Cinders and Ashes (Cavendish Mysteries 2)

“Sebastian?” Amelia turned her head. Her heart sank at the sight of him sitting with his head in his hands beside her. “What’s wrong?”

Sebastian’s head snapped up. He stared nonplussed at her; as though he couldn’t believe she was awake. Visibly shaking, he immediately went to move towards her, but had second thoughts and sat back down in the chair with a thump.

“Amelia,” he whispered, staring lovingly at her for several moments as silence stretched before them. His eyes were filled with longing, hope and regret as he studied her pale face lovingly. He coughed uncomfortably around the lump in his throat.

“How do you feel?”

Amelia considered for a moment, doing a mental inventory from head to foot before frowning. “Sore,” she declared firmly, thinking of the state of her feet.

Sebastian winced and frowned in concern. “I am so sorry. So very, very sorry,” he whispered mournfully.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I wonder sometimes if you weren’t right, and I should have left you in Glendowie. It was me Ballantyne was after. You got caught in the middle. I am so very sorry I dragged you into this.” Sebastian fought his way through the tumult of emotions that churned within him.

“I want you to know that what happened last night; what they did to you doesn’t change the way I feel about you.” His eyes met and held hers. “I love you, and always will.”

Amelia cried out at the precious words she had longed for. “I love you too.”

“Do you? Do you really? Even after last night?” Sebastian’s voice trembled, as he perched tentatively on the edge of the bed. He didn’t want to frighten her, but couldn’t stand the distance between them a second longer. He needed to be near her. If only to gain reassurance that she really was going to be alright.

“Last night was one of those things. We all thought Ballantyne had been arrested. It appears he left before they could get him. You cannot control events caused by someone like that. Nothing that happened last night was your fault. If anyone was to blame, it was me. When I left the pavilion, I should have returned indoors instead of wandering around outside.”

“Do you remember much about last night?” Sebastian murmured, wondering if she had blanked everything out.

“I can remember everything,” she whispered shakily. “I do love you, you know. I just didn’t want to be tied into marriage to you knowing you didn’t feel the same way. I didn’t want us to end up like my parents.”

“We never will, Amelia. I love you.” Sebastian carefully picked her hand up, kissing the back of it tenderly. “Nothing you can do will ever change that. I will give my last breath to protect you. Although, I haven’t done a very good job of looking after you so far.”

“Nobody can predict someone like Ballantyne. Do you think he was insane?” Amelia thought back to Sebastian’s discussion with him in the graveyard.

“I think he was perfectly aware of what he was doing. He was merely trying to act out of his mind in the hope that if we did get him to the gallows, he would be let off due to his mental condition,” Sebastian replied honestly, and without sympathy for the other man. He held her hand a bit more firmly as his eyes met hers. “I think it only right you should know that he too survived the plunge into the raging torrent.”

Amelia cringed and felt her stomach flip. Instinctively, her hand tightened on Sebastian’s.

“He was unconscious when Edward found him downstream, but was alive. He is now in Derby Gaol waiting trial. With the evidence against him, there is no question he will hang. Rat torched the house, and was killed as it burnt. You are perfectly safe now, from both of them.”

Amelia fought a sob but couldn’t prevent the tears that escaped her eyes. “So it really is over now?” she hiccupped, unable to believe that they were free at last to get on with their lives.

“Yes, darling. It definitely is over. We can now start to piece our lives back together again.” Sebastian shifted, wondering how to broach such a painful topic.

“I also want you to know that if there are any repercussions from last night, I will support you in every way. We will deal with it together. I love you, and will accept whatever decision you consider best,” he said the last in a rush, needing her to understand.

“Repercussions?” Amelia frowned, wondering what he was talking about. “I think my feet will recover. The doctor has left a tisane, and the stitches in my shoulder will be removed in time. Apart from that, I am sure I will make a full and complete recovery.” She raised a hand and tipped Sebastian’s face around to face her until their eyes met.

“Both Rat and Ballantyne said they had ‘used’ you.” Sebastian’s voice shook with suppressed fury at the thought of her ordeal.

“They lied,” Amelia whispered, pushing the covers down and sitting upwards to kiss his chin. “I think they would have, if they hadn’t realised you were there. There are no repercussions from last night,” Amelia replied with a soft smile, lying back on the bed and tugging Sebastian down with her.

“But there are from our other nights,” she whispered, and waited for the news to sink in.

At first Sebastian heard her words, but their import didn’t register. Amelia sighed and rolled her eyes before carefully tugging his head toward her.

“We have to get married now,” she whispered. “You have to make an honest woman out of me, so we can deal with this repercussion together.”

Sebastian froze, and stared in wonder as he realised what she meant. He tugged the covers lower to stare in wonder at the soft mound of her belly before snapping his eyes back to hers.

“Are you sure?” His voice was husky with smoky surprise.