Free Lilah by Gemma Liviero Page A

healing would have to wait. There were
other more pressing matters to worry about.
    His brother had frightened me. I could feel no
goodwill from him at all. I heard his thoughts and saw the blood on his hands
through fresh memories relived with pleasure. I did not like having this skill
but knew that Emil was in grave danger. How relieved must Arianne have felt
when she left this household; her mother shallow, her brother dangerous, the
servants sad and fearful. And now Emil’s father had
returned. I had yet to become acquainted with him.
    I heard Istavan shouting at his wife several
hours after he arrived. The room I shared with Danika was deep in the house yet
we heard his thumping boots and angry words as he told Lady Köszegi that she
was feeble of mind and neglectful of her house management. And followed by more
cruel taunts: that her only usefulness was in producing Andrew, nothing more. I
felt sorry for all the family as no doubt Emil and Evie would have heard this
too.
    I went about my tasks praying that I would not
run into him and hoping that he would soon leave again. Some said he stayed
with a mistress for much of the time when he was away. Evie was not playing music
today, which was rare, and I sought her out in her room pretending that I had
work there.
    She sat by the window in a full dress of lilac
satin, lace at the sleeves and neckline with white ribbons threaded; presented
like this for her father’s return. I could sense her fearfulness. Not even my
compliments on her dress could bring about a smile.
    ‘What is wrong Evie?’
    But she did not answer me and watched far in
the distance.
    I dusted around her bed wondering what else I
could do.
    ‘Is Arianne happy?’ she asked, her thoughts
seemingly far away.
    ‘Yes, she is,’ I said and felt tears spring to
my eyes. The very sadness of this child brought about a melancholy that seeped
into my own skin.
    ‘I’m glad,’ she said, turning to me for the
first time. Her face was blotched and eyes red from many tears. It was then I
decided that Evie must leave this house. Instinct told me that only bad things
would come.
    ‘I sat on the bed and held her hand. ‘Tell me
about your father, Evie. Are you afraid of him?’ It was most forward, considering
my station, but our friendship had gone beyond this.
    She didn’t respond but turned away again. ‘You
should go,’ she said. ‘You will get into trouble if you stay too long.’
    I left feeling dissatisfied and useless. As I
turned to leave she called me back and gave me a small sack. Back in my room I
opened the bag to find several small berry cakes. She had been saving them for
me after evening meals and I was touched. I left one on Danika’s bed also.
    Emil didn’t visit me the nights following and I
did not see his father until the third day by accident. I was sent to the
stable master with a message. Once delivered, I turned to find him blocking my
exit.
    He was shorter than I had imagined, with a
heavily lined face and a scar across his cheek. His mouth was wide and uneven
as if the scar had somehow pulled it up on one side making him appear every bit
as vicious as the words he used the first night of his return. His oversized
fur lined coat seemed at odds with the weather and I wondered if it was device
to disguise his smallness.
    ‘And who are you?’ he enquired. The tone was
pleasant enough but it made me uncomfortable as if I had been rolled in muck.
    ‘I am Lilah and have been in your employ for
several months.’
    ‘Hmm. The girl from the monastery?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘And how is my beloved daughter? I do miss her
so.’
    ‘She is well.’ I found I could not look at him
and kept my head bent. With one long finger he pulled my chin up to face him
and the very touch of him paralysed me. I saw much death in his past. I saw
conspiracy and ambush, and worst of all I saw young girls with clothes torn and
terror in their eyes. I wanted to scream for him to let me go and run far but
it was