Chapter 44
Forty-Four
For once, I was awake before Alfie. He slept soundly next to me while I wondered how I didn’t have a headache despite how much I’d cried the night before. I’d told him everything and as always, he’d held me through it.
I felt a weight had lifted off my chest, the weight of an abandoned child that I’d been carrying for more than twenty years. My father had never left me, not really. The world had just separated us and now, the world had brought us back together.
I felt too the satisfaction of justice. No longer carrying around the bitterness that the man who had caused my mothers death had just gotten away with it. He had been punished, not legally, but punished all the same.
I climbed out of bed and dressed as quietly as I could.
It was early, there were hours to go before Natalie and Riley’s wedding breakfast. We were sending them off on their honeymoon today but we had time for one last meal with family before they left.
Riley was taking Natalie on a cruise and she couldn’t wait.
I tiptoed out of the castle and breathed in the fresh air. I wanted to explore the grounds a little before we left. My swan sculpture still stood tall and I was surprised to see Natalie sitting next to it.
“Morning,” I said as I sat next to her on the bench, “I wasn’t expecting you to be up.”
“Couldn’t sleep any longer.” She looked worn out. I guess it had been a busy few days.
“You’re a little pale. Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she pulled in a deep breath. “How’re you?”
“I’m good. Dad and I have mended fences.” I didn’t need to give her more detail than that. My fathers past was probably best left where it was, in the past.
“Oh, Lola, that makes me so happy.” She pasted a quivering smile on her face.
“I wanted to ask you something. It’s a little delicate.
” I waved for her to go ahead. “I was wondering if there was any way you were ready to clear out your old room.
I understand it's precious and so on. I don't want to overstep—” I held up a hand, cutting her off.
“I wanted to talk to you about that too. Are you and Riley happy living there? I know he makes good money and could afford a bigger house somewhere else…I supposed I’m asking if he wants to stay or do you plan to move?”
She frowned. “I-I don’t want to move. It’s a little small but it’s cosy, it’s home. Why?”
“If you want to stay there, then it should be yours. Legally. On paper.”
Her mouth fell open and she immediately shook her head. “It’s yours. Your gran left it to you.”
“I’m not raising my family there, you are. So yes, I’ll clear out my room. I guess Ryan is getting to the age where he’ll want more privacy anyway.” My old attic bedroom would give him more space than the room next to his parents.
“Yes and we’re going to need his room anyway.”
“For what?” I asked.
A soft smile spread over her face. “A nursery.”
An hour later, I sat on a bench overlooking the lake. A pair of real swans swam along the surface, leaving V’s in the water behind them.
I felt like I was on the cusp of a new world. Natalie and Riley were married and a new life was coming.
Keira and Damien were a match made in hell and I couldn’t be happier for them.
Alfie’s time in his father’s shadow was done and I couldn’t wait to see what he would do next.
As for me, what would I do next? My new camera equipment was at Harrington waiting to be unpacked. I had a brain brimming full of ideas. I was terrified but I couldn’t wait to show the world what I could make.
“Hey, your sister said I’d find you out here.” Alfie’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I smiled, wondering if I would ever stop loving the sound of him talking.
“Yeah, I just needed some air—” My eyes widened, my mouth fell open as I stared at him. “What the hell are you wearing?”
Alfie stopped, looking down at his outfit. “I believe these are called jeans? And this is something called a t-shirt? I’ve never heard of them before but my sister bought them for me so I thought I’d try them out.”
My mouth practically watered at the sight of him. I didn’t think anything could look better on him than a suit but apparently a tight, white shirt showing off a healthy amount of bicep had me forgetting my ribs were still healing.
“Thank you Grace,” I breathed. Alfie sat by me, greeting me with a kiss. “Speaking of sisters, Natalie’s pregnant. It's still a secret so don’t tell anyone.” He nodded, looking entirely unsurprised. I narrowed my eyes on him. “You already know, don’t you?”
“She wanted to get married as soon as possible. Her dress was too tight and she didn’t drink at her own wedding. I might have put it together.”
Alfie Tell, the expert in observing every tiny detail about everything even if it was none of his business.
“Dammit,” I muttered and he chuckled.
“So, are you ready to go home?”
“To Harrington?” I asked. “You mean Harrington, right? You aren't buying another fancy mansion in the city are you?”
“No. I mean, yes, to Harrington.” He shook his head as if he was trying not to laugh at me.
“Are you ready to call that our home? I was thinking we could have a floor for Elliot and Ada and another floor for us. There’s plenty of bedrooms for people to visit and office space for you to build your company… ”
“Oh, you were thinking?” I teased him.
“I might have drawn up some remodelling plans. I just need the approval of the woman of the house.”
The woman of the house. Me. I was the woman of Harrington House.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him softly. “I can’t wait to marry you, Alfie Tell.”
I needed to say it. It occurred to me that I hadn’t really. I’d delayed the announcement, then compromised and been persuaded to get married but I hadn’t jumped up and down and told him how excited I was to spend the rest of my life with him.
“Alfie O’Connell. No more Alfie Tell.”
I felt like I was going to burst with pride. He was starting a new life too. No more club. No more company. No more ghosts.