“As to that.” Trevillion cleared his throat. “I took the liberty of having the valet, Vance, detained after you left the house party. Montgomery told me that you recognized him, Lord Kilbourne. It seems Vance was in George Greaves’s service before he went to William Greaves’s employ. When I informed Vance that he’d been seen on the night of the murders at the tavern he became quite talkative.”
“What?” George screamed.
“You really ought to employ more intelligent assassins, Mr. Greaves.” Trevillion smiled coldly. “He seemed to think I had all the evidence needed to hang him and confessed embarrassingly fast. And since you apparently never paid him well, he’s quite vindictive. He told me in front of witnesses that you hired him to kill Lord Kilbourne’s friends in an attempt to paint Kilbourne a murderer.”
“It’s not true,” George whispered.
“I’m afraid your father heard the confession and was stricken with the shock,” Trevillion said softly.
“My uncle never knew?” Apollo asked.
Trevillion shook his head. “I think not. When I left Greaves House he’d taken to his bed and a doctor had been sent for. They’re not sure he’ll recover.”
George swore foully, red-tinged spittle flecking his lips. He glared at Apollo. “You should never have been the heir—your line is tainted. Had Brightmore not intervened you would’ve hanged for sure instead of being sent to Bedlam. Everyone knows you’re insane—everyone! I should’ve killed you myself instead of sending Vance.”
“Now we have your confession,” Trevillion murmured gently. “And in the presence of two dukes.”
Trevillion bent to haul George to his feet, which put an end to his cursing. The captain looked quietly satisfied.
Wakefield nodded grimly. “Excellent.” He turned to Apollo. “I think we’ll be able to clear your name within days. Artemis will be very pleased—and I won’t have to worry anymore about her sneaking off with baskets of provisions for you.”
“So glad to put your mind at rest,” Apollo said drily. He looked at Lily. “Shall we go see how Indio and Daff are faring with my sister’s dogs?”
She nodded, and he took her hand, leading her from his garden.
t the front of George’s shirt go and his head thudded against the ground.
Apollo turned on his knees and cupped her sweet face with his unclean hands. “How?” he choked. “I saw you die. I saw you fall dead to the ground.”
“The pistol fired over my shoulder,” she whispered. “Apollo, what have you done to your poor hands?”
“God!” he cried, pulling her face down to his, kissing her nose and cheeks and eyelids, making sure she still lived and breathed. “Dear God, Lily, never do that to me again.”
“I won’t, love.” Tears were making muddy streaks through the gunpowder on her cheek. “Ow, that stings.”
Richard Perry, Baron Ross stepped out from the bushes. “Get away from her.”
“Sod off,” Apollo retorted, possibly because he was too tired to be surprised.
“Get away from her or I’ll shoot her.” Ross, of course, had not one but two pistols.
Reluctantly Apollo stood and took a step away from Lily. “We really must talk, darling, about the sort of riffraff you bring to secret meetings.”
“I didn’t know he was there,” Lily said grumpily.
“Did you really think my good friend George wouldn’t tell me about my son?” Ross said. “Jesus, he said this would be easy—capture you, Kilbourne, and get my son. Look at this mess now. Have you killed George?”
“Sadly, no,” Apollo replied without glancing at the man on the ground. He could hear his cousin’s harsh breathing. “Put the damned gun down.” He was becoming tired of people pointing guns at his Lily.
Ross ignored him, his gaze worryingly focused on Lily. “Where is he? Where is Indio?”
And before Apollo could think of what to do, Lily opened her mouth.
Chapter Twenty
Then the monster rose, his massive shoulders bunched, his hands fisted, his bull’s head lowered, the two curved horns pointed menacingly at Theseus. The lad didn’t hesitate. With a warlike cry he ran at the monster, his sword raised. The monster did not move until the last moment, and then with a brutally swift toss of his head he impaled the youth upon his horns…
—From The Minotaur