Dark Splendor by Andrea Parnell

it was Roman.”
    “Roman. Good. He has the most spirit.” A
satisfied smile softened his face. “Does the girl suspect?”
    “She was full of questions, but I cautioned
the staff to keep mum.”
    “What of the others?”
    “They know nothing, but I daresay there will
be questions tomorrow.”
    “Let them wonder,” he said smugly, pursing
his thin lips and leaning heavily into the pillows. “My illness may
prove to be a help.” He smiled and his eyes caught the yellow
reflection of the candle flame. “A few days of waiting before the
announcement may hasten things along.” A gasp sounded from his
throat and he broke suddenly into a fit of wheezing coughs. When
the coughing subsided his thin body was left trembling. “And you,
Vivien, do you still think it is madness?” he whispered weakly as
his breath returned. “Or do you see now there is no other way?”
    Her black eyes met his. “I will do as you
ask.” Vivien’s narrow face was shadowed on one side and lit by the
dancing light of the candles on the other. It gave her an eerie,
unnatural appearance as she stood like a post at the foot of his
bed, not moving, not even seeming to blink an eye. “That is all
that matters,” she said coldly. “I will do it for him.”
    A tremor shook Schlange and he grabbed for
his chest. “Swear it, Vivien.” His hand jerked spasmodically and
caught in the folds of the blanket like a bony claw. “Swear you
will see it carried out.” A moment later his hand relaxed and the
blanket slid from his grasp. “No,” he said. “No. I’ll not leave it
to you. I’ll not die until I’ve seen it done.”
     

Chapter 4
     
     
    “So you had a visitor last night?”
    Morgan Toller entered the dining room a few
steps behind his brother, his walk brisk and his smile jolly.
Sauntering to a place at one side of the long oval table, he seated
himself directly across from Roman.
    Morning air, fresh, vibrant, and pleasantly
cool, filled the dining room with the promise of a beautiful day.
Outside, the golden sphere of the sun had reared its head over the
castle walls and was casting playful patterns of shadow and light
through the wide windows. Morgan’s jocular face beamed an equal
share of brightness in the room.
    “It seems your charm has not failed you, as
I feared.” Periwinkle eyes sparkled with mischievous merriment.
With a sweep of his hand Morgan lifted a cover from a dish of eggs
and sausages. As he did, a burst of savory steam escaped to fill
his nostrils with the appetizing aroma. Sniffing appreciatively, he
picked up a small sausage but paused thoughtfully before lifting
the delicacy to his lips. For a moment he studied Roman quietly.
“You can’t imagine the worry you caused me, thinking I might have
to single-handedly uphold the Toller reputation with the fair
sex.”
    “What the devil are you prattling about,
Morgan?” Roman snarled, and furrowed his brow in a frown. “And put
that lid down.” His lips thinned in irritation. “We’re to have
breakfast with Eric and Martha. The least you could do is pretend
to have the manners of a gentleman.”
    “Ahh.” Morgan seemed delightfully pleased
with himself. “Was that the manner of a gentleman I observed last
night? A gentlemanly seduction. Though for the life of me I could
not tell who was seducing whom.” Morgan popped the sausage into his
mouth and chewed slowly, his eyes twinkling with greater merriment.
“And why you should want to make a spectacle of yourself and the
lady is beyond reasoning.” Morgan sighed. “Or perhaps jealousy was
your purpose.” He flipped a napkin from a basket and lifted out a
warm crusty roll and broke it in half. Grinning magnanimously,
Morgan spread a dollop of butter over the surface and went on
talking, his eyes intent on the task before him. “Well, you
succeeded. I’m giving you notice I intend to woo Miss Bradstreet
away from you.” Glancing up negligently, he took a large bite of
the roll.