Brilliant Disguise

Chapter Twenty-Six

That night, Sophie had trouble sleeping. Between the pain in her ankle and the nightmares that plagued her, no sooner did she doze off than she jolted awake either in pain or terrified. Sten haunted her sleep, mocking her with his icy smile and oily words as he promised her that not only would she never be free of him, he would take Heather away from her forever. She heard the splash of him hitting the water. The squelch of the hammer striking him. The way the water reddened around him. And finally...

Silence.

And each time she lurched awake, Thorin was there, wrapping her in his arms, whispering reassurance that she was safe, that Heather was safe, that Sten would never trouble her again. Then he held her until she drifted back off to sleep, only to repeat the scenario throughout the night.

Sophie awoke to find herself alone. For a brief moment, she wondered if she'd imagined the previous day's events. But then she shifted and the sudden throb in her ankle assured her that it had actually happened.

Still, she sat up and carefully slid to the edge of the bed, where her crutches were propped against the beside table. It took her a moment to situate herself, and then she carefully maneuvered from her room.

It was slow going, but she moved to Heather's room, only to find it empty, her bed neatly made. A hint of apprehension twisted her belly. Thorin might have gone back to his own flat, but where was Heather and why hadn't he at least left a note?

She tried not to panic, but her nightmares clung to her, made her crutch toward the sitting room with her heart beating almost triple time. She had to see Heather for herself, to make certain her nightmares had been just that—only nightmares.

And as she came into the sitting area, she stopped as short as one on crutches could stop and as she did, Heather looked up. Putting a finger to her lips, she whispered, "Shhh, Mama. Mister Thorin is sleeping."

Sophie smiled. Thorin was indeed sleeping, stretched out on the sofa with one leg straight, the other bent, his foot flat on the floor. Heather sat in the vee of his legs, a picture book open across her lap. "I was reading to him," she whispered as she closed the book and then carefully climbed over him.

He snored, but remained asleep and Sophie gestured to the knit blanket draped over the sofa's back. "Why don't you cover him, love?"

Heather nodded and came around to tug the blanket down, before carrying back around to cover him. Then, she whispered, "There."

"Why are you both in here?" Sophie asked.

"I had a bad dream, Mama. When I came into your room, he was there. I thought he slept on the sofa?"

Sophie smiled as she smoothed Heather's hair away from her face. "He was sitting with me last eve, because I had a bad dream of my own."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Sometimes your mind likes to play tricks on you." She gestured for Heather to follow her into her room, where Heather climbed up onto Sophie's unmade bed. "What did you dream?"

Heather's nose crinkled. "I don't remember, Mama. But Mister Thorin said I could sit in the sitting area and read, so we didn't wake you."

She looked up at Sophie, her blue eyes narrowed. "Does he really sleep on the sofa?"

"Why would you ask?"

"Because he was under the covers with you, like I do when I cuddle with you. Was he cuddling with you?"

Sophie smiled. "He was. As I said, I also had bad dreams."

"Why?"

Sophie hesitated. She hadn't planned on telling Heather about Sten, but at the same time, she also felt Heather had the right to know. Not all of the details, of course, but just enough to know she never need live in fear of Sten any longer.