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

“Why do they not just go home?” Elspeth asked. “Are they so addicted to work they cannot stop?”

Aaron smiled at her. He couldn’t tell her that his colleagues knew how much he loved Elspeth. He would tell her, of course he would – one day – just not today.

“They must be,” he mused.

Quietly, he rested his head on the chaise and stared blankly at the fire while Elspeth settled against his chest. When he sensed she had fallen asleep, he lifted the throw off the back of the chaise and draped it over her before he propped his feet on the small table before them.

Closing his eyes, Aaron finally slept.

CHAPTER NINE

Aaron yawned as he turned his horse into the end of the driveway to the house he called home. He was cold, tired, and very hungry, and so desperately wanted to go back to Elspeth that he wished he hadn’t made the journey now, but it was too late to go back empty handed.

“Might as well fetch the post then,” he muttered, and quickly made his way around the side of the house.

Once in the kitchen, he dropped the pouch of food Elspeth had packed him onto the table and paused for a moment to listen to the silence. The home he had always been able to relax in felt cold and unwelcoming. So much so, he briefly wondered why he had bothered to keep the property. He had barely spent more than a handful of days there in the last six months. It seemed a waste of a good family house.

“I will keep it in the hopes of a future with Elspeth,” he whispered to himself.

This was indeed the case. He had, until he realised he had burgeoning feelings for Elspeth, kept lodgings in London which he had been more than happy in. When he had started to understand the depth of emotion he had for Elspeth had nothing to do with any kind of brotherly love, he had gone out and purchased the large, family abode which was perfect for a growing family. Now, it stood as a solid reminder of all his hopes and dreams for the future.

Quickly, Aaron unwrapped his food parcel and began to eat as he wandered through the house to his study. He knew his housekeeper had sent the letter about Thomas’s death, but would have left the remainder of his correspondence on the desk. What he didn’t expect was the size of the huge mound of papers that littered every inch of the highly polished surface.

“Damn,” he cursed when he saw the

size of it. “It is going to take me hours to go through that lot.”

He knew there was too much for him to pack up in saddle bags and take with him. While he ate, he swiftly began to work his way through his post. The invitations to balls and the like with dates that had long since passed were immediately thrown into the fireplace. The notes from friends were tucked into the top drawer of his desk. The bills he set aside to pay later. Aaron knew that the pile he had yet to sort through would fit into saddle bags.

“That should suffice,” he murmured with no small measure of relief.

Satisfied that there was nothing else requiring his attention, Aaron removed his accounts book from his desk, and set to work.

Several hours later, with a tiredness that was bone deep, Aaron hurried across his lawn only to be stopped by his housekeeper.

“Hello, sir,” she called.

“Hello, Mrs Ablemire,” Aaron greeted her warmly. “How are you?”

“It is a fine pleasure to see you, sir, I don’t mind saying,” Mrs Ablemire replied with a toothy grin. “How long are you staying this time?”

“I am just on my way back out, but I am going to be coming back soon enough. I need you to do something for me.”

“Are they on the table then?” Mrs Ablemire looked enquiringly at the house.

Aaron shook his head. “There are no bills to pay this time. What I want to know is if anybody has called by here to speak with me? Or have you seen somebody hanging about the property?”

“That Mr Thomas called by for you but that was a few weeks ago now,” Mrs Ablemire reported with a thoughtful frown.

Aaron’s stomach lurched. “Really? Did he leave something for me?”

Aaron studied his house and wondered if he should check his bed chamber. He didn’t think Thomas would go in there but given the man had probably faked his own death, who knew what else he felt bold enough to do?

“He said he would leave you a note, sir. I left it on your desk.”

Aaron looked down at the saddlebag in his hand. “I think I had better come back inside,” he mused wryly.

It took a lot of effort to pretend that nothing was wrong. Even so, he sensed Mrs Ablemire studying him furtively as they entered the house.