Free A Companion for Life by Cari Hislop

curl of smoke swirling into the ether.

Chapter 10

    It was gone five before Penryth dragged
himself home. He was dreading having to explain his fat lip. She’d
think he’d been attacked by ruffians. She’d make a fuss of him and
that would make him feel like an even bigger cad. He closed the
door and paused; something wasn’t right. There were no faint sounds
coming from the kitchen or distant chattering maids. His house was
as silent as a mausoleum. “Mrs Bowen?” He waited, but there was no
answering sound. She was probably resting. “Jones!” Several minutes
later the man appeared looking grim. “What’s the matter? Why is the
house so quiet?”

    “The devil came to call and left a bad
air.”

    “I’m in no mood for riddles. Is Mrs Bowen
sleeping?”

    “She’s in her room…” Penryth started for the
stairs. “…I believe you’ll find her door locked.”

    “Locked?” The word lashed his heart like a
whip making his eyes water. “Why the devil did you give her the
key?”

    “She asked for it.”

    “Why?”

    “Lady Gillingham called…”

    Penryth felt the remaining warmth drain from
his heart as he clenched his hands in impotent rage. “You allowed
my mistress to call on my wife?”

    “I tried to send her on her way, but I
couldn’t stop Mrs Bowen from agreeing to see a visitor. I’m afraid
her Ladyship left Mrs Bowen in a state…the look on her face…”

    His heart pounding in fear Penryth charged up
the stairs, his footsteps echoing loud through the house. He ran to
her door and tried the handle; locked. Bending over he swung back
the keyhole guard; the key was turned in the lock. His knuckles
wrapped the door in time with his heart. “Lily? It’s Mr Bowen; I
need to speak with you.” The silence was worse than a string of
curses. “Jones told me Lady Gillingham called; did she say
something vile? Lily I need to see you, please open the door. Let
me in, we need to talk…” After an hour his knuckles were raw, his
throat was sore and the roaring flames in his chest had created a
portal into hell. He desperately needed to see her eyes smile in
forgiveness, but that wasn’t going to happen through a locked door.
He yanked out his pocket watch. “I’ll give you five minutes to open
the door and then I’m kicking it in.” Ten minutes later, he was
still waiting. If she was fast asleep she’d think him a complete
lunatic, but what if she was dying of a broken heart? He was
kicking at the lock before he could dissuade himself. After a
concerted effort, wood splintered and the door swung open.

    Her legs hung ten inches over the side of the
bed as she stared at the ceiling. He stood frozen in fear until the
pale motionless corpse finally blinked. She was alive; he could
resume breathing. Spots of brilliant green dragged his eyes to the
floor and his heart convulsed in pain. His bracelets… He tried to
close the door, but it swung back open. It looked broken beyond
repair; he’d have to pay for a new frame and a new door, though he
could reuse the lock and key. He tried again to close it, but it
swung open taunting his desperate need for privacy. There was no
response from the woman as he rushed past the bed to pick up a
chair and carry it back to the door. Setting it down, the door
looked like it would stay closed. He turned towards the bed, but
the squeaking sound of the chair being slowly pushed out of the way
drew his attention back to the door. There was an uncomfortable
eight inch gap. He couldn’t beg his wife’s forgiveness knowing the
chambermaids might hear him. He kicked the chair back up against
the door, but the door once again swung inwards leaving a similar
gap. He didn’t want to be moving furniture; he wanted to be kissing
his wife. Glancing at the bed he forgot about the door. His wife’s
pale cheeks needed warm kisses.

    Picking up the emerald bracelets, they lay
limp in his palms looking dull and cheap as if their fall from
grace had destroyed their