Fallen Hero (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 3)

“I don’t even know where she is now,” Aaron warned.

“She will be at home, surely?”

Aaron shook his head. “There was something Thomas was concerned about regarding the house. I have no idea what it was, but he was worried about their ability to stay at the property. We were going to meet to discuss it, but I got called to help with the bloody investigation and couldn’t meet with Thomas because I was never in the sodding area.”

He left his seat and stalked to the door.

“Aaron, it is going to do no good if you just go charging over there without any clue if Elspeth is still there. Where would she have gone if she has moved? Do you know of any relations she might have turned to? Are there any villagers who might help her? What has Thomas told you about their arrangements? Stop and think carefully. I am sure it won’t seem as bad once you consider the facts,” Sir Hugo argued.

Aaron stopped and looked at his boss. “I know Thomas and Elspeth lost both of their parents in a carriage accident when Thomas was nineteen. Elspeth was with a housekeeper at the time, who stayed with them until she also passed away from a fever when Elspeth was twenty. Since then it has only been Elspeth and Thomas. I know Elspeth is going to be absolutely devastated. I know she is going to need help – my help. What I do know is that I should have been there for her but wasn’t because of the demands of this damned job. I wasn’t there for her when she needed me. That may not matter to you, but it concerns me a Hell of a lot.”

“What makes you think she will have moved on? Surely, Thomas will have made sure she is adequately provided for, won’t he?” Sir Hugo challenged, effectively stopping Aaron from slamming out of the room.

Aaron cursed. “I don’t know. What Thomas did tell me was that their cousin already made it clear to Thomas that he wanted the house and that he considered Thomas and Elspeth to be interlopers. Over the last several years he has made Thomas several generous offers to purchase the property, but Thomas always refused. He has also threatened Elspeth and made lecherous overtones toward her. Now that Thomas is no longer around, the cousin – Frederick – will make sure he gets his hands on the house, whatever the cost to Elspeth. Yes, he would see her out on the street if he chose to put her there, I don’t doubt.”

“Has Thomas not seen to her welfare in his will then?” Sir Hugo persisted. “Maybe he has made provision to ensure she is suitably provided for in the event of this Frederick trying to challenge her?”

“I hope he has, but I think the house has a stipulation attached to it that means it can only be inherited by the men in the family. It cannot be willed to Elspeth,” Aaron muttered.

“But Thomas might have left her a sum in his will that ensures she is able to look after herself,” Sir Hugo argued. “She could have purchased a house of her own if he has left her some money.”

Aaron looked at him. “Thomas was in some sort of financial difficulty. About a week before this note was written he also wrote to me to ask me to meet with him as soon as I was able to because he wanted my advice on what to do about it.”

Aaron paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked back at his boss.

“Do what you need to do,” Sir Hugo muttered. “But you can only have two weeks.”

Aaron ran up the stairs without a backward look because he was going to go to Cromley regardless of what Sir Hugo said, he just didn’t say as much to Sir Hugo. The thought of not knowing where Elspeth was, or how she was, galled him. It was disturbing enough to realise that his good friend had died, and Aaron had been the last to find out about it. To think that Elspeth might consider him cold and uncaring enough to not bother to attend her brother’s funeral made Aaron want to punch something.

“I should have damned well known,” Aaron bit out as he slammed into his room.

Yanking a battered saddle bag out from under his bed, he threw the contents of his drawers into the bag, crushed it all down, and swiftly tied the laces. Yanking it off the bed, he took a moment to collect a few precious items secreted in a tiny compartment in the wall before he slammed the dresser back into position and made his way out of the room. The slamming of the door behind him was loud in the silence of the house, but Aaron didn’t care.

Racing down the stairs, Aaron stormed into the kitchen in search of his cloak.

“Do you want me to come with you??

?? Oliver offered. He was already in the process of dragging his own cloak over his shoulders.

Niall nodded his agreement.

“I need to find her,” Aaron whispered. “I don’t know what I am going to do if she is not there.”

“Don’t panic,” Oliver urged soothingly. “We will find her. She can’t have gone too far, not if she is short of funds.”

“She can’t just vanish on me,” Aaron replied.

“Probably might be best to marry her if you want to keep close tabs on her, eh?” Niall grunted. “That way at least you will know where you left her. She will need somebody’s protection now anyway. Might as well be yours.”

“He is right. Now that Thomas is gone she needs someone to look after her,” Oliver warned.

“Do you think I don’t know that?” Aaron spat. He rounded on his good friend and glared at him.

Oliver remained perfectly still as he waited for the tension within the room to ease a little.

“I can only give you a few days off,” Sir Hugo warned his men from the doorway.

“I am going to take as long as it takes,” Aaron snapped. “If that isn’t acceptable then you can have my resignation.”