A Cold Legacy (The Madman's Daughter 3)

“It’s all right, Miss,” he said somberly. “Just remember your promise. After the wedding, you must tell him.”

He stood straighter, taking his duties seriously. I was in awe of him. No human could forgive and forget so easily.

Lucy stood to the side of the wedding party, dressed in a purple gown with Edward’s pocket watch glinting around her neck, no longer a sign of his death but of his life. She caught my eye and gave me a reassuring smile that everything was all right with him, and then raised a fiddle and started playing a reel. I had forgotten she could play. The music was beautiful. Overhead, the sinking sun found breaks in the clouds and cast a golden-colored light over the wedding party. Balthazar led me toward the altar.

“Montgomery says we shall live here, at the estate,” Balthazar whispered to me. “He said this will be our home forever.”

My stomach clenched. It reminded me of when I’d fled Father’s island, when I’d known we had to leave Balthazar behind even though it broke my heart. I squeezed his arm harder, reassuring myself that I’d never have to make a choice that difficult again. “Of course we shall.”

He grinned, and we walked the rest of the way to the wedding party. Balthazar patted my arm, and then moved to stand next to Lucy. She gave his hand a squeeze, and he beamed.

Montgomery came to stand beside me. I could feel his presence like warm sunshine, my mind racing to take all this in, the flowers and the clouds overhead and his hands clasped behind his back.

“Dearly beloved,” McKenna began.

She continued through prayers I’d heard at the few weddings I’d attended when I was younger. I didn’t care about the words, the same words spoken at all weddings. What I cared about was capturing the parts of today that wouldn’t last forever in the pages of a book: the rolling moors behind us, the single strand of hair that fell into Montgomery’s eyes, the anxious way his fingers flexed, betraying his excitement. Lucy holding Balthazar’s hand. Sharkey sat at Moira’s feet with a bit of twine fastened to his leather collar as a leash. The wind still carried the smell of the storm, and it blew harder, ruffling my dress and making the windmill churn fast. I wanted to remember every moment. Most of all, I wanted to remember Montgomery.

I reached out to hold his hand. I knew it was untraditional for the bride and groom to touch during the ceremony, but we’d given up formalities long ago.

McKenna asked for the ring, and we made our promises to each other, and Montgomery slipped the ring over my finger.

“You may kiss the bride,” she said.

Montgomery placed a chaste kiss on my lips that lit a fire within me. I fought the urge to throw my arms around him and never let go.

“I’m sorry this wedding has to come at so difficult a time,” he whispered. “So soon after Edward’s funeral. But I love you, and I always will.”

I tried to show no reaction; for all I knew, Edward might be in the attic even now, looking down on us. I dared a glance that way but the sun was reflecting on the upper windowpanes, obscuring anyone who might be watching. I told myself it was a good thing—Edward was back with us, and in time perhaps he and Lucy would be standing where I was now, the past forgotten, and the four of us could share in the management of Ballentyne.

Before I could answer, Lucy struck up a tune on the fiddle and the servants cheered. The little girls wrapped their arms around themselves for warmth, and Elizabeth herded everyone toward the glass-enclosed winter garden, where McKenna was waiting to serve cake. The coming darkness brought with it a chilling breeze, but I didn’t care. Today only one thing mattered.

“I love you,” I whispered to Montgomery.

He grinned, but a tug on my dress caught my attention, and I looked down to find Hensley in a tidy little suit with a rat perched on his shoulder, that one milky white eye staring into nothing. A coldness crept up my bare arms at the memory of him holding the Beast’s heart in his bloodred hands, staring at me the same way.

“What is it, Hensley?” I asked as calmly as I could, though my heartbeat sped. Montgomery was gone from my side; two of the little girls had pulled him into a dance.

“You’re keeping a man secret in the attic,” he said, and blinked solemnly.

THIRTY-ONE

MY HEAD WHIRLED AROUND to Montgomery, making sure he was out of earshot. I looked for Lucy but she was gone, probably to check on Edward’s recovery.

“I’ve been watching through the walls,” Hensley added. “He’s the same man who was scaring everyone before. You brought him back to life. You weren’t supposed to do that.”

My heart pounded harder. He couldn’t tell Montgomery about Edward, not today. I couldn’t shatter this one day of happiness with such shocking news.

“Come with me.” I led him away from the group and knelt down, hoping that if anyone caught sight of us they would think it merely a sweet scene of the bride playing with a child on her wedding day.

“I know it looks like the same scary man, but it isn’t,” I said in a rush. “The man in the attic is good. He’s a dear friend, and he’s recovering from having been very ill. For now, let’s keep it a secret, what do you say? Like a game between the two of us.”

I could feel panic creeping further into my skin. Hensley was unpredictable and dangerous. There was no telling what he might do or say.

“Mother says we can’t ever bring them back. Bad things will happen.” He spun his head in Elizabeth’s direction. He had a cold look in his eye. “I should tell her what you’ve done.”

He started toward her, and I pounced on him. “No! No, listen to me, nothing bad will happen. The ones brought back from death aren’t anything to worry about. You’re fine, aren’t you? You only meant to kill that Beast because he was harming us, right?”

I knew that wasn’t true, but I hoped it might sway him.

He seemed to be wavering, but then started for Elizabeth again. I grabbed his little wrist. “Wait,” I hissed, a little desperately. “I’ll tell you a secret, but you have to promise not to tell your mother. I can prove that the man in the attic isn’t a threat. I did the same procedure on your rat here, and it’s perfectly normal, isn’t it?”

He frowned, head twisting toward the rat on his shoulder. “My pet?”

I swallowed, speaking in a rush. “You’re quite strong for a little boy, and sometimes you crush them without knowing it. Your mother throws them out and replaces them, but this one I brought back to life. And he’s good, isn’t he? He’s a sweet little pet. Aren’t you glad he’s back? For me, it’s the same with Edward. Everyone will be glad he’s back, in time.”