The Queen's Gambit (The Wonderland Series: Book 4) Read online

  Julian picked up the candle and lighted their way as they ascended a flight of stairs and stepped into a parlor. The room wasn’t large, but was comfortably furnished with cushion-covered settees and rugs on the wooden floor. A merry fire crackled in the grate, and several candles were placed around the room, dispelling the gloom of the evening. Two doors led off the parlor, likely bedchambers. Julian invited Archie to sit down and went to pour them a drink before knocking on one of the doors. Archie wasn’t sure what to expect; he’d assumed they would be alone.

  “Don’t worry, Archie,” Julian said, seeing Archie’s eyes fixed on the door. “I only want to introduce you to someone.”

  Archie rose to his feet as the door finally opened, and a man came out to greet them. He was of about the same height as Julian, but at least a decade older and more thickset. He had the same mane of hair, but his was a few shades darker and carelessly pulled back with a leather thong, thick strands escaping the binding and falling about the man’s face. His dark eyes were watchful in a weather-beaten face, and his skin ruddy in the glow of the fire. There was a hint of familial resemblance between the two men, but it wouldn’t be instantly noticeable if one weren’t looking for it.

  Archie remained standing where he was as the man drew closer. They appraised each other openly, neither hostile, but not friendly either. Archie was sure that he could take Julian if it came to that, but this man was bigger and stronger, and the one to watch out for, especially since he appeared to be stone-cold sober. Archie’s chances wouldn’t be good if it came down to two against one.

  “Jared Covington,” the man finally introduced himself as he took a seat by the fire and accepted a drink from Julian.

  “Jared, this is Archie. I think he would do very well for the opportunity we’d discussed.”

  “Oh?” Jared answered noncommittally.

  “Archie has been employed as a man-at-arms for several years, and has just recently relocated to London.”

  “Indeed,” the man said, taking a sip of his drink.

  By this point, Archie was beginning to seethe with anger. He’d assumed that he’d have an inebriated Julian to himself to question at length, but now the situation had changed entirely. Julian’s flirtatious manner had been replaced by something else. He seemed in awe of the other man, and there was a nervousness in his demeanor that hadn’t been there before. Archie refused the offer of a drink and stood with his back to the door facing both men. “Now, look here,” he said with all the indifference he could muster, “if you wish me to stay, then be so kind as to tell me straight out what it is you do and what would be required of me. If you have no interest in my skills or don’t trust my person, then let’s not waste each other’s time. A good evening to you both.” Archie waited a few moments before turning on his heel, ready to leave.

  “Archie, wait,” Julian called after him desperately. Archie made a pretense of considering for a moment before he turned around.

  “Please, don’t be hasty,” Julian pleaded as he glared at Jared whose expression was closed. “Have a seat. Let’s talk. My brother is a cautious man. He always says I’m too impulsive,” Julian blathered.

  Archie made a show of reluctantly taking a seat and crossing his legs. He looked calm and collected, but ready to leave at any moment. He’d learned to trust his instincts, and his gut feeling was telling him not to get too comfortable.

  “Archie, Jared is a captain of a ship called the Persephone, which makes several voyages between England and Virginia every year. Trading with the colonists is a profitable venture, but not enough to make one a wealthy man,” Julian explained.

  “And you wish to be a wealthy man,” Archie stated, watching Julian through narrowed eyes.

  Julian opened his mouth to reply when Jared rose to his feet, his face filled with anger. Julian had obviously said too much.

  “A word, if you please,” he growled to Julian as he strode off into the bedchamber.

  “Please, excuse me a moment. Don’t go,” Julian whispered, giving Archie a lovesick look.

  “I’ll be right here,” Archie promised.

  He was seated as far away from the other room as possible, but as soon as the door closed behind the two men, Archie sprang to his feet and tiptoed toward the door. The voices were low, but if he stood close enough, he could just make out what they were saying.

  “I don’t trust him,” Jared stated, his voice flat. “You’re blinded by lust as usual. I turn a blind eye to your proclivities, but I will not allow you to endanger our operation. Your job is to attract the right sort of man, and mine is to see to the rest.”

  “But he’s exactly what we’ve been looking for. The fact that he happens to be attractive is an added bonus, Jared,” Julian whined.

  “No, it isn’t. I have plenty of men on board who can do what needs to be done, and do it discreetly. They know better than to question their captain, or they’ll end up going into the sea should they grow too curious. You know nothing of this man. He can betray us, or grow greedy and demand a piece of the profits. I won’t have it.”

  “Jared, let me talk to him. I got a really good feeling about him.”

  “I forbid you to say anything more to him. Take him to your bed if you must, use him for pleasure, but do not involve him in our business. He’s not as harmless as you take him to be.”

  “He’s nothing more than a sweet young thing from the country,” Julian protested. “Let me have him, brother.”

  “Have him if you must, but don’t ever bring him here again. He has neither money nor a reputation to lose, so there’s naught to be gained from him. Now, get rid of him.”

  Archie sprang back from the door and took a seat, looking about the room as if he hadn’t moved an inch. He could see that Julian was upset, a flush creeping up his cheeks and neck.

  “I’m sorry, Archie, but the position we discussed is no longer available. My brother has someone else in mind.”

  “Disappointing, to be sure,” Archie remarked, “but not unexpected. I think your brother would prefer a man he can relate to,” he said, hoping that his comment would get under Julian’s skin. His brother tolerated his homosexuality, but it clearly disgusted him, and Julian felt angry and misunderstood.

  “Allow me to buy you a drink to show you there’re no hard feelings,” Archie suggested, giving Julian a slow smile.

  “All right. Let’s get out of here.”

  The fog had dispelled somewhat, giving Archie a glimpse of his surroundings. He didn’t wish to return to the Lamb and Flag, so instead, he took Julian to a quayside tavern full of rowdy, drunk men. Julian was so angry with his brother that he never even noticed. Archie forced a tankard of ale into Julian’s hands, and maneuvered him to a table in the corner where he sat closer to Julian than was strictly necessary. This was his last chance to learn anything. Once Julian cooled off, he’d realize that his brother probably had a valid point, so Archie had to get him talking while he was still angry and hurt.

  “Archie, I need to ask you a question,” Julian said, watching Archie with an expression of dejection, his mouth pouty. He was drunk, having had several brandies and now working on the ale.

  “Go ahead.”

  “Have you ever been with a man?” Julian asked softly. This was obviously a test, which could only be passed by lying.

  “I have,” Archie replied, mentally asking God to forgive the lie.

  “Then you understand what it’s like. My brother thinks it’s a choice, something that can be turned on and off, but he can’t possibly understand that this desire cannot be controlled or ignored. Jared likes women, and spends much of his time indulging his lust. He is like a rutting bull who’ll stick his cock into any willing, or sometimes unwilling, female. But it’s not like that for me. I want to feel a connection, a delicacy of feeling. I long to be loved and desired for who I am.”

  “And you should be,” Archie replied, his eyes never leaving Julian’s. “Have you not met anyone you thought could genuin
ely care for you?”

  “There was someone once, but Jared wouldn’t allow it. He couldn’t stand that I was happy. He used my proclivity to his own advantage, and forced me to take part.”

  “In what?” Archie asked.

  Jared sighed like a heartbroken woman and gazed up at Archie. “Will you stay with me tonight, Archie?”

  “If you want me to, but I must understand the hold your brother has over you,” Archie replied. “I don’t wish to put myself in danger.”

  “Oh, you’re not in danger from Jared,” Julian laughed. “Jared is only interested in those who have something of value to lose.”

  “Why?” Archie asked, watching Julian in a way he hoped encouraged him to talk. Julian took another gulp of ale and closed his eyes, his face a mask of suffering.

  “You know how vulnerable men in our position can be. To trust someone with our secret is dangerous because the consequences of such trust can be dire. Blackmail, denouncement to the church, and ridicule are high on the list of consequences. That’s why it’s safer to have a steady lover rather than indulge in random trysts,” Julian began.

  “Go on,” Archie said, still wondering what the point was.

  “I frequent several taverns where the patrons are of a—shall we say— more privileged class. They are men of wealth, and often power. I watch and I wait, and approach only when I am certain. Some men reject me outright, but there are those who are so lonely and vulnerable that they open up to me like a flower. So, I take them in, love them, encourage them, and win their trust until the groundwork is laid.”

  “Groundwork for what, exactly?”

  “I collect mementos and love letters from my lovers, then threaten to expose them unless they give me what I want. Few can weather the storm that such exposure would bring, but they are usually defiant until the end.”

  “What end would that be?”

  “I “convince” them to make out a will leaving all their worldly goods to me should any misfortune befall them. Within a few days, they find themselves aboard my brother’s ship, heading to the New World. Oh, they do rage and make threats, but sadly, not one of them has reached Virginia alive. The seas can be so treacherous during a crossing,” Julian added meaningfully.

  “And what of those who won’t comply with your demands? Are they the ones who need to be “persuaded” into signing over their possessions to their dear friend Julian if they hope to see the next sunrise?” Archie asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

  “Precisely.”

  “So, you prey on those who trust you and lead them to the slaughter, all the while getting richer off your victims,” Archie said, his voice dripping with disgust.

  “Please, don’t judge me so harshly, Archie. I owe my life to Jared. I can’t refuse him.”

  “Why not? You’re a grown man; you can decide for yourself.”

  Julian shook his head. He was truly maudlin now, the alcohol sloshing in his bloodstream and making him careless.

  “Jared is my half-brother, you see,” he said as if that explained everything.

  “So?”

  “He’s fifteen years older than I am. My mother died when I was two, and our father had no use for me. I was a bastard he didn’t care to acknowledge. He was a vicious drunk, and a bully. Jared was seventeen at the time and had just gotten married. He felt sorry for me and took me in, treating me as if I were his own son. His wife, Dulcie, was a kind woman, and she looked after me when Jared went to sea. If not for the two of them, I would have died on the streets. By the time I was fifteen, Jared was the quartermaster of a ship called The Lady of the Sea. He took me with him on several voyages, but saw very quickly that I wasn’t cut out to be a sailor. The captain of The Lady saw me for who I was and took me to his bed, swearing me to secrecy. We were happy for a time, but eventually, Jared found out. He blackmailed the captain into signing over everything to him, then pushed him overboard one dark night. Jared was suddenly a wealthy man with his own vessel, and he liked the taste of his success. Dulcie might have appealed to his better nature, but she was gone by then. God rest her soul.”

  “Was that when Jared began using you as bait?” Archie asked, disgusted.

  “No. Jared genuinely thought that the captain had taken liberties with me, and that once he was no longer about, I would grow into a “real” man as he put it, but he eventually learned that that would never happen. He tried beating me, calling me names, and forcing me to lie with women, but after a time, he gave up. It was a few years later when I developed a relationship with a wealthy courtier that Jared saw his opportunity. I loved the man, but I loved Jared more. I owed him, so I went along with the plan.”

  “How many have there been, Julian?”

  “Oh, a few.”

  “And Gideon Warburton?” Archie asked carefully.

  Julian turned his alcohol-glazed eyes on Archie. “How do you know about Gideon?” he asked, suddenly suspicious.

  “Oh, I remember him from the trial of Lord Everly. He left for Virginia shortly after, aboard the Persephone, if memory serves.” The explanation was a weak one, but Julian was so deep into his cups, he didn’t question it, especially not once Archie put his arm about his shoulders, drawing him closer in a gesture of forgiveness and acceptance.

  “Gideon was the easiest of them all,” Julian giggled drunkenly. “He was so pathetic, so needy. He’d never acted on his desires, preferring to hide from the world. He was a virgin, you know. Innocent as a newborn babe. I think there was someone he worshipped from afar, but he didn’t have the courage to act on his feelings. It didn’t take much for him to succumb to someone who pretended to love and understand him. Jared wanted to make sure I consummated the relationship, since Gideon was too smart to give in to blackmail if nothing happened. It was like lying with a pillow,” he said with a shudder of revulsion.

  “I had a hard time getting aroused enough to take him, but he was so besotted that he was willing to do anything. I taught him how to put his mouth to good use. It was worth it, too. He was a wealthy man, a man who had no one to spend his money on. Jared put me onto him after that disaster of a trial. Gideon was so vulnerable that he would have signed everything over to me without so much as uttering a word of protest, but Jared wanted him out of the way. He’d served his purpose. He’s at the bottom of the Atlantic now, where he belongs, the feckless cretin.”

  “Serves him right,” Archie mumbled through clenched teeth. He hadn’t cared for Gideon, but he did feel pity for the man. And a blind hatred for the man who was now trying to slide his hand inside Archie’s breeches.

  “Come, Archie. Let’s go outside. There are plenty of dark alleys hereabouts. No one will be the wiser. I can’t wait much longer.”

  “I need to go for a piss first,” Archie replied. “I’ll meet you out back in five minutes. Be ready for me,” he whispered into Julian’s ear.

  “I’m ready for you now,” he replied, slurring his words.

  Archie slipped out of the tavern and walked away at a brisk pace. His guts were roiling with rage, and his hand felt soiled where Julian had held it. He couldn’t understand feeling sexual desire for a man, but he supposed people like Julian couldn’t help it. He didn’t condemn him for that. Using these men’s weakness against them was what made him want to kill the man. It was low and cowardly, and blaming it on his brother was just an excuse. Julian enjoyed a life of privilege and comfort, and he chose to sell his soul time and time again for a bit of silver. Like Judas.

  Chapter 53

  Hugo remained strangely quiet while Archie told him what he’d found out about Julian Covington and his brother. He sat in front of the fire, his elbows resting on the armrests of the chair, and his fingers laced in front of his stomach. Hugo’s eyes were half-closed, his expression pensive.

  “So, what will you do?” Archie asked, having finished his recitation. “Will you report them to the authorities?”

  “Pointless,” Hugo replied, still preoccupied. “I have no
proof to present to a magistrate, so it’s my word against that of Julian Covington. And my reputation is not exactly sterling these days.”

  “What then? You want me to do away with them?” Archie asked reluctantly.

  Hugo finally roused himself and fixed his dark gaze on Archie. “I would never ask you to murder anyone in cold blood, and committing murder to avenge a murder is not my way of doing things. There are other ways.”

  “Care to elaborate?” Archie asked, amused by the mischievous expression which Hugo was now wearing. He had a plan; he’d just been thinking it through while Archie was talking. Hugo sat forward, his lips stretching into a smile.

  “The Covingtons are thieves, first and foremost. And one way to get back at a thief is to steal that which he’s stolen. I have no doubt that Captain Covington’s vessel has been financed by these clandestine liaisons with unsuspecting men,” Hugo explained, leaving Archie just as much in the dark.

  “And so?”

  “You said that the Persephone is due to set sail next week. It stands to reason that if the vessel is getting ready to sail, it’s already in the process of being loaded and provisioned. A large portion of the cargo bound for Virginia should already be in the hold, cargo that Captain Covington is responsible for,” Hugo stated patiently, waiting for the penny to drop.

  “It would also mean that there are sentries on duty,” Archie pointed out reasonably.

  “Yes, it would mean that,” Hugo agreed, his eyes dancing with merriment.

  “After you,” Archie said as he got to his feet and gave Hugo a mock bow.

  “We need a few supplies first,” Hugo replied as he strode toward the door. “Get some rope, cloth strips, and oil.”