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Chapter 62 Craven’s Loss





Angelus had sent his minions to check on the whereabouts of Craven. They had been watching his home in Chelsea since Monday evening when the couple had returned early from the theatre. They were also present when Craven left the following morning for Craven Hall. Following behind at a discreet distance, they took their time and stayed well back from his carriage. It did not take a genius to work out where the man would go.

It took almost a full day to reach the Hall, and the two men put up in the Inn situated in the local village. Their instructions were clear, and they usually did their job well. They had been instructed to watch Craven and find out his habits, especially when he went riding. His death must look like an accident.

Back in London, Angelus visited Drusilla every day. His purpose was not to sit with a sick wife, but to try and glean as much information about Whitmore as he could. He needed to know who was close to him and whom he would miss were they gone. His plans for William were coming along nicely.

Craven was always going to be the first. The man, in Liam’s eyes, had manipulated Drusilla into a situation that ended with her incarceration. The man would pay with his soul for his actions.

Within two days word reached him of his prey’s habits when out for his daily ride. His minions had scouted the area well and knew where and when Craven took his daily sojourn. It would be a simple matter to set up the ‘accident’ that would befall the Duke. The matter of his alibi must be thought out well.

It occurred to him then that the perfect alibi would be Craven’s mistress. He would pay the whore a visit and fuck her while her protector died. What poetic justice that would be. His visits to Drusilla had informed him of Craven’s tastes. Lady Catherine would indeed be a tasty morsel to slake his lust until Drusilla’s release.

Plans were already in place at the Craven estate. His minions were paid well for their work. Traps were set in the woods where Craven rode. All that was required was the man himself to take his daily ride. The man would die while he paid a charming visit to Lady Catherine.





Angelus walked up to the door of the little house in Chelsea where Lady Catherine still lived. Knocking loudly to proclaim his arrival, he waited on the butler opening the door. He drew a card from a small silver case and asked for an audience with the mistress of the house. Laughing to himself at the use of the phrase ‘mistress of the house’, as that was exactly what the woman had been.

He was bid into the hall while the butler left to determine if Lady Catherine would see this unknown visitor. Angelus had no intention in leaving without an audience with Catherine. If she was not ‘at home’, he would wait.

He liked to wait.

Angelus made himself comfortable in one of the chairs in the hall, and settled in to wait. Removing his beaver hat, he crossed his legs and laid his cane and hat in his lap. He eyes strayed with no particular interest to the cheap paintings on the wall. It was something to do until he was honoured by Catherine’s presence.

In her small sitting room, Catherine began to shake when she read the name on the card. She could not imagine why Lord Liam Angelus was paying her a visit. The state the man had left Henry in when he had talked to him outside the box at the theatre was indelibly etched in her mind.

It occurred to her then that he must wish Henry’s direction. It would not take long to impart the information Angelus required, after all she had no particular reason to protect him. She would be homeless and destitute in less than a month.

Maybe Angelus would pay for Henry’s direction.

She nodded to the butler that she would receive her visitor. There was little in the way of strong drink in the house to offer her guest, but she bid the butler to find whatever he could and serve it as soon as possible.

As the butler left to fetch Angelus, Catherine stood and waited. She would not be cowed by the man, he was nothing to her and once he knew where Henry was currently living, he would be out of her life forever.




The door of her sitting room opened and the butler announced his Lordship. As the door closed behind him, Angelus looked Catherine over from the top of her elaborate hairstyle to the indoor slippers she wore.

“Why, you look absolutely lovely today, Lady Catherine.” Angelus smiled at the woman. “I am so glad that you decided to allow me to visit.”

Catherine looked at him warily. The man was undoubtedly handsome and there was a sparkle in his eyes. Any threat she initially felt upon seeing his name on the calling card left her breast. The man’s quarrel was with Henry, she had nothing to fear. As the fear subsided, she smiled a charming smile and tilted her head coquettishly.

“I thank you, Lord Angelus. Would you care to sit while we wait for some brandy? I am sure you would not care for tea and would prefer a more stimulating drink.”

Angelus smiled at Catherine. This was almost too easy. The woman before him was still smarting from the betrayal of Craven. He would enjoy tormenting this one.

“A woman who can anticipate a man’s needs, is rare indeed, Catherine.” He smiled his most seductive smile and lowered his voice. His Irish lilt was thick as he asked. “You do not mind me calling you Catherine, my Lady, as I am sure we could become close friends.”

The thought rose into her mind then that Angelus might be looking for more than Henry’s direction. He was much more pleasant to look at than Henry, and his clothes did not hide his fine figure. As she contemplated his almost proposal to become his mistress, the butler entered with the decanter and proceeded to pour Angelus a glass.

She dismissed her butler as soon as the glass was in Angelus’ hands.

“Tell me, my Lord, why do you believe we could become close friends?”

His smile lit his whole face as he replied. “Why, Catherine, I know you have no protector now and as I have no wife at home, I think that we could come to some sort arrangement beneficial to us both.”

Catherine stared in confusion at the man before her. Surely he did not want Henry’s cast-offs. She had to make sure she did not misinterpret his meaning.

“My Lord,” she began.

Angelus raised his hand stopped her mid-sentence.

“Call me Liam, my dear, or Angelus if you prefer.”

She felt a blush rise to her cheeks. “If you wish….Liam”

Smiling at her once more, he replied. “Indeed I do wish, Catherine. The sound of my name on your lips is indeed a pleasure.”

The blush on Catherine’s cheeks became more pronounced and Angelus inwardly smiled. She would be so easy to seduce, obviously Craven had used her only for pleasure and had never made any effort with the woman. He would do the same, once he got her into bed.

“I will come straight to the point, Catherine. I have needs that I feel only you can help me with. My wife, as you are aware, is not available to me at the moment and I think you know the type of pleasure we both enjoy.”

All doubt over his intentions left her at that moment. The man was proposing a liaison which might benefit them both. She needed to discuss terms; she would not be used without some money changing hands. If she was to be used like a Haymarket Whore, she wanted money up front.

Catherine looked hard at Angelus, before she replied.

“Indeed, Liam, I am quite proficient in certain elements of pleasure. Am I correct in thinking that these elements of pleasure are to your taste?”

As Angelus nodded his reply and continued to bestow on her his most amazing smile, he thought to himself that if the woman was any good, he may visit her again.

“Before we make this a more ‘permanent’ arrangement, my dear, I would be honoured if you would demonstrate some of your skill for my benefit.”

Catherine realised then that she had become a true whore. She was willing to bed this man, not for love, but for the money he would provide.

Smiling at Angelus, she laid her terms.

“I would be most happy to demonstrate my skills, Liam, however I must insist on something on account.”

Angelus could not help but laugh. The woman was mercenary and if she was this professional then the pleasure would be worth it.

“How much, Catherine?” he asked

She sat in the chair and thought for a few moments about the paltry amount left to her by Craven. It would be good to supplement her income with this encounter, but she was unsure what to charge. If it was too small, he would not respect her and if the amount was too large he may not be willing to pay.

Angelus was looking thoughtfully at her as she pondered prices in her head. It was fun to watch her try to decide what amount to demand. He would pay no more that twenty pounds; he would not be fleeced by any woman.

“I will ask for ten pounds on this occasion, Liam. If you feel that another visit would be required, then we will talk terms again.”

Satisfied that he would have an alibi and a fuck for the paltry sum of ten pounds, Angelus smiled at Catherine. His hand moved to the inside of his coat and withdrew a roll of soft. He counted out the amount she had asked for and placed it on the small table at his side.

“There you are, Catherine, ten pounds for my pleasure.” His smile turned slightly menacing and Catherine wondered if she had made the right decision. It did not matter, ten pounds was not to be sneezed at when one needed money.

She rose regally from her chair and smiled at Angelus.

“Would you care to follow me, Liam, there is a special room in the upper storey that you may find interesting.”

Anticipation ran through his veins. A special room indeed, he hoped it was well stocked with the tools of her trade.





Craven was in his stables demanding his best hunter be saddled and ready for his ride. He had been in the country but a few days and already boredom had firmly set in. His only solace was a hard ride through the woods on one of his horses.

It never occurred to him that he had already settled in to a routine anyone could determine. He may be bored, but he felt safe on his estate. He was the master of all he surveyed; there would be no visits from Angelus so far from London.

As he mounted his horse, he felt content. A good hard ride was definitely in order today. He had been two days without Catherine and had started to miss the pleasure she gave him. He wondered as to where he could find that type of pleasure near his home. He must start to look around soon for her replacement. He was not a man to give up his pleasure easily.

He rode hard towards Craven Wood. The path through the trees was well travelled and he would encounter no obstacles to his ride. There were some twists and turns along the path, but he had grown up at the Hall and knew the woods well.

Riding at full gallop, Henry held himself low over the horse’s neck. As he rounded a sharp bend in the path, his horse was struck by what appeared to be a broken branch level with it’s chest.

The horse screamed and reared. Craven used all his horsemanship to stay on it’s back, but it was a futile exercise. Gripping the reins to stop the horse from galloping off, he launched himself from the saddle to the ground. He landed in a soft bed of leaves and breathed a sigh of relief that he would survive his fall with only a few bruises.

His hands were holding tightly to the reins as the still rearing horse, angry at being confined and in pain, turned on its master.

Rearing on its hind legs, the horse found its target. As Henry looked up in horror, his favourite horse brought down his front legs directly to the side of his master’s head.

Within moments, the Duke of Craven was dead.





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