Chapter 20

It's surprising how quiet two hundred people can be when they don't want to miss a single syllable of the main show. Louise's heels clicked on the floor as she approached. I had to turn, instinct demanding that I never present my back to the enemy. Two things gave me immense satisfaction in the horror playing out. The first came as I took in her dress, and had the satisfaction of knowing it was last season's. And here was the scullery maid, wearing Paris, summer 1919. Ouch.

The second matter to bring me a fraction of joy was her angry face adorned with the broken nose and darkened circles under her eyes, although she had layered on the powder in a futile attempt to cover the dark smudges. She could throw all the dirty names she wanted, but I could throw a punch.

"What is the meaning of this, Louise?" Seth asked.

She pointed a finger and stabbed the air in my direction. "She is a liar and a filthy, grasping whore!"

My feet wouldn't budge. I swallowed, but couldn't squeeze out any words. The returned dead were so much easier to deal with, but a living, screaming person tied me up in knots.

Elizabeth detached from the crowd and joined her daughter. Charlotte shuffled deeper, burying herself behind layers of watchers.

Seth frowned, a scowl settling between his brows. "Make yourself plain. What is the basis of this horrid allegation?"

Elizabeth glared in my direction, and my knees wanted to dip in a curtsey. "She is the daughter of a servant and a servant herself, your grace. She works as my scullery maid, and is unfit to be in your presence. She has gained admittance here, amongst her betters, by lying between her teeth and offering her shoddy wares."

An audible gasp ran through the crowd of aristocrats and minor peers, except for those who actually knew me.

"I never lied except when I said I came from London." I'm pretty sure that offering her wares didn't mean she suspected me of handing out pottery. "I have always been truthful with you." I needed him to believe that. This little game that Alice and Frank cooked up was destined to cause misery from the start, but I always gave Seth the true me.

"She has misrepresented all that she is." Elizabeth's words dripped with venom. "She is nothing but a slattern from the gutter in a stolen dress."

"She is a jealous little sow who sought to usurp me in your affections through her conniving ways." Louise's face turned red as her anger and tone escalated.

Seth held up his hand and silenced them both. "Enough of your insults, Ella has never spoken a word against either of you." He turned to face me. "Is there any truth to this, Ella?"

A tear escaped my eye, and I wiped it away. "Yes," I whispered. "My mother was the housekeeper, and I am but a house maid. I tried to tell you, but the words never made it out."

I wished the floor would open up and swallow me. The eyes of everyone in the room drilled into me. The flimsy beaded and organza dress was no barrier to their condemnation. Inside, I knew I had never deceived Seth.

"I'm sorry, I don't want any trouble. I only came to say goodbye. I will leave," I whispered, although I couldn't dare to meet his gaze, too scared of what I would find in his eyes.

"Yes. Get out of our sight and be gone from the house by the time I return. Your employment is terminated, and I will ensure you never work again, except on your back, where you so obviously have a talent." Elizabeth pointed her finger at the exit, as though commanding a whipped dog to leave the house.

Gasps of horror came from the collective audience, held spellbound by events even as the crude words insulted their ears.

As the clock struck midnight, I stood there shivering in my glass beaded heels and couldn't understand the power Elizabeth wielded over me. Time after time, she beat me down and I was too afraid to so much as raise my voice in my defence. I had no weapon in my arsenal against her.

Then it hit me?she held as much power as I handed her.

Ever since she came into our lives after mother died, I was desperate for her approval and love. I thought if I tried hard enough, she would hug me to her bosom and love me like a daughter. If I kept quiet and carried out her unreasonable demands, perhaps she would soften toward me. My need for affection gave her all the ammunition she needed against me.

As the twelfth chime struck, her spell over me shattered.

The manor was my home and where my father lived. So long as he still breathed, I would not abandon him to her. Nor would I leave the others so she could unleash her true cruelty upon them. It was time to take back my power and I knew the weapon that would defeat her. Knowing I was better than what she cast me as, I drew myself up and stood tall in my fabulous shoes. I was about to make my first blow against Step-mother, and I would rain them upon her until she crumpled into the dust.

Seth's hand wrapped around my arm and kept me at his side. "Do you think so little of me, that you assume I would denounce you, because of the place in life assigned to your mother?" He placed a finger under my chin and raised my gaze to his. I expected disgust, but found only his usual open honesty. "You forget Frank knows Alice, and Warrens knows everyone. There has been no deception here."

"What?" Louise, Elizabeth, and I all spoke in unison. That single word rattled around in my head and completely side-tracked my plan of action.

Louise, no doubt sensing a losing battle, pushed forward and levelled a finger at me. "She is nothing but a grasping gold digger, trying to get her claws into you for her own advancement."

Seth smiled. "I rather think you describe yourself, madam. Ella has never made any claim on me."

Bright crimson flooded her face, making the black under her eyes leap out. Her mouth opened and shut as she did a wonderful impersonation of a goldfish. I was tempted to throw her into the drinks fountain and complete the look.

Seth turned his attention to Lady Jeffrey. "And you, madam, forget that her father is Sir Jeffrey, making Ella your step-daughter by marriage. I wonder does your husband know how you abuse his daughter?"

Lord, I love this man. My hand flew to my mouth as the words entered my mind, in case they erupted forth. My eyes widened as realisation hit, wrestling with the last lingering hint of shame at my origins.

"She was born in a kitchen and belongs at the hearth of one." Elizabeth reached out for Seth, a sneer on her face. "How could you chose a commoner over a noble-bred woman?"

The Duke of Leithfield looked down his nose at her hand until it fell away. "I would rather have a sword at my side than a knife in my back."

Oh, never had I heard sweeter words from a man. Yes, I had it bad.

In that moment a number of things happened at once. Louise lunged at me, her talons extended. Shots rang out on the balcony. At one end of the ballroom, glass shattered and broke. Then, a woman screamed, "Vermin!"

In that instant, my mind made an immediate list of priorities. First, I threw my weight behind my shoulder and into Louise, sending her across the floor on her arse. I only hoped she stayed down. Elizabeth screamed and scrambled to help her daughter. With them both out of the way, I could concentrate on the real problem.

Vermin had clambered up the north balcony and shuffled through the open French doors while everyone watched the drama within. Thankfully, Henry was stationed on the south side, and I prayed none found him alone out there.

The soldiers fired upon them, and lord knew how many more were scrambling around on the back lawn. Those who gained the ballroom had succeeded in taking down a dancer, grabbing the woman from behind and pulling her into their midst. A high-pitched scream echoed around the room, wobbling the crystals in the chandelier.

The assembled people surged away from the vermin. There's nothing more dangerous than panic, and I needed to get to a sword. Seth pulled me to one side as more shots rang out. Two vermin fell back, allowing men to snatch the hysterical woman away from her attackers. A cravat was hastily tied around her bleeding arms, but it also dripped from a neck wound. Poor woman; she was doomed, but at least she would have a little time to say goodbye to her family.

Seth pointed to a soldier in his smart uniform. "Lieutenant Bain, get this lot out of our way before they're either shot or bitten." Then we dashed amongst fleeing dancers to arm ourselves.

He hooked down two swords and tossed one to me. Not my preferred weapon, but the closest kind to our hands. My gaze flicked to a katana that hung on the other side of the room, behind the incoming vermin. The weight of the sabre felt alien in my hand, but my beloved and elegant sword was out in the sidecar, keeping Henry company. I took a few swipes at empty air, accustoming myself to the different weapon and the way it moved and responded in my hand.

The soldiers took control of the crowd, directing people from the room and up the stairs. Like sheep, they needed a strong dog to herd them in the right direction. Rough orders kept them moving like nips at their heels.

Seth held out a large handkerchief to me, and I tied it around my mouth and nose. He pulled another from the top pocket of a passing aristocrat and did the same. Soldiers on the balcony kept firing at unseen targets outside, leaving us to take care of the ones that made it past them.

Seth and I, two soldiers, and a small group of braver men worked as one to confront the remaining intruders. There were four vermin, all male, and looked to be a few weeks from the grave. One wore tails, as though he had dressed for the occasion, and I wondered what event the man had been attending before he was bitten and transformed. His look was spoiled by the dirt and blood on his once white shirt. He looked fresher than the others, and ambled to the front. The other three fanned out behind him in a rough formation.

"Do you think they are your workers?" Seth asked as we circled.

If my concept of bees held true, was there a lead vermin?

"They seem to be following the lead of this one, but who directs its actions?" I disliked taking on multiple vermin with other men watching. You needed to keep eyes in the back of your head to ensure you didn't lob off the wrong head or limb. Decapitation was a learned skill even for experienced fighters. Newcomers tended to hack like drunk executioners, which only served to increase the risk of noxious splatter going in every which direction.

One of the three creatures now sported a third eye, courtesy of a bullet. Crack shot, shame it only slowed down the host. Did that prove another intelligence did the thinking for them? My thoughts and emotions ricocheted in a thousand different directions. I needed to focus, or risk harming the man I loved. There?I thought it again, and the world hadn't stopped spinning.

The gunshots subsided and the lieutenant re-joined us, a sword in his hand. "There were another four outside, but the men have dealt with them with no casualties. Who do you want, captain?"

Seth pointed to the toff in the penguin suit. "I'll take him. Unless you want at him, Ella?"

He was offering me my pick of vermin. If the evening got any sweeter, I would swoon. This was rapidly turning into my perfect night. "You take it, I'll take that one." I pointed to the one on the far left. It was taller and leaner than the others. It looked scrappier, its bones glowing under the chandeliers where the flesh had torn from its limbs.

The lieutenant took the far right, which left the fourth vermin in the back of the line-up. Another guest stepped forward with a sword. He swallowed obsessively, holding his weapon like a baseball bat. Not a good sign, but at least he was willing to help out, and we all had our partners for the next dance.

I moved left, opening up space for our fourth to join us. I kept my gaze fixed on my pick, but at the same time left my peripheral vision open so I could track the others. All we needed was for the band to return and take up their instruments as we began our steps.

As I moved, I gauged the speed, reflexes, and reach of my opponent. Adrenaline flowed through my body as it snarled and snatched, trying to grab me. Blood drooled from its torn lips, probably not its own, but that of the mauled woman.

I feinted left, drawing its attention. It whipped around and lunged. As its body hurtled sideways, thrown by my misdirection, I took a deep breath and struck. The sword was heavier, but fell just as efficiently. I caught it on a slight angle, and the vermin lurched forward with the momentum of the blow. The head parted company from the neck and dropped to the floor. The creature carried on its attack, no doubt wondering where I had went. The arms reached out blindly as it toppled over like a felled tree. It continued thrashing around on the ground and I stepped backwards, out of the way.

To my right, the lieutenant took two swings to stop his vermin. Our fourth companion hacked as though his opponent were dense jungle foliage while on safari. The vermin lost a lower arm and took a few blows to the torso. One wild swing actually struck the neck, only to become wedged there. Meanwhile, splatter sprayed the surrounds, and the idiot hadn't thought to cover his airways as he snorted in congealed blood.

A soldier hauled him out of the way and rushed him to the drink fountain to rinse his mouth and nose. Too late. No doubt he would be vomiting out his insides within minutes. Here's hoping he didn't end up being proof that inhaling too much blood turned someone. Seth never paused as he spun and his sword arced. The blow severed the creature's head from behind, and it scudded along the floor. It came to rest next to the foot of the man who had tried, unsuccessfully, to remove it. Not that he noticed?he was doubled over and retching into the fountain.