Heirly Ever After

by Vernon, Magan

  “Madison, so glad you’re joining us,” she exclaimed in that posh accent.

  My sister stood from the sofa where she was sipping from a porcelain cup. Her outfit was similar to ours, but since she got the hourglass frame, hers was more like that of a 1950’s pinup going for a little jaunt.

  Damn, why did I have to get the stick figure?

  And yet when Jacob looked at me…felt me…it wasn’t as if he saw me that way. But as something way more.

  Stop. Thinking. About him.

  “About time you got here. I was starting to get worried after I saw Jacob head to use the bathroom in the white room,” Natalie said, standing and giving me a knowing smirk as she set her cup down.

  “Guess I’m just not used to having all the time I need in the bathroom,” I said, shrugging and keeping my head down so she couldn’t read my face.

  “Give your little sister a break,” Cecily said, tossing out her hand before looping her arm through mine.

  “Since when did you two become best friends? Or is this more of a co-conspirator thing?” Natalie asked.

  “A little bit of both, since I’m sure that today I’ll be able to get the dirt from my new best friend about my long-lost cousin,” Cecily said, giving my arm a slight squeeze.

  I bit my lip to hold back my gasp of surprise.

  What would I say to her?

  Should I share the article I’d discovered about the MacWebleys?

  No, that would be bad.

  So I’d tell her that we made out hardcore in the library?

  Nope. Probably not the best idea, either.

  “Not much to tell really,” I said, trying to be nonchalant, but Cecily’s smile made it seem like she knew exactly how well I knew him. Or exactly how big of a stick he was packing in those dress pants and what it felt like pressed against me.

  “Oh please, at least give me a little bit of your fairy tale. I’ve heard everything from Natalie, but there is only so much a girl wants to hear about her brother.” She batted her eyelashes, glancing at Natalie, who fell in step with us. “No offense, sister-in-law.”

  “None taken,” she muttered but still had that wondering look on her face. Her eyebrow was slightly raised as if she was waiting intently for my answer.

  Thank God we walked to my mom’s room and Cecily took the hint that I wasn’t exactly going to talk about my love life in front of my mother.

  Or, well, whatever this was.

  Especially since there was another big elephant in the room I needed to address—the breakup and drop out.

  But that could wait.

  “Morning, girls. I’m sorry, I thought we said ten?” she asked, looking down at her slim gold watch.

  When did she get that? She’d always worn the same silver, tarnished piece. Not only was she wearing a new watch, but she had on a similar riding outfit to ours. A year ago, when Natalie had first come here, Mom wouldn’t even order takeout pizza, and now she had new watches and outfits? What was I missing?

  Before I could ask any of that, though, Natalie had to throw me under the bus.

  “Your youngest daughter was running a little late,” she said, hitching a thumb in my direction.

  “Thanks, Sis.” I smirked.

  “Okay, okay, I didn’t mean to start an argument. Let’s just have a nice day, okay?” Mom threw her hands up in the air.

  Natalie and I exchanged a look that said neither one of us was over it, but we weren’t about to keep going in front of Mom.

  That must have at least sort of satisfied her because she put her arms down, closing the door before turning back to Natalie. “Is your mother-in-law or grandmother-in-law joining us?”

  She shook her head. “Not today, but we’ll see them for tea afterward.”

  Mom fluttered her hand to her chest. “Oh, well, then we better hurry. I’m not going to stand up either lady.”

  Natalie laughed, shaking her head as we started down the hallway. “Don’t worry. Lady Helena always likes to make an entrance, so she’ll probably be fashionably late.”

  “Natalie, you shouldn’t talk about your future mother-in-law that way,” Mom hissed, glancing at Cecily.

  Cecily laughed in return. “She’s right, though. Mother likes to make an entrance. Especially now that we have a few more guests in the manor.” Her gaze fell on mine, a small smile crossing her lips that made me feel about an inch tall.

  If only I would have known about Jacob from the beginning. Would I have still agreed to him being my date or would I have run for the hills?

  As my heart pounded, I knew that I was too far in to even think about this. Not only was the man doing things to my body I hadn’t even felt with my last boyfriend, but there was also something vulnerable about him. The truth about his family that had more to his story than he let on.

  I just had to figure out how to get into his head without ending up on top of him.

  Or him on me.

  Or…

  “Madison, are you okay?” Mom whispered, knocking me out of my haze.

  Cecily and Natalie were talking about some of the sconces along the hallway that I guess had been recently updated so the historical society could take the older pieces. I wasn’t as into history as my sister, so a lot of it went over my head and I could zone it out.

  But when Mom gave me that hissy-whispered tone that also was somehow still filled with concern, it took everything I had to pull myself together.

  “Yeah, fine. Just a lot going on around here. It’s a bit much.”

  Mom nodded. “That’s how I felt when I first visited, too. Who would have thought that the Reeder girls would end up in an English manor?”

  “Definitely not this girl who grew up sharing the worst bunk beds in the world with her sister.”

  Mom waved a hand, shaking her head. “Oh, they weren’t that bad.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Mom, every time I climbed to the top bunk, the entire thing wobbled. Do you know how many times we duct taped the posts just to keep the whole thing from toppling over?”

  She sighed, looking at the ground as we walked. “I know. I wish I could have provided more for you and your sister. If I could have given you both the world, and even afforded an apartment with another bedroom, I would have done it all.”

  My stomach lurched at her words.

  Her and Natalie did everything for me.

  And I’d shit on it because of a stupid ex-boyfriend.

  “But we can’t go back. We just have to move toward the future.” Her tone shifted from one of somberness to an almost hopeful reach. Something that lifted her. Something that had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

  “Is this just an inspirational speech or are you trying to tell me something?”

  Glancing at me out of the corner of her eye, a small smile crossed her face. “Well, since you’re the one to bring it up.”

  Uh oh.

  My shoulders stiffened as a million different scenarios ran through my head. What was that smile saying? Was this going to be a million questions about Chris? About when I was finally going to graduate?

  About Jacob?

  Would she ask what my future plan was?

  Shit.

  “Your sister and Gavin took a walk with me after dinner last night and showed me a cottage on the property. Well, they called it a cottage, but the place is at least three times the size of my apartment with all new appliances, three bedrooms, and a view of rolling hills instead of that billboard advertising boiled peanuts. They want me to move in.”

  I blinked hard, trying to process what she was saying.

  Natalie had always wanted to take care of Mom, but moving to another country? Leaving her friends? Surely, she wouldn’t even consider. She didn’t like to take anything from anyone.

  “And?” I asked, hesit
antly drawing out the words.

  She shrugged. “I haven’t said ‘yes’ yet, but it would be nice to be closer to your sister, especially when grandbabies start coming in the picture. And, you know, there are a lot of opportunities in town for work or even here at the manor.”

  Slowly looking up, she’d gone from broad smile to a stern expression. Her eyes were so steely, they reminded me of when Natalie and I would get in trouble for fighting when we were little. “And there are opportunities for you here as well.”

  “W-w-what?” My shoulders shook as I tried to process her words.

  “You and Chris are no longer together, which I figured was the one thing keeping you in North Carolina. I mean and school of course, but I figured you only have another semester left and there are opportunities here for schools.”

  I shook my head so hard, my ponytail whipped my cheeks. “Mom, no, it wasn’t Chris that made me stay…”

  There was so much more. So much more I should have told her when it had happened.

  My eyes watered as I tried to hold back the emotion quaking through me.

  She rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to lie to me, honey. I know you love me, but you wouldn’t leave North Carolina for me if he was still in the picture. And I don’t know your graduation plans. But…”

  I let out a deep breath. “There aren’t any plans right now…I mean as far as school goes and…”

  She blinked hard then interrupted. “I’m not trying to push you into anything, but this is a great opportunity, if nothing else, to figure out where you want to be. Even if you spend a few months just exploring Europe, maybe a gap year, I’d love to have you closer to go on this journey with me.” Finally, her eyes softened as she smiled. “And I’m not sure what exactly is going on with you and Jacob…”

  “Nothing, we’re friends,” I blurted out, which caused Mom’s smile to widen as she nodded.

  “Okay. Friends. A friend who you would definitely be closer to if you moved here.”

  I swallowed hard, trying to take in the full reality of the situation.

  There was nothing left for me back in North Carolina. Here I’d have my mom, sister, and who knew what else. Was there really a reason to say no?

  Well…the one thing I was leaving out was dropping out of college. This was my time. I could come clean and tell her everything while she talked of gap years. But instead of telling her any of that, I squeaked out what I could.

  “Can I think about it?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Of course, honey.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Jacob

  I was a dobber to turn down a woman on top of me, I knew that much. But I’d be an even bigger dobber if I let Madison get hurt in the end of all of this.

  Last night, I’d waited a few more beats in the library before going back to the room. But when I arrived, her door was already closed. I’d wanted to knock so badly. To tell her everything and stop this lie that was digging into my soul.

  But I hadn’t.

  It took everything I had to lay on the couch for another sleepless night, wrestling with my own thoughts.

  When I couldn’t toss and turn any longer, I got up and changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Madison’s door was still closed, and the sun had barely risen over the horizon. No one would be up yet but the bakers, so I figured I could have some time alone and headed down toward the kitchen.

  I planned on finding some dough and kneading it until my hands were raw. But on my way there, I passed a door I’d missed before. One that was now ajar.

  Stopping to investigate, I turned on the lights, illuminating a dark, oak-lined room with floor-to-ceiling windows on one side that let in the slight haze of the rising sun. The other side was lined with training equipment I remember using back in the uni gym and the one at the manor…before we sold it all, that was.

  But while ours at the manor was a modern gym, this one was a gothic cathedral with its steel chandeliers and stained glass as if someone converted the old chapel.

  Maybe a gym was the better way to work out my frustrations and figure out what was going on in my head.

  Passing a few weight benches and free weights, I walked closer to the back wall. A stained-glass portrait was carved into it, one of two knights wielding blades in what appeared to be judicial combat.

  I’d seen similar paintings of former clansmen hanging around our manor. Those were now long gone. The thought of all those pieces of our family history now sitting in a museum or in some bored, billionaire collector’s house had the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.

  My blood was boiling as it coursed through my veins.

  Without thinking, my fingers plucked along the handle of an XI sword with its cocked hat pummel fitting a perfect lock on my grip as I wielded the weapon. An arming sword. Lighter for a knight to carry into battle and not as long, so one wouldn’t need to be on horseback to carry it. This was meant for one-on-one combat.

  For a dispute.

  “Didn’t know you were a swordsman.” Gavin’s voice echoed through the gym.

  Instead of curling into myself, I stood straighter, the sword in my hand lighter. “Ah. Learned from my grandfather and father.”

  He walked toward me, arms crossed over his chest. Without the tailored suit, in his gym shorts and T-shirt, it took away his intimidating look. Stripped him of his armor, so to say.

  “So did I,” he said with that same stiff gaze he always had. He then picked up another blade, adjusting the grip in his hand.

  “Do you have some kind of honing device or did an alarm go off alerting ye I was here, so you had to come and protect your swords?” I asked, running my thumb over the notch of the handle.

  He let out a breath through his nose, but no smile or even the hint of a laugh came. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d go to the gym. I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be here.”

  I held up the blade, finding a smile crossing my own face. “So you weren’t coming to challenge me to a duel?”

  “Now why would I do that?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

  With the weight of the blade in my hand, I focused on that sensation, giving me the strength to bring the words forward.

  “I don’t know, seems like yer a little intimidated,” I said. “Even though you were technically the one to invite me here, you still seem threatened by a MacWebley.”

  This time he did laugh as he shook his head. But there was no humor to it. More like pity. “Jacob, I’m merely trying to understand you. So is the rest of my family. It’s been a long time since anyone has even uttered the name of our Scottish relatives.”

  “So you obviously didn’t know we’re the better ones in battle.” I raised my sword and with a flick of my wrist knocked my blade to his. The cool metal slipped from his hand, clattering to the floor.

  His face stayed stone still as he reached down for the sword. But I was quicker, lurching forward and stepping on his blade then holding my own barely a hair from his throat.

  Looking up, his steel blue eyes weren’t filled with fear or concern. But something else cold was behind them.

  “Like I said, the better swordsmen are the Scots.” I smirked, a new rush of adrenaline coming over me. I had him exactly where I wanted him. If this were a real duel, one breath and I’d win. It would all be over.

  My cousin then took my one beat of glee and gripped my arm. His other hand moving to the handle of his own sword, knocking it up to his hand as he stood facing me. His sword was now an inch from my chest.

  I sucked in a hard breath, staring down at the blade then up at the now slight smirk forming on Gavin’s face.

  “Ah, but a little bit arrogant, aren’t you? One should never take their eye off their opponent or their opponent’s weapon.”

  That darn smug smirk.

  Arrogant?
r />   This was from the family who’d ignored us for years. There was nothing arrogant about the MacWebleys. We had nothing, and when we’d reached out? The Webleys had turned away. There was no way I was letting this naff take any more.

  Bending to the side, I ducked from his blade then held up my own, the metal clinking against his as he blocked me.

  “I knew exactly where I was going, dear cousin,” I said.

  “Really?” He threw out another jab, and I blocked it. “Then where have you been going here?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I held up my sword, but he took my moment of weakness to get in another cross that I only blocked by a breath.

  “We were both looking up the same documents in the library. Searching for the history of the MacWebleys. I know all about the financial trouble, thanks to a little thing called the internet.”

  My breath caught in my throat as a chill crept over me. But I didn’t let my guard down, blocking his jab and plunging forward with my own, only to be blocked again.

  “What do you really want, Lachlan? I know you’re not here only to reconnect with the family.”

  “I told ye, my name is Jacob,” I gritted, trying for a counter tempo against his, but blocked again as he crossed his blade over mine.

  “Fine, Jacob. Is it money you’re wanting? Because I’ll write a check right now and you can leave,” he spat, crossing my blade.

  Money.

  That could possibly solve my family’s problem, but what of our legacy?

  That was long tarnished.

  And I had to figure out how to fix that.

  I was so close, I could almost taste it.

  “You know I’m not leaving here, no matter how much of yer money you try to throw at me.” I tilted back, crossing my blade over his, watching him block, but his stance faltered. He was either tiring or my verbal jabs were getting to him. I’d take either one.

  “You could have come here any other time, but you had to get Madison involved. All I want is for you to leave my fiancée and her family alone. Your problems are with my family, not theirs,” he said, pulling back as he got back into a fighting stance, sword thrusted, legs planted firmly on the ground.