To Deceive A Duke

Chapter 52

Clarissa pulls the trigger, unflinching, as the bullet flies out of her pistol and spirals towards the duke. George cries out and Peter lunges towards her but she never takes her eyes off Daniel, his smug face taunting her. The sound of metal hitting wood echos around the room as the bullet lodges itself into the beam, an inch above his head. Silence cuts through the room, broken by sighs of relief from both George and Peter. Clarissa throws the pistol at Daniel's feet before turning away, her heightened emotions making it hard to focus. It clatters to the floor and lies there, innocent and deadly. 

"You didn't shoot me," He breathes, half in shock. 

"It would be a waste of a round," She mutters, glancing over her shoulder. He smirks at her, looking dashingly handsome despite his abdominal injury. 

"You two are seriously insane," Peter croaks, doubling over to rest on his thighs. George nods, stooping down to pick up the pistol. He pockets it and eyes Daniel's wound. 

"How is it?" He asks, leaning over to inspect the gash further, "Can you stand?" 

Daniel tries to pull himself but his face is twisted in pain and he can't rise more than a few inches. He falls back onto the floor and hisses as his side is jostled. He tentatively removes the hand holding it and shakes his head. While it isn't that deep, the longer it isn't treated, the more likely an infection will take hold. 

George rips a strip of material from his shirt and wraps it around Daniel's stomach, tying it tightly, "That will halt the bleeding for now, but we need to get you up and to a doctor," 

Daniel nods and places an arm around his brother's shoulder, using him to clamber to his feet. It's shaky but they manage to stand with George shuffling the hold to take more of the weight allowing the duke to lean on him properly. It's hard not to miss Daniel's expression of agony as they try to take the first step. 

"What about these?" Peter kicks the side of Lestrade's corpse. Clarissa glances from the body of Baines, lying in a pool of his blood, to Lestrade, a hole in his forehead. She does not doubt that this image will haunt her for the rest of her life. She remembers what she told Baines, what she promised she would do to him. 

"Leave them," She decides, "Rawson can have them,"

The men swap looks but no one dares to object. They all look around at the chaotic scene, the floorboards stained with blood, the occasional drip slipping through cracks to the ground floor. 

"We should go," George says grimly, taking a cautious step towards the stairs. Daniel agrees but then curses at the movement, every small step bumping his wound. Peter intervenes, taking up the other side and wrapping Daniel's arm around his shoulder. The duke gives him a grateful smile and the three of them start to edge down the stairs, moving easier with the extra help, the movement putting less strain on the injury. 

They are halfway down the stairs when Clarissa begins to follow them, but she stops as she passes Lestrade's body. His eyes are wide and unblinking, his mouth slightly open and his expression one of faint surprise. She avoids the puddle of his blood and reaches down to pinch the knife from his hand. She turns the blade in her hands, it's Baines's, roughly made but sharp and effective. She slips into the ruins of her dress and heads to the stairs, casting a final look around the room before descending the stairs. 

The men are waiting for her at the bottom and together they step outside, the cool crisp evening air hitting their faces. They breathe it in, relishing the summer breeze and fading light. Bruised and bloodied, they edge down the alley and out onto Webber Street, keeping to shadows to avoid being seen. They are aware that none of them looks pretty, therefore it would be good to circumvent terrifying the general public.