Wicked Deception Read Online Free Page B

the harsh gagging sounds as Nicholas retched
violently into a bucket at the side of his bed. It continued for
some time until the doctor assured him Nicholas would live. The
laudanum was purged and he slept now.
    Dr. Wells took his leave. Gabriel sat
at the bedside, his gaze sad as he looked at what became of
Catherine’s husband. Nicholas was a mere shadow of the man he once
was. Dark circles were under his eyes. He’d grown far too thin; not
even bothered to bathe or shave in the weeks since his wife left
for Ireland.
    Gabriel was grim when he sent a
messenger to his residence to inform his staff he was staying on
here for a few days. He sat with his friend, worrying over him when
he failed to wake up after three days. The doctor assured him it
was normal. He was sleeping; the best thing for him now.
    Nicholas was fitful as he slept. The
dreams hounded him unmercifully, unmindful of the strong arms that
held him down. He cried out in his dreams, begging for the hands
that hurt him to stop. The leering faces of the men who unleashed
their torment upon him taunted his unconsciousness. He screamed in
agony, the sound making Gabriel tense as he listened to him begging
to die as he thrashed and cried in the bed. Gabriel stood by and
could do nothing to stop the demons from coming for Nicholas. He
stayed with him. It never stopped. Finally he saw Nicholas sleep
untroubled at last.
    Nicholas woke with light filtering into
his room, his bemused gaze fell upon Gabriel dozing in a chair at
his bedside. He groaned as the dull ache in his head made it feel
like his skull was splintering, reminding him he still was very
much alive.
    Gabriel awoke immediately and gazed at
him in relief. Seeing the Earl in his room made him sit up in the
bed warily and look around. Gabriel raised a golden eyebrow at him;
his handsome face composed, despite an angry tick in his
cheek.
    “ Good, you live,” he
remarked, looking disgusted. “Now, before I kill you, tell me why
you felt the need to try and take your own life, Nicholas?”His dark
eyes flared in indignation. “What in God’s name is wrong with
you?”
    “ Get out and leave me
alone!”Nicholas shouted. He fell back against the mattress and his
arm fell across his face. “You’re the last one I want to see right
now, Gabriel.”
    “ Well I’m all that you have,
Nicholas. You’ve apparently sent your family packing. If you can’t
tell me what it is; I’ll stay here until you do,” Gabriel raged,
furious at him. “You’re the most selfish bastard I know, Nicholas.
Do you have any idea what this would have done to Catherine? Do you
care at all?”
    “ She’s better off without
me!”Nicholas shouted as he sat up, his red-rimmed eyes full of
misery. “That should make you happy, no doubt! You can come to her
rescue at last! You should thank me for getting out of your way and
left me to die!”
    “ Is that what you
think?”Gabriel demanded in a furious whisper. “That with you dead;
she would be happy and run into my arms? You’re a fool then. It
would kill her as well. Tell me what’s wrong with you, Nicholas.
For God’s sake, we are friends. You must talk to someone. What’s so
bloody awful you would do this terrible thing?”
    Nicholas was past caring anymore.
Feeling despondent; he told him. He shouted and railed at him of
what was done to him, how he suffered such unspeakable things. He
flung the truth. Gabriel flinched as he listened without
speaking.
    When it was over, for the first time in
his life, Nicholas began to cry, rolling over and burying his face
into the pillows. He was too ashamed to look at his
friend.
    Gabriel sat in the chair at his
bedside, stunned. His face grew pale at his words. Learning the
business he inherited from Clarice Devereaux fostered such
insidious activities sickened him. Seeing the horrible anguish
Nicholas endured made him more than determined to help him now. He
told himself he did it for his friend. He knew he did it for her.
She