‘I’ve never seen this place so quiet,’ Patricia said at last. ‘Nor him so at peace. It’s all worked out then?’
Alex hesitated. ‘I think so,’ she said finally. There was no point in denying any of it. Not to Patricia. ‘It was…it was almost too much. And I thought I’d lost him. There were things the woods showed us, both of us, which will take some figuring out. But…’
She glanced at the man and his daughter. There was no mistaking that bond.
‘I know my daughter made…questionable decisions,’ Patricia said after a long and thoughtful pause. ‘Always did. She was headstrong and always thought she knew best, even as a child.’
Questionable decisions. That was a phrase for it, Alex supposed. But that meant Patricia knew. Alex didn’t know how much, but Patricia knew enough of it.
‘I think she did what she thought was right,’ she replied cautiously.
Patricia was still watching Nick. ‘She made mistakes, no doubt about that. And it cost her dearly. But she always did what was right for Maeve. We don’t like to talk about magic much around here, but it’s very much part of our lives. Sally reached out to the wild wood for a guardian for her daughter, and it sent Nick. Where he came from, what he was…I don’t know. But he is one of the best men I have ever met. And if he was a changeling, he isn’t now. He’s human, flesh and blood. And he is our Maeve’s father, in every way which matters. Always has been. Always will be. He raised her, he loves her. And as far as I’m concerned, as far asMaeveis concerned… The paperwork says the same thing, just so you know. And now the house is safe, he’s free.’
Alex just nodded. Patricia knew. She probably knew everything. She didn’t miss a trick.
And as she said, Nick was free now. He could go wherever he wanted, be whoever he wanted to be. There was nothing to hold him here anymore. His so-called duty was done.
She ought to be happy for him. And she was. She really was. It shouldn’t have felt like loss.
The repairs on the house were not as extensive as they had all feared. The study and the undercroft were the worst part. No one asked why there was now half a forest where that section of the building had been and the architect that Nick called had the bright idea of creating an orangery around it instead of trying to remove it. There was some evidence that there had been one somewhere in the house, at some point in the past. Alex wasn’t so sure but everyone insisted that had been the case, and that there were plans for it somewhere in the records. Well, there had been records, in the study. But there had to be another copy somewhere, everyone agreed on that. This was a listed building. The National Archives were mentioned. So was Trinity College. Then the debate ensued about who to contact first.
Somehow the structure itself and the first floor were still sound. There might even be a grant to do the restoration work, she was told, given it was storm damage and they’d only be putting the house back as it had been a hundred years or more ago. Add to that the insurance money which would no doubt be forthcoming. And God, she hoped that was the case, although it seemed that the builders were happy enough to begin the work. People from Kilfayne, it seemed, dealt with the evidence of the supernatural as a daily fact of life, something commonplace and not worth dwelling on, much as Patricia had said. They all pulled together in times of crisis. The Big House, as Jimmy the builder referred to it, was part of Kilfayne. Part of their heritage. They couldn’t just let it fall down, now could they?
‘After a while, it’s just easier to go along with it,’ Nick told her with a smile. He was at peace with himself now, she realised, and with Kilfayne. ‘Trust them. Besides, Jimmy says you’re one of their own now. They won’t see you left in the lurch.’
‘One of their own?’
‘No longer a runner-in,’ he replied, and ruffled her hair affectionately. ‘The estate employs a lot of people locally. Could employ more as well.’
‘So could a hotel.’
He gave a laugh which surprised her. ‘Still got that bone to chew on then?’
Alex shook her head. In fact, the lawyers had said the chain had taken one look at the damage and run screaming so that idea was well and truly past now. Besides, she couldn’t hand over Wildewood to someone who would tear it all down given half a chance. Not anymore. She couldn’t take that risk.
‘I guess we’re back to Theo’s plan then,’ she told him. ‘God help us.’ Theo had been terrible at planning anything. Luckily he’d had Nick for practicalities. ‘We could let out rooms, like a guest house. Just on a small scale, all right? If we ever get it fixed up, that is. We could even open it up for ghost hunts. At least I have the contacts for that.’
‘Alex? You sound like you’re thinking of staying here.’
She huffed out half a laugh. ‘Perhaps I am. I think this place might need me.’
Besides, she had promised.
The smile that spread over his handsome features made his eyes shine and she was suddenly struck again by the beauty in them. The flecks of green and gold in their dark brown. All the colours of the forest.
He swept her up in his arms and spun her around until she gave a squawk somewhere between shock and delight. ‘Not justthis place.Ineed you. You’re staying,mo chuisle. That’s the best news ever.’
Nick set her back on the ground again, but he didn’t let her go.
‘Yes, but…but you don’t have to,’ she told him. ‘You’re free, Nick. You can do whatever you want, go wherever you want, you and Maeve. You have family out there. Arnold said. Ariadne and Jason Walker. Tell them you’re a long-lost cousin or something. You are, after all. And it sounds like they’d understand some of what happened here if the stuff on his podcast is anything to go by.’
A frown crept down his forehead, drawing his eyebrows together. ‘I might, I guess. Family’s important. But I’m not leaving. Where else would I want to go, Alex? This is my home. My place. I belong here. With you.’
The breath in her lungs came out in a rush of relief.
‘Really? I thought…I thought…’
She didn’t know what she thought, so she pushed herself up on her toes and kissed him.
