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

“What about the vicar?” Elspeth asked quietly.

“He has been sworn to secrecy because this is a government investigation into the possible murder of Thomas Lincoln. That is what he has been told, and that is all he needs to know for now,” Aaron replied.

“I can’t just sit and wait for someone to try to break into my home,” Elspeth whispered.

“We have to,” Aaron declared firmly. “Don’t be fooled, Elspeth. Just because you are at home doesn’t mean waiting is going to be in any way easy or boring. You will have to keep watch as well and try not to panic when the time comes. It will happen, Elspeth, so it is best if you think about it and prepare for it mentally. That way, when it happens you will not be caught by surprise. It will be expected. You will be less inclined to panic. When situations arise like this, the worst thing you can do is panic. It can get you killed.”

“How in the world do you live like this?” Elspeth shivered. “This life consists of nothing more than death, shadows, lies, sinister threats and danger every single day. How do you cope?”

“I switch off to most of it. I work with the lives of others, so it doesn’t really hit home or affect me. Charity’s shooting affected me because she was romantically involved with a good friend of mine, Angus. Her shooting, and near death, affected us all because we all knew her in the days prior to her near fatal injury. We all failed to keep her safe, and she paid the price for it. We won’t allow it to happen again. I won’t allow it to happen again.” Aaron reached out and stroked her cheek. “Not ever with you.”

“The men know how close you are to Aaron, Elspeth,” Sir Hugo said from behind her. “They knew that wild horses wouldn’t stop him from getting to you once he found out about Thomas. They also knew that his need to be here would make their work on the Horvat investigation impossible to continue. It was faster and safer for all of them if they all worked on your problems. That way, the situation can be resolved quicker, with Aaron leaving here happier and more content with the knowledge that you are safe.”

“When do you leave?” Elspeth felt sick with dread at the thought of Aaron not being a part of her life anymore. She wanted to see him every day, if only so she could be assured he was all right.

“Not for a while yet,” Aaron assured her soothingly. “Before I do leave, we have to talk.”

Elspeth nodded when he looked at her meaningfully but must have looked doubtful.

“I mean it. I am not going anywhere until we have come to some arrangement about the future, Elspeth,” Aaron added, tipping her chin up until she looked at him.

“Ours?” she asked. Her heart was full of so much hope she suspected it shone in her eyes, but she made no apology for it.

“For now, let us get home and then we can talk,” Aaron murmured. He tugged on her hand and led her away from the grave.

Sir Hugo remained beside the money which he wouldn’t leave until it was handed over to the bank manager.

When they were alone, Aaron clasped her hand in his and walked side-by-side with her along the narrow path that led to the back of Elspeth’s garden. Before they entered through the gate, Aaron drew her to a stop and turned to face her.

“While we have a moment to ourselves, I want you to know that I will not leave here even if Thomas appears. I won’t go until I am positive you will be fine and staying here is what you want. I do, however, hope to be able to persuade you to come and stay at my house for a while. I must return to London at some point, but it won’t be for long. If there is one good thing to come of all of this, I hope it is that I will have a bit more time free to have a home life at last. If you are agreeable, I should like to share that home life with you.”

“You would?” Elspeth’s eyes flooded with tears. “I should like that,” she breathed, her voice rich with the force of her emotion.

Boldly, before he could enter the garden, Elspeth stepped toward him and pressed a kiss to his lips. It was impossible to allow herself to consider what she was doing or why. Elspeth knew she had to follow the way she felt and trust her instincts toward this man who had given her so much and asked so little in return.

Aaron slid hard arms around her and stepped closer. Silence settled all around them and was broken only by the occasional rustle of the leaves on the trees which swung lazily overhead, teased by the gentle wind which reminded them that the storm had not abated completely yet.

Elspeth was oblivious to it all. Whenever she was with Aaron everything else faded and had little importance in her world. Together, she knew they could vanquish whatever problems life threw at them. They would come out stronger, of that there could be no doubt. She had no idea why the feelings she had always had for him should start to surface now, but they had. In her hour of need, Aaron had been there for her. But Elspeth knew, deep within, that it wasn’t why she was compelled to not let a single moment pass without showing him in some way how much he meant to her.

Maybe it is because I have started to understand the importance between life and death, she mused. Why shouldn’t I make the most of every single moment I have with him?

Elspeth knew that the way she felt about Aaron had something to do with the fact that Aaron filled every inch of the imaginary hero she had spent most of her childhood dreaming about. He was tall, handsome, charming, protective and strong. If she could envisage anybody riding into her life on a white charger to rescue her from a tower, it was Aaron.

That’s what he has done. He has ridden into my life and rescued me from a tower of misery in my darkest hour of need. He has saved me and rescued my heart.

The emotional turmoil she had felt over the last several weeks suddenly began to settle. When he tightened his arms and widened his stance to pull her closer, Elspeth stepped deeper into his emb

race willingly. His arms instinctively tightened about her some more as he settled her against him, as though securing her place next to his heart. She, in turn, allowed herself the freedom to explore. Now that they were alone, safely tucked out of sight by the large hanging branches of a willow, she was bold enough to release all constraints and allowed her hands to wander. In a direct mimicry of his shocking daring, she slowly slid a solitary hand down the rippled muscles of his side until they came to rest on the sharp protrusion of his hip. Once there, she slid that distracting hand around until it rested just below the belt of his breeches. His groan was enough to allow that hand to venture further down.

Aaron slid a hand into her hair and tipped her head sideways to deepen the kiss. He made no attempt to hide his burgeoning desire for her. In fact, he revelled in the way she shifted when she became aware of it but didn’t back away. Instead, Elspeth ventured closer and began to copy his movements.

Suddenly, with an abruptness that was shocking, Elspeth was brutally yanked out of his arms. Aaron barely had the time to blink before pain exploded in the back of his head. The world swirled as he fell to his knees. His vision blurred. He looked up when he heard Elspeth’s screams of protest. When another blow hit him, Aaron rolled to one side, away from the man wielding the club. Rather than lie prone and wait for the fatal blow that would kill him, Aaron lifted his feet and kicked the side of his attacker’s knee. The painful crunch of muscle and bone was enough to make the hooded man howl in pain, but not enough to stop him trying to throw the club down upon Aaron once more.

“Aaron!” Elspeth yelled as she was dragged, screaming and kicking, toward the end of the path. She clawed at the arm across her chest with desperate fingers. When digging her nails into the arm didn’t even make a dent in the thick fabric covering the restraining arm, she began to kick out wildly behind her in a desperate attempt to get him to let go. She felt him groan when her boots struck his shin time and again, but it wasn’t enough to force him to release her.

It wasn’t her freedom she fought for. It was the horrifying sight of a second assailant clubbing Aaron with a savage determination that was evil. It was clear, even to her, that the man wanted Aaron dead. Aaron, prone upon the floor, was helpless to do anything more than defend himself.

Elspeth, desperate to gain her freedom, grabbed a fistful of the large willow branches above her head and clung on with frenzied determination. When the man behind her was forced to stop or lose his grip on her, she wound the long strands of willow around her hand until they were painfully tight. The man loosened his hold while he tried to get her to let go but soon realised what she had done. Releasing her completely, he turned his attention to trying to get Elspeth to unfurl her fingers, so he could unwind the willow. Elspeth then began to kick. Swinging with one hand from the long strands of the willow, she jerked this way and that while she kicked out wildly at the man who tried to grab her again. He was no match for her determined boots, though, and soon found himself on the receiving end of several heavy kicks, one of which rendered him helpless.