Page 58 of Payback

Sunlight streamed in through narrow windows and gave the ends of Edward’s mahogany hair a fiery, paprika glow. He shook his head. “I’ll have to show you pictures of Henry before his growth spurt. He was one of the smallest boys in the year even up until the third year. I think his father’s disapproval stems from that.”

“Are you serious?”

“Unfortunately, I am.”

“But Henry’s bigger than him, now.”

Edward shrugged as we reached the second-floor landing. “Mr. Bourneville is set in his ways. But I think the disinheritance might be good for Henry. It’s one less threat the old man can hang over his head.”

The thought of that toxic pair berating Henry sent a flash of irritation across my skin. “I don’t understand why he didn’t just tell him to fuck off.”

“Henry tends to be more protective over his friends than over himself.” Edward’s voice was grave. It made me wonder if he’d had this conversation with Blake. “Perhaps if Mr. Bourneville threatened his friendship with one of us, Henry would speak up.”

I nodded. Henry wasn’t the type to abandon a friend in peril.

Edward hummed, and we continued up the stairs. By now, most of the younger students had disappeared into their classrooms. A few stragglers who had likely come from other blocks dashed up the stairs, but since Edward’s Economics class was also located on the top floor, we took our time.

“When will we contact Mr. Carbuncle?” I whispered.

“Let him stew for the rest of the morning.” Edward held the door open that led to the atrium. “We can send a message from Charlotte’s phone this evening, telling him we have urgent news about his mother and to meet us at the usual place.”

“Does Mrs. Carbuncle have a cellphone?” I stepped through the door and squinted against the glare of the sun.

“Just the landline.” We continued around the curved hallway of the atrium level until we reached the door to my classroom. He gave me a peck on the cheek. “I need to speak to Mr. Williams after Economics. Wait for me here until I come to collect you.”

* * *

Perhaps the incident with campus security and their dogs had spooked Mr. Carbuncle. He didn’t reply to the text Edward sent from Charlotte’s phone. Henry and Blake stayed up to stake out the caretaker’s lodge, while Edward and I went to bed at ten because we had to wake up early for the academy’s sports day.

Edward’s kisses on my neck woke me from a pleasant dream of wrapping my lips around Henry’s length and teasing him awake while Blake pounded into me from behind. As I untangled myself from under Henry’s muscular arm, Edward shuffled off the bed and headed for the bathroom. He wrapped a towel around his hips, obscuring my view of his muscular ass.

“What time is it?”

“Seven, I’m afraid.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Dr. Asgard’s people will arrive at the lawn in a moment.”

I swung my legs off the bed and cast Henry and Blake a wistful look. Blake curled himself around Henry’s left side and let out a contented sigh. At the sound of water running in the shower, I turned around and headed to the bathroom to get ready for sports day. Hopefully, we would have time to relax when Edward had fulfilled his duty at the blood donation booth.

After a quick shower, we dressed and left Elder House. Henry and Blake were still sleeping, although I suspected Blake was pretending so as not to be roped into volunteering for sports day.

The sun shone across the campus as we walked hand-in-hand across the great lawn, and a lemon-scented breeze blew in from the magnolia trees on our left. Dozens of people gathered on the lawn, setting up stalls and their canopies, and even a huge marquee.

Some members of the Board of Governors stood around a large, red-and-white trailer emblazoned with the logo of the National Health Service. I was about to comment on the size of the vehicle when I spotted a short figure chatting with Mr. Weaver and Lady Seagrove.

My lip curled. “What’s Charlotte doing here?”

Squeezing my hand, Edward blew out a breath. “Despite everything, she’s still a prefect. Unfortunately, that means she’s also aware of opportunities to make herself appear less heinous.”

“I don’t understand why she hasn’t been expelled.”

“Her name is on the list of girls who made complaints about Carbuncle. She’s also struggling with two incarcerated family members and is currently being ostracized for organizing a school booze cruise that went horrifically wrong. Imagine how it would look if they threw her out in the middle of her A-Levels.”

I shook my head. “What happened to Mr. Weaver’s speech about tightening up discipline? She can’t be allowed to act out because her dad and brother are in jail.”

Edward rubbed the back of his neck. “It wouldn’t surprise me if she wasn’t connected to one or more of the Board of Governors.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if she wasn’t sleeping with one or more of them, either.”

He snorted a laugh. “Don’t let them hear you say that.”