Destroy turned to Carnage, “Now what?”
“Row howsh,” he said and turned away from Destroy set on a path to find a place for Destroy to build Rowan’s house.
Chapter 22
Enthrall sat in Abraham’s study, at Abraham’s desk, looking over the documents that the lawyers had had delivered to the house earlier that morning.
Carolena and Rowan were busy boxing up anything that Carolena wanted to take back home with her. The rest she planned to sell off or donate to those in need.
It had been very hard for Rowan to reenter the home she’d been attacked in, and, in fact, she’d not yet entered the kitchen where the attack had taken place. The other servants had been preparing their meals and had been told the same story Abraham’s attorneys had been told. Carolena had sent for Rowan, and Rowan had departed late the night before Abraham’s death for Carolena’s and Enthrall’s home in Louisiana. She’d been fortunate to avoid the attack that had taken Abraham’s life — had she been there that morning, usually the one to rise first and prepare the meals for all the others, she’d most likely have been caught in the violence. It was made clear to them that she was only to serve Ms. Carolena, having become her most trusted companion, so that she too would be treated with respect by the other servants. Enthrall’s natural personality demanded respect and servitude. He and Carolena shared a room under the guise of husband and wife, though he slept on the over-sized sofa in the room while she slept in the bed. Rowan occupied an adjoining room, and they kept the doors opened between them so that Enthrall could keep watch over both women at night.
Having spent several hours poring over the papers of Abraham’s will, he gathered them together and went in search of Carolena.
“Carolena!” he called out through the house. “Carolena?!” he called a bit louder, “Where are you, love?!” he shouted.
A butler of sorts appeared on the second floor landing of the main staircase, “She and Miss Rowan are in the attic, sir.”
“Ah, thank you,” Enthrall answered.
The butler bowed and inclined his head, stepping back to allow Enthrall to pass as he hurried up the stairs in search of Carolena.
Enthrall picked up the soft notes of female voices talking and giggling as he climbed the stairs to the third floor. He followed them into the attic and found both women perched on the floor going through boxes and boxes of dresses and other clothing that must have belonged to Carolena’s mother.
“And what have you two found?” he asked.
Carolena looked up at him, a huge smile on her face, “I think these were my mother’s. There are so many, I hate for them to go to waste, but I have no use for more than a couple of them.”
“Perhaps we can find a foundation to donate them to for women who need,” Enthrall answered.
“There are several foundations that help the needy,” Rowan said, “but I’m not aware of one particularly for women only.”
Enthrall took in the attic. It was a huge area, taking up almost one third of the entire length of the third floor. Almost everything in it was boxed up or covered by huge sheets and cloths to protect whatever lay underneath from dust and dirt. “There’s quite a bit more than I expected up here. Are you going to go through all of it?” he asked.
Carolena looked around, “Yes. I think I am. I have to, so at least I know what it all is, so I can give it away where it will get the most use.”
“Don’t you think?” she asked Rowan.
“I do. And I’ll help,” Rowan said, glad to be included in anything to keep her busy and her mind off Destroy. She slipped her hand into the pocket of her dress, fingering the purple ribbon she kept with her all the time.
Enthrall walked over to a dusty white cloth and pulled it from whatever it hung over.
Carolena gasped and jumped to her feet, hurrying over to where he stood.
“That’s my mother,” she said reverently. “My father took it down, I hadn’t seen it in years,” she said, running her fingers over the life-sized painting of a woman who could be Carolena, but with darker hair and a smaller, more slight figure.
“She was quite a beauty,” Enthrall complimented, smiling at Carolena as she admired her mother’s portrait.
“She looks so kind,” Rowan said, coming to join Carolena where she stood with her hand on the ornate frame of the painting.
“I believe she was,” Carolena said, “but I never knew her.”
“I wonder if any of the servants have been here long enough to know her,” Enthrall pondered aloud.
“I don’t know. We weren’t allowed to speak of her,” Carolena said. “My father would tell me we weren’t worthy to speak of her each time I asked about her.”
“Bastard,” Enthrall murmured under his breath.
But Rowan caught his comment and nodded in agreement.
“Let’s uncover all the rest and see what we have here. Then you can decide what you want to do with it all,” Rowan suggested.
“Yes, let’s,” Carolena agreed. Then she realized that Enthrall held a stack of papers grasped in his hand. “Did you find anything?” she asked, pointing to the papers.
He looked down at them, “Yes, as far as I can tell, and I’ve been back and forth between them, everything is yours.”
Carolena gaped at him, “Everything?” she stammered.
Enthrall nodded, “Everything.”
“Even the businesses? Didn’t he leave anything to his managers? Those that ran them for him?” she asked.
“Seems he ran them all. He had nothing else in life, so he ran them all personally. He’d set up his will to leave everything to your mother, Clara. Since she’s gone, and you are their only child, and he’s never changed his will at all, it’s now yours. The businesses, this house and the estate it sits on, the bank accounts, the stock holdings, everything. Yours. You are an heiress, Carolena. A very wealthy heiress.”
Carolena plopped down on her bottom, causing a little dust cloud to rise up around her.
“There is a clause that states that if the estate and all its holdings aren’t claimed within thirty days from the date Abraham died, all holdings revert to the control of his law firm, to be distributed or maintained as they see fit,” he added.
“Do we still have time?” Carolena asked.
“We do; there are twelve days left before we hit the thirtieth day. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if his attorneys set up roadblocks to try to keep you from claiming the estate. They do, after all, stand to profit from it if you don’t claim it.”
“What do we do?” Carolena asked. “I can’t possibly run everything. I don’t want everything. I just want my nice quiet life with Carnage. I don’t want to live here.”
“I think you should claim everything. All of it, no exceptions, claim everything. You should do it today, this afternoon,” he said.
“But I…” she started.
“Hear me out,” Enthrall interrupted her. “Claim it all, let’s make it all legally yours, in your name. Be sure that no one questions your ownership. We get it all squared away, then we find another law firm. One that you trust to oversee all your holdings. One that has your best interests in mind, as they will be paid handsomely for keeping your holdings safely in your hands and profitably adding to your bank accounts.”
“Accounts? As in more than one?” Carolena asked.
“Yes, plural,” Enthrall confirmed.
“You can determine how you will communicate with them. What you want them to do and how it should be done later. Those things are details you can work out as you go along. But making sure it’s all in your name is priority. You can always sell off whatever you don’t want later on. Okay?” he asked.
She didn’t answer.
“Carolena?” Enthrall prompted.
“Hmm?” she asked, looking around.
“Is that what you want, or do you have another idea?” Enthrall asked.
Carolena shook her head, “No, it’s fine. Whatever you think is what we
’ll do.”
“Let’s get dressed and head over. Let’s not announce our intention to pay them a visit, and catch them off guard. We’ll wait while they draw up the papers, I’ll look them over in detail. As I look them over, you will sign. By the time we return home tonight, all will be yours, and you can take your time deciding what you want to do with it.”
“Okay,” she answered, still dazed. Then she had a thought, “Why, if he had all that money — I mean, I knew it was a lot, but that’s just unreal. Why would he care about a meager debt that Rowan’s father owed?”
Enthrall didn’t have the answer, “I’m not sure. It could be that that’s the way he made his money, preying off others that couldn’t stand up to him. Or maybe once her father owed yours a debt, he became aware of Rowan and saw it as a way to gain access to her. I don’t know. But that debt is now yours. Every single person who owed him a debt is listed in his ledgers, and their debt is now owned by you. It’s your choice of what to do with them now.”
A look of horror crossed her face, “I don’t want anyone owing me anything! Absolve them, absolve them all of their debts!” she said.
“Very well. That’s exactly what we will do, as soon as you sign your name taking possession of everything that is rightfully yours,” Enthrall said.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
“Are you sure, Gheorghe?” a soft, sweet, very rounded female asked in a hushed voice as she clasped her hands together against her lips.
“Fairly,” he answered.
“Oh, thank the stars! Our Rowan lives!” she exclaimed.
“I haven’t seen her myself, mind you. Only heard tell that Miss Ashlar and her new husband had arrived in town. They was seen arriving at the train station, and there was a dark haired gypsy girl with them, following along closely. She got into the carriage with them, and they drove away. I watched the house for a while last night and I’m going back today, and so far I haven’t seen her. But we can hope, Oksana, we can hope.”
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
Enthrall and Carolena spent much of the next hours talking, planning.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea, Carolena. Rowan will be very surprised,” Enthrall said.
“Are you sure? Do you think she’d be offended?” Carolena asked.
“I think she’ll be thrilled. And what an amazing thing for you to offer. You have a bigger heart than your body has room for,” he told her, hugging her.
“Will you help me set it all up?” she asked.
“I will. But we should find a new legal firm to represent you and help you establish it. I don’t trust the one your father was with,” Enthrall said.
“I agree.”
Just after lunch Enthrall helped Carolena into her overcoat. She’d dressed in some of the most business like clothing she could find. She’d left all her wardrobe at her father’s home, so she’d had much to choose from. They walked through the foyer of the house and heard heels on the staircase behind them. They both turned to find a very beautifully dressed Rowan standing in the green silk dress that Destroy and Enthrall had bought her, her overcoat in her hand as she stood just one step above the bottom floor.
“Rowan?” Carolena asked.
Rowan seemed nervous, “I was… I just… May I come with you?”
“Of course,” Carolena answered.
“I’m sorry, Rowan, I should have thought you’d not want to be left behind. And I should have included you regardless, I promised to look after you as well. My apologies,” Enthrall executed a perfect bow to her.
“It’s okay,” Rowan said, blushing. “I just don’t want to be here alone. It’s just too much.”
“We understand, come along,” he said, reaching a hand out toward her to usher her with Carolena toward the front door.
They walked outside, enjoying the brisk air that greeted them. Carolena raising her face to the sun and inhaling deeply. “It’s still got nothing on our swamps,” she said smiling.
“It has its own charm, though,” Enthrall said, smiling at her, pleased that she’d grown to love Whispers as he did.
“Perhaps,” Carolena answered, as she took Enthrall’s hand to steady herself as she climbed into the carriage. Enthrall then helped Rowan into the carriage before taking a look around and climbing in behind them.
No one saw the older gentleman in the torn overcoat and old leather cap watching from the shelter of the trees that lined the drive. His heart was happy. He’d seen his daughter — his very live daughter. He could now go home and tell his wife, she lived. The trip home was a bittersweet one. She was alive and appeared healthy and well, but the reason she was in this situation was his own pride. She was his child, and he’d let his pride get the best of him. Led him to brag about what his child could and couldn’t do. Led him to drink himself into oblivion and end up in debt to the man who took his only daughter in servitude then forbade them from ever seeing her again. He needed to see her. To tell her how sorry he was for his actions. It wouldn’t make anything different, but at least she’d know that he was sorry for what he’d done. For the spot he’d gotten them into. And that he was sober. He’d not had a drink in a month. He’d found a little job — two actually. One sweeping out the tavern he used to drink in, and another keeping the gardens at the orphanage across town. He was bringing in a little money now — and it felt good to no longer be a burden. He needed to also tell her about Alexandru — that he’d come looking for her. She needed to be aware. But mostly, he wanted to allow his wife to hold her beloved daughter again, if only for a moment.
Chapter 23
“Why didn’t you have the documents ready to sign?” Enthrall asked haughtily.
“Because we weren’t aware you’d be coming today,” Mr. Thorpe answered.
“Today or tomorrow or yesterday, you knew we’d come. Why not have them ready?” Enthrall pressed.
“It matters not; they are being prepared as we speak. May I offer you a drink? Bourbon perhaps?” Mr. Thorpe offered.
“You may, but I will not accept. I never touch it,” Enthrall answered. Then he tapped his temple, “I must remain clear headed at all times. My wife depends on me to look out for her interests, and I will not fail her.”
“I am sure,” Mr. Thorpe answered. “Yet it will not deter you from your duties here. We are always with Ms. Ashlar in mind.”
Enthrall turned and faced Mr. Thorpe — it was his law firm the other three worked for. “Mrs. Larocque. And I’m sure you do. I will, however, be reading over every single word you put to paper before she signs.”
Enthrall heard Rowan call Carolena’s name, then a bit of hushed whispering between them before he heard Carolena call him.
“Enthrall?” Carolena interrupted their passive aggressive meeting.
“Yes, dear?” he answered not looking away from Mr. Thorpe.
“May I speak to you for a moment?” she asked.
“Of course, love,” he answered.
“I shall return shortly,” he told Mr. Thorpe.
Once in the hallway outside, Carolena said in a whisper, “Rowan noticed something we haven’t thought of!”
“What is it?” he asked, trying to figure out what he may have missed.
“Enthrall, my name is not Larocque. I can’t sign with your last name, or it won’t be legal.”
Enthrall thought about it, “She’s right. Damn!”
“And there’s another problem…” she said.
“What?” he asked, still trying to work out the name problem.
“I’m mortal. If I leave everything to Lily, she will have to come to claim it all after I die, if she wants it. But I may die long before she’s of age to claim it,” she explained.
Enthrall’s head jerked back and his brow wrinkled, “Why would you die before she comes of age?” he rushed out in a whisper.
“Because she’s half Carnage,” Carolena looked around to be sure they were alone and leaned closer to whisper in his ear, “I’m only human. Goyles age much, much more slowly
than I do. It’s no secret that I’ll die first, long before either of them.”
Enthrall laughed, he outright laughed. He took Carolena’s offended face in his hands and brought her close to him, “Did no one explain it to you? Sweet, your life is now tied to his. You will age as he does, as Lily does. True you are still merely human, but you are a very, very slowly aging human.”
Carolena’s pout at his laughter turned into a brilliant smile.
“You didn’t know?” he asked, still holding her face.
“No, I had no idea,” she answered, still smiling.
Enthrall kissed her forehead, “Better now?” he asked.
“Definitely!” she assured him.
“Now, the name…” he said, still thinking.
“What if we said my name is not legally changed yet, just got married. It’s still Carolena Ashlar. Therefore, we will both sign it. You and me,” Carolena said.
“But, it’s yours, Carolena,” Enthrall objected.
Carolena smiled at Enthrall, “And I don’t want it. But if I must, I’d rather not have to worry about it. If you sign, too, it’s yours as well. You can make decisions and handle the business end of things, and I don’t even have to be involved. Please?”
Enthrall didn’t know what to say. It made him think again of how it must feel to have a female trust you implicitly. To have no hesitation to hand over everything she had, everything she was and say, “I trust you.” Carolena had done so, financially at least, and he knew she didn’t love him, not like she loved Carnage. They were family though, and for now it was enough. It made his heart hurt a bit, though, for something he’d begun to believe would be forever out of his reach. He’d been enjoying pretending to be her husband, not because he was in love with her, but because it inferred he wasn’t alone. For this last week he’d been surrounded by either Carolena or Rowan or both. He didn’t want to go back to being lonely again. He reached up and rubbed his chest, his heart did feel funny — had been since they’d walked into the law firm. He took a deep breath looking away from her, toward the offices that lay behind them and rubbed his chest again.
Destroy, Book 2, Whispers From the Bayou Page 18