Free Different Tides by Janet Woods Page B

key to unlock Edward’s tongue. When Clementine had congratulated him over using the dog he’d accepted the praise as his due.
    He spoke her name softly, tasting it on his tongue and allowing it to drift away on the soft breeze. ‘Clementine …’
    He smiled. She was no respecter of his feelings or his position in life, and although she made him uncomfortable at times, there was nothing false about her. He liked her; perhaps liked her too much – in fact he was acquiring a strong affection for her, which was an unexpected and not altogether pleasing development.
    The week before had been a case in point. He’d gone up to the nursery on a whim when Polly had been eating her evening meal. Iris had been already asleep. Edward was leaning against Clementine’s shoulder as she sang him a lullaby, her fingers gently caressing his scalp.
    Zachariah had backed away without being noticed when she’d lowered the boy to the pillow and kissed his cheek. Warmth, longing and envy had churned inside him for something he’d never experienced.
    He remembered those same beds, occupied by two boys. He remembered the goodnight kisses … but not for him. His shyness had been interpreted as sullenness, and he’d become brash to attract the attention he coveted. All Zachariah had wanted was to be as loved as his older brother – a brother he’d worshipped.
    His immaturity had not allowed him to see the shallowness of his sibling hero, or the manipulation Gabe employed – not until later. His father had been a braggart, and had barely noticed him. His mother had called him a graceless lout. His father had barely been cold in his grave when Zachariah had been sent away from home. It had been the ultimate betrayal.
    His mind snapped back to the present. His mother would never have held him in comfort against her like Clementine held Edward. He knew then that he’d made the right choice by employing her, relative or not, though it had been instinct at the time.
    He headed up the incline towards the house. There was a task he must undertake before he left. He must inspect the contents of Gabe and Alice’s trunks, and store anything of value in a secure place for the children to have when they were older.
    He handed his horse over to the stable hand, then went in to see Stephen. ‘We’ll be leaving for London in a week. Evan can take the stage a day or so earlier. I’ll leave Ben here with the carriage and the grey for the use of Miss Morris and the children. We’ll saddle up the carriage horses.’
    ‘Yes, sir.’
    He went up to the master bedroom. It was clean and tidy. The cupboards were empty and impersonal. It was a splendid room with woven red and gold hangings and a painted ceiling. The bed could have accommodated six people and the room had a view over the fields. He’d never been able to bring himself to move in there.
    When he opened the trunks his nostrils were assailed by a musty stale smell. There was a jumble of clothing, mostly dirty. He recognized one of Alice’s gowns, almost rags now. She’d been such a clean and dainty woman. It had been too bad of Gabe to bring her down this low with his excesses. There was a gold-set brooch pinned to the bodice in the shape of a posy of flowers, and fashioned from red stones with pearl centres and enamelled leaves.
    He removed it and set it on the dressing table. That would be kept for Iris to wear when she was a little older, along with any other feminine trinkets. He must remember to look in every pocket for valuables, but if Gabe had been impoverished he would have gambled away anything of value, or sold them. The smaller trunk contained some books, letters and writing implements.
    He felt furtive going through his brother’s belongings, and rather grubby. These trunks contained the sum of his brother’s life. They contained very little of value to bequeath to the family he’d begotten. In fact, they reeked of failure.
    He sensed someone was watching him, and the long