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Chapter 17
Quietly closing the door behind him, Jack approached Phillippe in the hallway and motioned for him to follow him into the room where the body was. Although the valet had witnessed the aftermath of his beloved's rage, Jack didn't wish anymore servants to be made aware of the situation. Walking into the room, Jack stood near the bed for a moment to admire Samantha's work. His only regret was that he hadn't gotten to watch her kill the physician, he'd often fantasized about watching her kill. Still the aftermath seeing her covered in blood was an image Jack would treasure for a long time to come.
"The Mademoiselle was angry with him for mocking you while you were unconscious, but I never-" Phillippe trailed off uncertainly.
"Nor did I. Or rather, I knew the day would arrive, just not so soon."
"You are not bothered by the fact your fiancé is a murderess, that she killed this man?"
"Phillippe, if you value your position as my valet and more importantly if you value your life, you will never repeat such a phrase," Jack told him curtly.
"Sir, I didn't mean, it's just- She killed him, Sir."
"No. Samantha created. Death is a creation Phillippe and my Goddess simply was displaying her omnipotence."
The valet simply shook his head at his employer as he countered, "Well your Goddess has left quite a mess and it's possible this man will be missed. Many servants saw him arrive."
"Which is why I'm going to dispose of the body in an accident. Tell me Phillippe, on the road between here and Paris are there any places where the road is on the edge of a cliff?"
"Five miles from here, the road stretches along the top of a cliff overlooking the sea for nearly a twenty mile stretch."
Considering how to dispose of the body, Jack inquired, "Now this cliff, is it sloping down to the sea or a straight drop?"
Phillippe looked at the body on the bed and swallowed. The blood covering the corpse was drying to a rusty shade. Although he wasn't certain he wished to be party to his Master's concealment of the crime, there was no doubt in his mind of the man's devotion to the Mademoiselle. Whereas most men would have screamed for the authorities and denounced their fiancé, the Viscomte seemed rapturous over the murderous deed and almost proud of his betrothed. Just when Phillippe thought the aristocracy couldn't get any stranger, the Master seemed to take things to a new level.
Sensing his valet's discomfort, Jack spoke softly. "Phillippe, I understand this seems strange to you, but Samantha is my life and I am prepared to die or kill for her. No man is safe from my wrath or enmity when it comes to my Samantha. If you help as I know you will, you will find I am prepared to be very generous with you financially and will see that you live long enough to enjoy my largesse. Consider for a moment what the value of a life is, what Samantha's life is worth compared to your own and what your life is worth in comparison to the rude Dr. Vincent. You seem to possess a little more wit than most of the men I've encountered around here, do consider carefully before you utter one more word."
Phillippe studied his employer intently. Although the Viscomte had acted rather strangely for several days, as had the Mademoiselle, the one thing the valet was certain of was their devotion to one another. While the intensity with which the Mademoiselle had disposed of the Parisian physician was rather frightening, hadn't Phillippe himself had similar urges when the man was mocking the incoherent Viscomte? Mademoiselle Samantha had been very sweet in her devotion to the Master and tended his wounds without flinching following the duel. Was it really such a terrible thing to turn a blind eye to what happened?
Without thinking, Phillippe responded, "The cliff is nearly a straight drop. Are you and the Mademoiselle planning on making a habit of this?"
Shooting his beleaguered valet, a wicked smile Jack answered, "Probably, but I promise to wash my own blood stains out of my clothing."
"Why me?" Phillippe muttered under his breath. Aloud he asked, "How do you plan to stage this accident and what do you need me to do?"
"You dress the body and I fear you'll have to drag him down the steps while I make certain no one is approaching. Then we load him into a coach after I adjust the carriage pin and have him driven in the direction of Paris. Follow behind discretely on horseback and make certain that the coach indeed crashes about ten miles from here and falls into the sea. By the time the body is found, it will have been partially consumed by sealife and will be ruled an accident."
"And who is driving the coach?"
"Pick someone, Phillippe, from among the servants. Surely there's someone the world would be no worse off for losing."
Could he really choose a man and let him die? Phillippe considered and remembered the secondary coachman who had forced himself on one of the scullery maids a couple weeks ago. When she took her life last week, rumors abounded among the staff that she had been with child and couldn't bear the further humiliation. Squaring his shoulders, Phillippe replied, "I believe your second coachman would be an ideal candidate. Shall I have him bring your worst coach around?"
Shaking his head, Jack responded, "No. First dress the body we'll make it appear that he's heavily in his cups and you can support him as you help him into the coach. And secondly I want to use the best coach I own." Seeing his valet's puzzled expression, Jack explained, "No one would ever suspect a man would deliberately destroy his best coach."
As Phillippe began to wash Dr. Vincent's bloodied face and struggled to dress the stiffening corpse, Jack began to slowly strip the bedding off the bed. Piling it near the fireplace, he planned to slowly put it into the blazing hearth and destroy the blood stained fabric. The body was in full rigor and the valet was wrestling vainly with the man's coat. Wordlessly, Jack grabbed the dead man's arm and snapped the bone to allow the valet to dress the body. Phillippe paled slightly at the sound of bone cracking, the sound seemed to fill the quiet room. The beleaguered valet nearly fainted at the sound of further cracking when Jack wrenched Dr. Vincent's mouth open and poured brandy from a decanter down the deadman's throat.
After the body was dressed, Jack left Phillippe alone with the doctor and painfully made his way downstairs and ordered the coach and the driver Phillippe suggested. Once the coach was brought around, Jack ordered the driver to help Phillippe bring the physician downstairs that the man was drunk and needed assistance. The moment Jack was alone with the coach he moved cautiously and started fiddling with the hitch where the horses were attached. As he manipulated the metal, Jack considered the speed the horses would travel at, he wanted the crash to occur in just the right place. After several minutes, Jack was satisfied that he had calculated accurately and adjusted the underpinning accordingly.
Phillippe and the coachman appeared and bustled the doctor into the back of the coach along with his bag that Jack had packed minus a few medical items he wished to keep.
"He's dead drunk, Sir," the coachman informed him. "What should I do if he's still unconscious when we reach Paris?"
"I doubt that will happen, but if it should occur then I'm certain one of his servants will aid you in assisting the doctor into his home. Now," Jack said closing the coach door. "Drive on, Dr. Vincent's services are no longer required."
The carriage took off and Phillippe stalked off in the direction of the stables to get a mount and follow. Jack went back inside and up to the room where Samantha had killed the physician. Ripping the sheets into strips, Jack slowly fed them into the flames watching them burn slowly. His fingers paused to periodically caress the bloodstains and study them with pride. Tonight Samantha had exceeded his every expectation and Jack was pleased beyond measure. An hour later, Phillippe returned and reported the coach had separated from the horses and that coach, driver and doctor had fallen into the sea. The horses were still running and would likely be recovered in a day or so. Jack thanked Phillippe and dismissed him for the night. After his valet left, Jack went back to his room and Samantha...