Another glass of cognac and then the solicitor had begun listing all the reasons why Liam’s plans were fanciful, impossible and downright mad. Why the man had been surprised that should be the case, when Leonards had used exactly the same words each time he’d written in response to this or that meagre order concerning the estate, was a mystery.
‘It is your decision, my lord,’he had finally conceded hours later, seeing that Liam would not be swayed.‘I will do what I can to find a way.’
If no way could be found—well, Liam wasn’t entirely sure what he would do. But he had no time to dwell on that eventuality.
The last stretch. Not long now...
Turning up the lane, he felt his stomach drop and his heart flutter. Beneath the dread lay excitement. Thornhallow Hall had been his childhood home. Despite the sorrow, the grief, there had been happy times there.
Not that he could remember them anymore. Only screams echoing in the night. Frozen figures in the water. Blood on the steps. Images from his memory and born of his nightmares. The laughter, the joy—those he could not recall. Only pain. He had sought to forget it all, to lose himself in the unknown, and so he had for a time. Until he’d been cursed with more grief. More suffering. More sorrow. And more ghosts.
All no more than he deserved, he knew.
He would have given his life for her. He would give anything to bring her back. To change her fate.
My sweet Hal... Sweet sister mine...
Hell and Heaven knew he would have given his life for any of them. If only to lessen his own agony by the sacrifice. If only to change his own fate as well as theirs.
Tugging the reins, Liam drew the gig to a halt before the wrought-iron gates.
The gates of hell... My own, personal hell...full of demons waiting for me...
Liam sat there, transfixed by the sight of his home, spectral in the moonlight, unable to move for a very long time. He could hear it calling him to it across the void, welcoming him to its unforgiving and damning embrace. He could see her there, waiting at the window.
Hal...
He should have stayed in London. Sorted it all out from there. He should have stayed far away, across the world. But he hadn’t, and now here he was.
Orpheus whinnied and struck his hooves in protest against the frozen ground.
I know precisely how you feel, old boy.
Sighing, unable to delay the inevitable any longer, Liam hopped down from the gig and went to the gate. He took out the key Leonards had given him, slid it into the lock, and with surprising ease, but a resounding creak, opened the gates to his kingdom.
He led Orpheus through, shut the gates tightly, then made his way up the drive.
‘Mind you don’t move, stranger,’ said a gruff voice, before the familiar click of a rifle sounded loudly in the night as Liam moved to lead Orpheus through the stable doors. ‘You best be going back where you come from, mister, or there’ll be trouble now.’
‘Steady now, Tim.’ Liam chuckled, turning slowly, arms raised. ‘It’s only me.’
‘M-my lord,’ Tim stuttered, confused, hurriedly lowering the gun. Apparently the sounds of intrusion had torn him from slumber; his open coat revealed a nightshirt. ‘I... That is, we wasn’t expecting you. I’ll find Thom—Mr Brown—’
‘You shall rouse no one,’ Liam said, waving the groom back as he moved to rush away and handing him the reins. ‘It is late, and as you say, I was not expected. You may tell Thomas I have arrived in the morning, but for the moment, if you could attend to the gig—and Orpheus, here—I shall simply find my way to bed.’
‘But, my lord—’
‘Tim, I am quite capable of taking care of myself, and have done so for quite some time. Tomorrow I shall be my lord the Earl, but for this evening I wish to be solely myself.’
‘Yes, my lord.’ Tim nodded, unconvinced, but unwilling to disobey.
‘Thank you. It is good to see you.’ Liam smiled, grabbing his bag from the gig. ‘You haven’t changed. A little more grey, and I daresay Cook has been feeding you well.’
‘Aye, my lord. She has. It is good to see you home again, master,’ Tim added as Liam stepped back into the night. ‘You’ve been missed at Thornhallow.’
With a nod, Liam left the man to his duties and made his way to the house.
If he was lucky, he might be able to steal some bread and cheese from the kitchens without alerting anyone to his presence. He did, after all, have a key to the tradesman’s entrance among the set Leonards had given him.
