Tea, Lycanthropy and Other Virtues

Chapter Four

The butler opened the doors to the drawing room. Hugh swallowed, trying to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth.

"Hugh!" His sister's face lit up as he walked into the room.

"Hannah." He kissed her cheek.

He forced himself to look at the scars running from her jaw, disappearing under her collar.

"I've missed you," she said, motioning for him to sit. "How's Carnsley Estate?"

"Good," he said as she poured him some tea. "The sheep are doing well this year."

"Lots of lambs?"

"A lot a lot, actually."

She smiled wistfully. His heart twisted. It was his fault she couldn't come home.

"I've heard some of the Lords are forcing people off the land?"

"That will not happen at Carnsley," he said with heat. "It's as much their land as it is ours."

She reached over and squeezed his hand. "I always knew you'd make a fine Lord."

A fine Lord wouldn't give his sister scars. He studied his hands—The feel of cold water stole over him, the current no match for his powerful legs as he pulled the girl out of the river—He shook his head confused. Memories in that form weren't usually so clear, and they didn't resurface for no reason.

"You alright Hugh?"

"Sorry, yes, I was just thinking about someone I met when I was at the Huntsman's. I feel like I know her, but I can't place her. It's been driving me crazy."

"If a Huntsman can learn to tolerate you, surely you're not all that bad," she said with a smile.

He snorted. It was true Edward and Mary had become friends despite their family's traditional ways. Edward had searched him out their last year in school. If it hadn't been for him and Mary, Hugh would have been completely adrift in London society, especially after Father had died leaving Carnsley and his sister in Hugh's care.

Her face sobered. "I'd like to come home," she said. It was almost a whisper.

He sat there, stunned. Hugh should have known that's what she wanted. She'd always been happiest surrounded by heather, hair free in the wind, knee deep in sheep and horses. He supposed with mother gone, there wasn't much holding her to life in London. "Hannah, I don't know. Mother wanted you to stay in the city."

"Mother was afraid to live at home. Fear will not control me anymore. I hate London, it's too crowded. I hate how false everyone is, smiles in front of me, whispers when I turn my back."

"Mother was right to be afraid," he said, studying the tea in his cup.

"You were practically a kid, Hugh. You didn't have control yet."

He rubbed the back of his neck. Hugh still didn't feel in control. He didn't know if you could ever really control a beast, it certainly couldn't be tamed. Again, the feel of the girl as he pulled her from the river stole over him. The way she'd lain there staring at the sky filled his mind's eye.

"I don't blame you," Hannah continued desperately. "Father didn't blame you."

Anger beat through his heart, banishing the young woman and her pocket watch from his mind. He blamed himself, yes, but he blamed father more. It was because of his father's insistence that Hugh be changed so his son could inherit the estate that he'd turned Hugh into a monster. It had isolated him from Mother, who had taken Hannah, most of the staff, and moved permanently to their London home less than a week after the accident. She hadn't even hugged him goodbye.

He looked around the room, desperate to settle his racing pulse and burning eyes on something. A newspaper sat on the tea table, House of supernaturals reconvene at Westminster, Regent asking for more supernatural conscription.

"Besides, you're the only person who thinks you're a monster, certainly not the people here in London. My goodness, on the rare occasions they invite me to tea, all they want to talk about is who you're going to marry. My brother the eligible and wealthy bachelor."

Who will marry her now? That's what his mother had sobbed when she'd seen the bloody gashes on Hannah's small face. It seemed wholly unfair that he had prospects while his sister did not, his sister the kindest person he knew. He would not put anyone else's life at risk by marrying them. To say nothing of fathering a child to be cursed the way he was—

He had to have met that young woman before. When she'd looked at his bare chest and the scar on his own neck, he'd had this feeling, a feeling that she knew him. He'd been thinking about her for days. Why hadn't he asked Mary if she knew her? He was sure they'd never met before and yet—What was Hannah saying?

"They're both gone now. It's time we stop letting them dictate our lives, time to live them the way we want. I want to come home."

"I'll think about it," he whispered, knowing he wouldn't agree. She couldn't live in the same place as a monster and be safe and he had promised mother he'd keep her safe.