Leaving his room again, he headed down to find his brother.
The castle was a place the old Ash would have loved to investigate. He’d have read books, gone down into the dungeon and up into turrets and attics. Now, he just wanted to get away from here. Away from the feeling of loss for what he’d never had.
Entering the room the maid he’d encountered had pointed him toward, he stopped just inside the door. It was full of people: children playing and shrieking, adults seated eating. A strange-looking little dog ran into the room and straight for the children. It then turned a circle and started yapping, adding to the chaos.
She was there, Dorset Sinclair, beside her twin. Their eyes met briefly before he moved on to find his brother.
“I shall call to have the tea reheated,” James said.
“Please do not bother. I wish only to speak with my brother, then I will be leaving.”
“Can’t start the day without food, Ash. Sit.” Cambridge waved him into a seat. “Plus, we are to attend the races today. You will enjoy that.”
“I will not. But thank you,” he made himself add.
“Surely a day with your family is not too much to ask, cousin? When you leave, we will not see you again for some time. Take this day with us,” James said.
They would never see him again.
They were so familiar with him; it was odd. He’d only met them yesterday.
“Has Baron risen?” He would ignore the issue of attending the races.
“He is outside with the children, playing,” Cam said. “They are extremely happy to have him here. Usually one of us is dragged out to join them.”
“He likes children,” Ash said, still standing.
“Ash, come and eat something, then we will talk,” Gus said.
It would be churlish and rude for him to stay where he was, and yet he wanted that. Wanted to leave this place and get back to London. This was not his life and never would be. He sat in the seat next to the brown-haired woman he remembered was called Maddie.
“Are you not going to stay in England for any length of time then, Ash?” Harry asked.
“I won’t, no.” He would stay long enough to find Radcliff, and then he’d leave after killing him, if the man did not strike him down first.
Gus was eating and listening to what he said, yet did not add to the conversation.
Ash eyed Cambridge Sinclair’s plate. It was heaped high.
“He’ll eat that and go back for more,” his wife said, throwing her husband such a look of love it made Ash swallow to ease the tightness in his throat.
“Fill your plate, brother,” Gus said.
The food was there, so he got up and did as Gus suggested. When he returned, he sat and began to eat.
“Tea?” the duchess asked him.
“Thank you.”
“Do you transport cargo?” Cam asked him.
“I do.”
“We own many ships and do the same,” Dev said.
Ash searched his memory for mention of the name Sinclair and found one. Harry. He’d heard good things about that man. His eyes went to where he sat. Harry nodded, and Ash did the same.
The door opened, and in came Rory with his nieces, Fleur and Daisy.
