Jacqueline.”
Jordan smiled. “Actually, no-I killed Miribelle, and
“One you played beautifully,” Barnaby concurred.
Jordan inclined his head. “It gave me a scenario I could exploit to secure Jacqueline’s hand, even against any resistance from her-in the circumstances, it was perfectly natural to propose a marriage of convenience to keep her quietly here in the country. It would have worked, too.”
“But”-Barnaby looking confused-“I thought Lord Tregonning refused your suit?”
“He did.” Exasperation and contempt laced Jordan’s words. “He rambled about his honor and not accepting such a sacrifice-but he would have come around in the end. Once the rumors spread about Millicent’s death, well, it was just a matter of time before the situation with Jacqueline became simply too pressing. Marrying her off to me would have been the only solution.”
“Good God!” Sir Vincent was appalled, but then he swallowed and offered, “You really played us well.”
Jordan smiled. “Thank you.”
“One other thing,” Barnaby continued, as if they were merely filling in the time until Mitchel returned. “How did you…”
Standing on the rocks at the edge of the cove, hands on his hips, Gerrard looked up at the granite face of Cyclops. He could reach the narrow ledge circling it easily enough, but the climb up from there would be close to vertical for most of the way.
He eyed the wet rock, then walked across to its lower reaches, and leaned against it to tug off his boots. Leather soled, they’d be no help. In lieu of proper climbing boots, bare feet were the best alternative.
The waves were rolling in, angrily grasping more of the rock-strewn beach, feeding the roar, still muted, inside Cyclops’s cavern. Without a word, Matthew took his boots. Gerrard stripped off his stockings and crammed them in, then methodically emptied his pockets. He would have preferred to remove his coat, but the material would give him some protection against the rough, encrusted rock. He was going to get cuts enough as it was.
Turning to Cyclops, he buttoned his coat.
Beside him, Matthew looked up at the granite monolith, black where the waves had wet it, and shivered. “You might not make it.”
“I know.” He had thought of it. “But if she dies, I’d never be able to live with myself if I hadn’t tried.”
He studied the face for an instant longer, then looked at Matthew. “Don’t get seen until I reach the top.”
Matthew nodded. “Good luck.”
A crash of waves swallowed the words. Gerrard turned, reached for the narrow ledge and hoisted himself up.
The ledge was barely wider than his foot; clinging to the rockface with one hand, he quickly followed it along, circling the bulk of Cyclops until he reached the point he’d visually gauged as directly opposite where Barnaby and the others stood. As it happened, he would be climbing straight up one side and then over the top of the gaping maw where the sea rushed in, boiling and churning as it pushed into the cavern.
He didn’t stop to consider. He climbed.
He’d been climbing since he could crawl. Despite all his years in London, he’d visited his home every year, and every year he’d climbed. He wasn’t too rusty, too out of practice. Which was just as well. For someone of his experience, the rock itself was easy enough to conquer. What made the seaward ascent of Cyclops treacherous was the wet, and the constant but unpredictable crash and surge of the waves.
He didn’t look down, but climbed steadily on. The moves were second nature-finding the next fingerhold, shifting his weight, searching for the next toehold, lifting up and on, over and over. There were a few strained moments, especially as he moved past the upper edge of the opening in the rock and footholds became scarce, but the tricks, the rhythm, and most especially the discipline, were there to see him through.
No rush. Never hurried. One small step at a time, steady and sure.
Behind him, the squall drew steadily nearer; the light started to dim.
He slipped on a patch of seaweedy slime he hadn’t been able to see against the wet rock. He swung over the gaping hole-if he fell, he’d be swept into the chamber to a certain death. For an instant, he hung, fingers aching, muscles screaming, then he searched and found another toehold, and steadied.
He didn’t think of anything but Jacqueline. Just her. Not what was going on above his head, but the feel of her in his arms, the scent of her in the night.
Spray and spume surrounded him; the roar in the blowhole chamber was gaining in intensity. He shut his ears to it, thought of Jacqueline’s laugh-he hadn’t heard it often enough yet for either of them to die.
He clung to Timms’s message like a promise, closed his mind to the pain in his wrists and grazed palms. Didn’t think of the gashes on his feet, across his fingers.
Beneath him, the sea surged and crashed, demanding his attention, demanding he stop and look down. He ignored it and climbed.
The edges were more jagged the higher he went, less worn by the waves, sharpened by the wind. Clouds had blown in and now covered the sun; the wind freshened further, hurling froth and lashing the waves. He was soaked to his thighs, and was starting to lose sensation in his feet, but he was almost there.
Almost at the point where the vertical face ended and the rock curved toward its flattened summit. The first gradual slope would be the most crucial; he wouldn’t be able to stand until he reached more level ground nearer to the blowhole, but throughout he’d be exposed, visible to those watching, and to Jordan if he turned around.
He was almost surprised to find himself lying prone, catching his breath on the top of the rock. He’d kept his head down; he hoped no one had yet sighted him. Drawing in a steadier breath, feeling his heart slow to a more normal rhythm, he focused on the discussion taking place mere yards away.
It had reached its culmination.
No one moved; no one spoke.
Gerrard risked lifting his head.
Just as Jordan lost patience. He swung Jacqueline out over the edge-her feet left the rock and she shrieked. She clutched at Jordan’s arm around her waist; he drew her back, but left her teetering on her toes, wholly dependent on his arm to keep her from sliding to her death.
“Now,” Jordan snarled, “are you going to start writing?”
Gerrard rose into a crouch. All the men arrayed about the rock facing Jordan saw him. His eyes locked on Jordan, he crawled swiftly forward, until he was on sufficiently level ground to stand.
For one instant, he remained still, gathering every ounce of strength he had left, gauging what he needed to do.
Cyclops’s eye was two yards wide, black and gaping. Jordan stood to one side with his back to him; he held Jacqueline balanced precariously over one sloping edge. She, too, was facing the other way. Even as Gerrard watched, there was a roar from beneath, then Cyclops spewed froth and water up and out over the rock, covering Jacqueline’s ankles.
The salt water stung his cut feet. Her slippers were soaked-she’d have no purchase at all.
Any second Jordan was going to notice the direction of many of the men’s shocked gazes.
Barnaby shifted, mouth opening, but Sir Vincent beat him to it. He tapped Mitchel on the shoulder. “Here-I’ll kneel down. Rest the paper on my back and write what he wants.”
“Just get on with it.” Jordan spoke through clenched teeth.
“The deed first.” Barnaby looked at Lord Tregonning. “What’s the legal name of the estate?”
Jordan looked at Lord Tregonning, then looked further. His head moved as he scanned the faces.
He started to turn, to glance behind.
