“Richard destroyed himself,” Henry said. “He was the one who chose a life of crime. He’s behind bars because of his own choices, not because of anything I said or did. Don’t imagine that the men Crowle deals with don’t have a choice, just because he tries to push them in one direction or another. Everybody has a choice.”
“You had a choice,” Thomas said. “When Lady Valeria wasn’t interested in your overtures, you could have chosen to step back and let her go. But you didn’t. You had to interfere in her life.”
“That’s right,” Duncan agreed. “What about her? You can’t tell me you thinkshemade bad choices, that she destroyed her own life. She didn’t do anything wrong at all, and her life has been torn apart.”
“You don’t understand!” Henry said. “You can’t possibly understand!”
“What on Earth don’t we understand?” Thomas demanded.
“She wants you,” Henry raved. “I know what you did, Thomas. She was supposed to bemine. But you undercut me. You connived against me. You were so determined to make her yours that you turned your back on our friendship!”
“Iturned my back on our friendship?” Thomas stared. “I have no idea what you mean, Henry. When on Earth did I do such a thing?”
“I asked you to keep Lord Milton away from her at my dinner party,” Henry said. “Don’t you remember? You were supposed to be distracting him, not speaking withher. And you spent all night by her side!”
“Did you really mean to prevent me from speaking with her?” Thomas asked. “By staying close to her, I was keeping the two of them apart, just as you requested. How could you possibly be angry with me for that?”
“She paid attention to you all night long,” Henry said. “And the whole reason I threw that party was so thatImight catch her notice.”
“Well, it didn’t work, did it?” Thomas said. “That’s hardly my fault. I’m not in control of who Lady Valeria takes an interest in. She simply preferred me.”
“Of course she did, after you made thesceneyou did,” Henry said. His voice was nearly a growl now. “Standing up against Lord Milton. Making a production of throwing him from the Manor. Harlston Manor ismyhome, Thomas. If anyone was to throw him out, it should have been me.”
“Then why didn’t you?” Thomas asked. “You were willing to let him stay. I stood up and got rid of him because it was clear to me that nobody else was going to do it. He was torturing Lady Valeria with his words, and you didn’t act against him. Now you’re angry with me because Idid?”
“You claimed the glory for yourself!” Henry said.
“Glory!” Thomas shook his head. “Glory had nothing to do with anything, you fool. She needed someone to stand up for her, and so I did.”
“And in doing so, you won her affection,” Henry said. “Won her away from me!”
“She was never yours,” Thomas said. “She never belonged to you. Do you think I don’t see what you’re doing, Henry? You’ve always been this way, and I simply never recognized it. You’ve always felt entitled to claim whatever you wanted. You desired her, so you believed that she was yours. And when she preferred me instead, you felt as if you had been cheated, didn’t you? Admit it. That’s why you acted against me.”
“Anyone would have done the same,” Henry snapped. “You say I betrayed you, but you betrayed me first.”
Thomas sighed. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He couldn’t believe Henry had turned out to be so cruel.
But maybe he shouldn’t be surprised. After all, his friend had always gotten whatever he had wanted. This was the first time in Henry’s life that things hadn’t worked out the way he’d hoped they would.
Do I really know him at all if I don’t know how he responds to disappointment?
Perhaps he didn’t. Perhaps he had only ever known the good side of Henry. Maybe this darker part had been there all along, having no need to come forward, but always waiting, biding his time in case Henry ever needed it.
“Duncan,” he said, “I think you should go for the constables.”
“I’m not going to leave you alone with him,” Duncan said.
“Give me the pistol,” Thomas said. “Look at him. He’s unarmed. He’s half-mad. He isn’t going to do anything to me.”
Duncan looked doubtful. “You can’t be sure.”
“I’m sure,” Thomas said. “I want you to go.”
Duncan shook his head. “If he tries anything—”
“Then I’ll have the pistol, won’t I? He isn’t going to be able to overpower me, Duncan, and we need the constables here. Go on, now.”
Duncan hesitated for a moment longer. Then he handed the pistol to Thomas.
