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‘She’ll have her needs met. But before I make any decision, I have to find the child’s father. But I can’t leave her with him. He is the one who tried to kill me.’
She turned to Warrington’s face, the dim interior of the carriage changing the brown eyes into obsidian.
‘But you don’t fear him now.’
‘No. I’m careful in darkness, and besides...’ He laughed and reached to his boot, pulling a short dagger from a scabbard sewn into the leather. When he held it up, his hand covered the hilt, but the blade was twice the length of the handle. ‘Cassandra may be at rest, but she’s not one to sleep quietly. When the man stabbed me, he approached from behind, a fortnight after Cass’s death. I turned and grabbed his wrist, taking us down, and the weapon fell aside.’
He spoke his next words as if they meant nothing. ‘I can’t forget what he shouted over his shoulder as he ran. “Mind my daughter”. The man stopped my movement with his words—words with the sound of the street in them.’
He stared forward. ‘I’ve small scars about my body of no particular note, which I don’t even think of, but I don’t like the thin line on my back. A mark Cass left—even though it wasn’t her hand holding the blade.’ He touched the edge against his thumb, feeling for the crispness that let him know the blade remained razor fine. ‘You can’t toss aside a weapon that wounded you so easily. It’s not a talisman to bring me luck. I saved it to remind me I survived. But I haven’t yet.’ His laughter barely reached her ears. ‘Never, ever will I return to the abyss of my life before. Not again.’
His eyes locked on her. ‘You must understand, Melina. I learned my weakness. Learned it well and I won’t risk returning there—to that. I am meant to be alone.’
He let his legs stretch long and leaned his head back, resting against the leather squabs, eyes shut. ‘My brother is watching my home and he knows of the attack. I hired two extra servants who have no other job than to make sure my country home is not breached. Cass used to say I imagined too much. How many times she told me.’ He snorted and opened his eyes, staring at Melina. ‘I never imagined my wife would find so many diversions to pursue. I never imagined she would have someone else’s child when I was ill. I should have believed every suspicion I had and it still would not have touched the wicked truth.’
‘Leave her in the past.’
‘I can’t. She left too much of herself behind.’ He reached out, pushing back the painting from Melina’s body and viewing the art. ‘The shadows. What was real for me was only shadows for her. Moments meaning little. What fools we mortals be. That saying I remember. I had my golden princess and I put her above all else in my heart. I have had many nights to reflect on my foolishness.’
Taking Melina’s hand from the side of the art, he pulled her knuckles to his lips. His kiss touched her and then he released her hand. ‘Even when I look at you, Melina, I keep wondering if you somehow convinced me of your virginity when it wasn’t true. I wonder if you secretly plan to go back to the island to see Stephanos.’
‘I have been honest with you.’
‘It really doesn’t matter. I tried to turn lies into truths for so long, I don’t know how to care one way or the other. I can never trust another with that child in my house to remind me what has happened. I’m sure whoever Cassandra dallied with—her sister knows. When Cass left my house, she lived with Daphne.’
He turned to Melina and his eyes had a raggedness she’d only seen in her mother’s face before she died. Melina’s fingers tightened around the picture frame as the carriage pulled to Warrington’s house.
‘I know I must find him.’ His words were precise. ‘I will find him. And then I will kill him.’
Warrington stepped from the carriage after it stopped, reached in and took the painting, and with his free hand he helped her on to the steps.
She saw no anger in his face—no emotion at all. His grip on her hand was light. When he released her fingers, he took a coin and tossed it to the driver and gave a wave to send the vehicle on its way.
‘I’ve already sent a message to Daphne and Ludgate telling them I’ve returned and asking if they can spare a few moments before I go to my country house.’ He walked ahead, unconcerned. ‘It will be good to see them again.’
She thought of the words he’d said. She had no doubt he meant to murder the father of the little girl. And she could not let it happen. Except for stabbing Warrington, the man was no different than her father. Warrington would be leaving the child without either parent. He would have blood on his hands and another scar, which might be even deeper than the first and harder to ignore.
