All About Passion (Cynster 7)

Osbert did nothing. His gaze locked on the tableau before him, Gyles murmured, “Stay here and keep out of sight. Franni’s high-strung-she’ll get a shock if she sees you-she doesn’t know you. We don’t want to alarm her and have her pull the trigger.” Gyles paused to moisten his dry lips. “In a moment I’m going in. Stay out here, out of sight, but get into a position where you can watch and witness whatever happens. Just don’t let her see you.”

He sensed Osbert’s nod. Osbert wasn’t his ideal as a second, but thus far Osbert was managing well. Still as a statue, Gyles listened once more to Franni’s ranting.

“I know the truth. Gyles’s loves me-me!-but he had to marry you to get the land. Now he’s got it, he would marry me if he could, but he can’t.” Franni paused; her gaze had never left Francesca. “Not while you live.”

Franni’s voice lowered. “Of course, he should kill you-that’s what he should do-anyone can see that. But he’s too noble, too softhearted.” Franni straightened and lifted her chin. “So I’m going to kill you for him, and then he and I will marry, just as we’ve always wanted.”

Her voice had taken on the singsong cadence of one reciting a bedtime story.

“Franni.” Francesca held out a hand. “This won’t work.”

“It will, it will, it will!” Franni stamped her foot. Francesca flinched. The pistol didn’t waver as Franni launched into another diatribe about how everyone thought she was helpless.

Gyles didn’t think they’d make that mistake again. He saw Francesca raise her hand and speak-the torrent of Franni’s words swept her appeal aside.

He wanted to let Francesca know he was there, reassure her so she didn’t do anything rash. It wasn’t easy to force his attention from Franni-instinct as old as time had him focused on her-but he shifted his gaze to his wife, kept it there. He knew when Francesca realized. She lifted her head a little, to the side, as if searching for him with her senses, then she straightened and drew her hand from the pew.

“So I’m going to take care of things my way.” Franni waved the pistol, but immediately brought it to bear again, aimed at Francesca.

Francesca folded her arms over her waist-with a pang, Gyles recognized the instinctive action, the innate urge to protect their unborn child.

“So.” His wife’s usual warm tones were strained. “What are you going to do? Are you going to shoot me here-in a church?”

Franni’s slow smile was taunting, cruel. “No-this is Papa’s pistol and I have to take it back. I’d rather it wasn’t smelling of powder. I’ll use it if I have to, but I’ve thought of a better plan.” Her smile grew colder, her eyes emptier. “A much better plan. You’re going to disappear.”

Abruptly, Franni refocused and flicked a glance to Francesca’s right, to the side of the chapel draped in shadow. “These men will take you away.”

Francesca looked. Three men stepped forward; she’d been so intent on Franni she hadn’t noticed them at all. John Coachman’s words rang in her head: two burly men and one scrawny one. John had been describing the highwaymen who’d attacked her carriage. Was it coincidence these three fitted the description?

All three stared at her; one licked his lips. Francesca felt her eyes flare; she fought an urge to step back. The men saw her reaction; they leered and shuffled to the other end of the pew, meaty hands hanging at their sides, opening and closing as if impatient to get hold of her.

Fear rushed over Francesca’s skin and left it crawling. Her breath was trapped in her chest. She thought Gyles was close, but was he? She had footmen outside… with the thought came the realization that this was a church. There’d be a door leading out of the vestry, most likely on the other side of the church from where her footmen waited. The church stood on a corner-she’d been vaguely aware of the lane beyond the graveyard. In this fog, she could be whisked away and none of her husband’s servants would know.

“No. That won’t work.” It was all she could think of to say.

“Yes, it will.” Franni nodded continually; the pistol remained steady in her hands. “The men will keep you, then when you have the baby, they’ll bring it to me, then they can dispose of you however they want. That seemed only fair. After all, Gyles won’t want you-he’ll have me. He’ll have forgotten about you by then.”

Francesca swung to face Franni, instinctively tightening her arms about their baby. How had Franni known? Then she realized. Franni didn’t know-having babies after being married was what happened in books.

“I have it all worked out. Ester told me it would be best if I don’t have babies of my own, so instead, I’ll have your baby to raise, and you’ll be gone, so Gyles will marry me and I’ll be Lady Chillingworth.”

“No, Franni-it won’t happen like that.”

Franni gasped and looked up. The pistol wobbled, but she immediately steadied it. Then she smiled, so sweetly, so happily, Francesca could have wept.

“You’ve come.”

The warmth in Franni’s voice was unmistakable, the change in her demeanor equally so. Satisfied she’d accepted his appearance, Gyles walked forward. His gaze raked the three men-that was enough to make them step back.

“Yes, Franni. I’m here.” He met F

rancesca’s eyes briefly. “Sit down.” She did, sinking onto the pew. Stepping past, he halted in front of Franni, directly between her and Francesca. “Give me the pistol.” Gyles held out his hand commandingly.

Dazzled, delighted to see him, Franni eased her grip-then her gaze suddenly sharpened. She clutched the pistol and abruptly stepped back, to the side, bringing Francesca once more into sight. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Gyles, struggling to read his face. “No-oo!” The word was low, rumbling, defiant. Her gaze flicked from him to Francesca. The pistol was once more trained on Francesca’s chest. “You’re being noble. Chivalrous. You men-come here and tie him up!”

“I wouldn’t advise you to try that.”

“Don’t listen to him!” Franni’s eyes snapped; her jaw set. “He’s just being noble and chivalrous. He’s an earl-they’re supposed to be like that. He has to say he doesn’t want her dead because she’s his wife. He’d feel guilty if he told the truth, but the truth is, he wants her dead so he can marry me, because he loves me. Me!” She flicked a wild-eyed glance at the men. “Now come and tie him up!”