“Educational then?”
“Of course. You look happier.” His friend clapped a hand on his shoulder.
“I tried to find you so we could leave, but as you were down at the beach they made me accompany them.”
“Made you?” Baron’s head tilted slightly. “I have never been able to make you do anything you do not wish to do.”
“We are leaving in the morning.” Ash withstood the look from his friend.
“Very well, but when it is done you must come back to these people. They are in your blood, Ash, and would welcome you.”
“I cannot think of that at the moment.”
“But you must. They are your family; they could help you with finding Radcliff.”
“No. This is my battle, not theirs.”
“Max told me he has contacts, lots of contacts. As do his friends. They are not all of noble birth, Ash.”
“Do not discuss this with them, Baron. I will not bring what is between me and Radcliff upon these people.”
His friend looked like he wanted to say more but instead shrugged. “You know your own mind, of course, even if it is sometimes clouded with stupidity.”
“We leave in the morning.” He ignored the stupidity comment.
“As you wish.” Baron walked away from him.
“Come, we are to play charades and eat,” Cam roared, his voice traveling to all corners of the courtyard.
He would allow himself one more night. Then he was returning to London to hunt down that bastard.
He went to his room, where he washed and changed. Ash seriously considered staying in here, but that was cowardly and he had never been that, so he left.
“Hello.”
He bowed to the young man approaching him down the hallway with a lamp in one hand.
“I am Luke.”
He looked like his father and would one day be as large as Max. They had met briefly last night, but not spoken.
“I am Ash.”
“I know who you are. My cousin Katherine said she is your favorite.” He rolled his eyes as if to say Katherine always said that. “Mother said I could go upstairs to the room where Uncle James has some things stored, and search through the old trunks. Sometimes you just want time on your own.”
Ash could understand that. These families were certainly a lot to deal with.
“We have some time before we must return for the late supper, if you would like to join me?”
“Do you have more light?” Ash asked, his pulse increasing at the thought of old relics. Once he’d loved Roman mythology and ancient languages, among other things. He had continued to read books that he found on his travels.
“There are lamps we can use. But I think there will already be someone up there.”
“Lead on then, Luke.” He could spend time with this boy and avoid the rest of the family and the emotion they pulled out of him.
They climbed the stairs he’d walked this morning. Was it only this morning he’d seen Dorrie up here? Touched her lips with his?
The door in was narrow and small, so Ash had to lower his head to enter. Straightening, he found a room flooded with light, and Dorset seated on the floor with Dev’s daughter, Hannah.
