Chapter 24: Brotherly Love

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The carriage pulled away from the curb, my lonely trunk and I the only discernible things on the street at such an hour of the foggy evening. I could feel the chill creeping in through the thin cotton of my old finishing school uniform. I hadn't wanted to try Ella's patience by keeping the dresses she'd ended up paying for thanks to my family's debt, so I had only packed my old uniforms and the single, outdated ball gown I had been planning to wear that night.

No longer than a minute or two after Ella and the girls had left, a pair of maids entered the room. They efficiently packed my belongings back into my trunk, a footman appearing out of nowhere to lug it down the service corridor and out the service entrance near the stables. I hadn't even had a moment to sneak into Ella's room to steal back my necklace, let alone sneak down to Audra's to beg for a new disguise so I could attend the ball. Whoever the palace maids were, they knew that I was to be escorted out as quickly as possible, which they did, depositing me in a carriage with instructions to take me to my family house in Highcastle.

I had squeezed my eyes shut, nails digging into the palms of my hands as the carriage passed through the palace gates. I couldn't think about the fact it would be my last ride through those gates. I found I couldn't breathe at the prospect of never seeing Andrew again. And yet, here I was.

Standing on the curb, I looked up at the house looming out of the shadows before me, dark and foreboding when compared to its neighbours. Along the block, warm golden light spilled out from sitting rooms onto the street, the promise of warmth and shelter infinitely more inviting than the cold stone facade I was staring at.

Xavier had warned me that they'd let staff go at the house, but this looked more as if they'd gone and already closed it up. I hoped he hadn't already left the city, given that there was nary a candle to be seen in any of the windows. Clearly we were in much worse circumstances than I'd thought.

I drew in a breath, leaning down to seize the handle of my trunk. It made an almighty racket as I dragged it up the walk to the stairs, heaving it up one step at a time. I knocked the big brass knocker, waiting. I desperately hoped Xavier was in so he could at least keep me company on the most miserable night of my existence.

My breath was coming in plumes and I rubbed my arms to ward off the chill of the late summer air as I heard the door being unlocked from the inside. Xavier pushed it open, lighting the front step with a single candle.

"Well this is certainly unexpected," he said, taking in my dress and trunk, "What on Earth happened Libby?"

"It's a long story," I said. He sighed, throwing the door open.

Xavier handed me the candle so he could pick up the trunk and drag it inside. As we entered, I had to fight back tears once again.

Most of the furnishings had been carted off, probably to auction, and none of the lamps were lit. This house, this glorious house that had once been my winter wonderland and spring paradise was now nothing but the skeleton of old memories. The chill followed us in, adding to the emptiness.

"The front room's bed hasn't been packed up yet, I'll set you up there. I'm warming some dinner in the kitchen just now, if you're hungry," Xavier said, abandoning the trunk beside the door and preceding me down the dark hallway towards the kitchen at the back. The hearth fire was burning, a pot of something bubbling over it. At least this room had only minimally changed, save for the obvious lack of staff.

"Food would be splendid," I said.

"I also went ahead and took the liberty of opening this," he said, taking up an expensive bottle of Father's scotch and pouring more into an already half-empty glass, "Decorum be damned, would you like some?"

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