by Sk Quinn
‘Big boy?’ Grey laughs. ‘Who’s been talking?’
‘Oh I’ve heard all about you, Grey,’ says Zara. ‘I can’t wait to hear more.’
Grey raises an eyebrow. ‘Has it come to this Patrick? You’ve been telling stories of our adventures together?’
‘Oh that’s just too beautiful a picture,’ says Zara. ‘The two of you together … Tell me Grey, did it ever happen? You and Patrick, lonely out there in Afghanistan, shirts off, writhing around …’
Grey laughs. ‘Not my cup of tea. Even with no women for miles around, my head was never turned.’
‘How about you Patrick?’ says Zara, with a wicked raise of her eyebrow. ‘I’d love to see you, shirt off, going at it with some other gorgeous guy—’
‘Do me a favour, Zara,’ says Patrick. ‘And leave me out of your fantasies.’
‘Shame,’ Zara pouts. ‘You always used to make my fantasies come true—’
‘Could you give it a rest,’ I say. ‘Zara, isn’t it time you went to Thorburn farm?’
‘Calm down little miss firecracker,’ says Zara. ‘You never know. Maybe Grey here might want to come with me. Keep me company. I’m sure Blake would be up for a little sexual experimentation—’
‘Thanks but no thanks,’ says Grey. ‘If I was going to do anything with a man, it wouldn’t be Blake Thorburn. Credit me with some taste. The man has filthy fingernails.’
‘He’s not bad, you know,’ says Zara. ‘Pretty good actually. Eight out of ten. He’d get nine if he didn’t smell of engine oil half the time.’ She links arms with Grey. ‘Well lover boy. Wish me luck. Will you wait for me?’ She flutters her eyelashes.
Grey grins broadly. ‘My bedroom door is always open for you Zara. But you know that already.’
100
Patrick strolls back and forth across the lawn, his phone clamped to his ear.
I stand with Grey and Zara, chewing a fingernail.
I can’t hear what Patrick’s saying, but I know he’s shouting.
He’s talking to Regan Thorburn.
I’ve never in my life felt so scared. If anything happens to Bertie, I don’t know what I’ll do. But at the same time, I trust Patrick. I know he’ll tear Regan Thorburn and all his brothers apart if he has to. Let’s just hope he doesn’t have to.
Dan Dan trots around my ankles, chasing a bumblebee that hovers over the spring daisies. He’s completely unaware of what might happen to him.
Poor little thing.
Patrick snatches the phone from his ear and comes marching back.
‘He wanted to know why I had the sudden change of heart.’ Patrick frowns at his phone. ‘So I told him I’m taking revenge.’ His green-blue eyes flick up and meet mine. ‘On you. That you and Grey … ’
‘You’re not so bad at lying after all,’ I say.
‘I didn’t lie. I said a few things that led him in certain directions. And he made up the rest himself.’
‘Lying then,’ I say.
‘Trust me, it’s not something I’m going to make a habit of. Anyway, he wanted me to bring the fox personally.’
‘And they’ll hunt him right away?’
‘That’s the plan.’
I nod and swallow.
Below me, Dan Dan chirrups like a little bird.
‘I wish there was another way.’
‘I wish there was too.’
‘He’s just a baby. He trusts us. And we’re leading him back to the enemy to be killed. God, I hate your father.’
‘So do I.’ Patrick drops his hands to my shoulders. ‘Look, his life will be worthwhile. Dan Dan is giving us a chance to find Bertie and Anise.’
‘I know. I just … wish there was another way.’
‘If there was, Seraphina, trust me – I’d find it. Sometimes life comes with sacrifices. We all go to the same place at the end of the day.’
I nod quickly, blinking at tears. ‘When are you meeting Regan?’
‘In an hour. You’ll have time to say your goodbyes.’
‘Maybe Dan Dan won’t get caught,’ I say, my words sounding shiny and stupid. ‘He can run pretty fast.’
‘The dogs will run faster,’ says Patrick. ‘He doesn’t stand a chance. Regan Thorburn only plays games where the odds are stacked in his favour.’
‘God, I wish you would lie sometimes.’
‘Patrick’s never been known for his tact,’ says Zara. ‘I should know—’
‘You’re one to talk about tact,’ I snap. ‘Could you please just shut up about Patrick? Just for a minute?’
Zara opens her mouth, takes one look at my furious face, and closes it again.
‘Were you going to say something?’ I challenge.
‘Okay babe,’ says Zara. ‘No need to go all hormonal. I don’t know what you’ve got to get so angry about. He doesn’t love me, okay? He loves you. Don’t you think that hurts? Seeing him with you? Seeing what I wanted but never got?’
‘Look, let’s just get on with finding Bertie, okay?’ says Patrick.
‘Fine.’ Zara takes out her phone. ‘I’ll call Blake. Tell him I’m coming over.’
‘Are you sure it won’t look suspicious?’ I ask. ‘You know, that Patrick is meeting the Thorburns the same time you want to come over?’
Zara laughs. ‘Blake? Suspicious? He’ll be too busy thinking about his cock. He’s been desperate for me ever since his last party. When he saw me and Anise getting up to all kinds of things.’
I guess my eyes must widen when she says that, because she laughs again.
‘Oh Patrick, Patrick. You passed me up for a girl who goes white at the thought of two girls together.’ She shakes her head. ‘And I thought I knew men.’
She gives me a little smile that tells me she’s joking. Sort of.
Patrick’s eyes darken. ‘I don’t want to hear about my sister at those parties.’
‘I thought you didn’t like lies,’ says Zara. She turns to me and cups her mouth. ‘Anise is just as bad as me. Don’t believe that good girl exterior. I’ve seen her plenty of times without the pearls on—’
‘Zara.’ Patrick throws her a warning look.
‘Oh I’m not scared of you, Mr Big Bad Wolf.’ Zara flashes him a huge Hollywood smile. ‘Don’t you think Seraphina deserves to know the truth about what Anise got up to? After all, Anise could be her family soon.’
‘She already knows enough truth for my liking.’
‘About Anise?’
‘She knows some of it. She doesn’t need to know all of it. Not unless Anise wants to tell her.’
‘But if you’re going out to meet Regan … sacrificing her fox. Don’t you think she deserves to know what he means in all of this? Why you hate Regan so much? The sacrifice you’re making going out there?’
‘I want to know,’ I say. ‘Tell me.’
Patrick sighs. ‘It’s to do with Bertie’s father.’
‘And who is Bertie’s father?’
‘Christ, I can’t bring myself to say their names in the same sentence as my sister.’
‘Their names?’ I ask.
‘No one knows for sure who Bertie’s father is,’ says Zara, ‘It could be Regan, Riley or Blake Thorburn.’
101
I blink at Zara, not sure I’ve heard her right.
‘All three Thorburn brothers could be Bertie’s father?’ I ask.
‘Yup,’ says Zara.
‘But how?’
‘Because she slept with all three of them at once,’ says Zara matter-of-factly.
Patrick’s eyes grow stormy as he glares at the woods.
‘Anise,’ I say slowly. ‘Anise slept with Regan, Riley and Blake Thorburn? At the same time? She doesn’t look like the type—’
‘Oh she’s the type all right,’ Zara laughs. ‘She was a wild one. Before Bertie came along. Then Uncle Dirk got all controlling, and Anise turned into a quiet little mouse.’
‘But Bertie went to live with his father,’ I say. ‘Before he went to his grandfat
her’s house. So how can that be three people?’
‘An understanding was reached,’ says Patrick. ‘Blake Thorburn took responsibility for the pregnancy. The other brothers took the opportunity to tear down our family reputation. As if they hadn’t already done something bad enough.’
‘Blake Thorburn,’ I say softly, thinking back to the three brothers in the woods. ‘He didn’t seem as bad as the rest of them. He wasn’t looking to start a fight.’
‘He’s not as bad,’ says Patrick. ‘But he’s still loyal to his family.’
‘Regan looked in his thirties …’ I murmur. ‘If Anise was a teenager when Bertie was born, Regan must have been a fair bit older.’
‘Yes he was,’ says Patrick, his voice cold.
Zara laughs. ‘Isn’t Patrick older than you Seraphina?’
‘But I’m not a teenager.’
‘Anise always had a crush on Regan,’ says Zara. ‘Even since she was a child. It wasn’t like he raped her or anything.’
‘He may as well have done,’ Patrick barks. ‘And in the eyes of the law he did.’
‘Oh Patrick, when are you going to let that go?’ says Zara. ‘She was only a few days away from being legal. Okay, so they all should have been more careful—’
‘For a man his age to have sex with a girl her age … and for her to fall pregnant …’
‘You can’t always go by numbers,’ says Zara. ‘Girls mature faster than boys. Anise and I … we were mature for our age. We had fun on the Thorburn farm. Even Anise has to admit that. They never made us do anything. At all. Blake and Riley were our age. Well, Riley a little younger. But we both wanted Regan. Among others …’
‘Spare me the details,’ Patrick snaps. ‘I’ve gone this long without finding out. I think I can comfortably live the rest of my life without knowing any more than I do. And what I already know is bad enough.’
‘You’ve always made such a big deal out of this,’ says Zara.
‘I was the one who picked up the pieces when she found out she was pregnant,’ Patrick barks. ‘She didn’t look very mature then, I can tell you. And when she was in the hospital giving birth and the Thorburns were nowhere to be seen …’
‘Oh come on Patrick. They didn’t even know then. As soon as Blake found out, he stepped forward. I mean, okay. The others didn’t …’
‘No. That would require a shred of decency.’
‘Poor Anise,’ I say. ‘Does Bertie know? I mean, about the situation with his fathers?’
‘No,’ says Patrick. ‘He stayed with the Thorburns for a while. Blake was decent. He at least tried to have a relationship with the boy. But he was young. Not really father material. Bertie may not even remember staying there.’
‘God, poor Bertie.’
Patrick checks his watch. ‘You don’t have long, Seraphina. Say your goodbyes to Dan Dan. I’ll have lunch sent out to you. And then I’ll take Dan Dan into the woods.’
‘Where will you be?’ I ask.
‘There are some people I need to talk to. But I’ll be watching you.’
102
Dan Dan and I play on the lawn for a little while, and then Vicky comes out with a plate of lunch.
‘Thanks,’ I say, taking the cling-film wrapped plate. Lunch is a wholemeal ham sandwich and a handful of home-fried vegetable crisps. I can smell that the bread is freshly baked, but I don’t feel like eating.
‘How are you hen?’ Vicky asks. ‘Something’s up with Patrick. He’s stalking around like a bear with a sore arse.’
‘Sounds about right,’ I say, pushing Dan Dan back from the plate. ‘No Dan Dan. That’s cling-film. It’ll give you a bad tummy.’ But he still tries to bite at the sandwich, jumping up and scratching with his claws.
‘Anything I can help with?’ Vicky asks.
I shake my head.
‘I saw Grey talking to Zara earlier,’ says Vicky. ‘I suppose the two of them …?’
‘Not as far as I know,’ I say truthfully.
I open up the cling-film and throw down a ham sandwich for Dan Dan.
He pounces on it and pulls out the ham.
‘That’s a good meal for a fox,’ says Vicky. ‘I boiled that ham myself. I hope he appreciates it.’
‘It’s sort of his last meal,’ I say.
‘Oh? How so?’
‘Patrick is taking him into the woods later. For Regan Thorburn to hunt.’ I stroke Dan Dan’s silky ears.
‘But … why? Patrick hates the Thorburns.’
‘It’s complicated,’ I say.
‘He’s a sweet little thing,’ says Vicky, stroking Dan Dan’s back. ‘Trust Regan Thorburn to hunt a cub. The wee pup won’t stand a chance. It’s disgusting. They shouldn’t even be allowed to hunt around here. Let alone cubs.’
‘Look at him,’ I say, as Dan Dan wolfs down ham. ‘Doesn’t have a clue what’s about to happen. Poor little thing.’
‘Maybe it’s better that way,’ says Vicky.
‘Maybe.’
Dan Dan licks his chops, then sniffs at the ground. At first I think he’s sniffing the bread, but then he knocks it aside with his nose. He sniffs along the grass and lifts his nose into the air, looking out at the woods.
Then he bolts towards the trees.
I look at Vicky and she looks at me.
‘What’s got into him?’ she asks.
‘I don’t know,’ I say, handing the plate to her. ‘But I’d better go find out. I can’t let him get lost. Patrick needs him.’
I charge into the woods.
103
Dan Dan is sniffing around the trees when I come into the woods.
‘Come here Dan Dan,’ I call, wishing I’d brought the rest of the sandwich with me. ‘Over here.’
He ignores me and runs a little further into the woods.
I follow him.
It’s weird. Dan Dan seems in no hurry to get anywhere. But as soon as I get near him, he jumps away and runs a little further.
I trample over tree roots and hard mud.
I don’t realise how far I’ve come until suddenly I feel hard stone under my feet.
We’re at the cliff. The one I saw with Patrick.
Wow. I so didn’t mean to go this far into the woods.
Dan Dan looks over the cliff edge at the valley below.
‘We’re a long way from the castle Dan Dan,’ I tell him. ‘But there’s nowhere else to go now. You’re stuck. Let me pick you up.’
I go to him, and he squeals as I grab his body. He wriggles a little, trying to get free.
‘What’s got into you?’ I ask him. ‘It’s like you know what’s in store for you.’
I find myself looking out over the cliff and a shiver of fear goes through me.
‘Oh god,’ I say.
Up ahead I see a shadow.
A man.
With a sight rifle over his shoulder.
He’s dressed all in black and I watch as he stealthily climbs a tree.
As soon as he’s in the branches he becomes invisible. Totally still. He doesn’t make a movement. Not a single movement. It’s like he’s part of the tree.
If I hadn’t seen him climb the tree I’d never have known he was there.
I look down at Dan Dan. ‘Is he there for Patrick?’ I say, feeling a shiver go through me.
In my arms, Dan Dan begins to fidget and snarl.
‘Dan Dan?’ I ask. He’s fidgeting so much now that his little claws scratch at my arms. ‘Ouch!’
Too late, I see a huge shadow fall over me.
Dan Dan leaps from my arms and I hear his claws scrabble on the rock as he bolts.
I feel a sharp pain on my skull. Then I see the rocky ground come hurtling towards me. There’s a ragged pain on my cheek, then nothing.
104
‘Se-ra?’
I blink.
Red circles swim around my eyes.
Whose voice is that? It sounds so familiar.
I blink some more, feeling my eyelids stick to my cheeks.
My throat is dry and my eyes ache. So does the back of my head.
I move a hand up to rub at the bruise and find it’s incredibly tender.
‘Se-ra?’
That voice again. I blink harder and pull my eyes open.
I’m lying down and everything is sideways.
At first I think I’m dreaming. The shadow standing over me … could it be …
‘Anise?’ I murmur, rubbing my eyes.
The shadow nods, and Anise’s pale skin and hair come into focus.
‘Where am I?’ I croak, struggling to get up.
I smell damp and see a corrugated iron roof above. The floor is sandy concrete and there are hay bales against the walls. Against one wall is a metal water trough – like the kind that cows drink out of.
‘Are we in a barn?’ I rub my head, thinking back to being in the woods. The pain I felt … someone knocked me out. So I guess … I must have been taken here by someone. The same someone who’s kidnapped Anise and Bertie.
I shiver.
I look around and see Bertie on top of some huge hay bales. His knees are pulled to his chest.
‘Bertie!’ I scrabble to my feet. ‘Are you okay?’
He shrinks back as I get closer, turning his body away from me.
‘Bertie.’ I stand at the foot of the hay bales. ‘It’s okay. It’s me.’
Bertie eyes me silently for a moment. Then he says, ‘Go way.’
My stomach has that sickly, frightened feeling that tells me I’m in trouble. That we’re all in trouble.
I think of Patrick. And the sniper in the woods. Oh good god.
Please, please, please let Patrick be okay.
‘Anise?’ I ask again. ‘Where are we? What’s going on?’
‘We’re being held captive. Well, you are. Bertie and I are free to go if we wish. We were taken here a few days ago. But you … you only arrived a few hours ago. Regan brought you here.’
‘Regan? As in Regan Thorburn?’ I think back to the tough shaven-headed man Patrick and I met in the woods. The one who tried to take Dan Dan …
‘Yes,’ says Anise.
I look around at the barn. ‘You and Bertie are free to go?’ I ask.
‘Yes.’
‘Then why don’t you leave? Go back to Mansfield Castle?’
