Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
All these years?
And that fast I was reminded that the reality these people were living in was not mine. This was a time slip, and I needed to keep that in mind. I could fix all this. I simply had to figure out how to break the spell. But again, the concern was, if Corvus was too fractured to be called on, I had no chance to restore what was lost.
“Corvus is a cursed place,” Clemson told me. “I have no doubt the devil himself will one day come calling.”
“You speak the truth now, Clem,” Albert confirmed, then took hold of my bicep and moved me out of the way as a small carriage rolled by.
It didn’t take long for the men to unload the pelts into the back of the simple wagon and then hitch Troy up. Once Barrett and Albert were in the front, and Clemson and I were sitting in the back, our legs hanging over the side, we began toward the mansion Giles had replaced my sweet cottage with.
The building was…immense. The driveway had been meticulously cleared of snow. It was cobblestone, and the entryway to the mansion had eight columns made of black-and-white marble. Everyone stepping down from their carriages was helped by waiting footmen, and the whole place was ablaze with gas lights. It was undeniably gorgeous, a Greek Revival Center Hall Colonial with stunning landscaping. The trees that had stood near my cottage for centuries were gone too, and that in and of itself, nearly made me cry.
As we rolled past the front gates, Clemson said, “The likes of us are allowed solely at the servants’ entrance.”
Once Barrett finally turned us down another cobblestone drive, this one barely wide enough for the wagon to navigate between the hedges, when it opened up, I saw the door and the steps that led to the basement.
We left the wagon, and I couldn’t resist patting Troy goodbye before bolting after the others, needing to get out of the cold.
“Are you going to see Mr. MacBain directly?” I asked Barrett when I caught him on the flight of marble stairs.
He scoffed. “We will not see Mr. MacBain, only collect our money from his man.”
And I knew, logically, that whoever it was, was not Lorne’s man like I was, but still, even the sound of the word made me bristle. It also meant I wouldn’t see Lorne. I would need to skulk around the house and look for him. I had no idea how I was going to manage that. If Giles saw me, he’d kill me, and I was betting he would have a lot of help, judging from the amount of people working for him.
When I got inside, I was surprised at the number of servants rushing around with loaded platters, serving trays, and even something as long and wide as a door, carried by four men up the stairs. After taking in all the activity, I darted around Barrett to reach the enormous fireplace, afraid I was never going to get the circulation back in my hands and feet. I ached for my cottage even as I knew how spoiled I was. But it had always taken care of me, kept me warm and sheltered, so the hot tears welling in my eyes were not a surprise. There was a deep yearning for hearth and home.
“Have you brought me another helper for my kitchen, Mr. Callaway?” a woman asked him. “You promised to find me a suitable replacement when you took young Robert under your wing and lost him hunting bears.”
That sounded horrible, and when I glanced over my shoulder at Mr. Callaway, I noted his cold stare and realized, then, that he had no intention of taking me with him into town. I really needed to get better at reading people. Lorne remarked often that I was far too trusting, but, conversely, expecting everyone to betray you seemed like a terrible way to live.
I was certain Mr. Callaway was going to get paid for killing predators on Corvus, but he was also going to get paid for delivering me to this short, plump red-haired woman with a peaches-and-cream complexion and a lovely, lilting voice.
“We found him in the woods, Mrs. Brogan, and though he might be a changeling with how fair of face he is, I know he will work hard here in your service.”
The last part was for my benefit. If I argued, he’d gut me, I had no doubt. But why would I? This was where Lorne was, so this was exactly where I needed to be.
More people came through then, moving in tandem, frantic scuttling servants rushing in every direction. Beyond where I was by the fire, there were several large rooms—one where chefs were preparing meals, another where cake baking and decorating was going on, and another where glasses were being filled with wine and champagne. It was a whole production to get people fed and, I was guessing, inebriated. If one person was out of step or in the way, I could imagine the entire choreography crashing to a halt. I was overwhelmed by the scope of the house, the number of servants, and most of all by what Giles Corey had done to Corvus. I worried about William, whose time it was now. Were there still simply different planes, or had Giles hurt him and his wife? And if he had, how was I still alive? I needed answers, but more than anything else, I needed Lorne.