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My head plagued with heavy thoughts, I decided that fresh air was exactly what the doctor ordered. Doctor? I hadn’t given thought to my career once since waking up in the hospital. Strange how losing something I never knew I wanted had reprioritized my entire life.
The pale blue sky was cobbled with white cumulus clouds, the humidity thick. I wandered aimlessly through the manicured gardens shielding my eyes under the roof of my fingers from the summer sun. The flowerbeds were in full bloom. A sight for sore eyes. The irises a shock of ultraviolet so intense it was impossible to ignore them. The rosebushes hadn’t been pruned yet. A tumble of flashy pink spilled over the boxwood hedge that did a poor job of containing their glory.
“How do you feel?” Charlotte stood a few paces behind me. The joy of seeing her put a huge grin on my face. I gave her a wry glance, my eyebrow hitching up. “Many things, but above all, tired of everyone asking me that. I’m fine––where have you been by the way? Hiding from me?”
That elicited a hesitant smile out of her. “I wanted to give you two some time.” Her shy voice faded away. That made me think about how little time Sebastian and I had spent together.
“I’m going to feed the falcons. Want to join me?” I said, before my mood went sour.
Nodding quickly, she jogged to close the distance between us. The silence seemed to mark the boundary of an important conversation we both didn’t know how to begin.
She blew out a deep breath. “You can’t even imagine what it was like around here when…when Gideon told him what had happened.”
I could imagine. That’s what bothered me most. I noticed her examining my head and automatically ran a hand over my short hair. Our eyes met. “What?” I asked when she rolled hers.
A wide smile broke across her face. “Only you could make a shaved head look chic. Being your friend is kind of annoying at times.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at her dramatic delivery.
“Hardly, although it seems to be growing in quickly. At least, I can’t see my scalp, or the stitches any more.” An awkward silence followed. “Charlotte, you understand why I did it?” Her blank stare induced me to explain. “Paisley found out and threatened to ruin him, to go to the tabloids and make it sound like I was after his money, that his judgment had been compromised. I’m an illegal…I was pregnant––not to mention the trouble I’m already in.”
“What trouble?”
“Remember the scandal I told you about? The one that involved my father?” She responded with a quick nod.
“He…” I swallowed the bitter taste of shame. “I’m…suspected of embezzling money from the university where my father was the president.” At her wide-eyed stare, I rushed to defend myself. “Which I had nothing to do with of course––proving it is a different matter though.”
“Shite.”
“Exactly. It could destroy Sebastian’s reputation. It still might. I haven’t been able to speak to him about it, and I’m really worried.”
“She found out you were pregnant?” she asked, her tone overly careful.
I looked out over the meadow as I spoke. “Yes.” The silence caused my gaze to return to hers. “Are you mad that I didn’t tell you?”
“Not mad,” she replied, shaking her head. “Maybe a little disappointed––I wish you would’ve let me help.”
Sweet Charlotte. I was so grateful for her friendship. “You couldn’t have helped. Nobody could have.”
Suddenly, her face lit up. “I thought he was going to tear Isabelle limb from limb. Mrs. Arnaud is the only thing that checked him.”
“Why are you smiling? I don’t particularly care what happens to her, but she must’ve been scared out of her mind.”
“Oh she was, trust me.”
“Where is she now?”
“I don’t know. Bear gave her a ride into town.”
I made a mental note to talk to Sebastian about it later. I didn’t want to see anyone wind up destitute and homeless on my account. After all, she was only the messenger.
When the mews came into view, a strange sinking sensation took hold of me. Something didn’t feel right. My pulse quickened. Instinctively, I began scanning the area. Whatever Charlotte was saying faded away as the rustle of the oaks and the singing of birds drowned out her voice.
“Wait,” I said, placing a hand on her arm to stop her.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know yet.”
When nothing in particular caught my attention, we continued on. Still, the feeling refused to go away. Only when we got closer did I realize how right I was. The bloodcurdling scream Charlotte let out mirrored the one I heard in my head. Except I couldn’t speak––I couldn’t make a sound if I tried.
There was blood everywhere. Stained crimson, downy white feathers lay scattered around the yard, some tumbling away with the wind. Soft footsteps approached. The snapping of a tree branch startled me. I whipped around and found Bear and Justin standing right behind me; I was completely unaware that they had been following us the whole time.
