Page 54 of To Break the Rules

When she was calmer, he spoke again. “When did this happen? How old were you?”

“I was six,” she said, her voice thick. “I spent the night in the indigo field all alone, terrified that he’d find me, or that there were snakes in among the flowers. There had been sightings of a tiger close by days earlier too, and so that—” She gave a muffled sob and shook her head. “I was terrified. By the time Dharani came for me the next morning I couldn’t speak, I was so scared.”

“And so, Dharani and your mother brought you to England?”

Lucia nodded. “My father wanted me to be educated here, and he thought I’d be safest under his heir’s nose. He said the man was a fool and would never think to look for me in England. Whether or not he did, I don’t know, but he never found us. No one knew about Anne-Marie, you see. She was only with my father a short time and no one had ever known about the affair, so he could never connect her with me. We were supposed to live quietly until my birthday, when I would take my place in the world as he’d intended.”

Silas held her in his arms, too overwhelmed to speak for a moment. He wanted to murder Ulceby with his bare hands, but he knew and understood that Lucia needed to face him, to stare down the man who had tried to kill her and take everything that was hers as she took it into her own keeping. He drew in a breath, trying to calm the desire for retribution.

“Dharani told me that your mother squandered your money and left you,” he said, understanding now why Lucia found it so hard to trust anyone.

She jolted in his arms, staring at him. “You spoke to Dharani,” she said, clearly outraged and struggling to get up.

Silas let her go but held her gaze, steady in the face of her anger. “I’m sorry, love. Perhaps I ought not have, but I was desperate to help you. Besides which, she refused to tell me much more than that. Though… she did say she liked me, for what that’s worth.”

Lucia stared at him a moment longer as anger and bewilderment shone in her eyes, but then she seemed to give in. She laughed. “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. She’s always had a soft spot for a rough diamond.”

“That’s me,” he said, grinning at her. “Am I forgiven?”

He watched as she frowned at him, considering, and then nodded.

“Come here, then,” he said, holding out his hand to her.

Lucia clutched her arms about her waist, looking shy all over again. “I shouldn’t,” she murmured, blushing a little. “It’s scandalous.”

“The most enjoyable things usually are,” Silas replied, winking at her.

With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, Lucia returned to him and Silas drew her down, settling her on his lap with her head on his shoulder.

“Better?” he asked softly.

Lucia nodded, though she didn’t answer.

He just held her like that for a long time, thinking this was as close to heaven as a man like him had any right to get.

“He killed my father.”

“What?” Silas said, stunned even though from what she’d told him so far, it ought not surprise him.

Lucia turned her face into his coat for a moment, and he could feel the effort she took to remain calm so she could speak again. “My father was terribly ill from the malaria, and very weak. We knew he didn’t have long, but he wasn’t about to die that night… but he did. When that vile man entered his room, he was alive and when he left it, he was the new Earl of Ulceby, and my father was dead.”

***

Lucia closed her eyes, enjoying the quiet strength of Silas’ arms, the thud of his heart beneath her ear as she snuggled closer.

Despite her fears, she felt happier for having told him. She knew she could trust him with this much, though she hadn’t given him the last of it. There was still one secret left to her, the one which Ulceby would use against her, to deny her right to her inheritance and prove her father’s will to be worthless.

“Thank you for telling me, for trusting me. I know how much courage it took, Lucia, and I’m honoured by your faith in me”

He kissed the top of her head and Lucia sighed, feeling weary but far more peaceful than she might have believed, as though the burden of her past and her future had lightened a little.

“I know that’s not all,” he added, making her smile at his ‘dog with a bone’ attitude. He’d never give up until he knew all her secrets. “But I can wait. You’ll tell me, when you’re ready. Won’t you?”

Lucia nodded, knowing she would. It was the only way. If she wanted to be with him—and there was little point in protesting anything other than that was true anymore—she owed him all of it.

“Lucia,” he said, and she could hear the note of trepidation in his voice. “When is your birthday, love?”

She let out a breath, looking up at him “The second of August.”