Nine
Cecelia closed the door and leaned heavily against it. She raised a hand to her lips and smiled. No one had ever told her that kissing in the garden could leave a person with aching lips. Among other parts. Marcus had pulled her into his lap and proceeded to kiss her senseless. He’d licked and nibbled and sucked, and then he’d done it some more. She laughed lightly to herself and spun around.
“Had a good night, did you?” a voice said from her window. Cecelia raised a hand to her heart, startled at the sudden interruption.
“Milly,” she breathed. “Thank goodness it’s you,” she said. “You’ll never believe what happened.”
“I’m quite aware of what happened, miss,” Milly said. “I stopped in the garden to find you.” The gnome glared across the room.
“What?” Cecelia asked, as heat crept up her cheeks. “We didn’t do anything wrong.”
Milly ground her teeth. “Wrong is in the eye of the beholder,” she warned.
“It was just a kiss,” Cecelia grumbled. “You could pretend to be happy for me.”
“I would be happy for you if I thought your relationship had a chance to flourish.” Milly’s frown was disturbing.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re needed at home,” Milly said. “There’s no time to pack your things. We’ll be traveling tonight.”
“What?” Cecelia gasped. “I can’t possibly go home now. I’m not supposed to return until the moonful.”
“It’s your father,” Milly said quietly. Her eyes filled with tears. Milly had been with Cecelia’s family her whole life. She sniffed the tears back and straightened her spine. “Your father is unwell.”
“What’s wrong with him?”
“He’s unwell,” Milly said with a shake of his head. “And he’s unable to fulfill his duties as one of the Trusted Few.”
“Is he drinking again?” Cecelia asked. Of course he was. Milly’s face revealed every thought that entered her pretty little head.
“He’s unwell.”
“He was fine when I left. Dry as a desert in summer. He hasn’t drunk for more than a month.” Her father had been surprisingly healthy, not the way he was in the months following her mother’s death.
“He took your leaving hard,” Milly admitted.
“But he knew I would be back.”
“Your father doesn’t like to be alone,” Milly said.
That much was true. He never had liked to be alone. When Cecelia’s mother was alive, he’d drink occasionally. But he was a funny drunk. He wasn’t angry or mean. He simply drank, had a really good time, and then went to sleep. Her mother would tuck him into bed, and then she would apologize to the community for whatever he’d done or said, and then he would not drink for a few days.
After her mother died, he’d changed. Drinking no longer made him amusing. He was cruel. He did things that were disturbing, like break things. And he got into a fight or two. To tell the truth, Cecelia was relieved when they’d asked her to go to the other world to help out with Marcus. She’d assumed Marcus’s grandmother had called for her specifically to give her some respite from her father. Everyone who lived among the fae knew how desperately she needed a holiday. Was that too much to ask?
“What did he do this time?” Cecelia bit out.
“He harmed someone,” Milly admitted.
“Did he punch someone? It wasn’t Mr. Randall, was it?” When they drank together, the two of them could get into all sorts of scrapes.
“It was Mr. Randall, but your father didn’t punch him. It was worse.”
“How much worse?” Cecelia dropped onto the side of the bed, her limbs suddenly as heavy as two anvils. She’d gone from buoyant to weighted in a matter of moments. Only her father had a knack for doing that.
“Mr. Randall was injured in their altercation. And they had to use the healing waters to help him.”
The healing waters were for emergencies only. Only the dying were permitted to drink from the pool.
Milly grimaced as she went on. “They fought, and Mr. Randall hit his head.” She held up a hand to stop Cecelia’s next words. “He’s recovering, but slowly. And the Trusted Few have decided not to let this be brushed under the rug. Your father will stand trial.”
“But it was an accident,” Cecelia protested.
“They don’t consider it to be an accident when it happens this many times.”
“He’s just lonely,” Cecelia rationalized. She could rationalize this, couldn’t she? Her father was a harmless sot. Most days. She raised a hand to her own cheek. There was the time… But that was neither here nor there.
“The Trusted Few have called for you to come home. Tonight.”
Cecelia nodded. “Let me write a note for Marcus,” she said.
The wind that the Trusted Few had sent for her blew through the open window. “We don’t have time. They’re sending the wind to pick you up.”
The wind only swirled, carrying the fae back and forth from the land of the fae, on the night of the moonful, unless there were special circumstances. “This is worse than I thought.”
“Yes, it is,” Milly confirmed. Her face fell. “It’s pretty bad.”
“What about his seat with the Trusted Few?”
“It’s falling to you.”
Cecelia laid a hand upon her chest. “Me?” she cried.
“You’re his only child. His seat automatically falls to you.”
“I’m seven-and-twenty. I can’t rule the land of the fae. Not like those crusty old men.” She couldn’t rule alongside them. She simply couldn’t. It wouldn’t work out.
“They wouldn’t be so adamant about this if Marcus hadn’t given up his seat,” Milly informed her.
Cecelia had nearly forgotten that Marcus had given up his place within the governing body of their world.
“With his seat empty, they can continue, though they’ll be limping. But with two seats empty, they cannot continue.” Milly cocked her head to the side. “Do you intend to relinquish your seat?”
Cecelia raised a hand to her mouth and nibbled absently at a fingernail. She had a lot of decisions to make. “Can I do that?” she asked.
“You can do anything you want.” Milly’s voice showed no inflection. And that was telling all by itself.
The wind tugged at the hem of Cecelia’s dress, and her hair began to pull toward the window. “The wind is persistent tonight,” she said.
“Yes.” Milly arched a brow at her. “It won’t last long. If you don’t catch the wind now, we’ll have to go by way of the fish.”
Milly went by way of the fish all the time. But Cecelia had never done so. “I suppose we should hurry,” Cecelia said. “Will you come back tomorrow with a note for Marcus?”
“If possible, yes,” Milly said.
Cecelia nodded.
“There’s no time to gather your things,” Milly warned.
“Blast it,” Cecelia swore. She took Milly’s hand and let the gnome guide her to the window.
“Jump with me,” Milly said.
Cecelia arched a brow at her.
“Have I ever let you down?” Milly asked.
Cecelia threw one leg over the windowsill and jumped. The wind caught her, swirling her hair and her dress until she settled within it. Milly held tightly to her hand.
“I’m sorry it’s come to this,” Milly said.
Cecelia could barely hear her over the wind. Over the breaking of her own heart. “I’m sorry too,” she whispered. She’d never been sorrier.
***
Marcus stepped into the breakfast room with a smile on his face. His lips were still tender from the night before, and he drew his lower lip between his teeth to worry it. He’d never imagined that kissing Cecelia could feel quite so… right. The feel of her in his arms, and those little noises she’d made. The way that her breasts pressed against his chest while her hands played in the hair at the nape of his neck. It was making him hard all over just thinking about it.
Marcus froze in the doorway as Ainsley and Allen sprang apart. Ainsley looked down at her plate, and Allen looked decidedly uncomfortable.
“Do you want me to leave and come in again?” he asked. A grin tugged at his lips.
“That won’t be necessary,” Allen said. He smiled at Ainsley from beneath lowered eyelids, and her face mirrored his, all rosy and uncomfortable.
“The two of you are thick as thieves, I see,” Marcus said as he filled a plate at the sideboard.
Allen grinned widely. “Do you really want to talk about relationships right now, Marcus?” he questioned.
“Why shouldn’t we?” Marcus asked.
“Because my bedroom window just happens to overlook the garden,” Allen said with a raised brow.
“Oh,” Marcus said, a laugh erupting from his chest. “I hope you didn’t overlook the garden for very long.”
“Long enough,” Allen murmured. He reached beneath the table to take Ainsley’s hand, and she turned even rosier. “I hope you plan to marry the chit,” he said.
“She’s not a chit. She’s to be my wife. As soon as she’ll have me.”
“Congratulations,” Ainsley said with a cheeky grin.
“Thank you,” Marcus said back. He couldn’t stop smiling today. He just couldn’t. His life was too perfect. He had his family. He had the fae and his missions. He had Cecelia, and he had his parents’ love. Things couldn’t get any better. “Have you seen Cecelia?” he asked.
Ainsley shot a worried glance toward Allen.
“What’s wrong?” Marcus asked.
“Nothing that we know of,” Ainsley said cryptically.
“Then why the long face?”
“Ronald and Milly are here. And Cecelia is gone.”
Marcus wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Gone?”
Ainsley looked down at her plate.
“Gone where?” Marcus asked, throwing his napkin down.
“We don’t know,” Ainsley replied. “Milly and Ronald are in with your parents.”
“Where?” He jumped to his feet.
“In the morning room,” Allen said. He looked down at Ainsley and shook his head. “Don’t say any more. You’ll worry him needlessly.”
Ainsley just nodded.
Marcus strode toward the morning room. Cecelia was probably there with the gnomes and his parents. She had to be.
He stepped into the room to find his father pacing from one end of the room to the other. “Someone had better tell me what’s wrong.” Marcus snapped. “And it had better be soon. Where is Cecelia?”
Ronald sat in the big, purple high-backed chair and swung his feet, eating a scone. “Millicent is the only one who knows where she is, and she’s not telling.” The gnome began to grumble. “Makes me want to toss her over my knee.”
“I’d like to see you try,” Milly spit out.
“Would you two stop it?” his father said with a heavy sigh. “This is getting us nowhere.” He turned to face Marcus. “It appears as though Cecelia has returned home.”
Marcus’s knees buckled beneath him and he sunk into a chair. “What?” he breathed. After the night before, she wouldn’t have left. And she wouldn’t have gone without saying good-bye and telling him when she would return. Would she?
“She received a summons late last night,” Milly said. Ronald was the only one who called her Millicent. Marcus still didn’t understand that.
“A summons home?” Marcus asked.
“A summons to the sit on the throne as the Queen of England,” Ronald said caustically. Then he rolled his eyes. “Of course, it was a summons home.”
“Ronald,” Marcus’s father warned.
The gnome settled down. But then he faced Milly. “I asked you not to do this.”
“It couldn’t be avoided,” Milly said, her gaze downcast.
“She left,” Marcus breathed.
“Yes,” his father confirmed.
“But she’ll be back,” Marcus said. Of course she would be back. She wouldn’t leave him. Not after last night.
“I sincerely doubt it,” Milly said.
She’d left him. She’d really done it. She’d sat in his lap and kissed him, and they’d talked long into the night. And then she’d gone straight to her room.
“Did she leave this morning?” Marcus asked.
“Last night,” Milly said. “Late.”
After their talk. After they’d spent so much time wrapped in one another’s arms. “She’s gone,” he said aloud.
“Marcus,” his mother began, her voice soft. “I’m so sorry.”
“So am I.” Marcus got to his feet, although he worried his knees would betray him.
He was sorry he’d ever kissed her. Because now their last kiss together would be the kiss he’d never forget. He’d relive every moment with her in his arms for the rest of his life. But she was gone. This time, she was the one who’d left. Was she still angry over what had happened before? It was the only way to explain her sudden disappearance.
She’d wanted to leave him. To make him feel as wretched as he’d made her feel. Only she’d done so with a purpose? That couldn’t be the case. She wouldn’t be so cruel. Would she? He quit the room. His mother and father followed him down the corridor until he turned the corner. He needed some time to think.
***
Milly looked at Ronald, whose anger flashed in his eyes like sparks from the fireplace. “You should have told him,” Ronald said.
“I can’t. They’re my family. Their secrets are mine.”
“I wish they weren’t mine.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wish I didn’t know their bloody secrets.”
“I don’t understand.” Ronald had always been cryptic, but she could usually keep up.
“I saw the bruise on her cheek. A week after Marcus left. Her father, in a temper.” He patted his cheek as though he could feel it. “You shouldn’t have sent her back there.”
“She’s strong. She can take care of herself. And her father is not a bad man. He just has a problem.”
“A problem he can’t control,” Ronald shouted.
Milly startled. But Ronald didn’t scare her. She was more afraid that someone would hear. “No one else knows about that.”
“She covered the bruise well. But I could still see it,” Ronald admitted. “I’m worried for her.”
“I’m on my way back there now,” Milly said, getting to her feet.
“But even you can’t watch her all the time.”
“I can watch her most of the time.”
“Her father needs some help.”
“So does she,” Milly said. “Do you think Marcus will go to her?”
“I think Marcus is hurt by her disappearance. And I’m going to tell him if you don’t.”
“You can’t!” Milly cried. “It’s not your secret to tell. It’s hers.”
“She won’t ever tell him.”
“She gets a seat with the Trusted Few.”
“If she can’t govern her own life, how will she ever govern the land of the fae?”
“I don’t know,” Milly said quietly. “I need to get back to her.”
“Be careful,” Ronald warned.
Milly nodded.
“I’ll miss you,” Ronald said softly.
Tears pricked at the backs of Milly’s lashes. She nodded and threw herself from the open window. Sometimes, she wished for an easier life. But then she wondered what on earth she would do with one.