“Is there anything else?”
Was there?
Anette forced a smile to her lips. “No. I will just leave you to it.”
“Wait.” Her father walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I am sorry for yelling at you. I had no right to do so,” he said. “Go back and finish your breakfast.”
“I believe I shall.”
Her father dropped his hands but remained close to her. “Will you inform your mother that I will be home late tonight?”
“I will.”
“Thank you,” her father said, gesturing towards the door. “Now, run along.”
Anette recognized her father was trying to get rid of her, but she had no reason to stay any longer. He clearly didn't want her there.But why?
She spun on her heel and departed from the study. Her father was not acting like himself, but he did just receive some distressing news. Perhaps that was all it was.
As she walked back to the dining room, she crossed the entry hall and saw Caleb descending the stairs. She stopped and waited for him.
“What is wrong?” Caleb asked as he came to a stop in front of her.
“Why do you suppose something is wrong?” Anette asked. How could her brother always read her so precisely?
Caleb smirked. “Do not insult me, Sister.”
With a glance over her shoulder, she replied, “I caught Father burning some papers in his study after he discovered that Lord Chester died.”
Her brother’s face instantly lost all traces of his smile, and he became solemn. “Lord Chester is dead?”
“Yes, it was reported in the newssheets this morning,” Anette said.
He took a step towards her. “How did he die?” he demanded.
Ignoring his harsh tone, Anette replied, “He overdosed on hemlock.” She gave him a curious look. “Did you know Lord Chester?”
“I did not.”
“But you seem bothered by the news.”
Caleb did not look pleased by what she had just revealed. “And you saw Father burning papers in his hearth, upon discovering the news of Lord Chester’s death?”
“Isn’t that what I just told you?”
“I just wanted to clarify,” Caleb said as he walked over to the door.
Anette furrowed her brow. “Where are you going?”
“I have a few things I need to see to,” he replied before departing from the townhouse.
She wondered what her brother was about. He would often disappear for hours at a time, with no real explanation. Wherever he went, it was obvious that he didn’t want her to know. Which made her that much more curious to discover the truth.
ChapterFive
Roswell sat in a corner at White’s with a drink in his hand. It was much too early to drink but he didn’t care. He couldn’t. It was a terrible feeling to be forgotten by one’s own mother. A part of him knew that it wasn’t her fault, but another part of him was just sad.
There were small bouts of clarity where she remembered him and he longed for those moments. How was it that she could remember her other children, but just not him? The doctor said to be patient and it was normal, given the circumstances.
