eyes. Alana was absolutely
furious.
“If you want me to, I will send them away this very minute, regardless of Philip’s
orders.” She nearly spat the word, clearly displeased with her husband’s command.
“It is an insult to share a roof with them after the way they treated you. For you,
I will get rid of them. If you want me to?” She pressed her lips together, likely
to stop herself from saying more, and waited for me to reply.
I was touched by my sister’s concern and, if truth be told, a little startled by her
vehemence. I almost pitied the Westlocks, for Alana was certain to make the remainder
of their stay quite uncomfortable. But they did deserve it, after all. Under any other
circumstances, such behavior would have seen my brother-in-law flinging them from
his home himself. Only the murder investigation saved them from his wrath.
And that being the case, I couldn’t ask my sister to do such a thing for me, especially
when it would get her in trouble with her husband. Philip possessed just as ferocious
a temper as Alana when provoked, and disobeying a direct order would certainly provoke
it. I had heard them argue enough times in the last sixteen months to know I did not
want to be the cause of such a quarrel. Besides, Philip happened to be right. Lord
and Lady Westlock could not leave the castle until after the procurator fiscal arrived
to clear them of suspicion.
I lifted my hand and touched my older sister’s arm. “It’s all right,” I assured her.
“I know they have to stay.”
Her shoulders sagged a bit, and I suspected that despite all her protestations to
the contrary, she had not been looking forward to defying her husband in this. Her
pride was bruised from being forced to provide accommodations to someone who had so
blatantly harmed a member of her family, but I wondered if she was taking out some
of her anger at the unnamed murderer on the Westlocks. It disturbed her, and rightfully
so, that someone she had trusted enough to invite into her home would commit such
a horrific act. It troubled me just to know I had dined with, and likely spoken to,
such a person.
The fierce light in her eyes remained even as my sister nodded in acceptance of my
decision. “All right, Kiera. They can stay, for now. But should you change your mind . . .”
I squeezed her arm. “I’ll let you know.”
She studied my face before her gaze rose to my head and the unruly morning waves of
my hair. “Are you sure you feel well enough to assist Philip and Mr. Gage?” she asked,
as lines of concern wrinkled her brow.
“Yes.” I reached for my dress. “Besides, I don’t think they know what to look for,”
I replied vaguely, not comfortable sharing the discovery I’d made about the state
of Lady Godwin’s health.
Alana did not question my unclear statement, and I supposed it was because she did
not want to know. As strong and courageous as my sister was, that strength and courage
did not carry over to matters of the internal workings of the human body. She had
once asked me about the things I had seen during the years I was forced to assist
my husband, and later confessed she had nightmares for a week afterward just from
imaging the few things I told her. Telling her to think of the body as a work of art
did not seem to console her as it did me.
She helped me guide the gray gown over my head, careful not to touch the sensitive
spot on the back of my head. Styling my hair was going to be tricky.
“To be honest, with as much trouble as he gave us yesterday over the matter, I’m surprised
to hear Mr. Gage is allowing you to help him today,” Alana said as she fastened the
buttons up the back of my dress.
“So am I,” I admitted.
“You must be pleased that he seems to be taking you seriously?”
Lucy strolled through the door at that moment, brandishing my headache powder and
cooing over my injury. I was relieved not to
Tabatha Vargo, Melissa Andrea