Page 47 of The Legend of Lovers Hollow
“Um, yes, please,” she says shyly. “I uh, I’m a big fan of your show.”
“Well, thank you.” Thad’s mouth curves. “I’m an even bigger fan of your work.”
“What?” Haru blinks, turning to Amelia. “What work?”
“I told you I’m an artist, right? Well, I suppose I’m a writer too,” she replies. “I have a graphic novel series.”
“Oh!” His eyes widen, and I can see the click as he comes to a realisation. “Amellia Alchemy! I knew you looked familiar. You created the series about the kick-ass trans girl who has all these cool dark supernatural powers! Oh, she’s you! You based the character on yourself! That’s so awesome.”
Amelia’s smile is one of pleased surprise, and she gives a small shrug. “I guess Amellia’s who we all wish we could be deep inside. Strong, brave, fearless.”
“You’re totally all those things!” he says excitedly. “We are definitely going to be besties now! I’m cosplaying Amellia at London Comic Con later this year. I chose one of the outfits from your last book, when she was trapped in the Shadow World with the wraiths. I’ve been working on it for the last couple of weeks, wanna see how it looks so far?”
Haru pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through his photos.
“Haru?” Thad pulls his attention back. “Why don’t you show Amelia later? I’d love to see it to, I really enjoyed the last book.” He gives her a wink, and her smile widens.
“Oh, sorry.” Haru laughs. “It’s my ADHD, sometimes my brain bounces all over the place.”
“No worries.” Thad turns back to the rest of the guests. “So, as we were saying, we’re going to be filming throughout the weekend. If you have no objection to appearing in the episode, you’ll need to sign a release form, which Jules will pass out.”
Jules waves some pieces of paper, then hands out a couple of small piles. “Take one and pass it along, please. It’s completely up to you, but if you prefer not to appear, let us know and we’ll edit you out of any footage we use. Also, we’ll have various equipment set up in some of the rooms. If you could please not touch them, we would be very grateful. Some of them are very sensitive.”
Once all the forms are given out, Jules accepts a mug of cocoa from Rosie and sits down next to Bez.
“Right,” Thad continues. “Before we dive into the story of Lady Clare and her lover, does anyone have any questions?”
Thad chuckles when Haru’s hand shoots up in the air.
“Are you single? Do you have a girlfriend? Or…boyfriend?”
“I don’t have a boyfriend at the moment,” he says with a chuckle, and I don’t miss the way his gaze lands on Warren. “I travel a lot, not much time for relationships.” He turns his attention back to the room. “Any questions about the ghost hunt?”
When everyone shakes their heads, he takes a seat on the arm of the sofa behind him.
“Let’s dive in, then.” He rubs his hands together eagerly. “I first stumbled across the tale of Lady Clare about six months ago, and something about it just caught my interest. Her story goes back three hundred and thirty-nine years. In fact, it begins slightly earlier than that, with her father. August Ashton was the third son of minor nobility. By all accounts, he was a ruthless, ambitious man. He rose quickly through the ranks of Charles II’s army and was instrumental in the king’s restoration to the throne. King Charles was so pleased with August that, in 1661, he made him a Lord in his own right, rewarding his loyalty with this estate and a vast fortune.”
I glance around the room and smile at how enraptured everyone is by the story. My gaze lands, as it always does, on Morgan. He’s listening to the story along with everyone else, even though he already knows it because I told him. As if sensing me, he looks away from Thad and his beautiful dark eyes lock on me.
We stand there staring at each other, and for a second, I wish the whole world would disappear so it could just be the two of us. We’ve barely started as a couple and there are so many things I want to learn about him, so many things I want to tell him about myself. Things I’ve never had the chance or inclination to share before now, before him.
There’s just something so perfect when we’re together, like this is meant to be. I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but I feel like he’s someone I could fall deeply in love with, who I’d want to spend the rest of my life with.
Warren suddenly nudges Morgan in the ribs with his elbow and smirks, whispering something to his brother, and the moment is lost. So I turn back to Thad and try to concentrate.
“However, by 1686,” Thad continues, “August, a notorious womaniser and spendthrift, had gambled away most of the fortune bestowed upon him. By that point, Charles II was dead, and August had fallen out of favour with the new King James II, who was Catholic. In an attempt to refill his coffers and restore his standing with the royal court, August arranged for the marriage of his daughter Lady Clare to the second son of one of James’s most favoured lords.”
There was something quite mesmerising about Thad, and not just because he’s insanely good-looking. I suppose you could call it magnetism. Even now, recounting the beginnings of a story that could be as dry and dusty as a school history lesson, he has all the guests riveted.
“Lady Clare was barely twenty-two years old and dead set against the arranged match. Although Clement St. John had wealth and status, he, much like Lady Clare’s own father, had a reputation for gambling and womanising. There were also accounts of Clement being a cruel drunkard. As if that weren’t reason enough, Lady Clare already had a lover. With her father insisting upon the marriage, and given no alternative, she and her lover had made plans to run away together to France. August, upon learning of their plan, moved the wedding forward and declared that she had two choices—either marry Clement and her lover would live, or refuse and her father would find him and kill him.”
Haru gasps loudly and clutches Amelia’s arm.
“Needless to say, the wedding took place, but that night, Lady Clare refused to be bedded by her husband and fled their bedchamber. He gave chase, catching her at the top of the staircase. A fight ensued, and in a blinding fit of rage, he threw her down the stairs, breaking her neck. Upon seeing what he had done and fearing retribution from her father, Clement fled into the night. However, hearing about his beloved’s forced marriage, Lady Clare’s lover was already making for the house to save her and take her safely to France. But he arrived too late, finding her cold, lifeless body at the foot of the stairs. Flying into a murderous rage, he gave chase, intent on revenge for his love. Clement, being unfamiliar with Ashton lands, became lost in the woods and ended up at the Hollow, where it is said Lady Clare met with her lover in secret.”
Haru is practically on the edge of his seat now, and honestly, he’s so cute.
“Lady Clare’s lover caught up with her husband at the Hollow and a fight ensued. Clement was dealt a killing blow, but in a twist of fate, the lover was trampled to death by Clement’s horse. Thus ends the unhappy tale of Lady Clare, and the birth of the Legend of Lovers Hollow. To this day, the story goes, Lady Clare’s lover waits by their tree, hoping that they will be reunited, while her furious husband stalks the woods.”