Page 15 of Master Wolf
Marguerite glanced at Drew.
“Very well,” she said. “Let me see.”
“It’s in the drawing room,” Greta said. “If you’ll follow me, madame. I’ll show you the way.”
She led them into a well-appointed drawing room where Wynne’s letter was propped on the mantel. In the grate beneath, a good-sized fire had been built but not yet lit.
“Thank you,” Marguerite told the housekeeper, reaching for the letter and breaking open the seal. “You may go.”
As Greta quietly withdrew, Marguerite scanned the letter quickly. After a few moments, she visibly paled.
“What is it?” Drew demanded. “What’s wrong?”
Marguerite glanced up. “Wynne says Lindsay’s health has deteriorated in the last week.” She worried at her bottom lip with her teeth, gaze troubled.
Drew felt oddly numb as he tried to absorb these words. It was all so—sopreposterous. The very idea of Lindsay being unwell—Lindsay, the most vibrant person Drew had ever known. Yet it must be true, if Wynne said as much.
He remembered Lindsay’s words in that curious letter.
“Every day, I am freer, and if that means I have to give up a little of my physical comfort in return, I am more than willing to do that.”
With sudden decisiveness, Marguerite said, “I want to go to Albany Street. Let us go now before the horses are unhitched. I will not be able to rest until I have seen Lindsay for myself.”
The wave of relief that washed over Drew at those words was galling. Because he wanted that too—to see Lindsay. To reassure himself that Lindsay was all right.
He pushed the thought aside, deliberately ignoring it, and nodded at Marguerite.
“All right,” he said. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Five
The past, part 2 – 28 years earlier
The outskirts of Paris,June 1792
“I am notsure this was my very best idea,” Francis said.
He was gazing out of the window as the carriage lurched and bumped along the badly rutted road. The setting sun cast a pinkish glow over his face.
Drew frowned. These were the first words Francis had uttered for at least an hour and, so far as he knew, they were apropos of absolutely nothing.
“I beg your pardon?”
Francis turned his head, meeting Drew’s gaze. “You were right. I should have left you in Edinburgh.”
They were on their way to Paris. Marguerite de Carcassonne, as leader of their small pack, had decreed that it was time to up sticks and leave France. The country had been unstable for some years and now the National Assembly had declared war on the Holy Roman Emperor. Marguerite felt sure that things were about to get much worse and her quiet wealth was attracting far too much attention. For the last several months, she had been quietly selling assets and planning a move to Ghent. She had summoned Francis back to France to assist her in completing the move and Francis, unwilling to leave Drew alone in Edinburgh, had insisted that Drew accompany him.
Which made his pronouncement all the more puzzling.
Drew gave a strained laugh, more disbelief than humour in it. “Are you serious? Don’t you think it’s a bit late to change your mind now, ten miles from Paris?”
Francis grimaced. His thin, sensitive face wore an unhappy expression. “I’m sorry.”
Drew just stared at him. He had argued against accompanying Francis, even though he’d been concerned about being left alone in Edinburgh with his control over his wolf so poor—which, of course, was the very reason Francis wanted Drew with him.
Poor Francis. He’d been chained to Drew’s side for four years now. Having assured Drew he would stay with him until Drew had his wolf under control, Francis had felt honour bound to stay the course. It should only have taken a year or so, but four years on, Drew still struggled with his wolf. It had taken a summons from Francis’s beloved Mim to make him leave Edinburgh—and only then with Drew in tow.
“Anyway, it’s high time you met her,”Francis had said.“And time you faced up to Lindsay again. You’re both part of our pack—you can’t avoid him forever.”