Midnight Masquerade (29 page)

“We are leaving for Scotland in a matter of hours Amelia, you will not change my mind woman.”

“Then you shall go alone.”
Turning from him, she walked in the opposite direction of their bedroom and straight into his damn library, slamming the door behind her without another word.

Cracking his neck in agitation, “Come on George, let’s get him to his bed.”

Slamming down another glass of scotch she sat by the fire, still in her blood soaked gown and pondered what the hell she was supposed to do.

Alastair had brushed her off when she wanted to help, he had tried sending her to her room like a naughty child. She just couldn’t, didn’t understand
why he was upset with her. It was possible that it was the way she scolded his head of security, even now when she thought back on her words she felt positively atrocious for her lack of composure. She had sought out Jax
hours later
and apologized for her words, in which he refused to accept
,
based on the fact
that
he agreed with her
, he had lapsed in his guard and promised on his life to never do so again.

It had been hours since Alastair took Raleigh away, she knew the doctor had come and gone, yet her fiancé hadn’t joined her yet. Sitting in the vast library alone she had thought about Aliana’s letter and the shooting, both disturbed her greatly. She had yet to figure out how to bring up the letter without appearing like a snoop.

Yawning, she looked out the garden window to see the sun rising, “Ah hell, I need to go to bed.” She muttered to herself, finishing off the rest of the amber liquor she sat down the tumbler glass and uncurled her feet out from under her. Stretching her
arms above her as she stood. Hearing the library door open she panicked,
on edge she spun around to see Alastair standing in the doorframe watching her.

“How is he?” She asked ey
eing the
bloody shirt he still wore.

“He’s alive, bullet has been taken out an
d he’s been sewn
back up.” He answered as he crossed his arms.

“Good, I am very relieved to hear that.”

Stepping into the library he shut the door behind him and walked across the room to her, “What the hell were you thinking Amelia?
He had just been shot and you ran directly to him where the shooter had just been, the door was open and you had no weapon on you.”

Taken back by his quick change of attitude, she jerked her head back, “I…I…, I saw someone who needed my help. I knew you’d be there within moments.”

“You could have been murdered in seconds Amelia, seconds! Are you so careless you didn’t even think of that?” He shouted.

Snapping her head back she took a step back from him, “Careless? How dare you! If we are talking careless
ness
, maybe you should learn to not leave your mistresses love letters on your desk.”

Crossing his arms, “Maybe you should learn not to read or handle things that aren’t yours Amelia. You overstepped your boundary tonight, you had no right to demean
Jax, which was
,
and is my job, not yours. As far as that letter, I could give a shite what it said, I read it and tossed it aside, I did not keep it for sentimental treasure.
”

His words stung.

Clenching her jaw, she walked past him and out of the library. She did not slam the doors, or say another word, she simply walked up the curve stairs to their room as tears feel from her eyes. Her heart hurt, she had never argued like this with Alastair. Oh they had argued in the past, but not like this.
This was a power struggle, telling her she couldn’t tell the staff what to do was the last straw for her. He had once told her nothing was off limits, now to find there was. She wouldn’t live like this.

Walking into the room she looked around to see the vault closed up, their trunks aligned against the wall waiting to go. The excitement of leaving for Scotland long gone, and now o
nly pain resided in her heart.
Doing what she normally did when in pain, she fled. Sitting the
large
engagement ring down on Alastair’s pillow she opened her trunk and pulled out a fresh gown and changed quickly, praying
he’d give her time to escape.
Arming herself with a pistol from his drawer, she left her belongings where they sat and walked out of their room.

She needed to clear her head, she needed peace and she was
not
going to find it in this house at this point in time. Leaving no note, she saw Jax and his men talking in the back of the house, slipping past them she walked out into the garden as the sun crested the high-top homes of London.
Her heart hurt, she was angry and disappointed with Alastair, and she would have never expected him to treat her like he had.

Sneaking out into the side alley she saw Gideon’s carriage roll to a stop
directly
before her, groaning
,
thinking she was caught she saw the door pop open followed by Helena’s beautiful face, “Get in love, I’ll take you to him.”

Smiling at her luck, she slipped into the ducal carriage and shut the door behind her, immediately running to Helena’s waiting arms. Bursting into tears as Helena held her tight she
let all her emotions go.

“Shh love, we’ll be at Luke’s soon. You need to get some rest and this will all be sorted out soon enough my dear.”

Amazed
Helena knew exactly where she wanted to go, Luke was her haven, her safe place. He had been since they were children, only six years apart he was one of the only people in this world that could talk sense to her
in times like this
. Everyone in their
family including her parents saw their tight bond, as did Helena.
It wasn’t as though she didn’t love her oldest brother Gideon, she did, but Luke was used to her nonsense and emotional breakdowns, where Gideon was not.

When she was in trouble, scared or needed away from life in general, she always fled to Luke. Now
more than ever she needed her
brother’s wise words and assurance, she needed him to hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay, even if it wasn’t.

Pulling up before Luke’s house, Helena kissed her forehead and let her go, “Go sweetheart, I’ll see you later today.”

So thankful for Helena, she sent up a silent prayer for her.
Opening the door, she slipped out and blew Helena a kiss, “Thank you Helena, I love you.”

“
and
I love you little dove
.”

Shutting the door she ran up the stairs to Luke’s mansion as the door opened before her, standing at the door was her dark haired blue eyed brother she loved so much. Holding out his arms with a grin, “Come here Lili.” He offered in his
comforting
brotherly tone.

Crashing into him he pulled her into the house and shut the door
, locking the bolts behind him. Squeezing him tightly she fell apart, mumbling and crying
,
she couldn’t even understand herself.

Cradling her in his arms he rubbed her back, “Have you slept at all Li?”

Shaking her head, “Raleigh was shot tonight, Alastair yelled at me, we argued and I left.”

“Does he know where you’re at?”

“No. I left my ring on his pillow and left. Helena must have had a
dream I was going to run away,
because she picked me up in the alley and brought me here knowing I needed you.”

“Jesus Amelia. Come on, you need sleep little one, let’s have a quick drink then you can crawl in with the twins until that fiancé of yours come pounding down my door.”

With his arm around her shoulder he ushered her into his library as the bright morning sun filled the room with warm light. Sitting down before his fireplace, she heard him pouring a drink, figuring she better start explaining she got it all off her chest.

“Aliana sent him a letter tonight when we were at the opera, had it delivered to his box knowing full well I was with him.
After we got home we began to pack for our trip, I ran downstairs to ask Raleigh a question. During that time someone knocked on the door, assuming it was either you or Gideon I went to answer it. He forbid me to go, during that time I read the letter she had sent. Alastair must have read it when I was packing and left it on the corner of his desk,” looking at Luke as he rounded the seat, he handed her a glass.

“
and
you being you,
took the letter and its words upset you, correct?”

Nodding, taking a sip, “just then I heard the gunshot. I ran out of the library to find Raleigh on the ground before the door. Everything after that happened in a blur. I yelled at Jax in front of Alastair, which obviously upset him greatly. Then when he dismissed me to go upstairs to change for our trip I told him we weren’t going to Scotland.”

Sitting next to her, Luke put his arm around her, “Amelia, you probably scared the hell out of him. He’s used to being in control. In fact, there is not a person in this damn town or country that has ever told him what to do besides the King and Queen.”

“I am not a brainless female Luke, I shouldn’t be sent to my room as punishment. My fiancé shouldn’t be getting letters from his previous lovers regarding continuing their affair long after we’re married, as agreed upon.”

“What?” he asked, his tone taking quite a dark change.

“Aliana’s letter spoke of his promises to her about continuing on their relationship after he married me, and a whole mess of other things I wish I hadn’t read.”

“I’m guessing the letter came up in your argument?”

“Yes, when he accused me of being careless
and overstepping my boundaries,
I accused him of being careless with his love letters. This is such a mess, why do things go so horribly wrong then so wonderful for us? This shouldn’t be this hard.”

“
You need sleep, come on let’s get you upstairs, go cuddle the twins and you’ll feel better.”

“Thank you Luke, I don’t know what I’d do without you, honestly.
”

Slowly w
alking up to their room after more than an hour of sitting in the library going over the clues his staff
had amassed from the evening’s events
he was tired, and still pissed.

Entering their room he immediately knew something was wrong. The bed hadn’t been slept it, and Amelia was not there. A sparkle caught his eye, bringing him over to the bed, seeing her engagement ring upon his pillow he looped it through his finger, “Fuck me.”

Bursting out of his room, “Jax!”

Running down the hall he saw his head of security running down the corridor towards him, “Your Grace?”

“Tell me you did not let her leave this house?”

“
What?
We have not seen Lady Amelia Your Grace, we assumed she was slumbering in your room.”

“Searc
h the house, right bloody now!”
His staff scattered into the wind, all running in different directions to search for his lady. Knowing she wasn’t in their room or the library, making his way to the gardens he heard the rap on his front door.

With his hand on his pistol he stalked towards the front door and threw it open to find Luke leaned up against the frame with his arms crossed.

“Please tell me you know where she is?”

Rolling his eyes, “Of course I do, currently she is curled up with the twins in my
nursery
sleeping like a baby herself.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, “Jesus that woman is going to be the death of me, come in.”

“She was a right mess Alastair
, care to tell me why you like to make my baby sister cry?”

“Good god, she’s a damn hellion Luke! She ran headfirst into danger, not even thinking of herself, then she questioned Jax and scolded him like she was the damn Queen of England. Furthermore, she told me weren’t going to Scotland, she’s a tyrant!”

“Y
ou act surprised by that,” Luke
chuckled,
“I ask you this, did you think that my sister would hold your staff at arms length? No, I’m guessing since she arrived she’s been learning their names, talking to them. It is who she is Alastair, she was having a conversation with Raleigh moments before he was shot. Of course she’s going to run to his side, she thinks with her heart first,
she’s
always been that way my friend.”

Groaning, he knew Luke was absolutely correct. He had yelled at her for simply being herself, his overprotectiveness was suffocating her.

“As far as Jax, did you or did you not tell her nothing was off limits in your house?”

“I did.
”

“She had a knee jerk reaction to
Jax’s
ineffectual ability to protect your household. She is direct and intelligent Alastair; she’s watched us for years and picked up on our professional training. I’ll ask you this, would your conversation with the head of your security been far different than her words?”

“Yes, I would not have been so nice.” Which was completely true, Jax had failed them all, something very rare
,
but very worrisome. Had Amelia opened that door they’d be planning her funeral, there was no doubt in his mind.