For Love Alone (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 8)

‘We are too old to go running up and down the damned country all the time,’ Jasper grumbled. ‘I think that it would do us all to have a fresh start. I know that Molly wouldn’t object.’

‘I wasn’t telling you because I was hinting that you should join me. I fully understand that your wives might not wish to move,’ Oliver replied but couldn’t suppress his delight that they were contemplating joining him.

‘They have always grumbled that they don’t see enough of each other while we are away,’ Angus reasoned. ‘I know that Charity has her friends from the sewing circle, but she wouldn’t object too much to moving if she was near to the other wives. I think that life by the sea might help us all. Our house is overrun with children. We are struggling for space as it is but there isn’t anywhere in the village for us to move to. Besides, we are not all that far away if we move. Our friends can come and visit us.’

‘You sound as if your mind is made up,’ Phillip mused.

‘I think we should all discuss it with our wives and see what they think before we make any firm arrangements but if Mallory doesn’t object, I should like to settle down here as well,’ Callum offered. ‘I don’t like the idea of her being by herself while I am away. I know she has the locals, but it isn’t the same as other wives who are facing the same problems running the houses we leave behind when we are investigating.’

Phillip was still mulling over joining Oliver’s local branch several hours later when he should have been asleep. The more he contemplated it the more he realised that it was time to leave London behind and his old life and start afresh. Although he had only been at Cliff House for a short while it was already starting to feel like home. His life with Carlotta was already essential to him.

So much so, it now felt natural to turn over and find Carlotta lying beside him. While he had behaved like the perfect gentleman, Phillip couldn’t envisage spending a night in the house without having her beside him. Sharing her bed chamber was something that had quickly become routine, but only because it had swiftly become evident that Carlotta’s nightmares were regular occurrence. Last night had been no different. He had been on watch again and had heard her distress. It had been second nature to join her on the bed and hold her while she went back to sleep. He didn’t need to stop and think about the wisdom of it. Being beside her was natural. It felt right. Being beside her had created a unity that helped solidify his connection with her that was far more permanent than anybody realised.

Carlotta was now an essential part of his life, his happiness. She made him content. Now, whether the nightmares happened or not, Phillip had no intention of breaking his nightly routine of seeking her out. He knew that at some point he was going to join her in the bed, and not just lie on top of it. For now, though, he was happy to just content himself with being as close to her as humanly possible while giving her the time to battle her demons while learning to trust him.

‘Unfortunately, I have to go into the village to see if The Starling is back yet,’ Phillip sighed more to himself than to her.

If the boat and its skipper didn’t return soon, the men were going to go and look for it, just in case it had moved to another fishing port further along the coast. For now, they were happy to sit and wait, partly because everyone expected Carlotta’s father to appear.

‘Maybe it is time I settled down and made a home of my own, then I don’t have to get out of bed unless I bloody want to,’ Phillip grumbled as he crept out of the room and made his way downstairs.

‘I thought I was going to come and have to drag you out of bed,’ Callum teased when he saw Phillip in the doorway.

‘I am here, aren’t I?’ Phillip snorted before helping himself to large pieces of bread and cheese. By the time his colleagues were ready to leave the house, Phillip was right behind them but none of them got out of the door before they were stopped by the sound of someone trying to get into the house.

Oliver pursed his lips. ‘They have a key. Who owns this house?’

‘Carlotta’s friend,’ Phillip replied. ‘Henry Palmer.’

Together, the men made their way to the front door and watched a dapperly dressed gentlemen step into the house. He slammed to a stop when he saw them.

‘Who in the Devil’s name are you?’ he demanded loudly.

‘I could ask you the same question,’ Oliver replied nonchalantly. He raked the man with a scouring look but suspected the dandy wasn’t carrying a weapon. He looked as if a good gust of wind would make him run for cover.

Phillip lifted a brow at the man who had provided Carlotta shelter. He should be grateful to him for his help but something about Henry wasn’t right. Phillip had no idea what it was but his gut, which was never wrong, warned him that Henry couldn’t be trusted. Not only was he visiting the house Carlotta was living in alone, but he had allowed her to live here by herself for several weeks without even checking to see if she was alright. Then, without any warning, he appears unexpectedly by himself.

‘This is my house. I have every right to be here,’ Henry blustered. ‘You, however, don’t.’

‘Let’s go into the study, shall we?’ Oliver suggested.

Henry didn’t move. ‘No. I don’t know who you are, but you can get out of here. This is a private house. Who in the Devil let you in? Where is Carlotta? What have you done with her?’

‘She is fine,’ Phillip replied smoothly. ‘Although, nobody would realise if something had happened to her seeing how remote this house is.’ He watched Henry glare angrily at him. Before Henry could tell him to get out, Phillip continued: ‘It isn’t really the kind of place any gentleman should allow a young, unchaperoned woman to live in alone, is it?’

‘It is the only place I had available. I didn’t have to let her stay,’ Henry growled.

‘But you did, rather than accommodate her at your house,’ Phillip argued.

Oliver threw him a warning look but didn’t interrupt because he didn’t like the new arrival either. There was something about him that just didn’t sit well only Oliver couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

‘It is hardly appropriate for her to stay with me. I did tell her that it would be best if she went home to her father. He is worried sick about her,’ Henry replied only to then straighten his shoulders and glare at them again. ‘I don’t see what this has got to do with any of you. This is my house. If Carlotta has brought you here, she had no right to. It isn’t her house. She can send you on your way again and go with you.’ He pierced Phillip with a scornful look. ‘I didn’t realise that she intended to shack up with her lover, or I wouldn’t have allowed her to stay. They do say that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, though. I am just glad I got here before she ruined the reputation of the house as well as herself.’

‘Mustn’t lose any money, must you, Henry?’ Phillip taunted.

Oliver coughed meaningfully and threw Phillip another warning glare, this time far harder than the last one.

Squaring his shoulders, he glared at Henry. ‘You should know that this property has been seized by the War Office. We are holding a formal investigation into criminal activity in the area and will remain here for the foreseeable future. We will, of course, ensure you are recompensed for it.’