Longing for You, стр. 10
She turned and marched up the stairs trying to control her anger.Katie wasn’t a disagreeable and angry person, but Alexis always manged to bringout her inner fury.
Bloody idiot.
* * *
Byron was sitting at her old oak desk, a cigar smoking in theashtray beside her, going through a box of papers. The Debrek solicitors inVenice had forwarded all of the Grand Duchess’s papers. Most were legal andbanking documents, but one plain envelope caught her eye.
She took her silver letter opener and sliced the white paper open.What she found was a handwritten letter from Lucia. It began: If you arereading this letter, then I have passed to the other side…
There was a knock at the door. “Come,” Byron said. She waspleasantly surprised when Amelia walked in. “Mia cara, why are you knocking?”
“You might be having a meeting or something. I don’t want tointrude.”
“You could never intrude.” Byron held out her hand to beckon Ameliaover.
Amelia kissed her, then leaned over Byron’s shoulder. “Are thoseyour great-great-grandmother’s things?”
“Yes, all her papers. I found this letter addressed to me. Take alook,” Byron said.
Amelia took the letter and scanned it.
Losing Lucia was still raw for Byron. Lucia had been the matriarchand the life force of the Debrek clan, not to mention how much she was loved.
Amelia stopped reading suddenly and said, “She wants you to bringVictorija back over to the light before she destroys herself?”
Byron shook her head. That part of the letter had stopped her inher tracks. “How can she ask it of me? Why would she ask it of me?Victorija has just ripped my great-great-grandmother’s heart from her body. Iwant to kill her, not help her.”
Amelia sighed still reading over the letter. “She seems to thinkthere’s still good in her. Lucia says that she failed Victorija as a child.That she should have stepped in and taken Victorija away from Gilbert.”
“She’s a bloodthirsty killer, Amelia. Her upbringing can’t beblamed for all her wrong deeds,” Byron said.
Amelia took her eyes away from the letter and got a faraway lookin her eye. “It was strange. That day we all met in the castle in Scotland, Igot the feeling Lucia knew when she walked out to meet Victorija that day thatshe would die. Like it was part of her destiny.”
“Hmm.” Byron knew she was right. It had felt like that. “It stilldoesn’t make her worthy of a chance to redeem herself,” Byron said as shepulled Amelia down onto her lap.
“I will say one thing.” Amelia placed her arms around Byron’sneck. “The first time I met Victorija, when she faked the accident to get closeto me, she talked about pain and said she knew every shade of it, and I feltthat was true, despite all the other lies she told.”
Byron sighed. “I always felt that if I had been unlucky enough tobe brought up by Gilbert, I’d be exactly like Victorija.”
Amelia kissed her on the lips. “I don’t think so. You’re the mostnoble person I’ve ever known.”
Byron tapped the letter with her fingers. “I suppose I have tofollow her wishes, but how I’ll do that, I don’t know. First things first, Ihave to find her. Since she ran after killing Lucia, Victorija has gone toground. I’ll need to put some people on the case.”
“That’s a start. Then if you find her, you can decide what happensnext,” Amelia said.
“I’ll call Alexis to come and see me. She can put the feelers outfor information.”
Byron quickly dialled Alexis’s number and asked her to come to heroffice.
“I meant to ask—have you found anybody who can help unlock mypast?” Amelia asked.
Before she died, Lucia informed her that she had witch heritage,and it became apparent that the parents she grew up with had adopted her.Amelia had exhibited some magical powers, and she was determined to learn howto control them and to find out about her real family.
“I’ve asked my lawyers to make some enquiries, and Bhal hasquietly put out the word asking for any information. Don’t worry, we’ll findout about your past.”
“I need to know,” Amelia said.
Byron took her hand and kissed it. “I know, and you will. Give metime. Anyway, on to more cheerful matters. It’s your big night.”
A huge smile grew on Amelia’s face. Since leaving college she hadworked in her uncle’s tailors on Savile Row, honing her craft, but when thepremises next door to her uncle’s shop became available, she spotted a chanceto make her dream come true.
Amelia had always most enjoyed tailoring for women, and as morewomen were turning to dapper suits and ties, she saw an opportunity to fulfilher dream and open a tailoring shop just for them.
Byron had handled the sale, and after outfitting the shop and recruitingstaff, the opening night was here. The press, fashion designers, celebrities,and businesspeople likely to be customers were invited.
“Yes, I can’t wait.” Amelia leaned in to kiss Byron, but Byronstopped her.
She whispered, “Alexis is here.”
Amelia got up from Byron’s lap and joked, “What would we dowithout your super hearing?”
Byron smiled and winked. She had gained more strength than shecould have ever imagined by being blood bonded to Amelia. Her very presencegave her strength and made her feel invincible. But she supposed that was onlynatural since Amelia was the Debrek life force, since Lucia died. She gave themstrength and the ability to have children.
There was a knock at the door. “Come,” Byron called out.
“Do you want some privacy?” Amelia asked.
“No, I have no secrets from you, mia cara.”
Alexis came through the door and bowed her head briefly to themboth. “Principe, Principessa, you called?”
“Yes, Duca.” Byron knew better than to offer Alexis a seat. Alexiswas always on duty, always on alert. “I’ve been going through the GrandDuchess’s things, and I found this letter addressed to me. Read it,” Byronsaid.
Alexis scanned the letter quickly. Her eyed narrowed, and then shelooked up and said, “You’re not seriously considering this?”
“It wouldn’t be my first choice, but