‘We all became close, and we joined their cause.’
Oh no, they were cult leaders.
‘We’d newly taken over the estate, and we wanted to make our mark. What better way than leading it into a new and greener era in which the animals were respected and protected?’
Of course, animal welfare was always their cause.Ava admonished herself for allowing her mind to jump to erroneous conclusions.
‘They worked closely with us. Hunting for pleasure stopped. And they worked with Ted to ensure the protection of the animals and their habitats in our grounds.’
Ava wondered why, in all the time she had spent with Ted, he never mentioned that to her.
Henry leaned forward, passing Ava her tea before taking his own.
‘And so our friendship grew, as did your parents’ charity. When at first your mother became pregnant, we were all delighted. Of course, we wanted a child too, an heir for the estate.’
Ava wished Lady Bramlington hadn’t made her desire for a baby sound like a business transaction. She flicked her eyes to Henry, wondering if hugging him would be inappropriate. Reminding herself to stay focused, she turned her attention back to Lady Bramlington.
‘Your birth didn’t dull your mother’s passions in any way. If anything, she fought harder to make the world a better place for you. She could be very rigid in her ideals. We disagreed about some things, but friends do. Eight months later, Henry was born and we were all happy. You were very protective of him’ — Lady Bramlington looked between the two of them — ‘even then.’
Ava knew her mum was rigid in her ideals, but still having someone else say it made her feel defensive on her behalf. She returned her cup and saucer to the tray having only sipped at her tea. ‘And then my father died.’
‘Yes.’
‘And did you cause his accident?’ Henry pushed.
Mirroring Ava, Lady Bramlington placed her teacup and saucer on the tray. ‘I caused him to flee into the night, taking you, Ava, with him.’
‘What? What do you mean? I wasn’t with him.’
‘You were and Lily could have lost you both because of my actions.’
‘What actions?’ Henry pushed his hand through his hair.
‘I was in love with Lily. I had been since the moment I met her and she loved me too. I was never in any doubt about that.’
Henry sat back as the air left him.
Ava didn’t move, but she felt as if the world around her was shifting.
‘For a long time we, of course, did little more than flirt and kiss — secret passion-fuelled kisses. Imagine the scandal if we had declared our love. Imagine what it would have done to your father.’ She looked at Henry.
‘My mother loved my father.’ Ava heard the words as if someone else had spoken them.
‘Yes, she did very much. But we shared something more, something deeper. I know that must be hard for you to hear, but it is true. On the night your father died, Lily and I were in the stables, together. We kissed like we had many times before.’ Lady Bramlington wiped a tear as it ran down her cheek. ‘Things went further. It felt very natural, like the culmination of all those secret moments. Our bodies playing out every yearning we had felt—’
‘We get the idea, Mother. What happened next?’ Henry’s words were impatient.
‘It was beautiful, slow, tender.’
Henry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, causing Lady Bramlington to move on.
‘As we lay in each other’s arms, the cool evening air gentle on our enlivened bodies, Connor found us. He was hurt and shocked. Lily tried to run after him but by the time she had covered herself it was too late. He was in his car and speeding down the drive before she could stop him. You, Ava, were in the car.’
Ava tried to take it all in; it was too much. Her view of her mother, of Lady Bramlington, of her parents’ life together, and of her father’s death all shifting; and then a fleeting memory flashed into her mind.
‘The blood. There was so much blood. I was crying, Daddy, Daddy, but he couldn’t hear me.’ The room spun. Henry’s voice slipped in and out of her consciousness, and Ava welcomed the dark emptiness as it engulfed her.
Chapter Thirty-Three
