Letting myself into the workshop brought me back to reality pretty damn quickly as I remembered all the work I had to do in the next few weeks. Some crypto-millionaire who’d bought a castle in Scotland wanted several pairs of swords to hang on the walls. It had been a longtime since I’d made a sword, and back then it had only been for fun, because who doesn’t want to make a sword? Remastering the techniques I would need was going to take me longer than I could charge him for. Perhaps I should have refused the commission, but I thought he might want more from me in the future or recommend me to his rich friends.
I set out what I’d need to start the first swords tomorrow, and locked up behind me. No need to do so now Tim and Mia were older, but it was habit.
Turning away, I noticed Tim’s garden store was open, and I crossed the yard to look through the door. He was cleaning his tools. We had different interests, but the care and detail he brought to his gardening reminded me of my work in the forge.
“Hey,” I greeted him.
He glanced up before returning his gaze to the spade he was wiping, giving a grunt in acknowledgement.
“I wanted to let you know that Ollie and I are together.” I didn’t want to hear Tim’s opinion, so I continued without pausing for breath. “I’ve been thinking about your friends coming to stay. If Mia can spend a couple of days staying with Lacey, it would be fine.”
He looked up, shocked. “Really?”
“Why not?”
Tim bent his head again over his spade and scrubbed at a non-existent piece of dirt. “What changed your mind?”
“Ollie did. This is the obvious answer, but I didn’t realise until he suggested it.”
He scrubbed harder and wouldn’t look at me. I’d said something wrong, but I didn’t know what.
“So you’re only doing this to please your toyboy.”
Breathe, I told myself. Breathe and donotrip your own brother’s head off. When I could open my mouth without roaring at him, I said, very steadily, “Ollie is a guest of this family. You will show him the respect he deserves.”
“Like you have, you mean?” Tim’s eyes were furious, and I didn’t understand why. “The minute he was through the door, you had him in your bed. And now you’re pulling the head of family crap again, just like you always do.”
“It may have escaped your notice, Tim, but Iamthe head of this family—”
“And you never let us forget it!” He was standing now, shouting at me. “You’re full of shit and you don’t even know it.” He pushed past, his shoulder jostling mine, and I realised how much he’d grown. He’d turned into a man without me noticing.
I didn’t react.Couldn’treact, because his words as he left froze me to the spot. They weren’t a man’s words, they were those of a hurt little boy. “I should have gone with Mum.”
I was left alone, breathless and hurting. And confused. I still didn’t know what I’d done that was so wrong. All I’d done, every decision I made, was to protect this family, protectTim.Yet he hated me for it.
Chapter Twenty-three
ARCHER
If not for Ollie, I’d have skipped family supper. But I had a responsibility to him, so I sat at the table as he and Mia served up the chicken stir fry they’d made. I noted uneasily that Ollie was sporting another plaster and hoped that didn’t mean I needed to look out for a fingertip in my meal.
“There weresomany cakes at June’s, and I didn’t get to eat a single bite,” he complained as he dug into his portion.
“You went down well, though,” Mia put in, and I sawthe retort flash through Ollie’s head before he realised who he was talking to and firmly swallowed it. So to speak. “Lacey said you impressed Uncle Ted, which, let me tell you, isnoteasy to do.”
“Which one was Uncle Ted again?”
Seeing that Mia had the conversation under control, I stayed out of it and concentrated on my meal. But I wasn’t hungry. I’d heard Tim’s bike start up shortly after he’d left me, and God only knew where he’d gone. Friends in the nearby village, I hoped. I didn’t want him driving that death machine when he was upset, but if I said as much, I’d be accused of trying to control him again.
“Your doves shat on me.” I became aware that Ollie was addressing me, his tone aggrieved but laughter in his eyes. “I swear I’m going to flame that dovecote.”
“Birds of peace, remember. It would be the ultimate in bad karma.” It was an effort to match his light-heartedness, and he must have picked up on that because he turned back to Mia.
“Have you ever thought of dying them with vegetable dye, like Lord Berners did? You could have rainbow doves.Pridedoves.”
“And you’re going to hold them while I paint them?” Mia asked.
“Good point. They’d peck me to death. But it must be possible to do because Berners used to dry them off in his airing cupboard.” He frowned slightly. “I think he also had a horse living in his house, so maybe he’s not a good role model. Though…” He looked around the kitchen. “Don’t you think this place would be even better with a baby donkey trotting around?”
