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“I’m sorry, everyone. I’ll just…” I got to my feet. My trembling legs barely kept me upright as I fumbled for my things and Oscar’s harness. “I’ll get out of here. I’m so sorry for disturbing…”
I ran out of the room just as Christina burst into tears.
I found Jonathan dragging Heathcliff down the hallway. “I’ve half a mind to listen to that imperious sod and call the coppers,” he was saying to Heathcliff. “But they won’t come out here in this weather. The bridge down the road floods and cuts us off. Besides, I understand your anger. That Hugh Briston is a right royal sod. The way he talks to people, especially women, I’d like to box him around the ears my own self. I can’t believe Donna invited him back here, after the way he treats Meddleworth. But then, she’s only interested in his money.”
“Jonathan, I’ll take Heathcliff to our room,” I said. “I’m sure you have jobs to be getting on with and don’t need us in the way.”
“Aye, I do.” Jonathan tipped his deerstalker to me. “I’m heading out to check the water supply. Would ye like me to walk Oscar?”
“I’d love that.” I removed Oscar’s working jacket and harness and handed his lead to Jonathan. “Thank you. Bring him back to my room when you’re done. Oh, and I was wondering about the ravens in the aviary. I um…volunteer for a raven sanctuary at home and I can’t help but think the cage is too small for those birds. Surely they should be able to roam free?”
“Aye, I agree.” Jonathan bowed his head. “But try telling that to Donna. All she sees are smelly old birds who shit on the outdoor furniture and steal guest jewelry. But they’re too intelligent to be stuck in that cage for long. Why, I bought a fancy new lock for the cage but even so, that little blighter got free last night and came right inside. He flew away before I could lock him away again. So don’t ye worry, miss. They’ll all be free before you know it.”
I wish with all of my heart that was so.
As soon as Jonathan was out of earshot, I grabbed Heathcliff by the arm and started dragging him toward the stairs. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I was so angry and upset that I walked into the corner of the doorway.
“Why did you do that?” I hissed at him.
“You heard what he said to you,” Heathcliff’s hand brushed my cheek. He yanked me to a stop and rubbed at the tears on my cheek. “That horrible man did this to you. He’s a fiend and a liar. You are a brilliant writer, Mina Wilde. And I would never lie to you. I will always tell you the truth, which is that you’re amazing, and I can’t bear seeing you cry. I hear him hurting you like that and every bone in my body wakes up and goes into attack mode.”
“This isn’t 1802! You can’t just kill a man for dishonoring your woman. I’m probably kicked out of the retreat now. And maybe it doesn’t matter if I’m a good writer or not if I wrote a book that no one wants to read. Hugh seems to think—”
“I don’t give a toss what Hugh thinks. Why do you want to waste your time sitting in a room for a week with a man like that?”
“Because being a writer is more important to me than Hugh Briston’s hurtful words,” I yelled.
Heathcliff staggered backward, as if I’d slapped him. “Mina…”
My name sounded ragged on his lips.
“I can’t even talk to you right now.” I whirled around and fumbled my way up the stairs to our room, far far away from Heathcliff Earnshaw’s well-meaning wrath.
CHAPTERTWELVE
Iwas lying on the bed, replaying the horrifying end to the morning’s workshop and my harsh outburst at Heathcliff, when the door to our suite banged open.
“I came as fast as I could.” Morrie sank down on the bed beside me. He was naked from the waist up, and a bunch of spiky crystals were stuck to his chest. His face was covered in something sticky that smelled like lemon cake. “What’s the matter, gorgeous?”
“How did you know I was—” But then I saw the dark shape crowding the doorway.
“I texted him,” Heathcliff growled. “Even I will use a mobile phone in an emergency.”
“I was in the middle of my transformative crystal treatment, which honestly was a bit of a rip-off.” Morrie picked crystals off his pecs and dropped them onto the bedside table. “Why would I need to transform when I’m perfect the way I am?”
I laughed at his ridiculousness, but it made the lump in my throat grow two sizes. I looked away, dangerously close to bursting into tears.
Morrie wrapped his toned arms around me and pulled me in close. I rested my head against his chest, breathing in the scented oils rubbed into his skin. “Tell me what happened, and I will decide on Heathcliff’s punishment.”
“It’s not his fault,” I said. “Well, I mean, it’s partly his fault. He attacked Hugh Briston in front of everyone. But he was just standing up for me. Hugh…well, he didn’t listen to the accessibility accommodation request I made and he said…”
I trailed off. I didn’t want to talk about what Hugh said.
Tap-tap-tap.Rain pattered against the windows. The storm was brewing.
“You wouldn’t believe what that rotten man said to her,” Heathcliff growled. He picked knickknacks off the fireplace one by one and hurled them into the grate. “We know Mina is a good writer. And he had thenerveto say horrible things about her in front of everyone.”
“As Mina pointed out, thatisthe purpose of a critique group,” Morrie said. “Are you sure you aren’t overreacting…”
