“It matters not,” Ash said.
“Someone held my brother hostage because my father could not pay his debts.”
“Enough,” Ash warned Gus.
His brother’s lips clamped into an angry line.
The silence settled in the room for long heartbeats, and Ash wanted to be anywhere but here. He loathed pity.
“Well now, that makes three of us, with Max,” Rory said softly. “I am glad you escaped, cousin.”
He turned to look at the man. When had the Huntington brothers been held captive?
“But now is not the time to discuss this further,” Max said. “We shall trade stories later. Right now I need to ensure my wife and her sister have everything they need to deal with the hell that is about to unfold below us.”
“We will ready two wagons then,” James said. “I cannot thank you both enough for this. Essie and Dorrie are important to us.”
Ash grunted something that wasn’t an actual word, and then everyone seemed to move at once.
The wagons were filled with everything from bedding to fruit and medical supplies.
“We do what we can for the village and then we leave,” Ash said to Baron.
“Of course.” His friend raised his head from the bag of medical supplies, that were never far from him, he was going through.
“I mean it, Baron. I cannot bring him here, and we both know that eventually he will find me.”
“They could help you find Radcliff, Ash,” Baron said.
“No.”
His friend nodded. “If that is your wish.”
“It is.”
Ash helped tie down the supplies in the wagons and then climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Here.” Looking down, he found his brother. In his hands were the bags Ash had put by the door of the castle that held his belongings.
“Thank you.”
“Give my sisters this, please.” Somer arrived with Eden. They handed him two large bags. He took them and placed them beside him on the floor.
“Watch over them, Ash. Tell them we love them,” Eden said, her beautiful face grave.
“Tell them to stay safe,” Somer added.
He looked down at the woman who was now his sister-in-law. There was so much of her sister in her.
“They will be all right,” he found himself saying.
“My sisters will work themselves into the ground to keep that village alive. Make them rest,” she said, her hand gripping his arm. “I-I know that coming here you wished only to meet with Gus. I know you do not see them as your family, but I beg of you to watch over them, Ash.”
“I will do what I can.”
“We know that you will be there for them until this has passed,” Gus said.
And because the one person he owed so much to had asked, Ash knew he would do what he could for the Sinclair women until he was no longer needed. He just prayed Radcliff did not track him down.
