by Dawn Brower
“I thought we could spend the afternoon together.”
She frowned. “It’s raining.”
“It is?” He mocked her. “I hadn’t realized.
Dratted man. She lifted her head in frustration. How could he not understand her point? They couldn’t go for a walk and enjoy the outdoors. What did he think they could do in the middle of the afternoon with rain? “There’s no need to be sarcastic.”
“That wasn’t my intention.” He moved farther into the room. Merlin—the traitor, rubbed against his leg. “Who’s this?”
“My cat,” she replied and then felt dumb. Of course it was a cat… Though she supposed he didn’t know Merlin belonged to her.
“Does he have a name?” Ash asked. He reached down and stroked the cat’s silver and black fur. “He’s friendly.”
Catherine crinkled her eyebrows together and stared at Ash, then glanced down at Merlin. Her cat hated everyone except her. What made him suddenly decide to play nice with others? “He really isn’t—sociable, that is.” Sometimes she really wondered about her cat. Was he perhaps like the wizard he’d been named after? He did seem rather old with his silver fur. It could be the markings of a beard. “His name is Merlin.”
“He’s a nice kitty.” Merlin purred as Ash rubbed under his chin. Catherine was not jealous of her cat—she couldn’t be. “So, would you like to spend the afternoon with me?”
“Are you propositioning my cat?”
Ash’s laughter echoed through the library. He picked Merlin up. The cat didn’t meow, hiss, or make any other cat noise in disapproval. Clearly Ash had a magic touch. “As enjoyable as Merlin is, I’d rather spend the afternoon in your company.” He handed the cat to her. “If that is acceptable to you.”
She felt ridiculous. Catherine would like to spend the day with him again. She’d grown to like him over the past week, and he even seemed a little less sad then the last time she’d been with him. “What do you propose we do?” The rain hadn’t stopped, after all, and she didn’t want to stay at the embassy if he had an idea that would help her escape.
“Have you visited the Louvre?”
She had been wanting to go ever since she’d come to Paris, but Sir Benjamin had denied her the pleasure. He didn’t think art was something a proper young lady should experience in person. “That seems an odd choice for you, my lord. I didn’t realize you were a connoisseur of art.”
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that,” he replied casually. “But as you’ve mentioned—it is raining. There are not a lot of options, and I wanted to see you.”
That pleased her more than she could ever express. She had wanted to spend time with him too. Her heart fluttered in her chest and sensations danced in her stomach. Was this what it felt like to be courted? Did he hope for something of a romantic nature with her? “I’ll consider it.”
He lifted a brow. “I suppose that’s better than an outright refusal. What must I do to convince you it is in your best interest to accompany me?”
She laughed lightly. “My best interest?”
“Why, yes.” He winked. “I’m the perfect person to accompany you. No one else will make it as fun as me.”
“You’re too modest.” Catherine couldn’t stop her lips from turning upward. He was charming and gorgeous. No other man tempted her quite the way he did. She could spend hours in his company, and it wouldn’t be enough. “I’ll go—on one condition.”
“Anything,” he promised.
“Are you sure you want to extend that invitation so broadly? What if I asked you to kill a man?” She couldn’t help herself. Their repartee had become a habit she rather enjoyed. He made her life in Paris more bearable.
“Do you need me to?” Ash tilted his head. “Give me a name and consider it done.”
“You wouldn’t?” Would he? Catherine studied him for a moment. “You are teasing, aren’t you?” She hoped that he was…
“I am,” he agreed. His smile was warm and inviting. “But if anyone threatens you…” He shook his head. “Let’s not think about dark thoughts. What is it you require of me, so we can spend some time in more pleasant surroundings than this?”
“I hadn’t realized that the Louvre is more pleasant than the embassy.” She rubbed Merlin’s fur as he started to squirm in her arms. “But I do see your point. It can be dreary here.” The cat wanted down, but she didn’t think it was a good idea. She’d have to take him to her room if she did go out with Ash. “Tell me your full name before we depart. Sir Benjamin won’t allow me to leave without a proper introduction to the man I’m to spend the afternoon with.” He’d talked about a lot on their last two meetings, but he hadn’t been open about his name or connections. It was almost as if he tried to forget everything about his family and the person he’d lost. Catherine wanted to know more about him, starting with his full name. The title didn’t matter so much, but it was a part of him, and she’d like for him to willingly give her that information.
“Sir Benjamin is acquainted with me,” he replied easily. “But if you must give him a name.” He bowed. “Asher Rossington, the Marquess of Seabrook, at your service.”
A marquess—she should have known he’d be a high-ranking peer. Sir Benjamin would be beaming at that news. She wasn’t about to spite herself, so she wouldn’t please her guardian. She wanted to go to the Louvre with Ash, and she’d face anything to have that. “Let me take Merlin up to my room, and then I’ll speak with Sir Benjamin. Wait here until I return.”
“I’ll be here.” His lips tilted upward into a sinful smile. “Don’t be gone too long. Patience isn’t my strong suit.”
Catherine didn’t bother replying to that. She had more important things to do. They could continue their banter after she received approval to leave. Merlin squirmed again, and she petted his ears to calm him down. She was as anxious as the cat, but for different reasons. It wasn’t going to be a bad day after all.
Chapter 4
June 28, 1914
Catherine sat at her vanity. A new day, and another dinner at the embassy… Her life in Paris had become monotonous with one shiny element to keep her from losing her mind—Asher. They’d had a lovely afternoon at the Louvre, and as expected, Sir Benjamin had been pleased by it. She didn’t have the heart to tell her guardian that she had no idea if Ash considered their outing the start of a courtship, or if he’d taken pity on her and decided to give her something outside of the embassy to enjoy.
If she had to define their relationship, she’d say they were friends. It could grow into something more, but at the juncture they had found themselves in—nothing romantic had happened. Ash seemed too sad for anything more serious, and she remained grateful for someone she could relate to. They hadn’t started out so congenial; however, she had grown to like him. That meant more to her than finding a potential husband.
Ash had been invited to dinner at the embassy. Whenever her guardian could squeeze him on to the invitation list, he did. Catherine didn’t complain. Especially since it benefited her… She enjoyed spending time in Asher’s company, and she rather thought he liked it too. Tonight, she decided to take care with her appearance. She didn’t dare admit she’d wanted to look her best for Asher. She wore a maroon gown with a black lace overlay. Instead of traditional white gloves, she wore a matching pair of black ones. Her dark hair was twisted into an elegant chignon with small waves on the top, a stray lock fell down over her forehead and curled around her cheek to her jaw line.
The final touch was a piece of jewelry that had been handed down through the generations—a string of red beads. A ruby pendant was the main focus of the necklace. It had belonged to her relatives, going back to the sixteenth century—to Caitrìona Dalais Guaire. The woman she’d been named after, and who’d she had been directly descended from. Her main gift—the visions she couldn’t control—had come from her, but all of the descendants from the Dalais clan had something, even if they didn’t realize it.
When she wore the necklace,
she felt close to her long-ago ancestors and appreciated their sacrifice. If not for their strength and determination, she might never have been born. Caitrìona’s twin daughters had ensured she’d be remembered, and shared her story with their children. Then they, in turn, shared it with theirs and so it had carried on with each generation until Catherine’s mother told it to her. One day she’d have children of her own, and she’d do the same.
Catherine trailed her fingers over the pendant. She wouldn’t have it at all if Lili Guaire, one of the twins, hadn’t been enthralled by it and sneaked it in her pocket the day her mother had been accused of being a witch. No one had known she had it, so she’d been able to keep it safe—the last piece of her mother she’d ever have. Catherine’s mother had become sick and had passed it on to her earlier than planned. It was supposed to be a wedding present, and instead, for her, it had been one final memento from her dying mother.
She sighed and then left her chambers. The dinner would be starting soon, and she’d like to visit with Asher before they sat down to the meal. Sir Benjamin could ensure the marquess was invited, but he couldn’t be certain he’d sit next to Catherine while they dined. Though, more often than not, he was near her. They were almost equal in rank, and that made things easier for her guardian’s matchmaking. Sometimes, Catherine thought he wanted to rid himself from the duty of seeing to her care, and others, she wondered why he bothered. Sir Benjamin was a secretive man, and he seemed to lurk behind doors and listen when he shouldn’t, or perhaps that was part of his duties. She had never bothered to ask.
When she entered the drawing room she smiled when her gaze immediately met Asher’s. He’d been staring at the door with his lips tilted into a wicked grin. Catherine closed the distance between them. A waiter strolled by, and Asher grabbed two flutes of champagne. When she reached him, he handed her one. “A toast.” He lifted his glass. “To the sole person in the room I’m happy to spend the night with.”
“It would be rather narcissistic of me to drink to that,” she replied with a small laugh. “As it would be assuming I enjoy my own company more than anyone else’s.”
“I’d say you’re bloody brilliant if you did.” He leaned down and whispered, “Have you talked to any of these blowhards?” Ash took a sip of his champagne and then gestured toward the room as a whole. “They’re so egotistical; it is ridiculous. I think most of them are fond of listening to the sound of their own voice.”
Catherine giggled. She covered her mouth with her hand. It was a ridiculous sound. “Stop,” she told him. “They’ll hear you.”
“I don’t care.” He shrugged. “They don’t mean a damn thing to me.” Ash tilted his glass toward her. “You, on the other hand, do. So, yes, I’ll toast to you every chance I can. You helped me at one of my darkest moments, and no mere words can express how much.”
It warmed her heart that he cared that much. Sometimes her gift did make a difference, and that made her happy. The vision she’d had the other day still troubled her though. She wouldn’t allow that to cloud her time with Asher. “I did nothing,” she replied. “We spent the day together, that’s all.”
“That was enough,” he said. “It made me appreciate my life and help me decide where I needed to be. I’d found out my father died earlier that day, and I…” He looked away. “It’d been bleak until I saw you on the bridge.”
She hadn’t realized… He’d been sad, but he’d never said why. How terrible—that also meant something else. “You inherited the title.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “If you’d introduced yourself to me the first night we met, you wouldn’t have been a marquess, would you?”
He shook his head. “I’d still have been me.”
Yes, he would have, but that edge of sorrow hadn’t been there. He wasn’t the same, and probably never would be. That man had been arrogant and cocksure. She’d been drawn to him then, but more so now that he showed her his vulnerable side. “That’s good,” Catherine said warmly. “I like you no matter what title is attached to your name.”
His eyes seemed to almost light up with something. Happiness maybe? She couldn’t be certain, but Catherine appreciated the effect it had on him. A loud murmur echoed through the room and some of the guests stared at where it had started. The ambassador had entered the room. Her guardian stopped him and whispered something in his ear. The ambassador turned to those gathered and said, “I have some unfortunate news to share. The heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated in Bosnia earlier today.”
Sophie… Catherine raised a hand to her chest. That had been what her vision had been about. If she’d known, she could have done something to prevent it. Why did her visions leave more questions than answers? Those poor people had died for nothing.
“Are you all right?” Asher asked quietly. “You’ve lost all color. Please tell me you’re not about to faint.”
“I’m not,” she reassured him. “I’ll be fine. The news startled me.”
“Were you acquainted with them?” He took her champagne and set his flute, along with hers on a nearby table. “Do you wish to go somewhere else?”
She shook her head. “I’ve never met them.” Catherine had seen them once in her vision, and it had been enough to leave her cold. She hated to see people die needlessly. Not that any death was good, but one like theirs could be deemed tragic. “There’ll be repercussions.” She glanced up at him. “Something like that can’t go unchecked.”
“You’re right,” he agreed. “I’m afraid of what this will lead to.”
Everyone had a sense of unease at the news. None of them understood the full extent of what had happened, and even Catherine, with her visions, couldn’t predict what might yet come. The apprehension increased inside of her with each passing second. She couldn’t help feeling as if the world would explode at any possible moment, and if it did, chaos would rule for longer than anyone would like.
They all walked quietly into dinner when the bell rang. Everyone tried their best to keep up a jovial mood, but the news had set a precedent for the evening. Asher had sat next to her, but even that hadn’t been enough for her. She didn’t go to the drawing room after dinner, and instead asked to be excused. Catherine had a lot to think about, and she was certain, at some point, another vision would hit her. She didn’t want to be in the drawing room when it did.
August 30, 1914
Asher rushed toward the embassy. He’d been corresponding with the Earl of Derby, and he would be leaving France soon. They needed someone with his skillset in Belgium, and if he could manage it, Germany. They needed intelligence if they were going to win the war—and they were all at war. So many countries had declared war on each other, he’d lost track of who was against who at one point. France was allied with England, and for now, Catherine was safe. He didn’t know for how long though…
The door to the embassy opened. “Good evening, my lord,” the servant greeted him. “Lady Catherine is in the library.”
He visited Catherine almost every day. The entire staff had become accustomed to it and directed Ash to Catherine’s location immediately upon his arrival. Ash nodded at them and headed straight to the library. He wanted to tell her that he wouldn’t be back for a while. When he entered the room, he found Catherine sitting on the settee, petting Merlin. “My two favorite people,” he said, announcing his presence.
“Ash,” Catherine exclaimed. “Merlin loves that you consider him human.” She patted his furry head, then glanced at Ash. “I didn’t think you were coming by today.”
Normally, he’d have been to see her much sooner. So, he wasn’t surprised she believed he wouldn’t visit. The war had everything in chaos. “I apologize for coming so late. It couldn’t be helped.”
“You don’t need to come every day,” she said in a lighthearted tone. “I’ll survive if you miss a few here and there.”
He hated that he’d have to tell her he had to leave. Ash sat on the other side of Mer
lin and stroked behind his ears. “I’m going to miss the two of you.”
“We’re not going anywhere,” Catherine said, confusion in her tone.
“No, but I am.” This was the hard part. He opened his mouth to tell her where he was headed, but a loud boom reverberated through the room. Sirens shrieked outside the building, immediately after.
“What was that?” Catherine stood up and rushed to a window.
“Cat,” he yelled. “Come back here. It’s not safe.”
He picked up Merlin and then grabbed her hand. Claws found a home in his shoulder. Ash yanked them out and the cat dug them right back in. At that particular moment, Merlin became his least favorite cat, but Catherine loved him so he’d try to help the beast.
The sirens had been set up in case of an emergency, and the loud rumble could only mean one thing: bombs. Another explosion rocketed through the room shaking everything. A lamp fell over and hit the floor. A few books tipped over on the shelf, but stayed there. Another huge bang and they’d probably tumble off. The bomber had managed to drop it closer to the embassy. Until Ash could be assured that Catherine was safe, he wouldn’t leave her alone. He huddled with her at the back of the library, praying the bombing wouldn’t last long. They heard three more booms that grew farther apart with each detonation. Then nothing but blessed silence…
Catherine shook in his arms. “This will get worse with each passing day.”
“It will,” he agreed. “That’s why I have to leave.” Merlin let go of his shoulder and scratched his neck. Ash let go of him instinctively, and the cat leaped out of his arms. He ran under a nearby chair and huddled there. The poor thing was terrified, and Ash didn’t blame him—though he’d like to be less mangled from his claws.