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

“Word came from the doctor in the village where he was found that the casket wasn’t to be opened because the body was in a bad state. He had been killed in a carriage accident, Aaron, everyone advised me not to view him,” Elspeth replied.

“It’s understandable,” Aaron murmured absently.

Elspeth saw the doubt in his eyes and glared at him.

“I know what I saw.” Her voice hardened. “It was him.”

She was angry right then. Coldly, furiously, livid.

“If he is alive, I am going to bloody kill him,” she swore suddenly.

Aaron grinned at her. “Get in line because I will be right in front of you. We can beat him up together.”

“Why? Why would he do this?” Elspeth cried. She had to stand up and pace. She was so restless that sitting still was just not an option.

“It has something to do with Voss and Frederick,” Aaron knew. “I just hope to God he isn’t going about his own investigation.”

Elspeth looked sharply at him. “Do you think that’s possible?”

Aaron shook his head. “I don’t know,” he replied honestly.

“Are you still going home tomorrow?” Elspeth asked.

“Do you not wish to come with me now?” Aaron frowned.

Elspeth considered that. “Will you be able to get there faster if I am not with you?”

Aaron nodded.

“Go alone. I am going to stay here. If he does appear again,

I am going to bloody club my stupid brother to within an inch of his worthless life,” Elspeth bit out.

Aaron huffed a laugh because he adored this new feisty side to her. Despite her anger, Aaron began to understand why Elspeth had fainted. He was reeling from the suggestion that Thomas might still be alive, and he hadn’t seen the deathly faced of a supposedly deceased relative peering through the window, apparently alive and well. At least her discontent made her stronger, and less inclined to faint again should Thomas re-appear.

“Jesus. How could he do this to us?” Aaron hissed.

“For three thousand pounds and a property, anybody would,” Jasper announced from the doorway.

“But the money and property are already his. Why would he need to hide the money he already owned? From who? I can’t touch it. There is nobody else able to touch it. I just don’t understand.” Elspeth paced backward and forward with such resolute determination that Aaron stood and planted himself in front of her. She had no choice but to stop or walk around him.

“Calm yourself,” he urged. “You have to stay calm and think very carefully. Are you sure it was Thomas you saw, and it wasn’t just wishful thinking?”

He hated to have to be the one to break her belief that it was Thomas she had seen, but there was nobody else to do it. The last thing he wanted was for the men to look at the possibility that Thomas might still be alive only to discover he was dead, and that Elspeth was mistaken. He knew the false hope would redouble the depth of her grief, and just couldn’t do that to her.

“I will set out before first light,” Aaron yawned. “Just promise me that you will stay inside today. I will be back late, but I will be back.”

Elspeth nodded. “How do we go about finding out if it really was Thomas who died?”

Aaron sat thoughtfully for a few moments. “I would advise you against getting your hopes up. I want to say that it was him, but you are still grieving, were half asleep, it is still raining outside. Maybe you mistook the figure for Thomas because that is what you want to see? I am not saying Thomas is dead. We do, of course, have to check to make sure it was him. To do that, we need to speak to the doctor who signed his death certificate and see if he can remember him. Even if the descriptions match, we have to make sure there is a body in that coffin.”

“God, you don’t mean you will have to dig him up, do you?” Elspeth cried.

Aaron looked frankly at her.

“Oh, good Lord.” Elspeth slumped into the chair beside her and felt her stomach turn over. “Who does that?”

“The doctor,” Aaron replied. “The magistrate will be there as well. I can identify Thomas if I need to. Otherwise, the family doctor will be able to confirm whether it is Thomas, for legal purposes you understand?”