All the Things You Never Knew (26 page)

* * *

“You lied, old man!” Edward nearly strangled the life out of the old footman of the marquess when they arrived at the so-called regiment of Lansing down north of Islington to find it empty.

“Ed, stop! You’re killing him,” said Aidan, as he pulls the footman away.
“That bastard lied to us! Lansing is not here, nor Leon.” “Calm it,” said Jack to Edward as he walk over to the footman

and took him from Aidan. “You said Lansing’s here, but he’s not. Do you know any other places he might have gone to?”

“No,” the footman said, still gasping for breath. “It’s only here and the villa.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at him. “And no other places?”
“Not that I know of,” the old man answered.
“We totally wasted our time,” said Edward. “We might as well go back home. If Leon’s not here, then perhaps he had escaped and driven Lansing’s regiment out after him.”
“Possible,” Jack agreed.
“What do we do, then? Just return to Bridlington?” Aidan asked.
“There’s no use wasting our time if we don’t know where they are,” said Jack. “Besides, there are things to handle at home. I’m hungry. I hope Avange cook something good up.”
“Am I spare, young men?” the footman asked quietly with hope.
Jack looked at him and smiled. “You are free.”
The old man gave a sigh of relief and broke down into a sob.
“Blast it! You’re going to cry now?” Edward grabbed the man up and shook him. “You are to stop this blubbering if you want to return home! Understood?”
The old man nodded in fear and stopped instantly.
“Cool it, Ed. Leave the poor man alone. He’s been frightened enough,” Jack said, walking back into the carriage. “Aidan, you take the man in. Ed, you drive.”
Edward let go of the man and pushed him towards Aidan.
“Don’t ever lie to us again or next time you will get your throat slit.”
The old man nodded wearily at Edward and move along into the carriage with Aidan.

Bridlington
“That’s the last of them,” Chance said as he collapsed on the ground to catch his breath.
Blake came down next to him and they lay on the battlefield, breathing heavily.

“So many bodies. How are we to bury them all before class starts at the Academy?”
“Cremation,” said Blake. “We will cremate them. I am not going to dig up a bloody trench to bury them all. I have no strength to spare for it.”
“Nor I.” Chance slowly got up and looked at the corpses that sprawled on the ground. “Cremation for sure. We’re not going to turn the estate into a cemetery.”
“No, we won’t.” Blake stood and slowly made his way to the house. “Let’s go check up on Gabriel,” he said to Chance. “We’ll handle the bodies later. I’ll get Sheik to help us.”
Chance nodded and followed after Blake to meet their siblings in the sitting room. Gabriel was resting on the couch with his arms over his eyes while Sheik sat on the windowsill cleaning his pistol. Phoenix was napping on the couch across from Gabriel, and Namine and Lavender were setting out the tea cups and saucers on the small table placed in the center of the room between the two couches.
“You guys are the heroes today,” Namine said to Blake and Chance with a clap.
“You bet,” Chance exclaimed. “We kicked asses!”
“Here are some left over delight that Avangelene made before she ran off somewhere,” Lavender said, setting down a tray of lemon tarts. “Still really good. I was going to make something better but I figured I might burn down the kitchen and–”
“It’s all good,” Blake said, walking over to grab a tart. “Avange always have those secret whatever ingredients that keeps the food unspoiled for days.”
“How’s Gabby’s shoulder?” Chance asked, strolling over to examine Gabriel.
“Just a scratch. He won’t die,” said Sheik with a light chuckle.
“I figured so.” Blake poured out the tea for each of them and pushed off Phoenix’s legs to sit on the couch.
“Ah! Gabe!” Phoenix shrieked, rolling off the couch and moving to kneel beside Gabriel. “I fell asleep. Did he die yet?”
Her older siblings laughed and shook their head.
“The Lord and Devil kicked him right out of heaven and hell,” laughed Sheik. “He will be living for another eighty years to boss you around.”
“Shut up, Sheik!” Phoenix sneered, grabbing a lemon tart and throwing it right into his laughing mouth.
“Delicious,” Sheik said, chewing down the tart. “Nice shot. Saves me a trip over to the table to grab a tart.”
“I wish you choke on it,” Phoenix said, and got up on her feet. “The battle is over, right?” She walked over to the window and looked out at the dead bodies.
“What are we going to do with those bodies?” she asked.
“Blake and I decided on cremating them. That’s the fastest way,” Chance told them.
“Really?” Phoenix’s eyes lit up. “Meaning we could have a bonfire!”
“No,” Gabriel groaned from the couch.
“Oh, shut up, Gabe,” Phoenix said. “You’re hurt already.”
“But I’m not dying,” Gabriel said, his eyes fluttering open to beam at them. “A bullet to the shoulder won’t kill me.”
“Oh, now I wish you’ve gotten lead poison,” Phoenix scoffed. “We’re having a bonfire, regardless of what you say, Gabe.” She turned to Blake. “We could have a bonfire, right, Blakey?”
Blake shrugged. “Wouldn’t hurt to, I guess.”
“Yes!” Phoenix jumped up and down in joy and ran over to kneel by Gabriel again. “Ha! In your face!” Then, she walked out to the kitchen. “Let’s have rotisserie chicken for dinner!”
Gabriel shook his head and closed his eyes again. “Such an immature eighteen year-old.”
Namine smiled. “Aren’t we all immature?”

Bridlington

about to reach the Heartily Estate.
“What is it, Gareth?”
Leon followed his gaze to where Longsword was looking and

saw in the distance a big fire roaring along with a ghastly smell. “Is that Blake and them?” Longsword inquired as they stop their
horses to observe.
“It’s past midnight already. Why are they still up?”
Leon nudged his horse forward and they rode silently until they
reach the estate and gain a full view of the spitting fire. There were
two of them built a few feet apart.
He can see Phoenix turning a grouse over one fire while Sheik
and Chance carries what seems to be a dead body into the other,
roaring it up brighter and extracting out that unpleasant scent again.
What the hell happened?
“Leon!” Phoenix exclaimed as she turns to see him and
Longsword approaching.
Her holler caught the attention of the rest of his siblings and they
waved at him.
“Leon!” Namine threw her arms out as to hug him but stopped
when she realized he had Rose in his arms. “We were so worried
about you,” she said. “We thought the Marquess–”
“How did you escape?” Sheik interjected. “Weren’t you held
captive by Lansing?”
How did they know he was even captured?
“We got a letter from the marquess. Jack, Aidan, and Ed went out
to find you in Islington,” said Blake.
“They did?” Hell, his brothers went out to find him when he’s
here. He didn’t even realized that they were gone.
Lansing really did send his men out as he had said, then. “You didn’t see them?” Namine asked.
Leon shook his head. “No, but I would have waited somewhere
for them if I had known.”
“I hope they don’t fall into Lansing’s trap, Heartily,” said
Longsword. “It would be hard to get them out. Lansing’s security is
going to be stricter.”
“How many men does he have anyway?” Chance asked as he
came around and gave Leon and Longsword a greeting nod. “We were
under attack this morning–”
“You guys were under attack?”
“Chance and I took out about a hundred men,” said Blake. “We had to cremate the bodies,” Chance added.
That explains the dead body and fire.
“Yes, and Gabe got shot,” Phoenix said. “I stabbed the man that
shot him with my sword, though.”
“Did you, now?” Leon gave a light chuckle and shook his head.
“Where’s Gabe? Is he okay?”
“Fine enough to object my request of having a bonfire,” said
Phoenix. “He lost, of course. And here we are. He went inside to get
his shoulder re-bandage with Lavender. Hungry? I roasted up a birdie
that Chance shot.”
“Good to hear, then. And yes, I’ll like that birdie after I have
settled and cleaned myself.”
“Is that Lady Rose?” Sheik asked as he came around Leon to
peek down at Rose. “She looks different from the last time I saw her.” “Ten years had gone by, Sheik,” said Namine. “Obviously, she
would look different.” Then to Leon, “Get off that horse and take her
in to rest.”
He intended to do so. It has been a restless night.
“Are you wearing Avange’s shirt?” Blake asked with a laugh as
Leon swung off the horse and cradled the sleeping Rose in his arms.
“It’s so small.”
“Shut up, it was the only thing I could get from her hideout.” “You went to her hideout?” Chance asked. “Did you see her? She
had been gone for a few days now.”
“No, I didn’t see her. Why, were you guys starving for the last
few days?”
“No, we were worried that she might have ran away since Jack
and them wouldn’t let her go with them to save you,” said Namine. “We left Hargate at her hideout since he got injured from helping
me,” said Leon. “I left Avange a note to take care of him. That’s
probably why.”
“He saved you?” Phoenix looked at Longsword. “You did, too,
huh?”
“Yes, I did, m’am,” Longsword beamed.
His siblings thanked Longsword and led them off to wash up. Namine was going to make her bed for Rose to sleep in, but Leon
thought it better if he brings her to his room. They were to wed after
all. He would announce their marriage to his siblings after he washes
and change out of his sister’s ridiculous clothes. He had endured them
long enough.
“Rose.” He lay her down on the bed and pulled the cover over
her. She must have been really exhausted, for she sleeps like the dead. Leon strokes her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead before
blowing out the candles and left the room to tend to businesses.

Islington

“Well, this is a fail,” said Avangelene when Laguna and her came out of the Marquess’s
House of Doom,
finding it empty except for a few guards and servants napping out by the door. “No actions or movements. Is there another place Leon might have gone to?”

“Possibly,” said Laguna. “I’m not exactly sure but it should be around Islington here somewhere. Where did you learn to do that?”
“What?”
“Pick locks and slip through guards without alerting them?”
“Talent.”
“Seriously.”
“I learned it, that’s all,” she said, annoyed by the many questions he always ask that he could have answered for himself.
“Where?”
“It’s late now. Let’s go back and rest,” she said, avoiding his question. “It’s quite useless to lurk around in the dark to find a place that we have no idea about.”
“I can go back to your Haven of Light?”
“Yes,
Laguna
,” she answered. She didn’t want him to, but she’s pretty sure he has nowhere else to go, even if he claimed he does, and her hideout is the closest place around here. And to think on the bright side, he saved her brother’s life and sacrificed his own. She’s grateful for it.
“You finally said my name without having me to tell you so.”
Avangelene just shrugged and walked off.
“Are you sure you want me back over there?”
She wasn’t going to answer that.
“I’m tired. If you don’t want to go, you can stay here or wander off to wherever you wish.”
“Is that a yes?”
Avangelene sighed and walked on. “Just come,” she said, without turning back.
“I am.”
Avangelene had to suppress a smile as he ran to catch up with her. He’s such an amusing duke.
“Sorry we couldn’t find Leon,” he said. “I should have known that he won’t be here anymore.”
“It’s fine.” She should have known, too.
“Are you mad?”
“Why? Should I be mad?”
“I just think you are.”
“I’m not.” Though he could spark her temper and make her go mad.
“Where do I sleep tonight?”
Definitely not in her room again.
“The barn,” she answered.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
Avangelene turned to look at him and smiles again as she watches him kick a rock around down the path.
The Duke of Hargate.
He’s so…what’s the word, she can’t seem to find it. She just kept watching him. His clothes were a bit worn out. Perhaps she could get him something better to wear in the morning. His dark hair was tidy enough, though a bit tousled by the night’s wind. Overall, he is quite a wonderful sight.
She might even like him if he wasn’t a duke.
But he’s one, and it changes everything.
“Yes, I know I’m handsome,” he said, giving Avangelene a wink when he caught her staring at him.
She didn’t flinch away at that truth. He
was
handsome. She had thought so when she saw him sprawled on the floor of her room.
“We have to add to that,” she said, finally looking away.
“Hm?”
“Wait for the morning, then you’ll see,” she said, smiling away as he stares after her in awe.
“What do you mean? Avangelene! Wait!”
But she was strolling away, ignoring his every question.

Bridlington

“L-Leon?” Rose slowly opened her eyes and realized that she was laying on a bed in complete darkness. “Leon?”
She threw the cover off as she scrambles to her feet to try and find the door.
What is this place? Where is she? Where’s Leon?
It took her a good long minute to find the door.
How big is this room anyway?
she thought.
How big is this place?
Yet her questions was answered when the door opens, revealing a long corridor with a fine set of spiral stairs leading down to…wherever.
“What is this place?”
Rose looked around to find no one. Then her thoughts directed back to Leon.
Where is he?
She rushed down the long spiral stairs and came upon an open door, leading out to a lighted porch with flower baskets hanging and bushes of flowers surrounding it.
It was a beautiful sight.
Quietly, she descends down and walked around the outside to examine it more closely, but was distracted when she heard voices from the other side.
Could it be Leon?
She hurried around and to her relieve, Leon was sitting right before her, along with his…siblings, she supposed. They were in a circle around a fire, talking and drinking, having fun socializing. None of them seem to notice her until she murmurs out Leon’s name.
“Rose!” he turned around and grinned, extending his hand out for her.
She took it nervously and came to sit beside him when he pulls her down.
“I was just announcing our engagement to my siblings!” Leon exclaimed. “Guys, remember Lady Rose?” he said to his siblings.
“Wouldn’t forget her even if a century had passed,” said a young lad, who she assume is the youngest of the Heartily brothers.
“Whatever. A decade has only gone by and you almost didn’t recognize her,” said a young girl, who seems to be too young to have a London season. “I’m Phoenix,” she said, giving her a little wave. “Do you still remember me?”
Unfortunately, she had quite forgotten. There were too many of them, but as she looks around, there were only seven. Where’s the other four? There were supposed to be twelve of them total, right?
“I’m afraid I’ve forgotten your names,” Rose answered with a weak smile. “Although you all can refresh my memory.”
“I’m Sheik, the most handsome of us brothers,” said the young man from before as he reached over to kiss her hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”
“Hey, hands off,” Leon snapped, pushing it away. “Rose is off limit.”
“Don’t be such an ass,” Sheik said as he sat back down. “We all know how much she means to you. Lady Rose, did you know that Leon has been crying over you and sleep talking all these years, saying your name in grief and barely eats anything until–”
“Shut up before I spin your head over the fire,” Leon interjected, making Rose giggle.
Had Leon really?
“Am I embarrassing you?” Sheik laughed. “An ass for sure. Wouldn’t even admit to the truth. Lady Rose, would you say he’s an arse, or an ass like the Americans? Did Leon tell you that our mother was an American? Have you noticed that sometimes our accent changes?”
Well, this younger brother of Leon is quite a talker. She likes him already.
“No, I did not notice,” she answered. “Leon never told me.”
“It wasn’t that important,” Leon said, putting his arm around her. “
You
were more important.”
“I see he’s not very open about us, huh, his family,” said Phoenix. “Well, Lady Rose, I am excited to have you as my sister-in-law. In advance, I’ll like to welcome you into the family.”
Rose flushed at the words and thanked her quietly.
“One thing, Lady Rose, please don’t mind,” said another young woman. “I’m Namine, if you recall, we are a wild family who’s loud and does the most ridiculous thing. You will have to adapt to it soon and open up using your outside voice instead of the mousy inside one.”
“I can see that,” Rose smiled.
“She will fit in just fine,” Leon said, pulling her close. “You guys haven’t heard the loudest cry from her yet.”
“Oho, what is that supposed to mean?” said his other brother.
“You’ll have to see, Blake,” Leon said, winking at her.
Humph!
What was he trying to say?
“Enough, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Gabriel,” said Leon’s other brother, who was half naked with his shoulder bandaged. “I remember you quite well, Lady Rose. You were shearing the sheep in the barn that one day.”
“Your dirty trick,” Leon scoffed.
Rose laughed as she recalls that day.
“Yes, I was,” she answered.
“Sorry for making you do that,” Gabriel said. “It was just a little fun trick I like to pull.”
“I beat his ass after you left,” Leon beamed.
“Yes. He got Lavender’s hedgehog stuck on his bottom afterward,” Blake laughed.
“Was that why Hedgie died the next day?” asked the Miss Lavender, Rose assume, since she was the only one who hadn’t been introduced.
“It was to be a secret, damn you,” Gabriel cursed.
Leon’s family is so fascinating. Rose doesn’t think she’ll ever be bored.
“I should have known,” Lavender replied madly, but then wiped the anger off as she turns to Rose. “Sorry, I’m Lavender. I have this deep affection for animals that I can’t control myself if I see any of them hurt. Do you like animals?”
“I love them!” Rose exclaimed. “My family used to have three calico cats, but my mother got allergic to them so after a while, my father got them dispose of.”
“What?” Miss Lavender could hardly contain her temper as she’d said. “Meaning they were killed, or worse, left to starve and fend for themselves in the wild?”
“You shouldn’t have mentioned that part, my dear,” Leon said to Rose.
“I’m sorry.”
“Lavender’s all nonsense,” said another man, who seems to be the exact charming male form of his sister Lavender. “She claims she loves animals, but she’s a big time carnivorous. I’m Chance, by the way,” he said, smiling at Rose. “The good twin brother of that thing,” he said, pointing to Lavender.
“He’s the evil one,” Lavender countered. “And I only ate them because I’m not the one that killed them.”
“Quite ironic,” Chance smiled.
Rose almost forgot that Leon had mentioned to her once before that he had a pair of twin siblings who’s always contradicting one another. This has got to be them.
“I’m really happy that Leon is marrying you, Lady Rose,” said Namine as she waves off the argument between her brother and sister. “If only Avangelene and them were here to hear this good news.”
“There are still half of my siblings that you haven’t reunited yourself with,” Leon replied.
“Where are they now?” she asked.
“Jack, Edward, and Aidan, went out to find Leon,” said Blake. “We don’t know where they are now, or what they’re going to do since Leon’s here.”
“That’s terrible,” Rose gasped. “They could be in danger.”
“We suspected that much,” Leon nodded.
“I pray they return safely, “Rose said. “We should have stayed and waited for them.”
“Too risky. We didn’t even know,” said Lord Longsword.
Rose didn’t even realize that the earl was still there.
“I’m debating whether or not I should go back to find them,” Leon said, turning to Longsword. “Perhaps I could go get Hargate now that Rose is safe here with you guys.”
“It’s late, Leon,” said Namine. “Besides, Ed’s a hot temper idiot who’s all into good hygiene. I bet you a thousand pounds that he is running his mouth off right now about how he hasn’t wash for three days and is returning home no matter what.”
“Yep. Sounds like Edward,” Blake agreed.
“They could be on their way back already,” said Chance. “I know they’re not patient enough to go roaming around Islington trying to find you in a place they’ve never seen before.”
“Maybe Jack would have the patience and Aidan, but with Edward, nope. The trip’s a fail,” Gabriel added. “Don’t waste your time. Sleep and wait till morning. I’m pretty sure Hargate’s fine with Avangelene, too. She takes good care of everyone.”
“Boy, Avange stuck with a duke? That’s trouble right there,” said Lavender. “She hates dukes.”
“No, she
‘dislikes’
them,” Phoenix said, making little quotations.
Why ever not, Rose doesn’t understand. Leon had said the same thing.
“I don’t think she’ll do him any physical injury,” said Namine. “Maybe a few words to hurt his pride.”
“All right, I’m beginning to regret leaving Hargate with her then,” Leon said.
“Don’t worry. He’s a friend of yours and ours. Avange would treat him well,” said Sheik. “Maybe even cook up something delicious for him, too, while we’re here with nothing much but a birdie on a stick.”
Everyone burst into laughter at the words.
“True that,” Blake said. “She cooks the best for the guests.”
“Hey, but we’re talking about a duke here,” said Lavender. “He’s probably starving to death.”
“Is your sister really that bad to dukes?” Rose asked Leon quietly so that only he can hear.
“No, they’re just exaggerating,” he answered.
“Why?”
“She once loved a duke,” he said. “I don’t know what happened.”
“He broke her heart?”
Leon shrugged. “Probably, but Avange has a heart of stone. No one can ever break it, at least not now.”
“He made her stronger, perhaps.”
Leon nodded and tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “Are you hungry?”
“I believe I’m famished.”
Leon laughed and reached to get her a share of the
‘birdie on a stick.’
“Not the best, but it’ll do,” he said.
“Anything’s fine,” she answered.
He broke off a piece and was going to feed her, but his sister Namine stopped him.
“Hey, you guys are not wedded yet,” she said, coming in between them. “No feeding one another till the wedding.”
Rose pulled back with a blush while Leon ran his fingers through his hair.
“Seriously now, Nam,” he said. “It’s only a small act of love before–”
“Small act of love? I think not. With your abundant of affection sealed away for years for Lady Rose, I doubt there’s any such thing as a ‘
small act of love’
between you two,” she said, flashing Rose a grin.
Well, Rose couldn’t help flushing at the vulgarity of Leon’s sister. It sure makes her feel at home… as part of the family.
“I think I’ll have to separate the two of you until the wedding night, too,” Namine added.
“You wouldn’t do such thing,” said Leon. “No way.”
“Hey, ‘
small act of love
,’ this is it,” Namine said, pushing Leon aside and sitting down next to Rose. “I figured you wouldn’t mind being away from Leon until your wedding takes place, would you, Lady Rose? To think he’d left you all alone for all these years without a reasonable explanation.”
Boy, his sister was good.
“I figured so,” Rose agreed. A little punishment of revenge wouldn’t hurt, although she had long forgiven him.
“Oh, damn you, Nam,” Leon cursed. “You didn’t have to bring that up.”
Namine turned and flashed her brother a smile. “I’m just speaking the truth.”
“Truth, my ass.”
“Lady Rose, please don’t mind our word choices, but as you can see, our life revolves around
asses
. It’s the family word.”
“I don’t mind at all,” Rose said. She really didn’t, although she’d been taught to not use the word by her governess and be a Miss Oh-soProper all her life. It’s time for a change.
“Good,” said Namine. “You’ll adapt in no time. Anyhow, I’ll let Leon feed you with that birdie for now. I believe you’re starving. Must have been a rough trip. Afterward, I’ll draw the tub up for you to bath and get you one of my nightgowns to change into. You’ll be sharing my room until you and Leon becomes legally bond.”
“Hey, I may be able to resist Rose, but she wouldn’t be able to resist me,” Leon argued. “Stop your nonsense and don’t torture her.”
“I’m perfectly fine with the idea,” Rose countered to not feel mortified by his words, though all she wanted now is him and her, together in his bed, holding one another.
“The lady has spoken,” said Namine. “Have your moment now because the night ahead of you is going to be a dreadfully long one.”