Belmary House Book Three (10 page)

“What happened to you when your wife left you her powers?” Evie asked without preamble. Ashford couldn’t decide if he liked her or not, but she got to the point quickly enough.

Liam’s eyes widened. “Well, let’s see. Voices? I thought I was going insane. I’d wake up in places where I didn’t go to sleep. Nightmares.”

Piper nodded. “That’s how it was for me, too. I don’t think you’ve got it, Lord Ashford.”

“Hold on,” Evie said, shaking her head. “Let’s think about this.” She pointed to Piper. “You come from magic, but it’s diluted by your father’s side.” She pointed to Liam. “You? Any witches in your family?”

“None that I know of,” he told her.

“So, no magic.” She pointed at Ashford. “You’re super magicky right? Both sides of your family, all the way down the line?” When he nodded, she clapped her hands. “Maybe that’s why it doesn’t affect him as badly when it crossed over or whatever.”

She shrugged when Piper and Liam gave her looks of disbelief, but Ashford didn’t think her theory was that farfetched. His father hadn’t been able to do anything, but that side was still descended from the same line as Piper herself. And his mother’s family had been respectably endowed with abilities, though they’d rarely practiced.

“That’s a very good theory,” he said. “And I think it might be correct.” She looked stunned at having to smile at Ashford for agreeing with her and he almost laughed. One glimpse out of the corner of his eye at Emma lying on the table and he stifled the urge. “How else to explain what I did?” He found he couldn’t meet their eyes, still ashamed at his lack of control. “If that’s the case, then what do I do?” he asked.

Piper took his hand and led him over to Emma. “Try something,” she said. “Just close your eyes and let it happen.”

He shook his head, afraid he’d cause more harm. His sister hadn’t exactly been benevolent in her final days. What if her ill will at the end came rushing out through him?

“It’s yours now,” Piper said, as if sensing his worries. “If it’s in there, you control it.”

A hand clasped with his and he turned to see Matilda standing close by his side. She looked up at him, and the faith in her eyes filled his heart with warmth that spread throughout his body. He’d feared he would never be warm again after what he’d done in the library, but the icy shell he’d been encased in felt like it started to crack. She nodded at him, a soft smile at the edge of her lips.

“Please forgive me, Miss Saito,” he said, laying his hand on her leg.

Concentrating on Matilda’s hand clinging to his, he let his mind go free. Once again he felt like he was crashing about in cold waves, and he swayed as they rocked over him, but Matilda was by his side. He felt a little foolish after a moment of staring down at Miss Saito’s leg with nothing happening, but everyone was counting on him. He had to try. If they were wrong and Camilla hadn’t passed her abilities on to him, he had to admit he’d be relieved. As much as he wanted Miss Saito to be all right, it was too fearsome of a burden.

“This isn’t working,” Dexter said angrily. “We should take her to hospital.”

“Give it a minute more, Dex,” Matilda said.

Ashford thought the cousin was right. It was foolish to put their faith in him. He was no healer. The thing in the library had been a fluke, something terrible that hopefully he’d never repeat. Matilda moved closer to him, so the side of her body pressed against his, and he could feel her holding her breath. If only he could show her something other than the violence he’d displayed earlier, he might be able to forgive himself.

He pushed all thoughts of embarrassment out of his head, and tossed away the fear of letting strange powers possibly take control of him. If this was what he was now, so be it. He recalled every good thing he could about Camilla, how she’d made flowers bloom for their mother in the pit of winter, how butterflies had rested on her shoulder when she cried. The way she always managed to get him out of his punishments. Ashford remembered the brave girl who loved Kostya and had fought for his freedom, and laid his other hand on Miss Saito’s leg.

She opened her eyes.

Dex heaved a joyous sigh along with everyone else in the room, when Emma blinked awake. He met her gaze first, holding it gratefully while she tried to figure out where she was.

“It’s okay now,” he leaned down to whisper.

He was jostled into her when Tilly dropped his hand to throw her arms around Lord Ashford, who still had his hands awkwardly on Emma’s leg.

Dex wasn’t sure how he felt about his cousin being so clearly in love with Lord Ashford. He’d never understood the mysterious workings of the Belmary House portal, and he’d always thought of Ashford as somewhat unreliable at best, downright untrustworthy at worst. Had the man toyed with Tilly’s affection while she was under his care? It wasn’t as if she had any choice but to be with him while she was trapped in his time. Unlike Emma, who’d only been sent back ten years, Tilly was completely out of her element.

But she hadn’t looked like she’d suffered much when he first saw her. She was upset about the current circumstances to be sure, but she didn’t have the look of someone who’d been through something as traumatic as she had.

“Have a nice vacation?” he’d asked sarcastically after she hugged him in greeting.

He didn’t know why he was upset that she seemed perfectly fine. She’d scowled at him and turned her attention to Emma, and he knew it was just his worry causing him to act out, and Tilly knew him well enough to overlook it. Now Emma was awake, he had different things to worry about.

“She’ll need to go back as soon as possible,” Liam said over the din of excitement.

His stomach turned over. Yes, that was one of the things. Emma tried to sit up, but grabbed her head and lay back down.

“It still hurts,” she said, closing her eyes.

“Yes, it will, until you get back to your proper time.” Liam nudged Mellie out of the way as she tried to check Emma’s pulse. He peered down at Emma and shook his head. “Did you try to visit with your old self?”

She cracked her eyes open again and nodded guiltily. “It’s what started me feeling so bad, then I—” she jerked herself up on her elbows, realizing for the first time who was touching her calves. “You,” she said.

“I think you can let go now,” Liam said, suddenly the expert, when all he’d done was stand and gawk before. Dex didn’t think he liked him very much either.

“I’m afraid to,” Ashford admitted. Tilly wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed while he looked nervous about the whole situation.

“What happened?” Emma asked, still staring at Ashford. “Listen, I think something bad’s about to happen. I— Mr. Wodge—” she hung her head.

“It’s all done with now, Miss Saito,” Ashford said kindly.

“Are you sure? I think I made a terrible mistake. He told me— I believed—” she was wearing herself out trying to sit up again, and Dex gently pushed her back down.

“Quite sure,” Ashford said. “You needn’t worry about any of that right now.” His kind, fatherly look changed to stern rebuke. “I’m fairly certain I did warn you about never going near your former self, though.”

She nodded and groaned. “You did. But I couldn’t help myself. It was like a compulsion after the first time.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but Tilly poked him and he kept quiet. Dex wondered at how she seemed to know him so well, and how he listened to her silent commands. They acted like his parents, who’d been happily married for almost thirty years. How in the hell could that be? What had they been up to during the last few months?

Ashford tentatively raised one hand off her leg, and when nothing happened, he finally lifted the other.

“How do you feel?” he asked. “None of us know what Wodge put on you.”

“I feel like someone stuffed me in a sack and rolled me down a mountain,” she said. “And my head hurts.”

“She should sleep,” Mellie said.

“She needs to go back,” Liam argued.

“Not yet,” Dexter said, gratified when Emma squeezed his hand. He couldn’t lose her so soon, not when she just came back. “Let her rest a bit first. Can we get a ride back to the inn?” He searched around until he found Shane, keeping a low profile in a rocking chair in the corner.

“Don’t be silly,” Piper said. “You can’t take her all the way down the hill. We have dozens of rooms.”

“It’s her hobby to decorate them,” Lachlan said. “Ever since we visited Versailles a few months ago, she’s been downright mad.”

“That’s right. It’s wasteful if no one ever sees my handiwork,” she agreed.

Emma shakily sat up and swung her legs over the side of the table, with Dex supporting her back. Tilly got under her arm and she managed to stand, but after a few steps, she faltered and shook her head.

“Sorry,” she said, looking embarrassed at her weakness.

Before Lachlan could swoop in and take her again, Dex scooped her up in his arms. He knew she hated looking so helpless in front of others, but he held tight, murmuring into her hair that she’d be fine. She only grumbled a little bit, and wrapped her arms around his neck, hiding her face in his shoulder.

Upstairs, after everyone stopped hovering anxiously and offering food and tea, and they were finally alone, he helped her get into the large, luxurious bed and sat beside her as she drifted in and out of sleep. Afraid she was slipping into unconsciousness again, he kept squeezing her hand, but she always opened her eyes immediately when he did.

“I’ll be okay,” she said after he did it for the fifth time.

“Should I go?” he asked, not wanting to.

“No,” she said, reaching out and pulling him close to her. “Get under the covers with me.” She was silent for a long time after he snuggled up against her, the blankets tucked securely up to their chins.

“I’m going to miss you, Dexter,” she said at last.

He pressed close to her, resting his forehead against her cheek, unable to speak. He only nodded against her soft skin, wanting time to stop so he’d never have to say goodbye to her.

***

Dex awoke to find the bed empty and he shot out of it, heart pounding. Liam had gone on the previous night about doing the spell to send her back as soon as possible or she’d never get better. Was that how it worked? She was just gone? His feet hit the floor and he flung open the door, but before he could run downstairs, he heard her voice from the other side of the room.

She sat in a plush armchair by the low fire, legs curled underneath her and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She looked impossibly small, and he yearned to make everything right for her. He knew the only thing that could do that was letting her go.

She smiled and motioned him over. He knelt beside her and rested his head on her lap, and she stroked his hair.

“Are you feeling any better?” he asked.

“A little. It took all my strength to get over here, though, so I’m recharging to get downstairs.”

“I’ll carry you again.”

She laughed and ruffled his hair. “It’s not that I didn’t like it …”

“I liked it,” he said pugnaciously. “I liked everything about knowing you.” The lump in his throat stopped him from continuing. He raised himself up to be eye level with her, balancing his weight on the arms of the chair.

“Me too,” she said. “Remember when I told you to come find me in ten years, and I’ll give you a job?”

“I’ll do it,” he said.

She looked past him, a rueful smile on her lips. He knew she was thinking ten years would pass in an instant for her if Liam’s spell worked, but it would be an awfully long time for him. Did she think he’d forget her?

The door cracked open after one brisk knock. It was Piper, dressed in a wide striped satin dressing gown and flowy pajama pants. “Mellie makes a mean breakfast if you’re hungry,” she told them, her eyes full of compassion. Could she see how in love he was with Emma? How he’d be broken by the end of the day? “And I have some things for you, Emma, to take with you. You just come here when you get to your time and I’ll help you get back to London.”

Emma nodded, listening carefully, but Dex tried to blot out the words. He’d be going back to London too, he supposed.

“Where will we do the spell?” she asked.

“At the edge of the woods. We’ve always had good luck in the woods and it cuts the risk of you popping up in front of someone.”

“She barely made it to this chair,” Dex argued. “How’s she supposed to get to the forest?” Maybe he could get one more day with her. Just one more.

Piper smiled at him kindly. “We have golf carts.”

She left them, and though it was unspoken, her invitation to join them for breakfast was a veiled command to hurry it up. He felt bad for Piper and Lachlan, living in a castle on land where so many odd things happened. They seemed to take it in stride, and he was grateful for all the help they’d given.

 He pushed the eggs around on his plate, only taking a few bites of buttery scone before giving up. He wasn’t going to be hungry for a while, plain and simple. Liam joined them, all business, explaining what needed to be done. Emma got bundled up, a backpack full of helpful things in case no one was home at the castle when she first arrived back. She was instructed to get to the road and walk until someone offered her a ride, which was sure to be quick in their friendly little village.