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“Oh sure, like how you got that scar on your eyebrow from falling out of a tree, right?” He glanced down at me again, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
“My perceptive girl,” he murmured. “Alright, I threw it into The Arno River.” I didn’t know what The Arno River was but I was pretty sure that it wasn’t where the violin was. I just stopped in my tracks and waited.Why is he lying to me?He studied me, obviously deciding whether to manipulate me out of this subject or just tell me the truth. “I kept it,” he finally admitted.
“Do you play it?” I asked, wondering what it meant that he kept a violin that he bought for a woman thirteen years ago.
“Not for a long time.” He began to shut down as he spoke, to keep me from seeing the parts that hurt him. But I was getting used to this now and the more I played this game the better I gotat it. I took his hands and wrapped them around me, effectively pinning my own hands behind my back. I lifted up onto my toes and tilted my mouth up to him. This wasn’t a play for round two, I just wanted him to know I was here and unafraid of whatever was in his head.
“You’ll play for me one day,” I told him and, after a long moment, he smiled.
“If you say I will, then I probably will.”
After a gentle kiss, he led me back to the main staircase and kissed me once more before letting me go.
Out of his presence I felt as I always did—there was both a yearning to be with him, and the relief of being able to think without having to dissect his every word and expression. Before I could forget, I pulled my phone out of my bag and sent a text to Natalie telling her I wouldn’t be home tonight.
I wandered along the gravel path. The Harrington grounds stretched on in every direction and I itched to explore them. I looked back toward the house that contained the man who’d issued an edict against me going too far. Then I looked back out to the expansive estate I was desperate to explore. It took me all of three seconds to make my decision. I stepped off the gravel path and onto the grass. The ridiculous heels Alfie had paired with this dress sank into the earth immediately and I kicked them off, leaving them lying in the dirt, their red soles shining up at me. My bare toes scrunched and wiggled in the cool grass. Yeah, that felt much better. I guess I wasn’t really feeling that amenable after all.
Fifty-Six
As the sun was beginning to set, I found myself sitting on the broken steps leading into the Evergarden. My feet were still a little damp from where I’d waded in the lake, and blades of grass stuck to me. My hair was loose and tangled from the sharp spring breeze. I felt like I was exactly as I should be, wild and untamed, except for the grey dress of course which reminded me that I was not as free as I thought.
I wondered what it would be like to own a place as beautiful as this, to be in Alfie’s world forever. It wasn’t all bad. Exploring beautiful properties was definitely something I could get used to.
“Miss?” The steady voice nudged me out of my imagination and I looked up to find Elliot standing behind me holding a box of take out with a Chinese logo on the side.
“Hey, Elliot. Dinnertime?” I stood, smoothing out my dress.
“Yes, if you’re ready to eat. Mr Tell instructed me to fetch you as soon as I returned.”
“Yeah, I’m starving. Thanks.” I hopped up the steps and we headed back towards the house. Elliot was quiet as usual but I was filled with the urge to purge him of every piece of Alfie information he had. I decided to start off small and play it as cool as possible.
“So, how long have you worked for Alfie?” I asked as we walked.
“Are you trying to wheedle information out of me?” My mouth fell open but Elliot didn’t look angry, merely gave me a humouring smile and kept on walking. “Ten years, Miss. I worked for his father first and before that I was in the military.” We approached the patio and I noticed that the workmen had all gone.
“What was his father like?”
Elliot paused, clearly choosing his words very carefully. “He was an excellent business man, Miss.”
Oh yeah, there was a whole lot left out of that answer.
“You didn’t like him much, huh?” I was trying to keep our conversation light but Elliot didn’t return my levity. Instead his face took on the same dark shadow that haunted Alfie whenever the past came up.
We fell into silence as we climbed the stairs to the first floor. I tried to make sense of Elliot. The calloused knuckles, the scars, the still, silent way he assessed every situation. Why did Alfie need someone around like that? This conversation was supposed to be answering questions, not raising even more.
“Elliot, why does Alfie need someone with your…uh…skills?”
“As I said, Miss, I worked for his father first. He was the one who hired me and the reasons for that aren’t ones I’m willing to share. I suggest you leave it be.” He was firm but his eyes were gentle and I nodded. I’d definitely pushed on that enough and resolved to throw that topic in theDo Not Disturbbox along with the rest of Alfie’s shit.
“Hey, Elliot?”
“Yes, Miss?” he answered, sounding a little wary.
“Do you have a gun?” I asked in a hushed whisper even though there was no one else in the deserted halls.
“Yes, I have a gun.”
“Can I see it?”