As if matters were not complicated enough, the door swung open and Lord Northcott appeared wrapped in his greatcoat. He stormed into the small room, slammed the door and glared at the harpy and Miss Venables.
“Come to join the party?” An incredulous chuckle left Hugo’s lips.
“Frances?” The viscount motioned to the pistol in his sister’s hand. “What the devil are you about? As if you’ve not caused enough trouble this evening. For the life of me, I’ll never straighten this with Denham.”
The viscount acted like a boy green behind the ears with regard to his sister’s duplicity.
Miss Harper’s lips curled into a smirk. “I suggest you return to your bedchamber. There’s a good boy. I’m tired of being controlled by an imbecile.”
“I’m the imbecile? I’m not the one pointing a pistol at our host’s head.”
“You’re the fool who got us into this predicament.”
“Hand me the pistol, Frances.” The viscount held out a gloved hand, but his sister ignored him. In a panic, he turned to Hugo. “Denham, you can see she’s not herself. If she gives me the weapon, tell her she can leave, and we’ll not say another word about this.”
Lara stood aghast. The scoundre
l was a milksop, while his sister was as mad as a March hare.
“Father was right all those years ago.” Miss Harper turned the gun on her brother. Her hand shook, and she ground her teeth. “You’re a wastrel who will see us in the gutter before the year is out. You have no mind for anything but your own pleasure. Our father must be turning in his grave at the mess you’ve made.”
“You have no idea of the pressure that comes with my position.” Lord Northcott was the one gritting his teeth now. “Your only worries are what bonnet goes best with your dress.”
Miss Harper let out an enraged cry, a sound one might hear on the battlefield when the infantry charged over the enemy line. She stamped her foot and yelled, “I killed a man for you. I killed a man to protect our family while you’ve been bedding the hired help. Don’t tell me I have no worries. It would have all worked out perfectly fine had she not arrived.”
Lara winced when the harpy jabbed the weapon in her direction. Miss Harper’s wild eyes, her teeth clamped together so tightly one could hear them grinding, made her a perfect candidate for Bedlam. Insanity was the only explanation.
“What the devil do you mean when you say you killed a man?” The viscount stared with agonised confusion at the body hidden beneath the white sheet. “For the love of God, tell me you didn’t kill Bertie!”
“Of course I killed him, you whimpering fool.” She spat saliva as she hurled abuse. “He’s been conspiring with Miss Venables. They’ve met a few times in London. I knew she was up to something and so followed her to the gate.”
“So that’s the reason you gave her an alibi,” Hugo mused.
Miss Harper ignored the earl’s comment. “I hid amongst the trees and waited until she returned to the house before approaching the cad. I told him I knew what Miss Venables was up to, played the doting sister desperate to help my brother from making a foolish mistake. When he refused to divulge any information, I lost my temper.”
The viscount’s expression grew solemn. His shoulders sagged when he turned his attention to Miss Venables. “After all that occurred between us, you were conducting an affair with Bellham?”
He looked more hurt that a woman didn’t find him the most desirable man in the world than the fact his sister had admitted to murder. Indeed, he seemed oblivious to the fact someone might have learned of his smuggling activities and was bothered only about his bed partner’s deception. Perhaps he’d forgotten that he was late to the party because he’d taken to sowing his wild oats at the Swan.
Miss Venables blurted the whole sorry story about her father’s plight. During her heartfelt speech, Lara wondered if the lady was a little conflicted. Had her body waged war with her conscience? Either way, her need for vengeance had won in the end.
“Oh, my heart bleeds.” Miss Harper’s devilish chuckle rent the air. She aimed the pistol at her brother. “So you see. I couldn’t possibly let Mr Bellham leave here knowing she’d whispered her secrets. Heaven knows what you’d told her. I’ll not have our personal affairs aired around town.”
A grave silence descended.
The viscount dragged his hand down his face and shook his head. He turned to Hugo. “Do you have any suggestions as to how we might deal with this matter? You should know that I will do everything in my power to ensure she doesn’t hang.”
Hugo glanced at the woman who seemed momentarily shocked by her brother’s comment. “You’ll press for Bedlam?”
The viscount inclined his head.
“Bedlam?” Miss Harper flew into a fit of rage. “Judas!” she cried and fired at her brother.
Miss Venables screamed.
The viscount dropped to his knees as a puff of smoke and the smell of sulphur filled the air. The lead ball hit the doorframe, splintering the wood. But that wasn’t enough to deter the termagant or make her see the error of her ways. No. With her arms held high and her fingers shaped like claws she pounced on her brother, ready to scratch his eyes from his sockets.
Hugo came to the viscount’s rescue, and with the help of some twine Lara found in a cupboard, he secured Miss Harper’s hands behind her back.