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“My brother is a duke, not a bloody idiot, Harold. He’ll know you had something to do with my demise.”
“No, he won’t.” But Harold’s bravado faltered. “The duke will never know what became of you. I’ll leave your body here to be picked clean by the animals in this savage place. Or even better, you’ll sink. It will be ages before anyone finds you. I’ll have Georgina’s money. Beechwood Court, which she’s renovated for me. And of course, your child.”
Harold really was mad. Completely.
Leo blinked, trying to clear his vision. The area around the pond seemed to be deserted. No one but him and the very insane Lord Masterson. How ironic that Leo had studiously avoided water and anything that floated upon it since that day with his brother, only to drown in a pond after being shot by Harold. Foul-tasting water slipped into his mouth, and he spat it out.
The algae slipped down his throat, wobbly, like aspic. He hated aspic. Tony was screaming at him to wake up.
If he could just keep Harold here a while longer, Georgina would have a chance to make it to Lilian’s neighbors. Find help. Ben would keep her and Daniel safe. Cooke would probably have Harold murdered in some dark alley, which suited Leo just fine. He would be sad to miss it.
“I don’t think you are in possession of all the facts, Harold. I wouldn’t get attached to Beechwood Court.” He coughed again, spitting out a mouthful of stagnant water. “I own it, not Georgina. Didn’t she mention that to you?”
Harold’s face reddened. His eyes bulged.
“The money in her account was put there by me as well. There was nothing left of her dowry, you pompous prick. Your uncle saw to that. The only reason you have anything at all is because I didn’t call in your uncle’s markers until recently. I’ve already written to my brother,the duke,who will see you are impoverished.”
“You’re wrong.” Harold danced back and forth on his feet. “I’ll have your son, Murphy. I’ll make myself his guardian. Claim he’s my uncle’s spawn. No one will deny me, especially with you and Georgina both dead. Your brother will give me whatever I ask. My markers. A stipend to keep that brat alive. I’ll have everything.”
“My brother will have you disposed of if Benjamin Cooke doesn’t get to you first. I doubt you’ll leave New York alive.” At Harold’s look of surprise, Leo laughed, though it hurt dreadfully, and it forced water up around his nostrils. Why couldn’t he have bled to death in the snow? That was honorable. Instead, he’d sink into the muck, just as he almost had when he was ten.
“Good luck, Masterson. Oh...” Another cough wracked his body. “I forgot to mention you can’t be declared Daniel’s guardian. Benjamin Cooke already is. He has papers. Duly witnessed in both England and New York.”
Harold made a sound like a wounded animal before he fell strangely, eerily silent. “You won’t be around, at any rate. One less bastard gambling hell owner in the world. I wonder if you’ll drown or bleed to death first.”
“Neither.” Georgina’s voice came from behind Harold, a thick branch clenched in both hands. She swung with all her might at his head. “You mad, vile prick.”
Harold’s skull made a horrible sound as the branch made contact, then he fell to the snow face down, groaning, trying to reach for the pistol where it had landed just beyond his outstretched fingers.
Georgina swung twice more with such viciousness, had Leo not been dying, he would have been aroused.
That’s my girl.
Then the dark water took him.
