The Inheritance Games, #4
The Brothers Hawthorne
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Contents
CHAPTER 15: JAMESON
Overview
Jameson and Avery escalate their attempt to attract the Devil’s Mercy by turning the after-party into a public signal and then letting Avery serve as bait. Their gambit works: an apparent waiter reveals himself as the Proprietor’s emissary and warns them off while confirming that the Proprietor is watching.
The meeting shifts the hunt from speculation to direct contact, but it also raises the danger. Jameson presents himself as the liability to protect the plan and keep pressure on the club, while the emissary’s warning suggests that pursuing entry may put Avery on a dangerous list.
Summary
At the after-party in the upper floors of a private club, Jameson and Avery deliberately amplify their presence by asking that posted photos use the hashtag TDM. Jameson feels energized by the attention but filters the gossip for something useful. He notices people reacting to an elegant woman they call That Duchess, and he silently signals Avery toward her.
Jameson and Avery approach That Duchess using their assigned waiter as an excuse. The duchess responds with polished wit and hints that her status makes her both visible and unwelcome to some people around her. The exchange suggests she may be socially important, but it does not immediately produce a route into the Devil’s Mercy.
After midnight, Avery proposes that Jameson and Avery split up so Avery can function as bait. Jameson dislikes stepping back, but Avery points out that Oren will remain nearby and asks for ten minutes. Jameson agrees and waits outside the club.
While outside, Jameson handles a pocket watch with a hidden compartment containing a small object he has kept since Prague. Before Jameson can act on the temptation to open it, the waiter from the party appears, then drops the act. The waiter reveals that his real work is beginning and makes clear that Jameson has drawn the attention of the Proprietor.
The emissary says the Proprietor sees Jameson as the greater liability and asks where Jameson heard about the Mercy. Jameson pushes directly, saying that Jameson and Avery want into the Devil’s Mercy for a few days and are willing to offer something in return. The conversation becomes threatening when the streetlight goes out, but Avery and Oren emerge from the club and restore the light.
In front of Avery and Oren, the emissary warns Avery that there is a list she does not want to be on. Jameson deflects with humor while making himself look like the reckless problem the Proprietor fears. The emissary says he will convey the message, then disappears after the door slams shut and the streetlight briefly goes dark again.
Who Appears
- Jameson HawthorneDrives the Devil’s Mercy gambit, confronts the emissary, and casts himself as the risky liability.
- Avery GrambsActs as bait at the party and refuses to be intimidated by the emissary’s warning.
- The Proprietor’s emissaryPoses as a waiter, reveals the Proprietor is watching, and warns Jameson and Avery.
- OrenStays close as Avery’s security and intervenes by keeping the club door open.
- That DuchessElegant party guest whose prominence draws Jameson and Avery’s attention during their search.