Page 31 of The Rogue

Chapter 18

“Wherein ghosts are sent to trouble the living.”

For a moment the room was perfectly still, a quiet calm so intense that Henri held her breath for fear of disturbing the silence with something as trivial as breathing.

The earl had gone a deathly shade of white and was staring at Lawrence in disbelief.

“Out!” he shouted suddenly, and the men who had restrained Lawrence looked startled for a brief second before snapping to attention and leaving the room.

The moment hung suspended once more as Lawrence gazed up at his brother, who stood staring, totally still.

When he did move, he turned away and snatched open a drawer in his desk, removing a key. Then he returned, moving behind Lawrence and undoing the restraints. The chains fell to the floor with a clatter and Lawrence stumbled to his feet only to be thrown across the room as the earl drew back his fist and smashed it squarely into his jaw.

Henri screamed and ran to Lawrence who was crumpled against the wall, bleeding from his mouth and looking a little dazed.

“That’s for ten years, you bastard!” the earl said, his voice brittle. “Ten years of guilt and misery and regret, for letting our father go to his grave believing he would see you again at last!”

“I’m sorry, Alex.”

Lawrence looked up at him, sorrow in his eyes and Henri watched the earl in turn, remembering now, all the reasons she had felt so very afraid of him. That cold, proud exterior that made you believe no emotion could ever touch him, except perhaps for a sharp, clean, slice of anger. And then it all seemed to fall away, and he reached down and hauled his brother to his feet and embraced him with such ferocity she expected to hear the crack of ribs.

“Damn you, Lawrence, damn you, of all the things you could have done, you ran off and became a pirate. When you well know it was the thing I always dreamed of.”

Lawrence laughed, though his voice was a little unsteady. “I know it, Alex, and I’m sorry for it but ... but I thought I’d killed you, I saw you go down and ...”

“And you never thought to check?” Alex raged, angry all over again now as he turned and walked away from his brother. “You never thought to return and see for yourself?”

Lawrence shrugged. “I heard them cry out that Lord Falmouth was dead, I didn’t think much else was required, and even if you weren’t dead, which never crossed my mind, I shot you, Alex! How could you ever forgive me?”

“Because you were a green-headed young fool and you never meant to. I got in the way on purpose, but I couldn’t let you kill a militia man, they would have hanged you and even our father’s name wouldn’t have saved you then.”

“Or now,” Lawrence said with a shrug.

Alex rubbed his face with his hand. “Good God, how are we to get out of this?”

“We don’t.” Lawrence looked at him and shook his head. “I’m Captain Savage and there is nothing to be done, I won’t have you risk the family name for me after all I’ve done. Just hand me over and I’ll take my chances, Alex.”

Alex looked back at him in disgust at the idea, and Henri wondered if perhaps she had been too hard on him.

“Damn the family name,” he raged. “I won’t lose my brother twice.”

Lawrence gaped at him, obviously astonished that his brother should say such a thing.

“B-but, the family honour, our history should remain untainted - that is above all else, no matter what, you always said ...”

“And I was a bloody fool!” the earl exclaimed. “Flesh and blood should come before all else, the living are what matter. I should never have been so hard on you, you were just a boy. It was all my fault.”

Henri watched this exchange with astonishment though hers seemed to be mild compared to the shock in Lawrence’s eyes. He looked dumbstruck.

“I need to think,” Alex continued. “For now I will have to allow the men to take you to the hold in chains, though I am sorry for it. However I cannot see what else is to be done for the moment. I will make sure you are not ill-treated but I need time to think of a way out of this.”

Lawrence seemed to be trying to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Henri grasped his arm and gave a little squeeze.

“You were right,” she said, nodding towards the Earl. “About your brother, now do as he says and let him help you.”

Lawrence shook his head and looked back up at him. “If anyone discovers you let me go, there’ll be hell to pay, Alex. I can’t let you risk it. I won’t after all I have done!”

Alex turned on him then, and his anger was something to behold. Henri held her breath as the Earl’s rage hit them like a furnace.