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Ma reached over and took my hand between hers. “I’m not surprised at all.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I knew she’d leave.”
I met her gaze. “How did you know?”
She hit me with the steely, knowing gaze that only a mother could give and said, “Well, you didn’t give her a reason to stay, did you, Alexander?”
CHAPTER THIRTY – ADELAIDE
I made it through Whitborough and out the other side before I broke and pulled into a layby. I’d been fighting tears ever since I’d left Bentley Manor, and I couldn’t hold them back any longer.
My heart was breaking.
Olympia killed me. Elizabeth killed me. Boris killed me.
Alexander…
May as well have twisted a knife into my heart and killed me.
Everything about leaving them was painful, but it was done now. It was over. I had to go, because there was no longer anything tying me to Bentley Manor.
I just…
I just wanted to go home.
My real home. The hotel. Where my parents and my sister were. Where I could hide in my bedroom and cry into my pillow over all the things that could have been if only things had been different.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever hurt this badly in my life. It was terrifying how painful this was—how acutely the heartbreak managed to slice through me.
I took several deep breaths and centred myself, then when I felt calm enough to drive again, I pulled out of the layby and headed for Arrow Woods again.
Home.
If I focused on where I was going and not what I’d left behind, I would be fine. It wasn’t a long drive, it was doable in one hit, and that was what I was going to do.
Focus on Arrow Woods.
I could focus on everything else when I got there.
I pushed through the emotion and just kept driving. I had to turn off the radio thirty minutes into the drive before Ed bloody Sheeran turned me into a blubbering mess on the motorway, but somehow, I did it.
The relief I felt at the ‘Welcome to Somerset’ sign was only eclipsed by the overwhelming peace at the ‘Welcome to Arrow Woods’ one.
I was home.
I’d made it.
I kept pushing until I got to Arrowwood Hall. Cat had said she’d happily look after Treacle until we found a space in the private garden for him—and I got a bigger space for him to live. I wasn’t able to fit the hutch in my car, so I’d left it behind for Alex to split out the rabbits so there were no more babies.
“Ah, here you are!” Cat swept down the stone steps. “Where’s Treacle? Is he adorable?”
“Can I get out of the car?” I smiled and pulled my keys from the ignition.
Cat moved back so I could get out, but only so she could peer in every window to locate Treacle.
“Front seat,” I said, fiddling with my keys.
She opened the door. “Aw, isn’t he darling?”
“Thank you for taking care of him for me until I can get him set up at home.”
“Oh, nonsense, darling. I love him already. We have a spare hutch, so he’ll be happy as anything here. Miles has some fresh vegetables from the garden ready for him. Are you going to see Gabriella now you’re back?”
I swallowed. “Is she around?”
“Hi! You’re back!” Gabriella ran out of the house and over to me, wrapping me in a huge hug. “Oh, my goodness, look at him!”
“It’s nice to see you, too.” I laughed sadly, glancing at Treacle. “Thanks again, Cat, I appreciate it.”
She waved me off and lifted the cage up. “Come on, Treacle. Shall we get you in a bigger space? Yes, we should. Do you like lettuce? I have some fresh lettuce for you. Yummy, yummy.”
“She’s a bit strange,” Gabi said. “I think all the animals are getting to her head.”
“Could be worse,” I replied. “She could be terrorising the village again.”
She nodded slowly. “It does appear to have calmed her desire to run naked through the graveyard, that’s for sure.”
I wasn’t going to ask. I’d seen enough of Cat’s shenanigans to last me a lifetime.
Gabi turned to me. “Are you okay, Addy?”
I licked my lips and forced a smile. “Tired, that’s all. It’s been a long day.”
Her eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “That’s one strike.”
“I mean it, I’m just tired, Gabi. I think I’m going to go home and unpack tomorrow. Go right to bed.”
“Mhmm. And now the truth for your third attempt.”
I didn’t say anything.
“I didn’t expect you to come back, you know,” she said. “I thought you’d call and say you’d decided to stay.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I looked away. “Well, I proved you wrong, didn’t I?”
“Addy.” She reached for my hand. “I’m your best friend, and I can see you’re a lot more than tired. You don’t have to hide from me.”
I turned to look at her. Her gaze was so soft and understanding, and all it took was one squeeze of her hand for me to lose control. The tears came thick and fast, and I couldn’t stop them.
