A Kiss at Midnight

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Did you learn why Jessica was absent today?" Ilona asked, undoing the laces of her bonnet.

"I did." She heard Carrick fall into step behind her. "We can discuss it when we are all seated."

She turned to him, her fingers stilling on the low sloping brim of her bonnet. "We?"

He gestured towards the area of the room unseen from their current position. His fingers skimming the soft expanse of the back of her palm in order to take her hat away. Perhaps he is as not as upset as I presumed. Intrigue gripped her expression as she stepped into the main section of the room. A smile lit up her face, seeing the familiar sight of the earth warlock. He stood there by the fireplace,his hands clasped behind his back while her own become outstretched in welcome.

"Mack, it's wonderful to see you again," she said, warmth in her voice as she walked towards him.

Her arms falling to her sides when she saw a green glow shimmer across his face, revealing to her that his presence here was merely an illusion created by a summoning spell. She knew about these kinds of spells from Mina Van Helsing who had insisted that the young Bennett have some education on witchcraft should the day arrived when she may need one's help.

Mack returned her smile. "Miss Ilona, a delight as always to see you."

She took a seat on the sofa. "May I ask as to why you are here?"

"Carrick had a few questions."

She turned to look at Carrick as he settled himself down beside her. "Surely, your alpha told you all you needed to know?"

"Regarding the task of retrieving the lily, yes but not about Barrymore's martial status."

"Well, he doesn't have a wife but he does love a woman," Ilona announced.

Silence descended over the room. Shock flickered across Carrick's face, Mack's a mirror of his. That couldn't be...

"Ilona, what woman?"

"Yesterday on my morning stroll, I complimented Barrymore on the beauty of the garden and he mentioned how it was to be a gift to the lady he loved. Unfortunately she died before seeing the garden and not recently either from the sound of his pain."
Her brows furrowed. "Odd though," she murmured. "He did not mention her name."

"She could have been human and that's why there is no record of her," Mack suggested. "We tend not to keep track of such a thing."

The warlock scratched his jaw. "Perhaps this also explains the matter of the pink roses."

"What about pink roses?" Ilona asked, her gaze flickering between two males.

Carrick began to tell her what he had learned from Jessica and how it tied into her absence. Anger a wildfire across her body, hearing how Grayson hurt the young maid. It may sting to know what she said was being regaled to Barrymore but she still cared about Jessica. The young maid didn't deserve a cruel punishment, her fingers curling into fists.

He saw it when the last word left his lips. The dark grey clouds of fury gathering at Grayson's action were now retreating. Her head lowered, her hands in her lap now holding all of her attention. A sense of unease crept in. He reached out. His thumb beneath her chin as he tilted her head up to meet his gaze.

"Ilona." His voice a soft plea. "What are you not telling me?"

She let out a sigh. "Barrymore gave me a pink rose as a gift." She saw his gaze dropped to her empty palms. "I no longer have it since roses are not a favourite of mine as you of all people should know."