Fearfully, I watched as the pantry door creaked andgroaned. Then to my horror, I saw the edge of a sharp blade slice through the wood.
Oh dear God, he was chopping at the lock with an axe!
Grunting noises came from outside the door as the axe sliced and diced. With one final chop, the door swung open to reveal Dorian. He was red-faced and breathing heavily but looking pleased with himself. There was no sign of the life-threatening injury he had borne from the carriage knocking him down. Thanks to my care and attention, he was completely healed.
Slowly, I backed away into the farthest corner of the room, holding on to Freddie with one hand and reaching for a jar of peaches with the other.
‘Now, now, Felicity,’ Dorian cautioned, seeing I meant to use it as ammunition. ‘There’s no need for that. I just want to meet my son.’
I eyed the axe he was holding, which had a cruel-looking sharp blade.
Oh god, where was Max? Hopefully, Maurice had gone to fetch him and he arrived before I was chopped into little pieces!
‘Put the axe down, and I’ll let you meet him,’ I said, trying to buy myself some time.
Dorian nodded and leaned the axe against the wall.
I bent down to Freddie and gently wiped his eyes andsnotty nose with my gloved finger. ‘Darling, this nice man wants to say hello to y-you,’ I said, my voice choking on the last syllable.
Freddie gave me a disbelieving look. Even at nearly 1, he wasn’t stupid.
Dorian had knelt to Freddie’s height. ‘What’s your name, little man?’ he asked softly.
‘Fwed’ came the reply.
I blinked at that. He’d never spoken his own name before!
‘Fred?’ enquired Dorian in a placating tone. ‘Is that short for Frederick?’
Freddie nodded.
‘That’s a good manly name.’
Dorian put his hand in his jacket pocket, and my shoulders tensed. But it was only a small toy horse, not a pistol, that he drew out.
‘I’ve been visiting some other children, and one of them gave me this as a present. Would you like it?’
He stretched out his palm with the wooden horse on it. It was intricately carved and had a red wool mane and a leather saddle fitted to it.
Before I could stop him, Freddie pulled his hand out of my grip and ran over to Dorian. He grabbed the horse, and Dorian rose to his feet, easily picking him up like heweighed nothing.
Freddie dangled from his forearm, happily looking at his toy, blissfully unaware that he was in any danger.
‘You ... you bastard!’ I cried tearfully. ‘Give him to me at once!’
Freddie waved the horse at me. ‘Papa,’ he said.
Dorian’s eyes met mine. ‘Yes, Fred.I’myour papa.’
I swallowed nervously and clutched the jar of peaches in my sweaty palm. There was no way I could throw it now, not with him using Freddie as a human shield.
‘W-what do you want?’
‘You,’ said Dorian, adjusting his grip on Freddie.
Whatever I had been expecting to hear, it wasn’t that.
‘Pardon?’
