Mark of Caine Trilogy: Book One: Hidden in the Shadows (Victorian Villains) by Catherine Lloyd Page B

to it, ma’am. It
will not be difficult.”
    Victoria concealed her relief. “Thank you, Mr. Caine . I knew I could count on you. But I must ask
... how is it to be managed?” She glanced at her man quickly and narrowly. “Your
activities cannot be linked to the Crown. If you run into difficulty, I shall have
to disavow all knowledge of you.”
    “I understand. I will be acting on my own
authority, ma’am. All I require from you is a sample of Horatio Mayhew’s
handwriting.”
    “Yes, of course. I have his most recent
letter here.” Victoria produced the missive and handed it to Tanner.
    He tucked it in his breast pocket. “The
mark will be removed from Gateshead without alarm. Force will not be required
and she will not suffer.”
    “Excellent.” Victoria wondered why she’d
been worried. Tanner Caine always understood
everything so perfectly.
    Caine met his sovereign’s eyes for the first time since the start of
their meeting. “A word of warning, ma’am: there can be no second thoughts once
the assignment is in play. Before I leave this room, I need to know that your
orders are final.”
    Victoria took a breath, her flesh straining
against her corset. It was sad, so very sad that it had come to this, but it
had been one trial after another since Albert died. Victoria simply could not
endure the scandal that this stupid, thoughtless girl seemed determined to bring
to light. Not when Mr. Caine offered a solution that
would make it disappear so neatly and cleanly.
    It would be as if the whole nasty business
never occurred.
    Queen Victoria lifted her chin regally.
    “My orders are final. There will be no
second thoughts. Good day, sir.”

 
    §

 
    Gateshead Asylum ~ the same day

 
    LAURA MAYHEW was curled in a ball on the
tiled floor, waiting for the orderly to carry her to back to her cell. Ever
since Clara was taken away, her decline had been rapid. Laura tried to hold on
to her reason but it was proving difficult.
    Being a conduit for supernatural vibrations
in a madhouse was beginning to take its toll. She was weary and her reason was
failing now that she had no one to talk to. She was beginning to doubt herself.
The ice baths, painful restraints and meaningless walks in the garden
supervised by unsmiling orderlies were a bracing relief. She depended on the
routine of society and regular habits to preserve her sanity.
    The dreams had become clearer of late and
more frequent. Last night she dreamt the baby boy, now a year old, was sobbing
behind the bars of a cage. His little face was red and wet with tears. He was
utterly bereft and alone. Laura had awakened with tears streaming down her
cheeks. The vision was real. Somewhere in England, Louise’s baby son was
frightened and neglected. There was nothing Louise could do and Laura had
promised, she had sworn she would
protect her friend’s baby boy. She had to get out of this place and find him!
    Laura had waited for over a year for Queen
Victoria to send her henchman. Whoever he was, he had still not showed. How
much longer could she survive in here? The queen was clever after all—she had
latched onto the perfect method for silencing her daughter’s friend.
    Though of late, Laura had not been silent. The
dreams drove her to speak out about why she had been confined to Gateshead.
Despite Clara’s warning to keep it to herself, Laura told Dr. Rutledge everything
about the missing royal infant. His reaction was one of paternal forbearance
and a prescription for laudanum.
    She did not expect him to believe her—she
expected him to report her ravings to Queen Victoria. The purpose behind such a
bold move was to provoke the queen to take
action .
    What she would do once the queen was riled,
Laura did not know. She was depending upon her gift of clairvoyance to know how
to manipulate the situation for her release. Logically, the queen’s assassin
would not kill her inside the walls of Gateshead Asylum. A murder would attract
public attention,