Devils Bride (Cynster 1)

Honoria tightened her hold on Devil, but did not take her eyes from Charles's face. "Is he dead?"

Devil nodded. "It's finished."

Hoofbeats approached, coming from the south. Vane came out of the cottage and looked at Devil. Devil shrugged. They moved to intercept the newcomers. Honoria moved with Devil; she wasn't yet ready to let him go.

Horsemen appeared on the bridle path, riding briskly. The next instant, the clearing was overflowing with Cynsters.

"What are you doing here?" Devil asked.

"We came to help," Richard replied, in the tone of one offended to be asked. Looking at the body sprawled on the ground, he humphed. "Looks like you've managed without us. He was so damned sure he had you dancing to his tune, he left London before you did."

"What next?" Gabriel, his horse tied to a tree, came to join them.

"You can't seriously consider passing this off as an accident." Lucifer followed on his heels. "Aside from anything else, I, for one, will refuse point-blank to attend Charles's funeral."

"Quite." Harry ranged himself beside Vane. "And if you can stomach burying Charles next to Tolly, I can't."

"So what do we do with the body, brother mine?" Richard raised his brows at Devil.

They all looked at Devil.

Honoria glanced up, but he had his mask on. He glanced down at her, then looked at the cottage. "We can't risk burying him-someone might stumble across the grave." His gaze lingered on the cottage, then swept the wood around them. "There hasn't been much rain. The wood's fairly dry."

Vane studied the cottage. "It's yours after all-no one would know except Keenan."

"I'll take care of Keenan-there's a widow in the village who's quite keen to have him as a boarder."

"Right." Richard shrugged out of his coat. "We'll have to bring the roof down and push the walls in to make sure it burns well enough."

"We'd better get started." Gabriel glanced at the sky. "We'll need to make sure the fire's out before we leave." Honoria watched as they stripped off coats, waistcoats, and shirts, Devil and Vane included. Richard and Gabriel unearthed axes from the stable; Harry and Lucifer led the horses away, taking Charles's hired chestnut with them.

"Turn him loose in the fields closest to the Cambridge Road," Devil called after them. Harry nodded. "I'll do it this evening." Moments later, the sound of axes biting into seasoned timber filled the clearing. Devil and Vane each took one of Charles's hands; they dragged his body into the cottage. Honoria followed. From the threshold, she watched as they manhandled Charles onto the bare pallet on which Tolly had died.

"Most appropriate." Vane dusted his hands. Honoria stepped back-a woodchip went flying past her face.

"What The-!" Richard, axe in hand, glared at her, then raised his head. "Devil!"

He didn't need to explain what the problem was. Devil materialized and frowned at Honoria. "What the devil are you doing here? Sit down." He pointed to the log across the clearing-the same log he'd made her sit on six months before. "Over there-safe out of the way."

Six months had seen a lot of changes. Honoria stood her ground. She looked past his bare chest and saw Vane, with one blow, smash a rickety stool to pieces. "What are you doing with the furniture?"

Devil sighed. "We're going to bring this place down about Charles's body-we need lots of fuel so the fire burns hot enough to act as his pyre."

"But-" Honoria stepped back and looked at the cottage, at the wide half logs of the walls, the thick beams beneath the eaves. "You've got plenty of wood-you don't need to use Keenan's furniture."

"Honoria, the furniture's mine."

"How do you know he isn't attached to it by now?" Stubbornly, she held his gaze.

Devil pressed his lips together.

Honoria's chin firmed. "It'll take two minutes to carry it out. We can use the blankets to cover it, then Keenan can take it away later."

Devil threw up his hands and turned back into the cottage. "All right, all right-but we'll have to hurry."

Vane simply stared when Devil explained. He shook his head, but didn't argue. He and Devil shifted the heavier pieces; Honoria gathered the smaller items into baskets and pails. Harry and Lucifer returned-and couldn't believe their eyes. Honoria promptly conscripted Lucifer; Harry escaped on the pretext of fetching Devil's and Vane's horses and taking them upwind of the cottage.

While Richard and Gabriel weakened the joints, the pile of Keenan's possessions grew. Finally, Harry, whom Honoria had collared and sent to clear out the stable, came back with an old oilcloth and dusty lamp. He put the lamp on the pile, then flicked the oilcloth over the whole.