To Deceive A Duke

Chapter 48

"Not everything, just my rights and my voice," She says with a half-laugh, "But I don't need them, simply being a duchess is powerful enough for what I need," 

"And what is it that are you doing to do?" He asks, apprehension in his eyes. 

"I am going to do what he did to me," She says, her expression cunning, "Only better," 

Wyn swallows, glancing uneasily behind him as he leans closer, "It won't be as simple as destroying one and creating another," He tells her in a low voice, "You will need to destroy the other copies too, and the duke's signature will be required for the new one," 

"I can get rid of the other copies," She says, confidently, "But I don't need Daniel's real signature," 

His eyes widen and he hisses at her, quickly catching on, "You cannot forge a duke's signature!"

"Why not?" She tilts her head, "All of London watched me get married, there is no doubt that I am his wife. He will not be able to deny me," 

"But The Strand, your money, your land, it would all become his," He tries to reason, "You won't get it back," 

"I know, but then his name becomes mine, and that name is on everything," She says, "In his absence, it's all under my control," 

"His absence?" Wyn repeats, "What else are you planning?" 

Clarissa smirks, "Well...." 

"MISS!" 

The shout makes both of them jump and look around to see Chuck and Simon running up the street. Wyn moves closer to the door and Clarissa steps onto the pavement, reading the alarm on her friends faces. They stop in front of her, panting. Chuck holds onto the railing, catching his breath as Simon leans over, resting his hands on his thighs and coughing. 

"Chuck, what's..." She begins to say but the barman cuts her off, shaking his head. 

"Miss, Peter and Daniel have been missing for over an hour," He gasps, wiping the sweat from his forehead, "No one can find them," 

"What?!" Clarissa glances from him to Simon, who looks at her solemnly, confirming the story. 

"What happened?" Wyn asks, leaning around the duchess to address Chuck, "Where's Peter?" 

 "He and the duke left The Strand to try and find you," Chuck explains, looking at Clarissa, "We were meant to meet back at the pub at 12 in case anyone found you. Everyone has returned except them," 

"It's twenty past 1," Wyn says, checking his pocket watch, "And no one has seen them since?" 

"The last sighting was on Chichley Street," Simon pipes up, "I think they went to find Jack to see if he had seen you. They thought you might have gone after Baines and Lestrade," 

Wyn touches Clarissa's shoulder, his face grave, "People don't just disappear like that, particularly not Peter," 

"Why did no one tell me?" She cries, her mind going into overdrive. She staggers against the metal spikes, gripping them for security. 

"Because we couldn't find you! You vanished," Simon says, a slight accusation in his tone.  

"I went to my parent's house, I didn't leave the country!" She yells back, her fear increasing her anger. The boy shrinks away but she doesn't pay him any attention as she starts to pace up and down. She raises a hand to her head as her panic threatens to take control. 

"Chichley Street is on the border with Lambeth, you don't think....?" Chuck lets his question hang in the air.

"Oh, I very much think," She hisses, kicking the railing. Pain shoots through her foot, "Fuck!!"