‘You used to.’
Yes, when we’d first met, but so much had changed since then. ‘That was a long time ago. Everything is different now.’ My feelings for Hugo were now running in a totally different direction.
He continued to avoid my gaze. ‘It’s not that I don’t care about what happened to Lady Rose – whatever happened to her is an enormous tragedy – but it’s been thirty years. Gordon Mackenzie isn’t the first person to search for her and he won’t be the last, but there’s never been a trace of her anywhere. She’s dead, and I don’t believe her remains will ever be found.’
He finally raised his eyes and looked at me. ‘My parents still receive hate mail on an almost daily basis, even though they’re abroad. That sort of thing grinds you down.’
I wanted to reach out and hug him but it wasn’t the right time; Hugo needed to say his piece first. I wasn’t in his position and I could never truly understand it, but I was there for him, if only to listen. Most of our conversations lately had involved banter, training details or treasure hunting; this, was definitely not one of those.
I registered the flicker of anguish in his face. ‘There’s something about Lady Rose that my parents won’t tell me,’ he whispered.
Oh no.
‘I don’t know what it is. Whenever I’ve tried to bring it up, they’ve changed the topic or simply refused to speak to me about it. But they’re my mum and dad and I know them as well as I know anyone. I’m certain there’s something important that they won’t tell me.’
I selected my next words very, very carefully. ‘Do you think they had something to do with Lady Rose’s disappearance?’
He shook his head, then he nodded. A moment later, he growled with frustration. ‘I don’t believe they’d hurt her, I truly don’t. But…’ He sighed. ‘There’s something there, something they know. What if…?’ He couldn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t blame him.
‘I shouldn’t be complaining,’ he continued. ‘You’ve had far more to deal with – you’re still dealing with far more.’
‘It’s not a misery competition, Hugo. You’re entitled to your feelings.’
‘It’s a wonder to me that I ever thought you were anything less than amazing,’ he said quietly.
From the other side of the room, Hester shouted, ‘Yes, Hugo!’ I pulled a face at her. This wasn’t the time for her commentary, regardless of how well-meaning it was.
‘I tried to find Lady Rose, you know,’ he said. ‘I searched for her for a long time when I was a teenager. I thought that if I could find her then all the nastiness directed at my parents would stop. I broke into her house like you did. It’s one of the few hunts I’ve undertaken where I completely failed. The truth is that there’s nothing to find. She’s gone.’
‘Gordon told me that if this magical skull he’s looking for doesn’t offer up any answers, he’ll put the investigation to bed once and for all.’
‘Others will pick up where Gordon leaves off,’ Hugo said darkly. ‘There are always others – and one of them appears to be your alleged father. His interest alone should be enough to dissuade you from helping Gordon. Athair’s involvement can’t be a good thing.’
We were in agreement about that. ‘Did you notice how Athair talks about her in his letter?’ I asked. ‘The first time he mentions her, he calls her Lady Rose, then she’s just Rose.The last time, he calls her Rosie. What if he knew her? What if he was responsible for whatever happened to her?’
‘And what if he’s pulling your strings because he wants to control you and everything you do? Athair is the most powerful remaining fiend in this country for a reason. He’s cold and vicious and very intelligent. He’s playing a game that you can’t win, Daisy.’
‘But this isn’t only about Athair, or me. It’s about Lady Rose and about Gordon. And it’s about you.’
Hugo grimaced with obvious frustration. ‘Athair wants you to get involved and whatever the reason, it won’t be good. It’s bad enough that he knew you’d sneak into the Assigney house.’
‘I can’t pretend he doesn’t exist,’ I pointed out. ‘Athair is part of my life now, whether that DNA test confirms he’s my father or not. He won’t go away.’
‘And dead or not, Lady Rose won’t go away either.’ That was true. ‘You want to help Gordon find this skull, whatever it is?’ he asked.
I nodded. ‘I do. He wouldn’t tell me what the skull does, although he seemed confident that it would provide answers. I understand what you’re worried about, Hugo. It doesn’t make you a bad person, it makes you normal.’ I paused. ‘If you tell me you don’t want me to do this, I’ll respect your wishes.’
‘Why? Why would you do that for me?’
‘Because I care about you,’ I said simply.
His voice was rough. ‘Care? Is that it?’
I didn’t look away. ‘You don’t believe me?’
Hugo hissed through his teeth, stood up and marched several paces away. When he stopped, he didn’t turn around to face me. ‘I care about you too.’ He sounded strained. ‘I know I’ve put you through hell these last weeks.’
‘You’ve been trying to help me.’
