Betrayal of Innocence (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 1)

Justin smiled ruefully. “Yes, but I won’t take your revulsion of the place personally. I was just asking because your attitude toward the place gives me some idea if Geraldine would be inclined to go there if she became disenchanted with rural life and wanted a daring adventure, that’s all.”

Vanessa was already shaking her head before he had finished. “She had the same opinion as me. She hates London too.”

Justin, now thoroughly defeated, refrained from dropping a kiss onto her cheek before he left. Instead, he bowed formally and bade her goodnight.

Vanessa, a little surprised by his formality, curtseyed without thinking. Rather than close the door, she watched him stalk down the path, and disappear into the house next door without once bothering to look back. She had the distinct impression she had just offended him.

She was thoughtful when she closed the door, and a little melancholic. Vanessa couldn’t help but feel that she had just lost something only had no idea what. There had been a distinct chill in the atmosphere before Justin had left but, for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why. While her words about London had been less than complimentary, she hadn’t expected him to take such offense over it.

“I think he was hoping you might want to go and sample the delights of London with him when he leaves here,” her father began when she re-entered the room.

Vanessa flopped down into the chair opposite him and shook her head. “London is not for me.”

“It is a shame because you have a fine man there,” Graham replied with a nod toward the window.

“He is nice, isn’t he?” Vanessa said softly. “But this is neither the time nor the place for any of that. Besides, Justin is committed to his work with the Star Elite.”

“Rubbish,” Graham blustered. “Life is for the living. One has to carry on. While it is sad that Geraldine isn’t likely to come back, she wouldn’t want you to put your life on hold to grieve for her. You know what she was like. She never gave up an opportunity to do what she wanted. She wouldn’t want you to remain holed up in this rural backwater looking after me for the rest of your life. You should marry and travel to London if you want to. Just don’t buy any farms, that’s all I will ask.”

“We aren’t well enough acquainted to consider marriage,” Vanessa warned. “Why, we have only just met. The last thing we need is another marriage made in haste.”

Graham nodded. “Just don’t let what has happened to Geraldine stop you from living your own life, that is all I am saying. I can manage here on my own. In fact, now I have started to get up and about, I am going to keep going. This morning did me the world of good. That fresh air and sunshine is addictive. While I am not up to yomping around the fields and woods, a steady stroll to the tavern and back won’t hurt.”

“Why did you stop? I mean, I know your wounds hurt you sometimes,” Vanessa began, unsure how to broach such a difficult subject.

“It isn’t just the physical wounds that cause a problem when men are injured in the battlefields, my dear,” he informed her gently as he tapped the side of his head. “What goes on up here can do a lot more damage. It takes a long time to recover, and even then, I don’t think complete recovery is possible because one can never forget. There are dark days, but one must keep going. I forgot that for a while.”

Vanessa watched him frown thoughtfully but didn’t ask any questions because it was clear from the look on his face he was still thinking things over.

“I am going to get some dinner,” she murmured, pushing out her chair.

“Nothing too heavy, eh? Just some cold meats or something,” Graham urged before she left the room.

Once she was gone, he turned his attention back out of the window, and watched the tall man who had the potential to open up a whole new world for his daughter, if only she would let him. The problem was, Graham wasn’t sure it would altogether be a better world now, not after what had happened to Geraldine. That said, if anyone could keep Vanessa safe it would be Justin. At least he hoped so, because Graham suspected that they hadn’t seen the last of Justin yet, and it had absolutely nothing to do with Geraldine’s disappearance.

Later that night, Justin stood in the kitchen with his colleagues and stared at the goblets in the middle of the kitchen table. On each one was a small piece of parchment containing a name, stuck onto the pot with sealing wax. Each one represented a missing person located at various points in their ‘map’ to indicate where they had disappeared.

“It rules Reuben out,” Oliver said quietly. “He couldn’t hobble anywhere while carrying someone’s weight, even if he had the mental dexterity to think clearly under pressure.”

“It isn’t Reuben. It may be Curtis, but he swears blind he has no idea where his wife is. He is adamant that he cleared out her things because she made it clear before she disappeared that she wanted a divorce. So much so, she was prepared to weather the scandal it would cause. Apparently, her belongings – all of them – are in the old barn at the end of the cart track,” Justin reported.

“Have you been to check?” Oliver demanded.

Justin glanced out of the window. “Not yet. It is too dark to search anywhere properly.”

“We can do it at first light, just in case Geraldine is in there as well,” Aaron replied.

Everyone nodded.

“Willingness to divorce points to the severity of the disharmony between them,” Niall growled.

“It is unsurprising given he was rolling about with the milk maid whenever her back was turned,” Niall added.

“The judge is happy to keep them behind bars while we try to locate a body,” Oliver informed them.

“Does Curtis know Geraldine doesn’t own the house?” Justin asked.

Jasper snorted and looked at him ruefully. “He does now, and he wasn’t best pleased about it either. At first, he denied it was possible, but when challenged on whether he signed any papers or put any money down to purchase it, he had to admit that he hadn’t. He still expects to be able to keep the farm given he was her husband. I left the judge explaining to him that he didn’t own anything because his wife never owned the farm in the first place.”