Free Belmary House Book Two by Cassidy Cayman

know.”
    Ashford’s face went through such a fast range of feelings— resignation, anger, relief, happiness, back to anger, that Tilly couldn’t keep up. She couldn’t keep up with any of it.
    “Yes, now we know,” Kostya said dully.
    “Please tell me what’s going on,” she pleaded. “You’re really alive,” she finished stupidly, unable to stop staring at Kostya.
    “It’s a curse,” Kostya said. “I’ve had it since I was born. I was told it was lifted when Camilla gave my family the book, but apparently it’s not.” He clenched his fists and swallowed hard. “I can’t die.”
    Her brain felt like it was slowly shrinking while simultaneously being turned inside out as his words sank in. She tilted her head to the side as if seeing him from a different angle might make things easier to comprehend.
    “That doesn’t actually sound like such a bad curse,” she said.
    No matter how she turned it around in her mind, she couldn’t seem to find a downside. Ashford made a hissing noise, and winced as if dodging a blow, then finally slowly nodded.
    “I have to agree with Matilda,” he said, clearing his throat and looking pained. “I mean, now that— with Lucy gone… I don’t understand why you would take such a foolish risk. There’s no hold over you now. Didn’t you think of Matilda and me? Unless you truly wished to die?”
    Tilly gasped, hoping that wasn’t the case. Ashford reached for her hand, but kept his concerned gaze on Kostya.
    Kostya looked like he might be ill, and the words he spoke sounded as if they were being forced from his throat. “Serena is with child.”
    After the beat of a blink, Ashford dropped her hand and punched Kostya again.
    “What in the hell?” she cried.
    Aghast at Ashford’s behavior, she hurried around to Kostya’s side of the table. It wasn’t exactly the proper order of things, especially in this day and age, but she didn’t think it warranted such a violent reaction. She wondered if Ashford’s feelings for his old friend Serena were stronger than he admitted, and guiltily pushed the bitter feeling away.
    He stood up and looked like he wanted to do worse than punch Kostya, but paced angrily away instead.
    “Tell her the rest of the curse,” he demanded. She’d never seen him so angry.
    Kostya looked at her and sighed. “I must live to watch my children die,” he said as if reciting.
    Tilly thought of his daughter Lucy, who’d passed away the year before. It had been a riding accident, or so everyone believed. He must have been tortured with fears that it was his curse all along, but with no way to know for sure unless he tried something so rash as taking his own life. She couldn’t imagine how he must have felt all that time, and now with Serena pregnant— Tilly gasped, finally understanding. The only thing she couldn’t understand was the nature of whoever had placed the curse on him in the first place. She couldn’t believe someone could be so cruel.
    “You suspected all along that they never lifted it,” Ashford accused.
    “Only since Lucy,” Kostya answered, waving away Tilly’s attempt to check his injured jaw.
    “And you didn’t think to test your theory before ruining Serena?”
    “Julian, enough,” Tilly said, horrified at his words.
    “I thought of it many times,” Kostya said faintly, his head down and shoulders hanging. “But I was too much of a coward.”
    A tear fell onto the table and Tilly patted his shoulder, scowling at Ashford. He scowled back, but then threw his hands in the air and sat down, reaching to take Kostya’s arm.
    “I’m sorry,” he said. “It was a shock. I didn’t mean it. I’m most certainly glad you’re still here.”
    “But the curse,” Kostya said, looking up with red-rimmed eyes. “If I don’t find a way to have it removed, Serena’s— our child is in danger.” His normally gentle face turned stony.
    “We’ll leave at once, the soonest possible ship, and figure it out at home,”