Chapter 2
Aunt Cecily sighed.
No, perhaps I was not a handsome child, but I had been loved. Would I ever be loved again?
Uncle snorted. “If it were not for the Laytham mark…” On my forearm, just below my elbow, it was the shape and colour of the Flame, with deep red almost flickering through it. He’d roughly shoved up the sleeve of my shirt, and then had thrown my arm away from him in disgust, although I didn’t know why. “…I would have wagered Maria played my brother false.” Now he glowed at Aunt Cecily. “If we must have a brat about the house that isn’t mine, you will at least keep him out of my sight.”
I was to learn Uncle took pleasure in blaming Aunt Cecily for the fact that even after ten years of marriage, they were still childless.
Her mouth tightened, but she said nothing. Mama, as sweet-tempered as she was, would have taken Papa severely to task for speaking to her in that tone of voice.
Mama…Papa…I missed them so much and wanted them back.
Aunt Cecily tugged the bell-pull, and within moments Colling, the butler who had come to Laytham Hall with her upon her marriage to Uncle Eustace, entered the room.
“M’lady rang?”
“Yes, Colling. Master Ashton will be residing with us. The nursery has been prepared?”
“It has, m’lady.”
“Excellent. See to it that one of the maids has a care to him until we can find a nurse or a governess.”
I was too unhappy to protest that I was too old for a nurse and that I would much prefer a tutor to a governess.
Colling peered down at me from his great height, and I could tell he didn’t care for me. However, he nodded. “If you’ll come with me, Master Ashton?”
“Please,” I turned to my uncle and aunt, “I want to go home.”
“Do not snivel, boy! This is your home now,” Uncle Eustace growled. He was altogether too fond of growling, and I cringed away. “I do not wish to see him when I am at home, is that plain, Colling? You will inform the rest of the staff of this matter.”
“Yes, Sir Eustace. Master Ashton?” He took my hand and tried to lead me from the room.
“I won’t go with you!” I shouted. “I want to go home!” I jerked free and ran back to Aunt Cecily, throwing myself at her and clinging to her skirts. “Please, Aunt! Oh, please!”
“Brat!” Uncle Eustace yanked me free of his wife, hurting me in the process. “Must I do everything myself?” This time he closed his fingers about my wrist, so painfully tears welled in my eyes, and in spite of the way I dug in my heels, he dragged me along after him.
“No!” I tugged on my wrist, and when he wouldn’t release me, I sank my teeth into his hand.
“Enough of this!” He gritted his teeth and struck me hard enough to knock my spectacles askew, and I stared up at him in utter shock. I had never been struck before in my life. “Now behave, or I’ll give you a hiding you’ll never forget!”
Terrified, I let him grasp my arm and pull me along to the grand staircase. We seemed to climb and climb. Finally he opened a door and flung me inside, causing me to land on my knees and scrape them raw. I scrambled to my feet, desperately trying to conceal all my hurt.
“You are to stay here until you can find some manners, is that understood, you miserable whelp?” He glared down at his hand, which was bleeding sluggishly, then took out a handkerchief and wrapped the wound. “Colling, see to him.”
“Yes, Sir Eustace.” The butler must have followed us up with the small portmanteau that held all the belongings I’d been permitted to pack. “I will see that one of the maids brings him his meals. However, if he is a biter, I cannot guarantee…”
“No, no. I would not expect you to, Colling. Deuce take it, he could cost me the servants, and God knows Lady Laytham complains enough about how difficult it is to keep them.”
Colling’s face looked as if it were carved from wood. “As you say, Sir Eustace.”
“Well, if no one will bring him his meals, he’ll just have to go hungry.” There was satisfaction in his words, and with that, Uncle turned on his heel and left me there.
Colling gazed down at me, regarding with dispassion the bruise I could feel blooming on my cheek. “I will send Jane with a supper tray. You would do well to heed Sir Eustace’s words and not attempt to bite her.” He left also, closing the door behind him, and I heard the key turn in the lock.