Page 42 of All of Us Murderers

“But that can’t be right,” Zeb said. “Because Jessamine is, or is supposed to be, Georgina’s child. That would make Dash Jessamine’s father, which he must have realised, but he offered her marriage. I heard him.”

“Yes,” Rachel said. “He did, didn’t he. Wynn was quite angry about that.”

“That was the night he disappeared,” Gideon observed. “What happened to him?”

She gave him a cold smile. “You don’t want me to answer that. Or do you? Do you intend to rescue him from the consequences he’s avoided all these years? Do you think there is any other prospect of making him face those consequences?”

“I suppose there’s no such prospect for any of you,” Gideon said. “The police and the law courts don’t do well with intimate crimes.”

“Oh, there would be no justice at all.” Rachel’s every word was bitter as aloe.

“Florence became Bram’s mistress willingly enough—she was sixteen and wanted pretty dresses.

It isn’t illegal to turn one’s pregnant mistress into the streets, and Mrs. Bram had every right to tell her husband to throw the harlot out.

Georgina should have known better than to walk out with men, even her handsome Cousin Dash.

Alfred’s sweetheart stole the earrings, and that is a crime of property, which makes it important.

Anna let Hawley seduce her in the first place, so she has no right at all to complain about the consequences.

I didn’t let him. I fought, just as a good woman is supposed to, but when I went to the police with the injuries he inflicted on me still showing, they heard that I was an artist’s model, decided what that meant, and told me not to trouble them again. ”

“That is all wrong. Horribly wrong,” Zeb said.

The last bit of twine parted under the knife blade.

He pulled at the entangling strands, and Gideon’s hands were free.

He shook them out, while Zeb moved to free his feet, teasing the knot undone with his fingernails.

“And when there is no justice available, I quite understand why you would act yourselves. But what did I do? Who did I harm? Because, honestly, the only one I can think of is Gideon, and—”

“No,” Gideon said, with force.

Rachel looked down at Zeb, face unreadable.

“Wynn said you were as venal and cruel as the rest. He said you would do anything for the inheritance, that you would take vengeance on Bram and court Jessamine for her money, and especially that you’d panic when you realised your former lover was in the house.

We were waiting to see what you’d do to keep him quiet. ”

“Were you,” Gideon said tightly. “How kind.”

She gave a tiny lift of her hands, which might have been interpreted as apology, or not. “Wynn said he had treated you appallingly and got you sacked as some sort of lovers’ quarrel. You were resentful enough about him that I didn’t question the story.”

Gideon had gone rather white about the mouth, under the drying blood. “I might have been angry, as if it’s any of your business. But Zeb did nothing to merit this and I never said he did.”

“It’s all right,” Zeb said.

“No, it is not! You people put spiders in his room and scrawled on his walls, made him the object of his family’s hate, and brought me into it to use against him—”

“We thought you would pose a threat to each other.” She nodded at Zeb.

“Jessamine would favour you; your brother would try to push you out of the way, as he did before; Hawley would see you as his main rival; and meanwhile you’d need to silence Mr. Grey, because he could so easily reveal your shameful secret—”

“We don’t have a shameful secret,” Zeb said. “Gideon and I have nothing to be ashamed of. Or perhaps I do. Perhaps all of us Wyckhams are murderers, by act or proxy or inaction or just heredity. But Gideon has done nothing wrong, and this isn’t fair to him.”

“No,” Rachel said. “I didn’t think about that; none of us did.

We expected the Wyckhams would grab for the inheritance with both hands and everything else would follow.

But you didn’t do it, and then you were kind to me.

I told you that tale about your brother so you could use righteous retribution as your excuse—that’s usually the last refuge of the scoundrel—and you didn’t even do that.

You simply asked me what I wanted you to do.

And I thought, those are your true colours. Wynn lied.”

“Yes, he does that,” Zeb said. “He is dangerously deluded, and probably a murderer. Why the blazes are you all listening to him?”

“Because he offered us revenge we’ll never get any other way, and a good chance we’ll walk free. Mrs. Bram is already dealt with. Bram and Hawley will be soon. And Dash can rot. He deserves it. They all deserve it.”

Zeb had been kneeling by Gideon. Now he sat abruptly back on the floor, as a child might, because he had the urge to cry like one. To be this utterly disregarded as a human being, treated as if his life didn’t matter at all…

Rachel would know exactly how that felt. They all did. That was why they were doing it.

Gideon had bent to finish untying the knot himself. He kicked his feet free, sat up, and put a hand on Zeb’s shoulder. It was a small comfort. “Are you telling us this for a reason?”

“Yes,” Rachel said. “It was wrong, bringing you two in. I want my vengeance, but not at this price. I told Wynn that yesterday but he said it was too late, and the others agreed. Some of them think you and Mr. Grey deserve it anyway, as—” She waved a hand between them.

Zeb had rather assumed that might be the case, because this house was very full of hate. All the same, he felt his stomach give a cold, fearful lurch, and put up his hand to meet Gideon’s, still resting on his shoulder. “I’m glad you disagree, but what does that mean in practice?”

Rachel gave a twitch of a smile. “There’s a delivery due today from the grocer.”

“What?” Gideon demanded, sitting up straight and wincing at the movement. “When?”

“It could be any time, so you’ll need to be there when he leaves.

The gatekeeper’s orders are not to let anyone out, but he probably won’t stop you by force if you ask the grocer’s man for a lift to town.

But he will alert the house if he sees you waiting before the cart gets to the gate, so you can’t just hang around there. ”

“There’s nothing near the gate,” Gideon said. “Empty land. Nowhere to hide.”

“You’ll have to work that out for yourselves.

I’m going to lock you in here and I’ll warn you when the grocer’s man arrives.

He won’t stay long because Wynn sacked the real cook, who he was sweet on, but he’ll take a little while to unload and I’ll keep him talking as long as I can.

As soon as you hear my signal, head towards the gate.

See if you can catch him on the drive. It’s the best chance I can give you. ”

“But how will we get out if you’re locking us in?”

Rachel went to the panelling and beckoned them to join her. She pressed a carved boss in the shape of a flower. There was a click, and the panel swung inwards, revealing a black rectangle of darkness.

“A secret passage,” Gideon said, with profound resignation. “Of course. Where does it go?”

“The passage to the left takes you to a door that opens to the outside. There’s a paraffin lamp and matches on the shelf inside.”

“There are lots of passages, aren’t there?” Zeb said. “Along my corridor, for footsteps?”

“Footsteps, eavesdropping, surprising appearances in Mrs. Bram’s room. All very useful. Don’t come out until you hear my signal, because if anyone catches you, I won’t help again. And don’t miss your chance at the gate, because there’s nobody else coming for days.”

“Thank you,” Zeb said. “Truly, Rachel, thank you for this. And I am so very sorry for everything that was done to you.” He took a deep breath.

“But you’re talking about murder. And Wynn is doing all this for a very strange reason, and you ought not trust him at all, so—will you come with us?

I promise you will be safe with us, and I will do my best to help you afterwards if you need it. ”

“That’s very sweet,” Rachel said. “But I want to see Hawley Wyckham die.”

“What if we go to the police? You could hang!”

“What will you tell the police about? Ghosts? Or the things your family did to earn this? What if Wynn tells them all about you and Mr. Grey, as I assure you he will?”

Zeb swallowed. “Bram is my brother. I can’t just leave him to his death.”

“He left Florence to hers. And it was not one of us who pushed Mrs. Bram down the stairs, by the way. But make your own choice.”

She left on that. The key turned in the lock.

“Jesus Christ,” Zeb said, and sat down hard on the chair. “Jesus.”

Gideon dropped to one knee in front of him and held out his arms. Zeb folded forward into them and let himself be held and rocked for a few soothing moments. He needed it.

“What do I do?” he said into Gideon’s shoulder. “Gideon, what do I do?”

“I don’t know, love. I know what you’ve done.”

“What?”

“Quite possibly saved our lives.” Gideon kissed his hair. “If we survive this, it will be because you were good to her, you and that oversized heart of yours.”

They hung on to one another for a moment, then Zeb pulled away. “I need to tell you, I worked out what Wynn’s doing. His ultimate goal.”

“On a scale of one to ten, where one represents normal, rational behaviour—”

“Twelve.”

“Go on.”

Zeb braced himself. “He’s sacrificing us, the Wyckhams. Possibly to Satan?”