Ash looked to the road where carriages and horses passed by.
“He could be watching me even now, Gus.”
“I doubt he has made the connection yet,” his brother said. “I heard you spent time in the castle rooms looking through chests with Luke.”
“Yes, and a document was mentioned.”
“It supposedly details the pact that was put in place between the Sinclair and Raven families. We found a book with some of the unexplained events that happened back when they were originally united. I believe Dev told you what they can do.”
The brothers stood shoulder to shoulder now, watching the mass of people all talking over the top of each other, eating, or running somewhere.
“Yes, and while I saw what Lilly did, it is hard to contemplate.”
“Wait until they actually show you what they can do,” Gus said.
“Gus.” Ash had to tell him what he now believed.
“What?”
“Max asked me if I thought Father had told Radcliff where to find me.”
“That bastard,” Gus hissed. “Of course he would do something like that if it cleared his debts.”
“I need to leave, Gus.”
“I can protect myself.”
“No one can dodge a bullet, brother,” Ash growled. “And what of Somer and the others? What if Radcliff comes after them to get to me?”
“Then we will ensure he can’t touch them.”
“We took precautions leaving London. He didn’t know I was going to Crunston Cliff. We slipped out in the early hours of the morning and made sure we were not followed,” Ash said.
“Which is commendable, and yet it was clearly he who damaged your ship. Did you ever think that perhaps with our help you could find him faster? That doing everything solo is actually detrimental to finding Radcliff with expediency?”
“I will not have him going after you again,” Ash said. He owed his brother only honesty now.
“That is not your choice alone to make. I would protect you as you do me, but we are no longer alone, brother. These people are powerful, intelligent, and cunning. They know how to fight better than any street brawler and have contacts that reach deep into the seedier parts of England. Trust them, Ash. They will not disappoint you.”
“You ask a lot of me.”
“I do, because you deserve a chance at happiness here with us.” Gus then walked away leaving him standing alone on ground that felt suddenly unsteady.
He walked then; his intention was to leave. Find a gate in this damned park that was not seen by the members of his family.Family.It was a word he found he now liked. Found he now accepted. But in doing that, he could bring a world of pain down on all of them.
Conflicted, he jammed his hands in his pockets and walked. He passed trees and was soon out of sight. He found her crouching to crawl under a bush. Clearly, Dorrie was hiding from the children. His need for her had him following, and in seconds Ash dropped to his knees and crawled in after her. He found her in a small dark cocoon that was not big enough for a man of his size.
“What are you doing?” she whispered, clearly not willing to give her position away.
“Following you,” he whispered back, negotiating himself into a sitting position, parting the bushes above him.
“Go away, Ash.” She looked like an angry child, arms folded, mouth in a mutinous line.
“I know you are angry with me and have every right to be.”
“You left, and while you owed me nothing, you owed Gus more,” she hissed.
“I thought it best.” He wanted to touch her. Run his fingers down the line between her brows and then place his lips there.
