Read Online Belmary House Book Two by Cassidy Cayman - Free Book Online Page B

the inn after all. They were probably looking for a room. Her leftover irritation at Ashford made her decide not to wait for him.
    “No, no, no, Matil—” Ashford came thundering from the kitchen, grabbing her around the waist as she swung open the door.
    She was glad he did, because her bones stopped wanting to support her weight and he was the only thing holding her up. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She turned around to see if Ashford saw the same thing she did. He nodded resolutely, an unreadable look in his eyes. Looking back at the door, she blinked, but nothing changed.
    Kostya stood in the doorway, sheepishly smiling at them.

Chapter 7

    Nothing worked right in her brain, and she burst into relieved tears, so glad to see him alive, thinking his death must have been a nightmare she finally woke up from. She wanted to fling her arms around him, but fear stopped her. How could he be standing before them now, a little ruffled, but otherwise no worse for wear? He didn’t seem dead. But was he alive? After the things she’d seen and now knew could happen, she didn’t know what to think.
    “Is this real?” she stammered.
    Ashford swept her behind him, then hauled back his fist and punched Kostya in the face. “It took you long enough,” he said.
    She watched Kostya rub his jaw, trying to shake off the pain of the blow. He was clearly there in front of them, and clearly she was the only one who didn’t understand how that was possible. Taking in a gulp of air and suppressing a howl of frustration at the buckets full of craziness she’d had to deal with the last few weeks, she also stepped forward and punched Kostya. Yes, he was really there, his jaw plenty solid, his grunt of pain seeming proof that he was alive.
    Ashford snickered and she hit him as well, hard, in the shoulder. He rubbed the spot and looked betrayed.
    “What is going on?” she demanded shrilly, the tears flowing in force at her jumbled mix of fear, relief, and confusion. She held onto the doorframe to stay upright.
    Ashford led her to a bench and she studied Kostya as he entered the room. His movements were slow and careful and he eased himself into the seat across from her, as if his joints were stiff, then rubbed his face some more.
    “I think yours hurt worse than Julian’s,” he told her. “Really, I thought you’d both be more pleased to see me.”
    Tilly sputtered and wiped her tears away, still dizzy from the tennis match of emotions bouncing back and forth, unable to settle on one.
    “I am pleased,” Ashford said, sitting beside her. “I hit you because you upset Matilda.”
    Kostya’s face fell. “I’m sorry for that,” he said. “But I had to be certain.”
    “I did wonder,” Ashford said, leaning forward eagerly and pushing aside Kostya’s hair.
    Tilly saw that there was a small bald spot beneath the thick waves and her stomach turned over. It was real. She hadn’t imagined what had happened in the church, Ashford hadn’t been mistaken in thinking him dead. But how was he here right now? She shuddered and hugged her arms around herself.
    Kostya brushed away Ashford’s hand and smoothed his hair back down.
    “I awoke only this morning and thought I was still in a nightmare,” he said. He stared ahead, eyes unfocused. “It took me some time to piece it all together, accept it.” He swallowed convulsively. “I wanted to be out of that place but I couldn’t leave … I couldn’t just leave them behind. I set it all on fire. I’m sorry. It was the best I could think of.”
    Tilly closed her eyes against the image. The bodies had to be disposed of and there was no way anyone would want to use the building as a church again, it having been so thoroughly desecrated. She couldn’t think of any other way, and reached over to touch his hand, glancing at Ashford to see how he took it.
    “You did right,” Ashford said. “Of course, I’m sorry those bastards lied all this time, but now we