She’d always asked whatever question was in her head. Regardless of the fact he ranked far higher than her on the social ladder his peers savored so much.
“How are you, Harry?” he said, instead of giving her the reason.
“I’m well, because you make sure of it by sending me money, which I’ve told you I don’t need.”
“Give it away then,” Toby said, wondering how he felt socomfortable with this woman, even here in Bidham. There were only two people in his life who usually laid claim to that.
She turned in her seat then and looked at him, which meant he had to look at her. Her eyes ran over his face, and then a soft hand patted his cheek.
“I am as well as can be expected, considering,” she said, but her voice had dropped to almost a whisper.
“Considering?”
“You’ll not want to ask me any more on that,” she added.
“Harry—”
“Have you been to the cemetery, my lord?”
Toby nodded. It was the first place he went to when he came back. He visited his father’s grave, and then, for the first time since his death, he sat beside his brother’s for hours.
“Let him lie now, my lord. Find your peace, as he has his. You will never be happy until you do that.” She studied him. “But I suspected there was more than just your brother’s death haunting you when you returned from school,” Harry added. “But as you sent me away, along with everyone else you cared about, I did not know what.”
He hadn’t spoken about that time in his life with anyone, and had no wish to start now. Regaining his feet because he didn’t want to discuss this further, Toby prepared to leave. Fingers on his arm stopped him.
“Make your peace with her and your brother’s death, and leave the past there,” Harry said.
He didn’t respond, just bent to kiss her soft cheek. “Take care, Harry.”
“One more thing, my lord.”
He looked down at her again.
“There’s evil about. Have a care,” Harry whispered.
“Evil?”
She looked left, and then right. “I can’t say more.”
“Is someone threatening you, Harry?” He would not stand for that.
“Not me, but us,” she whispered. “It will take someone brave to fix it.” Her eyes held his steady now. “Someone who has known evil to root it out. You are brave, Lord Corbyn; never forget that.”
Toby stared at her for long seconds as the hair on the back of his neck rose. She then pulled herself upright using his arm and walked away without a backward glance. Opening her front door, she closed it softly behind her.
What the hell is going on here?
Chapter Two
Toby felt eyeson him as he walked, but no one approached. The cobbled road opened to face the sea. To the right and left were little cottages and small gardens with an abundance of flowers. They soon gave way to shops as he walked down the road. A sign caught his eye.
He’d never entered the Gill, and it was a whim that made him do so now. Besides, he could do with a shot of something to dislodge the lump in his throat after seeing Harry. Opening the scarred wooden door, he stepped off the cobbles and into the dark interior of the tavern.
It was early afternoon, and the place had a few patrons, all of whom looked at him as he entered, and then just as quickly away. He recognized some, but others were strangers. As a boy he’d peeked in the mullioned windows, but never entered. The scent of wood smoke and alcohol hit him as he made his way to the bar.
“Good day to you, my lord,” the large man behind it said solemnly.
Toby studied him, and the recognition came as he saw a scar just under his right eye. He’d received that one day from his sister, who was fighting him with a branch.
