CHAPTER
Twenty-Eight
The carriage suddenly stopped moving, interrupting a kiss that left Nicholas convinced without a shadow of a doubt that he was going to marry the woman beside him, a woman who was now looking decidedly mussed.
He glanced out the window, realizing the carriage had stopped in front of his house and that Gus was getting ready to open the door.
He scooted an inch away from Gabriella right as the door opened and Gus stuck his head inside. “It’s starting to snow something fierce. Might be best to not take long fetching Winston because I’m not sure the roads will be passable in an hour or so.”
Nicholas turned to Gabriella as Gus backed out of the door. “Would you care to wait in the carriage?”
Gabriella raised a hand to her hair. “I’ll go with you. I’m fairly certain I could use a trip to your retiring room to set my hair to rights. If you’ve forgotten, I live with numerous inquiry agents. And while all of us are new to the business, it’s likely someone will notice my current state of dishevelment, and that will definitely inspire some questions.”
Nicholas climbed out of the carriage, holding out his hand to Gabriella and helping her to the sidewalk. As Gus headed off for the carriage house to get blanket-coats to put over the horses, Nicholas took Gabriella’s arm as they headed toward the house. “We should probably discuss some answers to questions the ladies are still bound to ask you, even if you do set your hair to rights.” He smiled. “I’m sure they’ll notice that matters have changed between us, because I know it’ll be difficult for me to resist . . .”
The rest of his words trailed off when he realized Gabriella didn’t seem to be paying them any mind, not with the way her attention was settled on something else.
“What is it?” he asked.
She stopped walking. “Something’s wrong. Look, over there.” She pointed to a set of footsteps in the snow that disappeared behind the house. “Think those could be Billie’s?”
“Billie prefers to avoid being out in inclement weather—says it bothers his rheumatism. Besides, after all the unusual events we’ve experienced of late, those footprints were more likely caused by someone who’s not supposed to be near my house.” He looked at Gabriella. “What are the chances of you staying out here while I investigate?”
“Not high.”
“How did I know you were going to say that?” Nicholas muttered as, together, they followed the footsteps around the house, Nicholas frowning when he noticed they stopped beneath the library window.
That the curtains had been pulled when he always left them open was not a good sign. Raising a hand to his lips, he moved to the back door and turned the knob, Gabriella slipping in before him. He took her hand and headed through the mudroom, stopping in the hallway when she tugged his hand.
“Where is everyone?” she mouthed.
“No idea,” he mouthed back, releasing her hand as he moved on silent feet to retrieve the pistol he kept stashed in the drawer of a side table in the hallway.
Gabriella tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to herself. “Where’s mine?”
He pointed at the ceiling and held up three fingers. “Third floor, bottom of the urn in the hallway.”
Before she could do more than nod, a scraping noise that sounded exactly like the noise made whenever his lower desk drawer opened came through the library walls.
“I’m going in,” he whispered, moving to the door, pistol at the ready. Taking hold of the knob, he turned it, stepped into the room, and immediately caught sight of a man sitting behind his desk, hunched over as he riffled through it.
“Looking for something?” Nicholas asked.
The man’s head shot up, and Nicholas recognized him instantly.
It was none other than Virgil Miskel, the boy Rookwood had felt was such a threat to Gabriella that he’d made the decision to leave her at the orphanage instead of bringing her home.
“Ah, Nicholas,” Virgil drawled. “Isn’t this a lovely surprise? I daresay my informant who told me you were expected to be gone all day is going to wish he hadn’t gotten his information wrong. However, no need for me to fret about that now.” He gestured Nicholas forward with a pistol he’d apparently been holding on his lap. “Please, join me. We have much to catch up on, although I’m just delighted you’re actually speaking to me, since the last time we saw each other you gave me the cut direct.”
“That was not well done of me, and I have no excuse for—”
“Your excuse, I believe,” Virgil interrupted, “was the lovely young society ladies you were with at the time.” His eyes narrowed. “I’m sure you were concerned that they’d start peppering you with pesky questions if you acknowledged a man like me.”
“It was wrong to not acknowledge you, and—”
Virgil gave a wave of his hand before Nicholas could get out the rest of his apology. “There’s no need for you to beg my pardon, Nicholas. Frankly, I should thank you for your slight, because the anger it evoked was the spark I used to expand my . . . ventures.”
“What ventures?”
“Rookwood never told you what I’ve been up to ever since he tossed me to the streets after we suffered a misunderstanding regarding a neighbor girl who tried to convince him I attempted to force my attentions on her?”
“Rookwood tossed you to the streets?”
“I’m afraid he did, but no need to worry that I may have suffered because of that.” Virgil’s eyes hardened. “I picked myself up and decided it was time for me to form my own enterprise.” He smiled. “I’ve been quite successful over the years, probably because, unlike Rookwood, I collect boys who possess aggressive natures.”
Nicholas frowned. “You started up your own criminal organization?”
“Indeed I did. Rookwood has never approved, but while he keeps a sharp eye on me and my associates, he maintains a certain distance from my organization. Probably because I’ve let him know that I’ll retaliate against him—or more specifically, the brats he takes in.” Virgil settled back in the chair. “But returning to that unpleasant encounter between the two of us, the one where you refused to acknowledge me. While I’m sure you didn’t give me much thought after that day, I began keeping a remarkably close eye on you, taking note of your every accomplishment and biding my time until I could take you down.” He smiled. “Since you came home unexpectedly today, I’m afraid to say that the time has arrived earlier than expected. I’m also afraid that the way I was going to take you down has changed as well, since you caught me in the act.”
“Why would you bother to keep a close eye on me?” Nicholas asked, trying to keep Virgil talking for as long as possible in the hope that he’d figure out a way to disarm the man and, better yet, give Gabriella a chance to get away or find help.
“Because it should have been me who went with Professor Cameron and was given an opportunity of a lifetime.” He gave the pistol a wave. “I mean, granted, it didn’t really come as a surprise that Rookwood sent you away with the professor, considering how much he favored you.”
“Rookwood didn’t favor me.”
“Of course he did.” Virgil tilted his head. “But did you ever wonder why you were the favored one, and why Professor Cameron chose you? Yes, you were always the most liked amongst the other children, and yes, you were an adequate thief. But you never had what it takes to become an extraordinary thief.”
“Perhaps that’s why Professor Cameron chose me.”
“It wasn’t,” Virgil said shortly. “You were given my opportunity because Rookwood encouraged him to do so. I, being a curious sort, overheard the story behind all of that. Perhaps I’ll entertain you with that story before I kill you.”
“We’re both armed, Virgil. I have no intention of allowing you to shoot me.”
“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong.” Virgil looked beyond Nicholas and smiled. “Ah, would you look at that. There’s the delicious Gabriella now, and, oh dear, she’s got one of my boys with a strong hand around her delicate neck.”
Nicholas glanced to the doorway, the blood in his veins turning to ice when he caught sight of Gabriella being marched into the room, a beefy boy holding her around the neck. That the expression in the boy’s eyes was one of anticipation mixed with pleasure did not lend Nicholas hope. He caught Gabriella’s eye, unsurprised to discover not a smidgen of fear in her eyes, only temper.
“Do be a good boy, Nicholas, and set your pistol down. I’ll also need you to give it a nice push in my direction. That’ll lessen the chance you’ll decide to play the hero.”
“And if I refuse?”
“I’ll have Alonzo break her neck right now.”
The casual manner in which Virgil stated that threat had Nicholas bending over, setting his gun on the ground, and then pushing it in Virgil’s direction. As he went to straighten, he caught sight of a nose barely peeping out from underneath the settee by the fireplace, Winston evidently having traded his usual napping spot under the desk for a different location, probably done so that he’d remain undetected in case someone wanted to drag him to see Precious today.
The poor dog wasn’t doing so much as twitching, clearly scared to death that a stranger had stolen into a room Winston considered his safe haven.
Hoping Virgil wouldn’t notice the dog, Nicholas straightened. “There, I’m unarmed. Tell your boy to release Gabriella.”
Virgil shook his head. “Gabriella was always more of a threat than anyone gave her credit for. I doubt she’ll behave if Alonzo releases her, so she’ll stay exactly like that until I decide otherwise.”
“What if a member of my staff walks in? Don’t you think it’ll be difficult to explain why Alonzo looks like he’s about to strangle Gabriella?”
“Your staff won’t be back for a while. I needed them out of the house, so I set fire to a carriage house two blocks away. Everyone in the neighborhood rushed to help extinguish the flames, including your staff.” Virgil turned his attention to Gabriella. “But I’m being rude by not greeting Gabriella properly.”
Virgil rose from the chair, moved around the desk, picked up Nicholas’s pistol, and tucked it into his waistband. He stopped directly in front of her, reached out, then trailed a single finger down her cheek.
Gabriella narrowed her eyes the slightest bit before she, to Nicholas’s concern, smiled. “I’ve always wondered what people meant when they said something made their skin crawl. Now I know.”
“I’m going to revel in breaking that spirit of yours,” Virgil drawled, trailing his finger down Gabriella’s cheek again, an action that sparked rage in Nicholas’s chest. “My original intent was to set you and Nicholas up for a very extended stay behind bars, but now a change of plans is certainly in order.”
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up, Virgil,” Gabriella said. “Your original plan, I assume, was to frame Nicholas and me for all the thefts you’ve perpetuated over the past few years as the Knickerbocker Bandit?”
“Did Rookwood tell you that he believes I might be behind the Knickerbocker thefts?”
“You know we went to see Rookwood?”
“I have eyes and ears throughout the city. One of my boys heard that you and Nicholas paid Rookwood a visit late last night, which is why I’ve been forced to step up my plan. I couldn’t be certain Rookwood hadn’t told you his suspicions about me.”
Virgil released a heavy sigh. “As I told Nicholas, Rookwood makes it a point to stay out of my business, but I’m not stupid enough to think he doesn’t keep a vigilant eye on me. That’s why I’m relatively certain he knows I’m the Knickerbocker Bandit, although he hasn’t exposed me, not when he’s so worried about keeping his precious street urchins safe.” He gestured to Nicholas’s desk. “As you can see, I brought a few pieces of jewelry to set Nicholas up. Fortunately for me, even if Rookwood would try to expose me now as the true Knickerbocker Bandit, he still has the reputation of habitual criminal, so it’s unlikely the authorities will put much stock in anything he says.”
Nicholas cocked his head to the side. “How were you able to steal into the homes of the New York Four Hundred without ever getting caught?”
“I had the help of someone who spent a great deal of time lingering outside those homes while he waited for his employer to finish up at one ball after another.”
Understanding struck in a split second. “You got to Fritz.”
“Very good, Nicholas,” Virgil said, his eyes gleaming. “Yes, I got to Fritz. He was always a nervous boy, one you championed. I thought it was amusing to watch how quickly his loyalty to you faded. I was also pleasantly surprised at how competent he was with sneaking into those houses you were waltzing away in, making incredibly detailed notes that assisted me in relieving as many of the New York Four Hundred of their valuables as possible.”
“What did you threaten him with?”
“The lives of his family members. Fritz seems to be unusually attached to his wife and children, so he did as I demanded. He’s apparently fled the city, though, his nerves getting the best of him. He stole a valuable necklace from me the last time he paid me a visit. I imagine he’s since sold that necklace to fund his disappearance, but I’ll find him. No one steals from me. Fritz signed all of his family’s death warrants when he took that necklace.”
“Fritz was always very good at disappearing,” Gabriella said. “If he’s decided to hide his family away from you, I doubt you’ll ever find him. He’s probably already created a new identity for himself as well as taken his family to some obscure part of the country.”
Virgil inclined his head. “Perhaps you’re right, but I’ll still look for him. I don’t want to leave any loose ends about the Knickerbocker Bandit out there, and Fritz definitely knows my secret.” He trailed his finger over Gabriella’s cheek again, then down her arm, his actions leaving Nicholas’s hand clenched. Gabriella merely arched a brow.
“It was you that night at the Fairchild ball, wasn’t it?” Nicholas asked, his mind grasping for things to distract Virgil from the cat-and-mouse game he was playing with Gabriella. “You were in the shadows, watching me, and then you followed Gabriella when she left the ball.”
Virgil turned, no longer touching Gabriella’s arm. “I see no reason to deny that.” He looked back at Gabriella. “You attracted my attention after you interfered when one of my boys went to fetch the Linwood diamonds that Celeste Wilkins paid me to steal and deliver to her. I thought it would be amusing to steal them back from Celeste, so imagine my displeasure when I learned my plan had been disrupted, and then imagine my disbelief when I heard that the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency was responsible for thwarting my plans.” He shook his head. “You could have knocked me over with a feather when I finally found out I could contact the agency through a boardinghouse of all places. To say I was incredulous when I saw you, Gabriella, strolling into that boardinghouse one afternoon, looking far too delicious for your own good, is an understatement.”
“Should I assume that’s when you began having someone follow me?”
“You’re still as astute as ever, and yes, I did have boys following you, and yes, they’re very good at that—so good that you never realized you were being followed, which lends credence to their abilities, since you were always so observant. I followed you as well, an activity I enjoyed and one that only whet my appetite for you, which only increased after Nicholas discovered me following you at the ball after I learned you were going there in disguise on agency business.”
“And there goes that whole skin-crawling business again.”
Virgil’s face darkened. “Your skin’s going to do more than crawl after I get done with you.”
“How delightful to learn you’ve gotten so adept at charming a woman, Virgil,” Gabriella returned. “But tell me this, were you intending on stealing the Fairchild jewels the night of that particular ball?”
“Not at all. My intention that night was to reunite with you, but when that didn’t happen, I decided I might as well make the best of the evening and help myself to the contents of the Fairchild safe.” He sighed. “It was a more difficult job than I anticipated because there were guards roaming the halls, but I managed to empty Mrs. Fairchild’s safe, proving I am, without a doubt, unequaled when it comes to stealth.”
“A talent to boast about for sure, but tell me—”
Whatever else Gabriella had been about to say got interrupted when Pretty Girl suddenly flew into the room, screeching like mad as she landed on the desk, drawn to all the sparkly jewels littering the surface.
“Pretty baubles, pretty baubles,” she cackled, picking up a jeweled bracelet in her beak and flying out of the room with it.
“Call her back,” Virgil demanded.
“Pretty Girl isn’t receptive to orders. She’s got a mind of her own, but feel free to go after her,” Nicholas said.
“Better yet,” Gabriella added, “send Alonzo to chase her. You shouldn’t give Pretty Girl much time, because there’s no telling if she’ll take that bracelet back to her cage or stash it somewhere you’ll never find.”
Virgil’s lips twisted. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Gabriella? Having me send Alonzo off and releasing that pretty neck of yours? But no, I don’t believe I’ll do that because you’ll undoubtedly misbehave the second you’re free. I’ll find the bracelet later and extract a bit of pleasure wringing that ridiculous bird’s neck for causing me to go on a treasure hunt.”
Gabriella’s eyes flashed. “Would that make you feel like a man, Virgil, killing a helpless bird?”
Virgil placed the pistol right up against Gabriella’s temple. “I’m going to relish hurting you and forcing you to admit how much of a man I really am as well as—”
“Forgive me for stopping by unannounced, Nicholas, but I—”
Ice returned to Nicholas’s veins when Professor Cameron stepped into the library, his words of apology abruptly stopping when his gaze settled on Virgil, then darted to Gabriella, then Alonzo, then to Nicholas.
“Am I . . . interrupting something?” he asked weakly.
Virgil released a sharp bark of laughter. “I always find it amusing how members of society maintain their manners in the most ridiculous of circumstances. To answer your question, Professor Cameron, yes, you’re interrupting something. It’s most unfortunate timing on your part because, well, now I’m going to be forced to adjust my plans yet again.” He gestured to a chair. “Do come in and make yourself comfortable. Nicholas and I were only recently speaking of you. It might be amusing to have him hear the little secret you’ve been keeping all these years, although not amusing for you because I don’t imagine you want that secret exposed.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Professor Cameron began, walking hesitantly over to the chair Virgil had gestured to. He lowered himself into it, perching on the very edge. “Nor, frankly, do I know who you are, though you’re apparently familiar with me.”
“I’m Virgil Miskel, the boy who asked you to take me instead of Nicholas all those years ago.” He smiled. “I’d like for you to explain why it was that you chose Nicholas over me—and the entire story, if you please.”
Professor Cameron darted a glance to Nicholas before he cleared his throat. “There’s no mystery there. Nicholas seemed the most capable of being able to eventually assume the role of a gentleman, given his solicitous air and manners that, while nowhere near what one expects of a society member, were surprisingly apparent even though he was a street child.”
“But why were you determined to take in a street child?” Virgil pressed.
Professor Cameron fiddled with his spectacles. “I was doing research at the time that dealt with certain characteristics I’d noticed people living in the Lower East Side possessed. I was anxious to see if those characteristics could be changed through improved circumstances.”
Virgil pointed his pistol at Professor Cameron. “I don’t think you’re being honest, Professor. Allow me to encourage you to try again.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I want you to say what the true reason was behind you wanting to take in a street child, not that nonsense you just spouted about research.” He smiled. “I was listening all those years ago when you sought Rookwood out and presented him with your peculiar request.”
Professor Cameron blinked. “You were listening?”
“Indeed, and I got quite the earful.” Virgil nodded to Nicholas. “Rookwood was clearly suspicious of his story, so Professor Cameron was forced to elaborate on why he wanted to not only observe the street children in Rookwood’s care but also to take one of those children home with him.”
Nicholas frowned. “Of course Rookwood was suspicious. It’s not every day a gentleman shows up in Five Points and offers to improve a street urchin’s life.”
Virgil waved that aside. “Oh, you’d be surprised, which is why I believe Rookwood had doubts about agreeing to let one of us go with the professor. That is, until Professor Cameron broke down and told him the truth.” He arched a brow the professor’s way. “Shall I tell him, or do you want the honors?”
Professor Cameron pressed his lips together, causing Virgil to laugh. “Ah well, it’s up to me, then.” He turned a malicious smile on Nicholas. “Professor Cameron needed to take on a street boy to alleviate the guilt he’d been feeling for years over the death of his sister.”
Nicholas shot a look to Professor Cameron. “You felt guilty that your sister died of the illness that sent her out West?”
Virgil snorted. “She didn’t go out West because she was ill. She went out West because she was pregnant, and Professor Cameron refused to allow her to marry the man who’d gotten her in that condition. He was from the Lower East Side and worked in the stables at some fancy house, from what I remember. And from what I overheard, Professor Cameron wanted to send his sister to some sort of home, have her deliver the baby in secret, give up that baby, then return to her life in society.” He cocked his head. “Do I have the story right so far, Professor?”
Professor Cameron swallowed hard. “You do, but I must add that my behavior at that time and the way I treated my own sister is the greatest regret of my life.” He looked to Nicholas. “Ruth wouldn’t agree to my demand she abandon her baby, which is why she ran away with her young man. They went out West, where she married him and then gave birth to a baby boy.” He pressed his hand to his temple. “A horrible fever broke out in the town where they were living. It killed all three of them in rapid succession, and when I heard of their deaths, I knew that I was responsible.”
Professor Cameron caught Nicholas’s eye. “I could have stopped her from running away if only I’d accepted her desire to marry the man she claimed was the love of her life. But my refusal wasn’t merely because I knew that marriage would ruin Ruth within society. The main reason I was against the marriage was because it would have left a blemish on my name and standing within society.” He sighed. “I was ashamed of my sister, ashamed of what Ruth had allowed to happen to her, and I was happy she’d run away. I never wanted her dead, though. When I learned that she’d died, I realized how mistaken I’d been and that I would always have the blood of her death, the blood of her baby boy, and the blood of her husband on my hands.”
He released another sigh. “The guilt ate at me for years. I’d been responsible for killing not only my sister and her husband, but their child—a boy I should have embraced no matter that his father wasn’t a society member. But I never got the chance because I caused his death before he’d had much of a chance to live.” He rubbed his temple. “Years after my nephew died, I finally decided that I could make amends to him if I were to reach out and help boys living in disadvantaged situations. At first, I merely thought I’d try my hand at teaching Rookwood’s charges some basic manners, until I became better acquainted with you, Nicholas.
“I was impressed by you, with how you seemed to accept your lot in life and didn’t complain about it. That’s when I decided you deserved better advantages, ones I could provide for you and ones I should have given my nephew but didn’t. Bringing you home with me was the best decision I ever made. You exceeded all of my expectations, but more than that, you helped heal a part of my heart that I never thought would heal. I grew to love you, taking pride in the gentleman you allowed me to help you become.”
“How touching,” Virgil drawled, taking a seat beside Professor Cameron. “And don’t you feel so much better for getting that off your chest?”
Professor Cameron didn’t respond, which left Virgil laughing, even as he aimed the pistol directly at the professor again. “I’m not quite done with you yet, though. You see, I’d like for Nicholas to suffer a bit more before I move forward with my plan. I’d like for you to now disclose what you know about Nicholas’s father.”
“I don’t know anything about Nicholas’s father,” Professor Cameron said, which earned him a slap across the face from Virgil.
“You’re lying. At the very least, I’m sure you’ve had your suspicions.”
Professor Cameron shook his head, which had Virgil raising his hand again.
“Enough, Virgil,” Nicholas said, taking a step toward him, then stilling when Gabriella let out a strangled grunt, Alonzo clearly having tightened his hold on her neck. “Stop toying with the professor. You evidently have some information about my father, so just tell me.”
Virgil rose to his feet. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Where’s the fun in using physical force against a man unable to defend himself?”
“Oh, there’s plenty of fun there. But you’re beginning to annoy me, Nicholas. That means I’m going to have to use some physical force against you soon, and believe me, you being unarmed won’t bother me in the least. But before I attend to that, I’ll tell you what I know about your father.”
Silence descended over the room, broken only by the sound of a clock ticking on the wall.
“I’m waiting,” Nicholas said between gritted teeth.
“I’m savoring the moment, although I have to admit that I expected more of you, Nicholas. Surely you must have an inkling who your father is.”
“I’m afraid not.”
“I don’t think I believe you. Shall I force you to start naming possible candidates you believe could be your father by having a bit of fun with Gabriella?”
“There’s no need for that because I’m his father, and it’s past time I owned up to that and also past time I take care of you once and for all.”
Hope, mixed with a great deal of disbelief, soared through Nicholas as Humphrey Rookwood strode into the room, looking absolutely furious. Close behind was Agent Clifton, who was followed by the women of the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, all of whom were sporting guns that were now trained Virgil’s way.