, we must take steps to ensure our style of life does not undergo drastic changes. The woman’s name is Camille Torrington. I wonder if Edmund Torrington is a relative. I met him the other night and gave him one of my cards. I heard he lives in the Nichol? The Nichol is a very dangerous place.”

  Renseley left and returned several hours later with a disreputable man wearing a long black coat, a tall black top hat and high-top riding boots. His shirt was filthy and he smelled of stale human, horse manure and garbage. His name was Augustus Clapperly, his occupation, killer for hire.

  The three of them went into Nugent’s office where Nugent gave him last month’s take from the club and several hundred more pounds. If Clapperly couldn’t do the job, they were done for.

  * * * *

  Cam was beside herself with happiness. She had finally met someone and fallen in love. She’d thought this would never happen, she would remain a single
female all of her life. She’d never wished to join her life with that of any man. Her cousin took care of that need with companionship and the masculine support needed in this world run by men. When she thought of Edmund she smiled. He was living in the apartment over her old lab with Tommy. The couple had found happiness together. This was a relief to Cam. She’d never abandon her cousin. They’d been through too much together.

  The door to the lab opened and her beloved duke entered. She walked straight into his arms and they shared a warm embrace. She’d never liked to be touched, but found herself craving his caresses and deeply enjoying his tender kisses.

  “A dress, my love?”

  Cam was arrayed in a black and gold gown of the finest silk. The skirt was flat in the front and gathered over a high bustle in the back. It was only a small bustle. She would never be able to tolerate, much less walk, in one any bigger. There would be too much fabric plus the metal cage to maneuver around and she hadn’t learned the trick. A black lace bodice was tightly laced in the back and cut low in the front to reveal creamy white skin.

  “For our wedding, of course.”

  “You look divine. Shall we go? The Archbishop of Canterbury himself is officiating. We shall be married in style even though it is only a quiet ceremony.”

  “Is Edmund meeting us there?”

  “Yes, only he and his friend Tommy will be in attendance. I thought that best.”

  “He can give me away.” She smiled into his eyes and he kissed her. As they left the laboratory hand in hand, Cam thought her heart would explode it was so filled with love and happiness.

  When they arrived at St. Paul’s Cathedral, they found Edmund waiting there without Tommy. Cam was surprised. Edmund and Tommy had seemed to be happy together. When they alighted from the carriage, she discovered why Tommy was not in attendance. Edmund rushed to greet her, his face tear-stained, his blue eyes filled with fresh tears. He took both of her hands in his. “You can’t marry Cam. The Duke’s horrible nephew has taken Tommy and is holding him hostage in the club. He’s threatening to kill him if I allow you to marry the Duke.”

  “Surely he must know you can’t stop me.”

  Drex put his arm around her shoulders. “If Nugent has Tommy, we must rescue him immediately.”

  “He’s threatened to kill him in three hours if the wedding is not stopped,” Edmund said to Drex. “He wants you to come to the club and exchange yourself for Tommy. He has given us a time limit of those three hours to make this exchange.”

  Cam straightened her shoulders and stared into Edmund’s eyes. “I will not allow him to take my Drex away from me. This is what we have been preparing for all of our lives, Edmund. We have the training. We have invented the newest, most modern weapons. I refuse to allow this man to bully me…bully us. Drex and I will be married as planned. Then we will go rescue Tommy. You and I can do this, Edmund. You know it to be true.”

  Edmund took a step back and his face underwent a drastic change. His eyes hardened, he thrust his chin out and his lips narrowed. “You are right, Cam. Nugent Templecombe is nothing but a fop and a bully. We can take Tommy back. He says he has hired a terrible man, an assassin, but there will be only one of him. Nugent is no match for you, much less both of us.”

  The wedding went off as planned taking only thirty-five minutes. After they were married, the three of them went to the lab in the Nichol. Hidden in an underground chamber were enough weapons and ammunition to take on an army. Cam had modified the newest machine gun. She’d added a gas-powered lever action to what was basically a Browning machine gun creating a more powerful weapon that could fire six hundred rounds per minute. The first model she’d experimented with had been bulky and heavy. The final product was lighter, she could handle it, and it had a pistol grip which made it easy to fire. She gave one to Edmund and one to Drex, and then for herself, she took two German machine pistols she’d modified to fit her hand.

  Outfitted with machine guns and hand guns, the three climbed back into Drex’s carriage and headed for the Hellfire Club. “It’s not enough for us to go in with pistols blazing,” Cam said as they rode in silence through the morning traffic. “We need to have a plan. Drex, you and Edmund know this place. Is there any way to get in secretly?”

  Drex nodded. “I am embarrassed to say I do. Nugent liked me to patronize his establishment and made it easy for me to slip in and out. When I was sliding out a backdoor, your friend Tommy stopped me and showed me how the sex slaves managed some small amount of freedom. I doubt if Nugent is aware of this entrance.”

  Cam nodded. “Leave it to the servants to know more than their masters about most everything.”

  When they reached Bennett Street, Drex told his driver to go to the next street over and turn left on Piccadilly, then left again on Arlington. This brought them around to the rear of the block. The driver stopped and they climbed out. Cam felt stupid doing this in her gown. The cloak she wore over it hid her holstered pistols but she felt awkward and the gown kept impeding her rapid forward progress. She finally stopped. “Edmund, do you have your knife.”

  “Certainly.”

  “Then cut the skirt and bustle off this ridiculous dress.”

  Edmund sliced off the skirt and her bustle leaving Cam in a petticoat that covered her to her knees. Satisfied, and more able to maneuver, she followed Drex to a back alley. Behind a container for kitchen waste was a small door obviously installed in the building for removing trash from the kitchen. “Through here,” Drex said.

  Cam stopped him. “You two go in through this secret door. I am going up.” She pointed to a balcony three stories above their heads.

  “You cannot be serious, my dear,” Drex said. “That’s three stories up. I won’t allow it.”

  Cam pulled his head close and kissed him. “You can’t stop me, my darling. I know what I’m doing. It would be folly for us to put all of our eggs into one basket.”

  Edmund stepped forward. “Let her, Duke. She’s been climbing buildings all her life.”

  Drex rubbed his hand over his eyes. “I feel like it is my fault we are all in danger. If anything happens to you, I will tear this building apart with my bare hands.”

  “Is there a way into the club from Madam Fouchet’s?” Edmund asked.

  Drex hung his head. “I’m ashamed to say there is and I know of it.”

  Cam laughed. “Do not be ashamed, my darling, men have needs. I am not unaware of this.”

  He told her briefly how to access the Hellfire Club from the bordello and how to find Nugent’s special sanctuary. They would meet there. They kissed one last time. She made sure her pistols were secure in their two holsters, one under each arm, slung her rifle over her shoulder where it hung by its strap.

  Satisfied she had her weapons secure, she had Drex put her foot in his hand and throw her up to a ledge high above her head. She clung there like a spider, perfectly sure of herself. With a final wave, she began scaling the building using chinks in the stone blocks to aid her climb. The balcony would lead into Madam Fouchet’s. She would find her way down to the club from there.

  * * * *

  Drex was horrified when Cam insisted on going alone into Fouchet’s. But he could not deny, all of them going into the Hellfire Club together, even by this secret route, was a bad plan. His heart ached as he watched her ascend as graceful as a cat up the side of the wall. She was so beautiful and smart and she was his wife. He prayed they would be able to be together and consummate their love. With a sigh, he turned to Edmund. “Let us go. We don’t want Cam to be inside alone.”

  “Certainly not.”

  Drex led Edmund into a storage area and a kitchen, passing a massive stove covered with steaming pots. The cooks and scullery maids scrambled out of the way of the two determined men carrying crazy, dangerous-looking weapons. At the far end of the kitchen, they entered another storage area where Drex pushed aside a wooden barrel filled with salted beef. Behind it was a cunningly hidden door.

  “Thi
s will take us down into the caves beneath the building where the club has its special rooms. There is a door there, a door into Nugent’s personal torture chamber. I feel sure he will hold Tommy there.”

  Edmund nodded.

  He opened the secret door, pushing hard. It opened into a dark stairwell. They followed the winding, rusty metal staircase down into the bowels of the earth. The stairway ended in a small cupboard. It was so dark Drex could see nothing but blackness. Suddenly a light clicked on. Edmund had donned a strange helmet with a light on the front. “One of Cam’s inventions,” he explained.

  “Of course,” Drex said. “Are you ready for this?”

  “As I’ll ever be. Let us rescue Tommy.”

  Chapter 5

  Drex hated letting Cam climb the wall by herself. As he and Edmund made their way into the bowels of the earth beneath his nephew’s disreputable club, he contemplated the outcome of their actions. It was likely they would not be able to rescue Tommy. Nugent had at least three toughs as body guards and bouncers for the club. If he felt like he was in danger, they would all be in attendance. Cam and Edmund seemed so sure of their capabilities. Drex was not.

  When they reached a low door seemingly cut into the living rock, he stopped. “This door leads into Nugent’s personal punishment room. I’ve walked through it before on my way out. It’s not a pleasant sight when it’s not in use. If he has a victim in there, it’s even worse. Are you ready?”

  Edmund had his huge machine gun cocked and laying over his right forearm. He grinned. “Lead on.”

  Drex pushed the door open slowly. They emerged in the center of a padded wall. The first thing Drex heard was a scream. His nephew, clad only in a red bag holding his privates, stood over a naked young man whipping his bottom with a riding crop. Nugent’s tall thin body glowed white in the stark yellow lights of the gas lamps on two walls. Sweat beaded his high forehead, his pale blue eyes bulged as he put effort into each strike.