The Rakehell Regency Romance Collection Volume 2(345)

Oliver shook his head vehemently. "He didn't. He can't manage."



"What?!"



"He had a bad riding accident. He told me himself he didn't. You don't have to fear on that score. But he plans to get rid of you so he can marry her. He says once he has enough money, he know a doctor who can restore his manhood, and then he will-"



Geoffrey stepped forward now, having heard more than enough to know Adam Neville had to be stopped.



"Will you testify against your own brother?"



Oliver blinked, swallowed back his tears, and then nodded. "I have to. He's out of control. He has some sort of strange black powder he's been using on the women we've been-"



He stopped before he incriminated himself completely. "Well, I thought it was all in fun, a bit of sport, that the girls were willing. Not all of them were, I can see that now. He beat them even if they were. It excited him."



"Good God, the black powder. All those women in London, and now here," Blake said in horror. "It wasn't a coincidence after all. He really did come to Somerset. Has been preying on women all along. Arabella thinks she can trust him, since you are all cousins. Friends!" He grabbed Oliver by the lapels. "Where's that bastard now?"



"I thought he was here! We were supposed to go riding as usual with the girls."



Geoffrey issued his orders at once. "Everyone spread out and find him. If you can't find him, get the girls back here to safety."



"Oh God, Arabella," Blake groaned.



"We'll find her!" Oliver moved toward the door.



"No!" Geoffrey insisted. "You're a material witness, as well as possible accomplice. You stay with this constable. Everyone else, spread out. Alert the Jeromes and all the servants. Search the entire estate, and arrest Adam Neville on sight."



Blake ran out the door as if for his life. For if anything happened to Arabella, his life would truly be over.





CHAPTER FORTY-ONE



Adam had seen the carriages in the drive, and taken great delight in the thought of Blake being hauled off to prison, leaving him with a clear run at Arabella.



He had gone around the side of the house to see if he could peep in the library. Though he couldn't see or hear anything clearly through the muffling curtains, the final words of the magistrate had been all too clear, and plunged him into a panic.



"Arrest me?" he muttered. How could they have possibly found out….



The clop of horse's hooves approaching made him look around wildly. He ran to the stables and swung up onto his usual waiting mount. He galloped towards Arabella and with a broad grin said, "I'll race you."



"What about the others?" she asked innocently.



"They'll meet us at the folly at the top of the hill."



"All right." She wheeled her mount around, unaware of the sudden commotion in the Jerome household.



She did her best to keep up with Adam, and smiled in triumph as she reached the marble monument and jumped down to rest upon one of the benches.



"Beat you!" she said.



"No, I beat you," he said in a low tone.



"What? I was distinctly first."



"You told them, didn't you?"



"Told them what?" she asked, puzzled at his grim expression.



"That I attacked you. Beat you. Tried to rape you. They're coming for me."



"No, I never said a word against you. How could I? I didn't tell anyone about my accident," she gasped. "I can't even remember what happened. You're my cousin. You would never--"



Yet even as she said the words, Arabella knew. She tried to keep her breathing even. "I know you love me. You'd never-"



He grabbed her roughly, yanking her hair backwards so she was forced to confront his evil leer. "Oh yes I would. I would, and I did. And I'm going to again now. If I can't have you, Blake sure as hell can't either."



His hands locked around her throat. Her eyes bulged as he began to squeeze the life out of her. She recalled how she had unmanned him before, and brought one knee up hard enough to graze the fork of his thighs.



She fell to the ground heavily as he clutched himself in agony. She heard the sound of pounding hooves and Blake's shout, though he was still some distance away.



"Arabella, get away from him, now! He killed Leonore and Rosalie."



She gasped and scrambled away as it all came flooding back to her at last, almost paralyzing her with horror. The last few pieces of the puzzle of her lost memories which had eluded her now clicked into place.



She began to retch, great heaving sobs which made her feel as though she would be torn in two. She wrung her hands in agony, yanking off her gloves in the process.