CHAPTER 9 #3
He smiled. “Wait, that is not all. Even though I couldn’t retrieve your father’s full earnings, I did bring them to them.”
“How could you bring all the money if you didn’t get it?”
“Since the impact on your business was caused by your sentence here, our estate granted the reimbursement of your earnings as small compensation for your losses,” he explained.
I tilted my head, waiting for him to continue.
“Mountheim Hall reimbursed the missing earnings, and we already gave them to your family.”
I looked around the room, eyes wide, stopping on Reagan. The corners of his mouth curled as his gaze moved to me.
“You mean . . . you paid?” I asked, darting my eyes between him and Cerridwen, who nodded. “Why?”
“Because otherwise you’d be an immense pain in our asses,” Gwinifer replied as she mindlessly played with her food before bringing it to her mouth.
“An alluring, yet very annoying pain in our asses,” Reagan corrected. “Your business was impacted, and we could remediate it, so we did.”
I was stunned. For multiple reasons.
“What do you expect in return? That I pay you back?” I asked.
“There is no quid pro quo here, but I’d expect that you find it in yourself not to run away again.”
A benevolent answer.
I could scarcely believe my ears, and, at the risk of finding myself in his debt, I wasn’t certain whether I should accept. Yet, it was already a done deal. I massaged my temples, feeling a slight throbbing there.
“Anyway, your family received all the money they expected,” Finnegan continued. “When I arrived at your house, I gave them your letter, explaining that you found a higher-paying job in the Capital and couldn’t return just yet. Your father seemed quite proud.”
“And my sister?”
Finn’s mouth pursed. “I’m not sure. She had more questions at first, but after the draught, I believe she accepted. She’s just hard to read, right?”
I clenched my fists under the table. It was a satisfying fix, one that shouldn’t have bothered me.
“Yes, you could say that,” I answered. “Is that all?”
“That’s all,” Finn said softly, though no less firmly. “Now they will not come.”
Nodding, I leaned back in my chair, feeling their swift glances in my direction, though I didn’t return them. Instead, I occupied my mouth with food from the platters that appeared moments later.
To my relief, Cerridwen changed the topic.
“Since you three arrived today, I need to inform everyone, even if I’d rather not do it over dinner,” she began. “I met Silas and Magda yesterday, and the news wasn’t good. They requested additional support.”
“And with the Aurora Rite next month, we’ll face a larger withdrawal,” Barracus added. “Perhaps it’s time to consider other options. I suggested to Cerridwen again that we cancel the Rite. Especially with tensions rising everywhere, we may not be in the best position for it.”
Their silence drew my attention to their wary expressions.
Reagan leaned back in his chair. “Was it funds they requested?”
“Yes,” Cerridwen said coolly.
“I’ll need to check the amounts with you,” Reagan said, fingers brushing absently over his chin. “But I have an idea I want to try before cancelling the Rite. There may be room to adjust our current trades with other estates. Erisea and Vaelon, for example.”
“The regular trades? Are you planning to alter them?” Finn asked.
“It’s been some time since we did that,” Reagan replied. “But yes. I’m thinking you can go with Gwinifer to Vaelon.” He cast a quick glance at his sister. “She likes you. Both of you.”
“I can go,” Gwinifer said. “But we should request an invitation first.”
Half an hour passed as their conversation dragged on, until the entire staff was silently staring at their empty plates or, in Finnegan’s case, nearly dozing off in his chair.
One by one, they began rising from the table. Just as I was about to leave the room, Reagan stopped me.
“What did you think of the book?” he asked, his hands tucked into his pockets.
“I think I miss my romances,” I said dryly, watching his brows lift. Unsure if he caught the humour, I added, “The book was good; it gave me exactly what I needed.”
This was our new dynamic. Polite, civil, and just a little strained.
“Maybe we could find some romances in the study. I don’t know half the books there, to be honest. Care to join me?” he asked, motioning me to the door.
I sighed. “You don’t . . . need to do this.”
“Do what?” He cocked his head, using that soft tone that I had heard in the study and after my attack.
“This. Entertain me, give me books, whatever it is you’re doing right now. I won’t try to leave again.”
“I know, but I’m not trying to entertain you. At least, not any more than I’m entertaining myself.” His eyes lingered on my dress for a moment, assessing. “Did you intend to return to your room after dinner?”
I hadn’t planned anything, and didn’t want to go back to my room again. I’d just focus on my family, and no number of books about red-eyed beasts or bloodsucking monsters would distract me tonight.
When I didn’t respond, he grinned. “Come now, Darling. A dress like that deserves more than just the walls to admire it.”