Cinders and Ashes (Cavendish Mysteries 2)

When he had arrived at Bath, Amelia had already gone. The altercation with his sisters had been unpleasant, and he had resorted to threatening the staff with prison before they relented enough to tell him she had left several weeks before.

He had been searching for her ever since. Never giving up hope that one day she would be found.

Amelia was so wrapped up in the pain clearly evident in her father’s voice, she wasn’t aware of the tears that coursed down her cheeks. She didn’t know what to think. The sisters were greedy and manipulative. It didn’t surprise her that they had blatantly lied to her father to keep Amelia under their roof.

“Amelia?” Eastleigh’s soft voice broke through her thoughts, and she jerked in surprise. She glanced upwards with a raised brow so like his own that it brought a small smile to his face.

“I know there is a lot to absorb, my dear, but I sincerely hope you can find it within you to allow me a small period of time to make amends for all of the pain I have caused with my blindness.”

“I think there is a lot to think about, and consider,” Amelia whispered, unsure where to begin.

“I think your aunts have played you both for fools,” Sebastian said, handing her a handkerchief with a soft smile. “They are the ones who should be held responsible for the things you endured both at their home, and afterwards in Glendowie.”

“Glendowie?” Eastleigh queried, raising his brows.

“It was where Amelia was working for a Sir Hubert. He knew who she was, and agreed to give her a home and food, in exchange for her being his housekeeper. Amelia informed him that she had nowhere else to go, so he offered her a home of sorts. It was there that she lived, until I landed half-dead on her doorstep.” Sebastian glanced ruefully at Amelia, remembering that tiny cottage in the middle of nowhere, with something akin to reluctant fondness.

“Housekeeper?” Horror filled Eastleigh’s eyes, as he stared at his daughter.

“It was fine. Sir Hubert was a wonderful old man who struggled to live by himself. He wasn’t very demanding, and afforded me what he could. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know where I would have been.”

“Was?” Sebastian repeated with a frown, his heart sinking as Amelia’s eyes welled up with tears again.

“He died, Sebastian. A few days after arriving at his brother’s house.” Her voice quivered with surprised emotions.

“Oh darling, I am sorry,” he murmured, tugging Amelia against him.

“I never got to say goodbye, or thank you,” Amelia whispered through her tears.

“You missed the funeral,” Sebastian sighed regretfully. “I’m sorry.” He was only grateful she still held enough affection for him to allow him so close.

For a moment there, he seriously considered he had lost her.

“By the sound of it, there is much we have to thank Sir Hubert for,” Eastleigh offered from across the hearth. He was disturbed by Amelia’s affection for the unseen Sir Hubert, but was pleased to see for himself, Sebastian’s clear devotion to his daughter.

“I think, when you feel strong enough, you should pay your respects at his grave. You should consider taking a few days of sea air while you are there.” He didn’t add that it could be a very suitable honeymoon destination. “I know someone who has a hunting lodge there you may borrow. When you feel the time is right.”

“Thank you,” Sebastian replied, his own thoughts running along the same lines. He had already secured the man’s agreement to marry his daughter. If only getting Amelia’s agreement was as easy.

“I think you are right. But it is up to Amelia.”

> “I should like that,” Amelia whispered softly, drying her cheeks. All she seemed to do lately was cry.

“Let us deal with Ballantyne first. Then we shall all go to Devon to pay our respects. I think all of us, in our own way; have a lot to thank Sir Hubert for.” Sebastian’s eyes met and held hers. “If he hadn’t have given you the cottage to live in, you wouldn’t have been there to save my life. I would have died, cold and alone by the side of that track and probably not be found until spring.”

“Don’t,” Amelia chided with a shudder.

“It is the truth, though. Sir Hubert didn’t venture out anywhere. It was on the edge of the Bestwick estates, far away from where the ground staff ventured. I wouldn’t have been found.” The thought made even Sebastian wince.

“It sounds like there is much I have yet to learn about what happened between you two,” Eastleigh muttered ruefully, with a smile. He should have been outraged at the obvious intimacy between the two unmarried people, but seeing the clear adoration on Sebastian’s face, could only find himself happy for them.

“When you are ready, I think I should like to hear what you have not seen fit to inform me of yet,” he added with a knowing look at the couple.

“You already know a lot of it,” Sebastian replied ruefully, smiling down at Amelia.

Amelia felt her cheeks heat at the hidden meaning in the exchange, but refused to apologise for it.

“There is a lot to catch up on,” she replied softly, a hint of reconciliation in her voice. She watched in surprise when Eastleigh lifted her hand off Sebastian’s shoulder, and kissed the back of it tenderly before giving her a small bow.