“You think he’s…” Grayson snapped his jaw shut and then ground out, “Of course you do. I saw that room as well.”
“I think judges can be eminently bribable. And there is an old boy’s network that will work against me. He’s doing all the things he can to build it up.”
“I will stand with you. I would have even if we weren’t allies. I suspect your brother knows that.”
Severine rubbed her brow. “No doubt why he’s doing what he’s doing. Drugging me and destroying my room. If I had done that to myself, could I even look madder? The rumors among the servants. Grandmère being reminded I drank too much.”
Severine’s laugh was dark. “Enough is enough, Mr. Thorne. I can’t hide from him until the flooding dissipates. Perhaps we wade across the rising water, take the auto, and go for help?”
He shook his head. “If you go alone, you don’t know who your brother’s allies are. You may reach help and discover an enemy and no support. I don’t like it, Severine. Why don’t we just round up your brother, lock him in the cellar, and wait until we can get help from someone we trust?”
Severine nodded. She didn’t object to such a thing. Not after her room had been destroyed. She put her things in her old room, locked the door, made a slight mark and placed a hair over that mark. If someone opened her bedroom door while she was gone, she’d know.
She glanced at Grayson and nodded. They made their way down to the dining room and found it empty. They tried the parlor, and it was empty. They tried the library, the great hall, the kitchens, but everywhere was empty. Finally, Severine said, “Would they be in the yard?”
They made their way out through a back door and found Oliver and Florette.
“I say,” Grayson called, “where is everyone?”
The two looked up in surprise.
“Whatever do you mean?” Florette asked.
“Even the servants aren’t in the kitchens,” Severine called. “We were looking for Mr. Brand and my brother.”
“Ah,” Oliver said, a light blush on his cheeks, “we’ve been out here since luncheon.”
Severine lifted a brow and Oliver’s blush deepened lightly. Had he decided that it didn’t matter about the income comment? It was no concern of hers, she told herself.
“Was everyone at luncheon?” Grayson asked sharply.
“No,” Florette said. “We were told Severine had a headache.” Florette’s happy gaze moved over Severine, and her eyes glinted with humor. “Andre never comes to luncheon. Or hardly ever. Mr. Brand was gone. Again, no excuse. Grandmère was furious. Your Lisette was late and surprised about everyone being gone.”
Severine glanced back at the house, her skin prickling in uneasiness. Someone was watching them from the second floor, but she couldn’t see who it was, just a featureless shape.
“There,” Severine said, but the figure stepped back too quickly for the others to see.
“What is it?” Florette asked happily.
“Someone was in the window.”
Florette laughed merrily. “It’s a fine day. Why wouldn’t someone be looking out?”
Severine didn’t bother to answer. She glanced at Oliver. “Perhaps keep Florette close.”
His gaze sharpened even as Florette’s narrowed. “Whatever for?”
“Andre has struck.”
“Struck?”
“Struck,” Severine answered. She moved back toward the house, Grayson with her.
“That was my bedroom,” she said quietly. “He was in the one I just left.”
“By Jove, I think you’re right,” Grayson said. They hurried back to her room and he threw the door open.
“Oh my,” Severine stared, her mouth dropping.
The room looked perfect. The bloodied mattress was gone or cleaned. No, it must be gone, swapped for a clean one. The paintings were back on the wall. The pile she had made of her ruined underthings had vanished.
“What in the world?” Grayson demanded.
“Don’t you see?” Severine asked softly. “No one knows you saw it with me.”
Grayson’s gaze narrowed.
“Hysterical female,” Severine said, agitated, “too many novels, raised by useless virginal women in the woods, of course she’s gone mad. Maybe that was why I was sent there in the first place.”
Grayson shut the door behind them while Severine raged. She was pacing, almost shouting. “I was with you,” he finally said.
“You were with me, yes. Thank goodness for our accord. Mr. Brand was with me earlier. But Andre doesn’t know that. He’s been working his plan while we work ours.”
“We need to speak with Mr. Brand,” Grayson replied. “It’s necessary that we combine forces and deal with your brother. What we saw here today, Severine…it’s madness.”
Severine spun and then rushed down the stairs with Grayson right behind her.
Chapter Sixteen
“Sevie,” her brother said silkily from the bottom of the steps. His voice was something she’d expect from a snake. All clever and sneaky, with a dash of evil.
She and Grayson were only halfway down the grand staircase when he’d called her name, and they came to a stop. A sudden sense of the presence of her male cousins and uncle, and they appeared, spread out as though they intended to block her path.
“What have you done with Grandmère?” her brother demanded.
“Grandmère?” Severine replied stupidly, a rush of fear flooding her. What had he done with Grandmère? Had he hurt Grandmère as he’d ruined Severine’s things? Was Grandmère rended to bits somewhere as Severine’s possessions had been? Was Grandmère the person who had bled on Severine’s bed? She hadn’t considered where the blood had come from when she’d seen it.
“Grandmère,” Andre said, and his voice was all threat. “She’s missing. What have you done with her?”
Severine stepped back. She couldn’t help it. Not with the image of that bloody bed in her room. What if…what if that hadn’t been animal’s blood from the kitchens, but Grandmère? She felt sick, and her stomach roiled.
“What have you done?” Severine demanded, pressing her hand against her stomach. Outrage overtook her fear and she shouted, “What have you done?!”
“I?” Andre held a hand to his chest in innocence, but his amused look said the opposite. As he was standing in front of the other men, they
