I shuddered again from the memory. My bizarre reaction that night was pure madness, brought on, no doubt, by unmitigated fear. Why else would I have threatened a creature capable of killing me in a single blow? No sane person would have dared utter such words, or worse yet, actually believed them as I had at that moment. By sheer luck, I had Brigid’s knife, or my scream would have been silenced for good once the beast got hold of my throat. Standing in the darkness mere feet apart, the knife had been forgotten until I threw my hands up to protect myself. Then it was over, and Mr. Chubais lay at my feet, reduced to a pile of white ash.
No matter how many times I went over that night, carefully picking each minute apart, only one thing stood out with certainty—Mr. Chubais had been the messenger, and where one messenger failed another was sure to follow. As I continued to stare out at the city, I felt a strong sense of relief at being so far from home. By leaving the Colonies the very next morning I had managed to stay one step ahead. But ahead of whom, I had yet to discover. Before their deaths, my parents had spoken of our kind being hunted in the old world, that my maternal grandparents had left Ireland for this very reason. At the time, I assumed the hunters to be human, their heinous actions instigated by fear of our kind. Never, in all my imaginings, did I picture an albino who could assume the form of a gigantic hound.
“I dare say, civilization has never looked so good before.”
I jumped in surprise, having been so deep in thought I hadn’t realized that James had joined me.
“My pardon, Miss Kilbrid, I did not mean to startle you.” His voice dripped with pleasantness, so much in fact, that I was immediately suspicious.
I glanced at him, in search of any clue to explain the sudden change in his demeanor. His usual scowl was gone, replaced by a cheerful smile. “I didn’t hear you approach,” I said cautiously.
“Yes, you appeared distracted. I imagine a city such as London can be intimidating for someone from the Colonies.”
His tone left nothing to the imagination—for someone from the backwoods was more like it. I gave him a tight smile, which was more than he deserved. At this point, a sharp kick to the shins would have been too good for him.
“Of course,” I said, refusing to be provoked. “You must be anxious to get ashore after so long an absence.”
“Anxious beyond measure,” James said, sounding almost gleeful now. “Since we arrived I can’t stop wondering how long it will take before the king has you arrested. It’s possible the guard will bring a boat out into the Thames, but I do believe they will chose to wait for you on the docks. Much less work and the people always appreciate a good spectacle.”
My stomach jumped into my throat. “What do you mean? The king has no cause to arrest me.”
“He has all the cause in the world,” James scoffed, “now the daughter of a known Irish rebel has come to London to meddle with a noble betrothal. It sounds like grounds for treason if you ask me.”
I set my shoulders in a defiant line. “You’ll not frighten me, Mr. Roth. Henry has been home since September, and for all you know, the betrothal with Amelia has already been put aside.”
James shook his head as his smile turned to a condescending smirk. “I promise you, that is not the case.”
“Regardless, Henry would never allow for me to be arrested.”
“Lord Fitzalan,” he corrected me, “will have little say in the matter. His father, the Duke of Norland, is the wealthiest, most influential man in England aside from the king, and even then there is some debate. Upon my honor, neither man is about to forfeit such an advantageous match in favor of an upstart commoner from the Colonies.”
My face flushed red with anger. “There’s no need to be rude. Henry has made his choice. I’m sorry if it’s not to your liking.”
“Though perhaps your arrest will prove unnecessary,” James continued, deliberately ignoring my words. “Now that his lordship has returned to the civilized world, I’ll wager he’s come to his senses without any help from his father or the king. You know, Lord Fitzalan was always a favorite amongst the ladies, and was never shy in showing his regard in return.”
I bit back a laugh. Certainly, James wasn’t so dimwitted as to think I would be discouraged by some youthful dalliances. Henry was an outgoing, handsome man. I would have been more surprised to hear that he hadn’t been a favorite at court. “None of that matters. Henry loves me and I’ll not hold a few innocent flirtations against him.”
“Oh, Miss Kilbrid, your naivety is pathetic. It actually pains me to think you so ignorant as to what really happened this past summer. You were nothing more than a diversion until his lordship could return to England.”
“That’s a lie! I released Henry from his contract before you even arrived. He had every opportunity to return of his own free will, yet he chose to stay at Brighmor.”
James looked at me, his eyes narrowed in thought. “I give you credit for attaching him at all. Women far superior have tried and failed at the same game.”