“We waited until after,” Jasper said, his voice sharp. Seth didn’t react to the news that I was pregnant, but he did seem to be taking pleasure in making his brother uncomfortable.
“My father had just died, and I had nowhere to live,” I explained. Jasper shot me a look that implied I should stop talking.
Seth moved in closer, taking a look at me. “You seem familiar,” he said.
I looked up at Jasper, unsure if I should answer. “Her father used to be our doctor,” Jasper said. The muscles in his arms were tense, and a vein in his neck was pulsing.
Seth nodded. “That’s right. You look just like your father.”
I was surprised; Seth couldn’t be much older than I was, and yet I didn’t remember anything about my childhood at Wolf’s Peak.
Seth held out his hand to me. “It’s so lovely to see you again, Christine.”
I held on to the blanket with my left hand as I extended my right to him. He took it and kissed it, his mouth warm and moist. It wasn’t pleasant.
“Seth, why don’t you go wait in the parlor? I’ll meet you there. I’m just going to say goodnight to Christine.”
“Actually, I’ll be in my room,” Seth said as he turned and went down the hall.
Jasper rolled his eyes and pulled me back inside, shutting the door behind us. He took me across the room by the fireplace.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I don’t know what Seth is doing here.”
“I don’t mind,” I said. “I’m happy to meet your family.”
“Not him,” Jasper said as he started putting his shirt on. “Look, I want you to go straight to your room. Lock it behind you. I’m going to go deal with my brother.”
“What?”
He leaned in and kissed me quickly. “Just do as I say.”
He didn’t give me a chance to respond, hurrying from the room. I paused, at a loss, looking around the empty room, before tightening the blanket around me and leaving the room as well. I’d come get my clothes tomorrow when the embarrassment had worn off.
I went back to my room and wrapped myself in the blanket I had stolen from Jasper’s room. It was impossibly soft and it smelled like him, a sort of mix of pine and vanilla and something warmer that was indescribable.
I woke up to Annabelle bursting into my room the next morning and I groaned. Sunlight hit my eyes as she hovered over me, and I pulled the blanket over my head. Annabelle yanked it back off.
“Why does everyone insist on waking me up?” I groaned. “I’m pregnant. I need my sleep.”
“You didn’t tell me Seth was here,” Annabelle said.
“How was I supposed to tell you? And how did you get in here? I locked the door.”
“I have a key,” she said, holding up a key ring.
Of course she did. I buried my head under my blanket again, and again, Annabelle uncovered it.
“This is serious!” Annabelle hissed.
I sighed, sitting up. “Why is it so serious?”
“Because Seth is not a good person!” Annabelle exclaimed.
“I’ll make that determination for myself,” I said.
“No, we don’t have time for that. You need to tell Jasper to make him leave.”
“I’m not going to do that! Seth is his only family.”
“Christine, please, he’s dangerous,” she said.
“He could be here to reconcile. I’m not getting in the way of that. I’m not going to do anything until I learn more.”
“Fine,” Annabelle tossed over her shoulder as she walked toward the door. “You’ll have plenty of time tonight. Jasper is having us all over for dinner.”
I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect for dinner. I dressed in a pretty wine–colored gown and Bridget helped twist my hair back. I looked proper, I supposed, and that was important. My first impression to Seth hadn’t been what I had hoped, and as he was Jasper’s brother, I wanted him to like me.
Jasper came up to get me. He had been running his hands through his hair again; it was messy and unkempt. His body was tense, shoulders up near his ears, lips pressed tight. His expression softened when he saw me, and he gave a small smile.
“You look lovely,” he said.
“Thank you. You, however, need a hairbrush,” I told him. I handed him the brush from my nightstand and he looked in my mirror as he styled his hair into place.
“Sorry,” he said. “I fiddle with it when I’m on edge. It’s so thick it stays messy unless I fix it.”
“You don’t need to be on edge, it’s just your brother.”
“Are you ready for dinner?” Jasper asked.
“I suppose.” He held out his arm and I took it as we stepped down the stairs and into the dining room. Jasper took his seat at the head of the table, and I sat down next to him. Seth was at the opposite end, and the councilmen filled in the seats between, as well as Annabelle. They had left Daniel at home.
“Oh, it’s so good to see you all again,” Seth said, grinning with a predatory smile across the table. “It’s been too long, hasn’t it?”
No one said anything.
“What has everyone been up to?” Seth asked. “Annabelle, I heard you had a baby. I didn’t think you had it in you, Stephen.”
Stephen pushed away from the table, looking like he was ready to punch Seth. Annabelle, unusually quiet, put her arm out.
“Don’t give him the satisfaction,” she whispered from beside me.
“And Lester!” Seth said. “So good to see you’re still alive. I would have figured you’d be dead by now.”
“Seth, that’s enough,” Jasper warned.
“Merrill, are you still seeing, oh, what’s her name…”
“Anne?” Merrill said.
“No, not your wife, your mistress, what was her name…oh, well, it doesn’t matter. How about you, Adam? Have you had any relations with a woman, or do you still primarily consort with men?”
Adam’s knuckles were turning white. “Why, I ought to—”
The cook came in with a tray of food, oblivious to the tension in the room.
“We’ve got herbed chicken with potatoes,” she said proudly.
Seth leaned back in his chair. “Even got the same cook. Nothing has changed here. Except my brother. Apparently, he’s married now. You forgot Cecilia awfully fast.”
Jasper stood up. “Enough,” he said, his voice hard.
“I’m sorry, did I strike a nerve?”
Jasper’s face was red. “You are my guest here. I suggest you get yourself in line before I throw you out.”
“Fine!” Seth exclaimed, pushing away from the table. “But you know someday I will make this place mine. I care more about the family line than you do!” He stomped away from the table.
Jasper put his head in his hands. “You all can leave,” he said. “Actually, I’ll see the men in the library.”
Annabelle and I took our plates up to my room. She didn’t say it, but I knew she was thinking that she had been right.
I stayed in my room that night. I didn’t lock the door, but I wasn’t wandering the halls just in case I ran into Seth. While I was hopeful for a reconciliation between the brothers, the way Seth looked at me gave me chills. His expression was always hungry and predatory. I wanted to keep out of his way.
Despite this, the garden was still my happy place. I ate breakfast alone, and when I was done, went to walk through the garden. As I passed by the fountain, I paused, looking around me. Something was off, although I couldn’t quite determine what it was. The fountain was splashing, flowers were blooming, birds were singing—
No. Birds were not singing. In fact, as I looked around, I saw no animals. No squirrels running up the trees, no deer in the woods, no wolf. The usual chirp of the birds or rustle of leaves was gone. The only sound I heard was water lapping.
Curious.
It put me on edge. I turned to go back inside when I saw Jasper coming down the stairs, heading down the path to the iron fence. His head was
down, hands in his pockets as he walked. I ran to meet him, and he looked up in surprise when he saw me.
“Hi,” he said, slowing down so we were walking in sync down the path.
“What are you doing out here?” I asked, linking arms with him, the missing animals all but forgotten.
He nodded toward the iron gates. Through the bars and the vines, I could see gravestones, some cracked, some tilted.
“Do you want some company?” I asked.
He smiled down at me. “I would love some.”
Jasper pulled a heavy key from his pocket and slid it into the rusted lock. He pushed the fence open with a loud creak that made me cringe.
“I’ll have to fix that,” he muttered as we stepped inside. Just like in the garden, the paths were paved with stone, but here they were overgrown with weeds. The cemetery was unexpectedly large, stretching back until it hit the woods.
“Wow,” I breathed. “It’s huge.”
“A lot of family has lived and died at Wolf’s Peak,” Jasper said.
He directed me over to the line of mausoleums along the left side of the fence, overlooking the lake. It was a beautiful view, one meant for the living, not those resting there. Jasper went up to the one on the end and unlocked the door.
“Is this where your parents are?” I asked as we stepped inside. I had never been in a mausoleum before. The ceiling was high, and on the other end was a stained–glass window. Light filtered in, leaving colored patterns on the floor. To our right and left, slots were filled with coffins. The air was thick with dust and musty.
“Right here,” Jasper said, running his finger along the nameplates to our right. “Sometimes I just like to come out here and pay my respects. It’s been a while since I did that.”
“Is it because Seth is here?”
“That’s part of it,” he sighed. “Do you remember when I told you I can’t stomach tea because it reminds me of the time I got really sick?”
I nodded, and we stepped outside the mausoleum. Jasper locked the door, and then turned around to look at the gilded letters above it.
“My whole family was sick at that time,” he said. “Horribly, terribly sick, and we rarely ever got sick. Seth and I survived; my parents didn’t. I don’t know why. Sometimes I still feel guilty when I think about it. Why did I get to live while my parents died?”
I put my arm on his. “You can’t blame yourself for that.”
“I know, but sometimes it’s hard not to. It was the worst time of my life. I remember standing right here with my brother while they locked up the mausoleum. It was horrible.”
He sighed and buried his hands in his pockets again. “Shall we go inside?”
We started inside when a stone near the gate caught my eye. I left Jasper’s side to get a closer look, kneeling down by the smooth, curved stone.
Elizabeth Croft
1941–1971
Loving Wife and Mother
I looked at Jasper, my eyes brimming with tears. “You didn’t tell me my mother was buried here.”
His eyes were wide, his jaw open. “I had no idea. I suppose it makes sense, since your family lived here, and she died here.”
I traced the lettering in the stone with my fingers, the cool divots under my fingertips. The headstone was cracked on one side, a lightning–bolt shaped break almost interrupting the letters in her last name.
Jasper crouched beside me. “Do you remember her much?”
I shook my head. “I wish I did.”
“She was lovely. Always so kind and patient with us. She and your father were so in love; it was inspiring to see. My parents were often cold to each other. When I was growing up, I always wanted to love my wife the way your parents were in love.”
He wrapped his arms around me. “And I got that, twice.”
I leaned into him, sniffling. I had never thought I would see my mum’s grave; my father rarely talked about her. Perhaps it was my pregnancy, but I was overcome with emotion.
Jasper moved away from my side, and came back moments later with a bouquet of wildflowers in his hands. Gently, he laid it down against the headstone. He stood up, running his fingers over the crack.
“We’ll get it repaired,” he promised.
“Thank you,” I said softly. Jasper held his hand out to me, and I took it and stood up. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a hug. He was so warm and smelled so good, I could stay there forever. He kissed me on the forehead, then took my arm and led me back though the garden.
Before we went back inside, he stopped me.
“We need to talk about Seth,” he said.
I looked up at him and wiped the remaining tears from my eyes. “Of course. How are things going?”
He pinched his lips and rubbed the back of his neck, looking out at the horizon. “Not well. His performance at dinner last night only convinced me that he hasn’t changed at all. He apologized, but I’m not sure I believe him.”
“I hope things work out,” I said. “I would do anything to have my family in my life.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think we’ll be able to get along. I’m giving him today, but if his attitude doesn’t change, I’m sending him home tomorrow.”
I was going to protest, but he stopped me. “Please, trust me on this.”
I nodded.
“I need you to do something for me,” he said. “I need you to stay in your room. I don’t think he’ll do anything, but I just don’t want to take the chance. I know you’re going to hate it, but please, stay in your room until he leaves tomorrow.”
He was right, I hated the idea, but he looked so stressed that I couldn’t argue. Dark bags hung under his eyes, and he had been running his hands through his hair again. His brother hadn’t even been here for two days, and I was worried my husband would fall apart. So for once, for the sake of my husband, I didn’t argue. I just nodded.
“Of course. I’ll stay in my room.”
Chapter Twenty–One
I wasn’t thrilled that I was going to be cloistered in my room again, but Jasper seemed so adamant. My mind was a whirl of anger, hurt, and confusion, but I had seen something in Jaspers eyes—an anxiousness mixed with a resolution—that told me not to argue. As his wife, it was my duty to trust him, despite my emotions, but regardless, the first chance I had alone with him, I would compel him to explain himself. At the very least, I would keep myself away until tomorrow, when Jasper made the decision about his brother. In preparation, I went to the library, planning to grab a few books for my time in quarantine.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to read. I had read nearly everything on babies and pregnancy already; I’d have to remember to buy more the next time I was in town. I went over to the fiction section and picked a few novels. I took a copy of Great Expectations; I had never read it, but it came highly recommended. I still had my copy of Jane Eyre as well. Though I had read it before, I didn’t mind reading it again. Knowing my mother had enjoyed it meant it held a certain place in my heart.
I set the book on the table and considered. Two would certainly be enough for the next day or so, I would think, but just in case, I wanted to grab something else. I looked around the room until my eyes landed on the bindings in the loft. I hadn’t been up there yet. Jasper had said it was full of old family manuscripts, and those weren’t so interesting, but he had also said there was some mythology up there as well. I glanced up into the loft, watching the shadows dance in the candlelight. Jasper was sufficiently distracted, and I decided I may as well satiate my curiosity before I was closeted away.
With a glance over my shoulder I climbed the spiral staircase, my hands sweeping layers of dust off of the railing. When I got to the top I brushed my hands off on my dress, then crossed around the tables and chairs and over to the corner. Darkness crept into every crevice here, and I hadn’t brought a lamp. I waited a moment for my eyes to adjust before reaching out and grasping a gold–lettered spine that read The Tales of Lysander Wolfric. Family histor
y, perhaps? I was curious to know about my child’s ancestors. I opened the cover.
“Christine!”
I probably shrieked and I know I jumped, startled. I rushed over to the railing and looked down to see Annabelle waving up at me.
“What are you doing up there?” she asked. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Can you come down here?”
I glanced back at the book I had planned on grabbing. “Of course,” I said. I’d come back later for it.
I gathered my skirts and stepped down the staircase, sneezing as I kicked up some dust. When I got to the bottom, Annabelle was shutting the library door, turning the key in the lock.
“What’s going on?” I asked, frowning.
Annabelle peeked through the crack between the doors before meeting me by the table. “Have you spoken to Jasper yet?”
“I talked with him just a few minutes ago.”
“And what did he say?”
I knit my brows. “He said that he’s going to give Seth one more night. If he doesn’t think he’s changed, he’ll send him home tomorrow.”
Annabelle slumped down into a chair. “Oh, thank God. Thank you so much for talking some sense into him.”
“This had nothing to do with me. He had already decided. I’d like him to give his brother even more time, but Jasper seemed firm.”
Annabelle sighed. “Christine, you can’t be so compassionate toward Seth.”
“I know,” I said. “Everybody keeps telling me he’s a bad person.”
“He is!”
“But no one will explain why,” I continued.
“It’s complicated, but please, believe me.”
I paused. “Annabelle, he’s Jasper’s only living family. I wish I still had family. I’m not going to stand between them.”
Annabelle stood up. “I understand where you’re coming from. Really, I do. But you’re making a mistake.”
She got up and left the library, the doors closing behind her.
I watched the doors for a minute, hoping she would come back. Was it that hard to understand that I just wanted my husband to have a good relationship with the last of his family before it was too late? I wanted him to be happy.
The Wolf's Wife (The Wolf's Peak Saga Book 1) Page 17