Free A World Apart (The Hands of Time: Book 3) by Irina Shapiro Page A

disappointment filling her heart.  Of course.  Charles looked a lot like Alec from a distance.  What did he want anyway?  Louisa would have trusted Alec with her life, but her trust did not extend to the brother.  Charles was always charming and polite, but there was something in his jade-green eyes that was sly and self-serving.  There was a cool formality between the brothers that had been caused by Cora’s death two years before, when Charles accused Alec of murder.  He’d apologized once it came out that Amelia had bashed Cora’s head in, but the relationship remained fractured, Alec unable to forget his brother’s betrayal.  One thing that Louisa could say in Charles’ defense was that he wasn’t giving up on mending his bond with Alec.  He came as often as he could, offering help around the estate and trying to be as agreeable as possible in the hopes that Alec would eventually forgive him. 
    Charles jumped off his horse and tied the reins to a post before jogging up the steps and coming into the house.  Up close, he looked tired and pale, his hair coming out of its tie, his mouth a grim line.  Charles yanked the tie out, letting his dark, wavy hair cascade onto his shoulders.
    “Good morning, Charles.  Would you care for some re freshment?” Louisa asked as she invited him to come into the parlor.  She’d never seen him look so agitated.
    “Some ale wouldn’t come amiss,” Charles replied, settling on a wooden settee.  “Is Alec here?  I’d like a word.”
    “Alec and Valerie aren ’t here at the present,” answered Kit as he joined them in the parlor.  “Can I help?”
    Charles accepted a cup of ale from Minnie and drained it in one gulp, holding out the cup for a refill.  “Perhaps I should wait for Alec to come back.  I must speak with him.  Where has he gone?”
    “Alec and Valerie went to North Carolina,” Louisa and Kit answered in unison.
    “What on earth for?”  Charles drained another cup and handed it back to Minnie without looking at her, his eyes on Kit. 
    “They thought they might trade some tobacco for foodstuffs,” explained Kit.  “What was it you wanted, Charles?”
    Charles looked at his hands for a moment, as if buying some time before speaking.  He tied his hair back and finally looked up at Kit.  “I wanted to ask Alec if Annabel and I can move to Rosewood.  Winter is around the corner and the situation in town is not a good one.  With so much of the crop destroyed during the Indian attack, there are shortages of food.  I can’t see how we can make it through the winter without reinforcements.  The King is said to have sent supply ships, but there is no sign of them, and if the supplies don’t come, we are likely to starve.  There’s plenty of game in the woods, and fish in the stream.  We’ll not go hungry here.”
    “I can’t imagine that Alec would refuse,” said Kit thoughtfully.  “Would you be bringing Annabel’s father and brother with you?”
    “The old man wants to stay in town.  He thinks the supplies will arrive any day now, and we’ll all be saved.  Thomas would most likely stay with his father, which is for the best, considering.” 
    “Considering what?” asked Louisa, noticing something in Charles’ face.
    “Considering that little Louisa seems to have developed an attachment to him.  I told Annabel not to leave them alone at any time.  Thomas is eighteen and not to be trusted alone with a young woman.”  Charles looked absurdly uptight, his mouth pressed into a tight line.
    “Does Thomas share her feelings?” Louisa had only seen him once or twice, but she could understand her niece’s infatuation.  He was a good-looking boy, charming and well-mannered.
    “I think he might, which is why it’s for the better if he remains in town with his father,” Charles replied.  
    “When will you come?  We need to make room.”  Louisa was already mentally rearranging the inhabitants of the house.
    “I