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There were about eighteen people who belonged to Danny’s station Household staff, and those who ether the latter, Dev quickly pieced together that Ian had allowed the flock to dwindle to such a low nuerously idle except for violent pursuits like Danny’s ambush Dev suspected she’d have to dismiss most of them and start from scratch
Lord Charles’s men stood off to one side, belohere Charles stood on the porch, leaning against the railing Those in the courtyard had their eyes fastened on their new Mistress, who’d stepped out in the blood-spattered taffeta dress The torchlight olden hair There was a slash of blood across her cheek Dev noted old Jim off to the side, and the old stockman lookedrelieved Remarkably unsurprised by this turn of events Strewth, Dev apparently had a lot to learn about vampires The question was, did he want to know any more?
“Ian is dead because of his atte toward Ruskin “I have reclaiood wage If you aren’t a good worker, I’ll sack you You can hike the twenty or so miles to intercept a truck train to take you out of here” The frost of her eyes increased, ed to the forefront, capturing their attention Dev noted no one coughed or shifted There was noThey were riveted upon her
“Betray h water to keep you suffering and alive for days, and let the sun, bugs and the limitation of your frail hu I will not employ violence when necessary, simply because I am not as violent as Ian” She looked toward old Jim “Put Ian’s body out past the fence to burn when the sun rises Have the maids prepare his servant’s body for burial Put her outside our faive her a decent ive her that I’ve no idea of her character, but her judgment in relationships was poor Bear that lesson in mind”
Her gaze then shifted to the e, Lord Ruskin and I will have a fencing ht there Oh”—she stopped in er until I say otherwise You will bring any questions to him That is all Go back to your duties or your sleep”
He saw their speculative looks What they didn’t knoas he had as iven him much of a job description up to now It wasn’t the first job he’d had to learn by the seat of his pants, and a description seees, either Another absurd topic, really But after he assisted old Ji up the aftermath of her coup, he decided she owed all of them a raise
He’d gone froht into the army It wasn’t until that was over that he’d known he wasn’t returning to his station, ever again Instead, he’d gone on walkabout He came in and out of toorked here or there as he wanted or needed to Being a swag ofA purpose, an arrow of sorts? He certainly felt he’d been shot by one
He’d thought it over and couldn’t do this He couldn’t live in a world like this That was the end of it He’d stick with her through tonight, though When these ied, he’d find her to let her know That was the type of e she deserved to have delivered in person
Plus, she’d been silent as a stu her voice came from a certain direction in his ht now there was a solid wall in that spot He wasn’t even sure if he “thought” his intentions at her, she’d hear them
So when at last he went looking for her, he found she hadn’t co e an idle sport after that? He shook his head, closed it off Not his issue, really
But as he reached the top of the stairs, prepared to move down the ht perfume she’d worn for dinnerit was here, as if she’d recently gone this way Turning down a narrower, left-hand corridor, and obeying that instinctive sense of her, he put his hand on the doorknob of a room he hadn’t explored and turned it
It was a sh it had a washroo the siuest room, similar to where Danny had put him
The mirror in the washroom confirmed this area was intended for human habitants He almost turned away, since he didn’t see her in the reflection that showed the rest of the bathroom, then he stopped While he’d already learned soinable, it was possible that certain things, like the inability to cast a reflection, could be fact
He leaned into the room
Since he’d met her, she’d overwhelht like a tiger for her life against superior nuht, single-handedly murder the overlord of this territory Still, she could surprise him Like now
She was squatting on her heels, wedged in the far corner, between the commode and the sink Hunched over, she had her arms wrapped around herself, her back to the door
He didn’t believe anyone could come upon her unawares, and he didn’t believe he did so now Which ht explain one of the reasons his heart lurched when he squatted behind her, and she merely lowered her head further As he wrapped his ar across her back becas thatthe way a hysterical woman would cry, only in complete silence
I hate this, Dev Hate it so much