Tears of Gold Read Free Page B

suffer as I see my only son dying before my very eyes,” she interrupted him angrily. “You will promise me, Nicholas—please! I beg this of you, for you are the only one I trust to be ruthless enough to do it. You have no softness in you, Nicholas. You do not forgive.”
    “Enough, sister. You need have no fear. I will punish this woman. She will regret this day,” Nicholas promised in a cold voice devoid of all emotion. “I give you my word that one day she will pay for what she has done to Julian.”
    The doctor glanced nervously between the brother and sister and felt a shiver of fear at the expressions on their faces.
    Nicholas looked down again at his nephew. Would he live? A bullet so near the heart could cause great damage. He might even be left an invalid for the rest of his life…if he survived. Nicholas turned to leave, but was stopped by Denise’s hand placed lightly on the hard muscles of his forearm.
    “I am sorry, Nicky,” she said softly, using her pet name for him. “I know you feel the pain. I remember how deeply you were hurt when François died in your arms.”
    Nicholas shrugged. “It seems a lifetime ago, Denise. Yet this brings it back as though it were yesterday. Julian is much like our François once was, eh, Denise?” Nicholas said with a sad smile. Then, without another word, he walked from the room, leaving Denise, quietly complacent now that she’d received his promise, sitting beside Julian’s bed.
    The countess’s townhouse was quiet as Nicholas made his way to the earl’s study. Pouring himself a brandy, he looked around the book-lined room, taking in the well-upholstered leather chairs, the large mahogany desk, and the rich velvet hangings drawn across the windows. Denise had done well for herself despite their parents’ predictions to the contrary. Not that Nicholas would have selected the earl for a brother-in-law. Charles was far too staid and proper.
    The good Charles found Nicholas to be lacking these characteristics, and was pointedly absent during Nicholas’s brief visit for just that reason. The fact that Julian openly admired his adventurer uncle did little to lessen the strained relationship between Nicholas and Charles.
    As Nicholas stood there silently sipping his brandy, he suddenly remembered the parcel that had been delivered and had triggered Julian’s tragic reaction. It had fallen beside the desk, still partially wrapped with brown paper. Nicholas tossed off the last of his brandy and picked up the discarded package, placing it on the desk. He pushed aside the concealing paper and looked curiously at the contents. As he opened the leather case sitting on top, he was unable to conceal his surprise at the ruby necklace and earrings. Rage at his nephew’s wound prevented him from wondering why an unscrupulous woman would return so expensive a gift.
    He removed the bundle of velvet and, shaking it out, held up a dark red dress. The woman who wore it must have the perfect figure. The waist was cut unbelievably small, while the bodice and décolletage curved to conceal and seductively reveal at the same time. By the length of the skirt, Nicholas estimated her to be of average height, standing only as high as his shoulder.
    Nicholas folded the dress and placed it back in the wrapping and noticed for the first time a golden locket that must have fallen to the floor when he’d removed the dress. He picked it up and started to add it to the pile when he hesitated and out of curiosity sought the clasp. Beneath the pressure of his thumb it sprang open to reveal two faces. He recognized immediately the face of his nephew. Julian’s painted features were a study in blue and gold, but the face opposite was completely unknown to him.
    Nicholas’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the beautiful, aloof features of the woman half smiling up at him. Despite himself he was intrigued by her face. She was far younger than he’d thought her to be, and far more refined looking