Storing Up Trouble, стр. 102

Miss Burden’s frown deepened. “But surely you must realize that the money you’ll receive from the research papers won’t keep us in style for long, don’t you?”

Harvey’s forehead furrowed. “It seems as if I’m missing something here. I thought you wanted to marry me because you love me, which is why you thought up this plan in the first place so that I could finally win the respect of a father who seems to despise me.”

“I never mentioned a word about being in love with you,” Miss Burden shot back. “Nor do I suffer from a delusion you love me. Frankly, I’ve assumed you only want to marry me because I’m beautiful and look good on your arm.”

“Those are some of the reasons,” Harvey countered, having taken to looking disgruntled the second after Miss Burden claimed she didn’t love him. “But since we’re apparently disclosing all, the main reason I wanted to marry you was because of your father’s fortune. I thought if matters couldn’t be resolved with my father, I’d be able to live well on your money.”

Miss Burden narrowed her eyes. “I don’t have a large dowry. Father believes his money should be given to his one and only son, so there’s no fortune coming your way through me.”

“How unfortunate,” Harvey said.

“I believe everyone here is in full agreement with that,” Norman said. “But to get matters moving along, if you would unbutton my jacket, Harvey, since I don’t currently have use of my hands, and then reach underneath my vest, you’ll find my research papers.”

Harvey blinked, shot a look to Miss Burden, then did as Norman asked, pulling out a sheaf of papers from Norman’s vest a second later. He glanced through them, shuddered just a touch, then lifted his head. “We will need you to explain the finer points of this.”

“And I’ll do just that, but only after you let Beatrix go.”

“So she can run off and summon the authorities?” Miss Burden asked. “I think not, which means you need to start explaining your research to us before I have Martin and James do something unpleasant to Miss Waterbury to encourage you to cooperate.”

Norman, instead of arguing, drew in a breath and nodded. “Very well, although I suppose I should begin by stating that I have realized my research is flawed, more specifically . . .” and with that he began doing what he did best, pontificating on and on about his research and where he felt it needed work.

Fifteen minutes later, and with Miss Burden and Harvey looking rather bewildered, Norman finished with, “Any questions?”

Harvey hid a yawn behind his hand, then winced when Miss Burden gave him a swat. “Surely you must have a few questions after all that, don’t you?” she demanded.

Harvey’s brows drew together. “Surely you must have realized by now that I’m slightly intellectually challenged when it comes to science. In all honesty, I didn’t understand most of what he was saying, and—”

A loud thump against the door interrupted Harvey, and before Martin and James could do more than jump, the door to the Pullman car flew open, Murray rushing in, pistol drawn. Behind him came Theodosia, brandishing a large beaded reticule she immediately aimed at James, who’d pulled out a knife.

“I knew help would arrive at some point” was all Norman said before he struggled to his feet and launched himself at Martin, head-butting the man because his hands were still tied behind his back.

As Beatrix struggled to her feet, Aunt Gladys flew into the room, followed by Edgar, who was also gripping a pistol and used that pistol to knock James’s knife out of his hand. A second later, Annie and Arthur dashed into the room, her father launching himself at Martin, who seemed to be in the process of trying to strangle Norman.

“Beatrix,” her mother yelled, grabbing James’s knife from the ground. “Give me your hands.”

Relief was swift when Beatrix felt her bindings fall away, but that relief was quickly replaced with horror when she turned and discovered Miss Burden holding Aunt Gladys around the neck, a knife pressed against Aunt Gladys’s throat.

“I’m afraid all of you have forced my hand,” Miss Burden shrieked. “I’ll use this knife if I have to, I swear I will, unless I’m allowed to leave this room with no threat of injury to my person.”

Beatrix glanced around the room, finding her father and Norman lumbering to their feet, an unconscious Martin lying on the floor. Murray and Theodosia were sitting on top of James, who seemed to have been secured with Murray’s tie. Edgar was in the midst of a brawl with Harvey, but the moment he realized Aunt Gladys was in peril, he flung him aside. Harvey crashed into the side of the Pullman car and slumped to the floor.

“You will release her . . . now,” Edgar said, drawing himself to his full height and taking a step toward Miss Burden.

“Don’t come any closer, or I will hurt her,” Miss Burden screeched.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Miss Burden,” Aunt Gladys snapped. “You’re in enough trouble as it is, but if you add murder to the charges that are soon to be leveled against you, you’ll never see your way out of prison. I don’t think you’d do well with a long prison sentence considering there are no frivolities offered.”

“Gladys . . .” Edgar all but growled.

Aunt Gladys smiled. “I’m speaking the truth, Edgar. She’s distraught and isn’t thinking clearly, so I thought I should point out the obvious to her.”

“She has a knife pressed to your throat.”

Aunt Gladys nodded, then winced, probably because the knife was making nodding somewhat painful. “I know, dear. She’s also ruining the hairstyle Blanche spent precious time on earlier, and—”

In the blink of an eye, Aunt Gladys jabbed Miss Burden with an elbow and then stomped on her foot. Miss Burden’s knife clattered to the floor, skittering directly next to Harvey, who took that moment to release a groan. He opened an eye, then immediately shut it,