the benefit of being twins.
“I’m afraid I’ve only one gun. My duchess and I
have already discussed how a premature disappearance of my new wife would look
too suspicious. Besides, we already have plans for London. On the other hand,” he
shrugged, “no one will miss you, dear brother. You’re already dead.”
Eugenia glanced at Edmund, who did not show the
smallest mote of fear. How could he stand there, so calm, when she was
terrified that he would be killed? They both knew Thomas had every intention of
doing so.
Thomas waved Eugenia aside with his pistol. “Step
away from him.” He inched closer and set his lantern on a small, low
outcropping of rocks. “Go on.”
Cruel, cruel Thomas. Eugenia honestly believed at
this point he wanted to see the fear on their faces. She was too shocked to be
frightened and could not decipher her companion’s expression.
Wasn’t Edmund afraid to die?
She released her hold on him and stepped away.
Eugenia choked back a cry, wishing she could disobey Thomas’ commands but she
dared not.
“Must I remind you that it was I you have formed an
attachment to, not my brother, and it was I you’ve married? Please,” he scoffed,
“you don’t even know the first thing about him.”
But she did know him, not as Edmund but as Franz.
The entire time Edmund, as Franz, was in Brighton, Thomas never suspected his
brother was alive nor that he occupied the very same town.
Thomas gave the impression that he was a man of
standing and consequence. The only true attribute he had was the resolve to
kill to keep it all.
“How you two met is a mystery. I expect you to tell
me the tale in its entirety tonight, my dear.” Again he motioned her to step
away from Edmund.
Eugenia sniffed and muffled a sob that distracted
Thomas only momentarily. It was enough time for Edmund to kick his small
lantern into Thomas’ lamp.
At first, the mass of broken pieces flared then the
flames burned at a dim, steady glow. Eugenia screamed and ran from the flames
spreading across the dock.
The two men struggled in the dim light. Soon she
could not discern one brother from the other. The fire spread slowly down the
dock ramp toward the surging sea.
A shot rang out.
One of them staggered back. They faced each other,
motionless for a few moments before one tumbled over the edge of the dock and
fell into the water. A loud splash told the demise of a Mallick brother.
Which one? She had no idea.
Eugenia sank back into a dark corner and wanted to
cry out in fright, to scream with pure terror, but she knew the only one to
hear her would be him.
A foreboding, darkened figure approached. Eugenia
could not be certain of his identity in this obscure light. The two brothers
looked too similar and it was too dark for her to tell them apart.
She stood motionless and remained quiet. Contemplating
her movements, Eugenia would only take one slow, small step toward him, and
toward the dock’s edge, at a time.
“Come,” he said. Whoever he was.
She inched closer, wondering if this was the wrong
brother bidding her near. Should she follow and throw herself into the icy
water below?
Her heart felt as if it had stopped. A lump had
lodged itself in her throat. She could hardly swallow.
“Please, Eugenia, don’t move.” He held his arms out
to her. “You’re safe. It’s me, Edmund.”
Edmund …
If only there was some way to know for sure. The
planks creaked beneath her feet, gave slightly as she shifted her weight from
foot to foot.
She was almost too frightened to speak. “How do I
know?” she managed.
“Come closer …” The figure held his hand out to
her. “Look at me.”
Eugenia dared not and she took another step toward
the sound of the sea.
“ Warten Sie , Fraulein,” he whispered, then in that familiar, soft
Franz voice said, “ Darf ich Sie um diesen Tanz bitten?”
Eugenia’s knees weakened, almost preventing her from
rushing headlong into Edmund’s arms. She collapsed against him,
“I’m afraid I’ve only one gun. My duchess and I
have already discussed how a premature disappearance of my new wife would look
too suspicious. Besides, we already have plans for London. On the other hand,” he
shrugged, “no one will miss you, dear brother. You’re already dead.”
Eugenia glanced at Edmund, who did not show the
smallest mote of fear. How could he stand there, so calm, when she was
terrified that he would be killed? They both knew Thomas had every intention of
doing so.
Thomas waved Eugenia aside with his pistol. “Step
away from him.” He inched closer and set his lantern on a small, low
outcropping of rocks. “Go on.”
Cruel, cruel Thomas. Eugenia honestly believed at
this point he wanted to see the fear on their faces. She was too shocked to be
frightened and could not decipher her companion’s expression.
Wasn’t Edmund afraid to die?
She released her hold on him and stepped away.
Eugenia choked back a cry, wishing she could disobey Thomas’ commands but she
dared not.
“Must I remind you that it was I you have formed an
attachment to, not my brother, and it was I you’ve married? Please,” he scoffed,
“you don’t even know the first thing about him.”
But she did know him, not as Edmund but as Franz.
The entire time Edmund, as Franz, was in Brighton, Thomas never suspected his
brother was alive nor that he occupied the very same town.
Thomas gave the impression that he was a man of
standing and consequence. The only true attribute he had was the resolve to
kill to keep it all.
“How you two met is a mystery. I expect you to tell
me the tale in its entirety tonight, my dear.” Again he motioned her to step
away from Edmund.
Eugenia sniffed and muffled a sob that distracted
Thomas only momentarily. It was enough time for Edmund to kick his small
lantern into Thomas’ lamp.
At first, the mass of broken pieces flared then the
flames burned at a dim, steady glow. Eugenia screamed and ran from the flames
spreading across the dock.
The two men struggled in the dim light. Soon she
could not discern one brother from the other. The fire spread slowly down the
dock ramp toward the surging sea.
A shot rang out.
One of them staggered back. They faced each other,
motionless for a few moments before one tumbled over the edge of the dock and
fell into the water. A loud splash told the demise of a Mallick brother.
Which one? She had no idea.
Eugenia sank back into a dark corner and wanted to
cry out in fright, to scream with pure terror, but she knew the only one to
hear her would be him.
A foreboding, darkened figure approached. Eugenia
could not be certain of his identity in this obscure light. The two brothers
looked too similar and it was too dark for her to tell them apart.
She stood motionless and remained quiet. Contemplating
her movements, Eugenia would only take one slow, small step toward him, and
toward the dock’s edge, at a time.
“Come,” he said. Whoever he was.
She inched closer, wondering if this was the wrong
brother bidding her near. Should she follow and throw herself into the icy
water below?
Her heart felt as if it had stopped. A lump had
lodged itself in her throat. She could hardly swallow.
“Please, Eugenia, don’t move.” He held his arms out
to her. “You’re safe. It’s me, Edmund.”
Edmund …
If only there was some way to know for sure. The
planks creaked beneath her feet, gave slightly as she shifted her weight from
foot to foot.
She was almost too frightened to speak. “How do I
know?” she managed.
“Come closer …” The figure held his hand out to
her. “Look at me.”
Eugenia dared not and she took another step toward
the sound of the sea.
“ Warten Sie , Fraulein,” he whispered, then in that familiar, soft
Franz voice said, “ Darf ich Sie um diesen Tanz bitten?”
Eugenia’s knees weakened, almost preventing her from
rushing headlong into Edmund’s arms. She collapsed against him,
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