“Ready to go, sweetheart?”
She shifted from foot to foot then withdrew a folded piece of paper and held it out to me. Charcoal splashed across the page in hasty strokes, signaling she’d only just finished. The image staring back at me made my throat tight.
A little girl stood on top of a hill with three people standing beside her. Her brother and two adults. One with long blonde hair, and the other big and tall with a scar running down the side of his face.
I looked a Bowen, and he smiled.
***
“Is this really your home, sir?” Annie whispered in awe, looking up at the towering manor from the carriage window.
Bowen followed her gaze and frowned. “It’s not as scary as it looks.”
“Oh, no, it’s lovely. Do you play hide-and-seek in there? I bet there are tons of places to hide. Can we play?”
I stifled a laugh, trying to imagine Bowen curled up inside a cupboard while Annie counted to one hundred. He must have read my thoughts because he narrowed his eyes and crossed both arms over his chest before answering her question.
“Maybe later. After you’re settled. You need time to find some good hiding places first.”
Annie nodded reverently. “Good idea, sir.”
“You can call me Bowen,” he grumbled.
Starry-eyed, she nearly bounced in her seat. I watched them interact with a soft smile. Bowen’s gruff exterior hadn’t stood a chance against Annie’s charming personality, and it was more clear to me than ever before just how much of himself he’d locked away after the incident. The stories about him before hadn’t done him justice, and the stories after, were laughable in the face of the man I’d come to know.
When the carriage finally stopped in front of the manor, Annie leaped from the vehicle and scurried up the steps. Her mad dash ground to a halt when the front door opened and a man stared down at her. She peered back up at him.
“Are you the butler, sir? I’ve never had a butler before.”
Gavin flattened his lips and glared at Bowen. “Did you tell this little goblin I was a butler?” He turned his attention back to Annie. “I’m not your butler. I’m just staying here till I get back on my feet.”
“You’re already on your feet, sir.”
“Already on my feet?” Gavin scoffed. “Who are you anyway?”
“Annie Bauer. Who are you?”
“Gavin.”
She tested the name on her lips, decided she liked it, and then gave a nod of approval. “You’re not as tall as Bowen, and you don’t have any distinguishing marks, but I won’t hold it against you.”
“You won’t hold it against me?” He gave her an incredulous look.
Bowen climbed the steps and clapped Gavin on the back. “She lives here now. Be nice, or I’ll give her your room.” He walked past him into the house, ignoring Gavin’s look of surprise.
Gavin’s mouth worked like a fish, all air and no words. “I’ve died. I actually drank too much, and now I’m dead. Can you see me?” He addressed Annie again, who giggled and rushed past him to chase after Bowen.
“You’re not a ghost, Gavin,” I said, putting him out of his misery.
He shook his head, scrubbing a hand over his face. “There goes the rest of my mornings. Children are notoriously early risers. Like someone else I know.”
I patted him on the shoulder. “Drink less, Gavin. It will help with that.”
His face grew serious, and he fixed me with a penetrating stare. He snagged my arm when I went to move past him, his fingers encircling my wrist. His voice dropped low, tone sharp as he held my gaze.
“You don’t know anything about me. But I’ve been watching you since you arrived. You’re changing him, and it seems to be for the better. But what happens when you leave? Don’t be cruel. He’s been through enough.”
Gavin let go of my arm and vanished into the house, leaving me standing in the doorway, reeling from his harsh words of warning. I’d be lying if I hadn’t asked myself the same questions.What happens when I leave?From somewhere deeper in the house, I heard Annie’s screech of excitement, followed by Bowen’s rumble of laughter, and I exhaled a shuddering breath.
