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I shrugged. ‘Just something Blaise said, back on the island. Just before we left.’ I didn’t want to alarm her, but it was seriously bugging me now. ‘I’ve heard it before. Where have I heard it before?’
‘Heard what before?’ she asked, puzzled.
‘Forget it. It’s probably nothing. Come on, we’d better catch him up.’
Blaise was already in the churchyard, moving from one gravestone to the next as he searched for the one belonging to his mother. We hurried, as best as we could, towards him. Romy cursed her enormous skirt and swore that if she ever found a place to call home, away from prying eyes, she’d risk wearing jeans around the house. I couldn’t say I blamed her. Seventeenth century clothing wasn’t made for comfort.
We realised Blaise had stopped searching, and was standing with his hands clasped together, staring down at a headstone.
We finally made it to his side, and I gazed around, taking in the pretty building and the neat little churchyard.
‘Lovely church,’ I said absently, still thinking about the words Blaise had spoken just before we left the island. I knew them from somewhere. I was sure of it. I tried to remember.
I’d said them out loud myself once. I’d said them to—
‘No!’
Romy gave a smothered gasp, and I spun round, shocked to find her on her knees, her hands to her face. Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared at the gravestone. Behind her, Blaise stood, looking shocked at her behaviour.
‘Romy, what is it?’
I knelt beside her and put my arms around her, then turned to look at whatever it was that had frightened her so much.
It was Blaise’s mother’s gravestone. Catherine Elizabeth Mary St Clair…
My mouth fell open in shock as realisation hit me. Goosebumps broke out on my arms as the final pieces of the jigsaw slotted into place, and I remembered where I’d heard the words Blaise had uttered to Celeste before.
Astra inclinant, sed non obligant. The stars incline us, but they do not bind us.
‘It might not mean what you think. It could be a coincidence,’ I said faintly. But I knew it wasn’t. That was why the quote had bugged me. And gazing at the inscription on the gravestone it only confirmed what I’d suspected.
‘I knew it!’ Romy whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘I think, somewhere deep inside, I’ve always known it. It’s like I was expecting this.’ She lifted her face to mine, a look of desperation in her eyes. ‘How was I expecting it, Wulfram?’
I turned to look at Blaise and my heart sank.
‘Oh, Romy.’
‘I can’t,’ she whispered, shaking her head frantically. ‘I can’t do this. I can’t be as brave as she was.’
‘Romy?’ Blaise asked anxiously. ‘What on earth’s the matter?’
I could barely look at the man who stood beside us, knowing what I knew, knowing the terrible burden that had just fallen upon my sister’s shoulders. Knowing what she would have to live with.
Blaise St Clair was going to die. And life for Romy had just changed forever.
Chapter 41
Trinity
It was hard to believe it had only been less than twenty-four hours since Wulfram, Romy, and Blaise left us. We were all on edge, worrying about what was happening to them.
Ewella was in bits, and no amount of reassurance from the rest of us seemed to calm her down. She went on and on, catastrophising out loud, reeling off the worst possible scenarios to frighten us all to death.
‘For goodness’ sake, Mum!’ Keely had clearly had enough. ‘Do you really think I need to hear this? My boyfriend and my sister are out there somewhere, facing goodness knows what, and you’re telling me all the horrible things that might be happening to them. I don’t need it! Just be quiet.’
Ewella’s face went pink. ‘I—I’m sorry, Keely. I just…’
‘I know you’re upset,’ Keely said tearfully, ‘but do you think you’re the only one? I’m scared stiff. I don’t want you putting any more scary thoughts in my mind, because believe me, I’ve got enough of my own.’
