Fearless by Nicola Claire

Author:Nicola Claire
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9780473326326
Published: 2015-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

Eighteen

I Owed It To Them

Anna

Mrs Hardwick stood shaking in the entrance foyer, a box sitting open at her feet. From my perch on the bottom tread, I could see what awaited inside. But I could only guess which part of Helen's anatomy he'd chosen this time, and the answer was not welcome in the slightest.

"See to Wilhelmina, Mrs Hardwick," I instructed.

"What devil works this evil, Miss Cassidy?" the housekeeper whispered, not moving from her stance above the delivery.

"Not a devil, Mrs Hardwick. But evil this man is."

"Why here? Why to you?"

I shook my head. I did not know the answer, but the censure in the old woman's eyes was enough for me to reply curtly.

"See to my cousin, Hardwick. I will send word to the inspector."

"Right you are, miss," she answered without inflection. The lack of tone enough to tell me she was worried beyond all sense.

Hardwick walked stiffly past me to the stairwell, and began to climb the stairs with exaggerated aggression in every step. Keeping her occupied with Wilhelmina was the surest way to avoid a talking to.

Not that anything she had to say wasn't something I hadn't already considered.

The Cassidy residence was in danger. Under attack, Hardwick would dramatically say. And with my father gone, she had expected me to marry quickly. Ensuring all of our safety. The fact that I hadn't and now a killer had singled us out, was proof enough in the old woman's eyes of my selfishness. My inability to do what she perceived as right.

Had Kelly proposed I may well have followed the expected path. But he hadn't. Not even come close to suggesting that was a possibility. And there was no other man who held a match to him. Not for me. Not ever.

I waited until I heard Mina's door click shut behind the housekeeper and then I took the steps necessary to reach the parcel's side. It was a plain brown box, one you could easily acquire at the postal office. Inside lay a meaty lump of flesh, nestled in the same thin paper the killer had used to package Mary's tongue. I crouched down and lifted the edge of one of the fine sheets, peering under the "gift." It was obvious he'd placed the breast upside down, allowing the first glimpse to be that of muscle tissue, fat and bloody sinew, rather than pale skin and her nipple.

A soft sound of distress left me. I tamped down the emotion and delved deeper into the box, locating the letter I had known would be included. I pulled it out, replacing the breast where it had originally been, and unfolded the crisp parchment. It matched the one delivered yesterday. The same embossed flower in the corner, taunting in its pristine beauty the words that mocked with their evil filth.

My dearest Miss Cassidy,

Perhaps it is fitting that my next honoured deliverance be that of one of your misguided friends. I shall imagine your wistful thanks, your lush lips pressed into a determined grin.

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