The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson (grave mercy .TXT) 📕

the door. Since he was so often from home, I’d rarely spoken to Mr. Cavanagh in all my time growing up in East Whitloe. He certainly wouldn’t expect me to visit him now. “I’ll be sure to steer clear.”

She clasped her hands together, the sharp clap striking my nerves. “Thank you, my dear. You relieve my mind.”

I answered with a listless smile as Piers and Avery wandered into the drawing room. By their expressions, I couldn’t helpbut wonder if my presence at Loxby had been a significant topic of conversation. Goodness, Piers wouldn’t even look my direction.

Avery walked straight to his mother. She answered his quizzical glance with a pert nod, his responding smile a curious one.

He turned his focus to me. “Would the two of you care for a game of Whist?” A glance at his mama. “We finally have four players.What do you say?” He looked over his shoulder at Piers. “At least I assume we do.” He leaned in close to me. “Piers has beenin a foul mood all evening. I shan’t be surprised if he means to put us off.”

Mrs. Cavanagh sat up in eagerness of the idea, brightening in turn but then lowering her gaze. “My dear boy, you know justhow to anticipate your mama’s pleasure; however, I must confess, this day has been a difficult one. There is no way I couldpossibly concentrate on a game of cards, not until Seline is safe at home.” She splayed her hand across her chest. “I’m afraidI expect little sleep this evening but shall be forced to retire to my room nonetheless. If you would but give me your arm.”

Mrs. Cavanagh lifted a brave face to the room, but the strain was evident. The days of worry had left dark circles under her eyes, and her gait was unsteady as she walked. Her Turkish robe and sarsenet gown lacked her usual precision to detail. One sleeve was bunched up above her elbow and a ribbon remained untied at the hem. I wished somehow I could lessen the pain of the unknown. Piers had been right to caution me where his mother was concerned. She appeared to be at the breaking point. What mother wouldn’t?

I, on the other hand, had questions. I pushed to my feet. “Avery.”

He looked back as he supported his mother’s arm. Mrs. Cavanagh echoed his movement with her own startled glare.

Oh dear, how had I already forgotten what I’d overheard from outside Mr. Cavanagh’s room? Such familiarity with Avery wouldhardly go unnoticed. I was playing into Mrs. Cavanagh’s suppositions. I regulated my tone to seem a bit more nonchalant. “Ifyou have a mind to return to the drawing room after you’ve seen to your mother, I’d like a word with you, and Piers of course.It will take but a moment.”

Avery’s eyebrows peaked, but he nodded.

I watched them leave and returned to my seat on the sofa to find Piers in the strange humor Avery had mentioned.

He was calm enough on the surface, but something simmered beneath his brooding silence. He took a long sip of his drink beforeaddressing me. “Just a few days back in East Whitloe, and I see you’ve already managed to wrangle Avery under your thumb.”

I stared at him, then frowned. Had his mother aired her concerns to him about me and Avery? “What nettles you tonight?”

He didn’t answer, focusing his attention out a window and into the dark night. There was a crawling wind beyond the glass,which left the room almost edgy with anticipation, as if Piers and I were merely pawns on a chessboard waiting for the nextplay to determine our fate.

“If you think my asking Avery for a quick chat is wrangling, I daresay you’ve been isolated outside of Liverpool for longerthan I thought.”

He waited a moment before scowling back at me, a bend to his brow, but then he opened his hands as if chastised. “As you say.”

He sounded both aloof and cross, and I considered retiring for the night when his tone softened. “Forgive me. I don’t do waitingwell.”

“Neither do I, as you well know, which is why I asked Avery to return. I have a few questions for him about Seline.”

I must have sounded unsure of myself, for the look on Piers’s face transformed. He was a young man again, my first love, myonly love. I swallowed hard.

Willfully forgetting the feelings that had been a part of me for so long—the uncontrollable attraction that still churnedbeneath the surface of my scars—would take practice. However, Piers and I were different people now. I could not forget that.

I looked up, straight into Piers’s sharp gaze. He, too, felt the distance between us—the impenetrable chasm neither of usmeant to cross.

But what if a bridge was possible—one of friendship and mutual admiration? Granted, I’d have to be extremely careful how Ihandled myself. If only I could find my way back to the carefree young lady I had once been, we might find a way to civility.After all, I could use his help to solve the mystery of what happened to Seline.

“Piers?”

“Yes,” he answered quickly and with complete control, which felt like a slap to the face after I’d been forced to work hardto control my own emotions.

“Do you think it possible we might cry friends?” My heart thundered in my ears as I waited for him to ponder his response.

Then a slight smile emerged, and he breathed out a laugh. “I suppose you’ve grown tired of my incessant ruminating. Goodness knows I have.”

“I wouldn’t call it incessant.” I sat up and extended my gloved hand. “Friends, then?”

He hesitated a moment, then grasped it. “Friends.” He settled back against his chair. “You know, I’m relieved really. Averyhas already scolded me for behaving like a flat this evening. I told him I was only concerned about that temper of yours.”

My brow shot up. “Of mine?”

He covered his mouth to hide a grin. “We used to call you Captain Halliwell for a reason.”

“I thought that was because I always knew the answers.”

“Or were rather good at