Chapter 31

Chapter

Thirty-One

J une 10 th , 2024

We spent a warm June night at the French chateau where Charles and Tash spent most of their time. After a nervous breakfast of croissants, cold cuts and creamy cheese, we clambered into their car to make the short journey to the cottage on the other side of the river. It was a tight squeeze to fit everybody in, but we couldn’t leave anyone out.

‘It’s pretty here,’ Hester commented. ‘Maybe you should move to France, too, Daisy.’

I nodded, although it was to indicate that I’d heard her rather than to imply I had any intention of living abroad. It was beautiful, though. The more I saw of the gently rolling hills, lush vineyards and quaint farm buildings nestled comfortably in the landscape, the more I understood why someone would want to live here. The sunshine and warm weather certainly helped, too. But unfortunately nothing about the stunning location eased the nervous churn in my stomach. My hands were shaking, though whether that was from nerves or the spider’s silk I’d swallowed before I’d left the house, I couldn’t have said for sure .

‘You should have told me, you know,’ Hugo said to his parents. ‘I can’t believe you knew the truth all these years and you didn’t tell me.’

I glanced at Gordon. He was squeezed into the corner of the car, his gangly frame folded over in a position that looked incredibly uncomfortable. He flushed slightly and nodded. ‘If you’d at least spoken to Grace Assigney and told her the truth, it would have saved a lot of the unpleasantness you’ve experienced over the years.’

Tash’s face was now lined but it still held the same twinkling kindness as it had thirty years ago. She smiled gently. ‘It wouldn’t have changed anything. We knew what we were letting ourselves in for. Our silence helped to keep both Rose and Daisy safe for all these years. We knew the truth and that was enough for us.’

Hugo’s voice was tight. ‘I didn’t know, although I suspected there was something you were keeping from me.’ It was better he didn’t mention that those suspicions had included wondering if they really had killed Rose. That particular revelation wouldn’t help anyone.

Tash patted his hand. ‘It was safer for you not to know. And look at what has happened with you and Daisy because you didn’t know. It’s all worked out for the best.’

Except that Athair was still out there, and he would move heaven and earth to bring me to his fiendish side. He had surely worked out that my friends and family made me vulnerable; while he still breathed, he presented the gravest danger to all of us.

‘What happened to the skull?’ Tash asked. ‘Do you have it? I’d love to see the object that started all of this.’

Hugo snorted. ‘The British Museum snatched it within hours of our return from 1994. I expect it’ll be safely buried in a deep vault for the rest of time. We’ll never see it again. ’

His mother looked disappointed, but I was relieved they’d taken it off our hands. Time travelling was an unsettling business – not to mention incredibly dangerous.

Charles indicated left, then turned onto a narrow gravel-lined driveway with leafy trees planted along one side of it. Within moments the trees gave way to a pretty cottage, and I realised that it looked exactly like the painting that still hung in the Assigney mansion. There were the same roses in pink, red and dusky-orange hues, though the daisies, planted in beds all along the side of the house, were new. They certainly weren’t in the old portrait.

I gazed at them and a lump caught in my throat.

‘Are you okay?’ Hugo asked gruffly.

I nodded; I still felt shaky and anxious, but I was okay. Everything was okay.

Charles parked in front of the cottage. ‘You should go in first, Daisy,’ he said. ‘When you’re ready, the rest of us will join you.’

‘I’m not waiting in the car!’ Hester protested.

Otis flapped towards her, cupped his hands and whispered something in her ear. She pouted then her shoulders dropped. ‘Fine,’ she muttered. ‘I’ll wait.’

I didn’t want to go in alone; this meeting wasn’t only about me. I looked at my mum and dad, my beautiful, loving, adoptive parents, whose expressions reflected my own nerves. ‘Come with me,’ I whispered. They started to shake their heads and I raised my voice. ‘Please,’ I said. ‘Come with me.’

Mum’s bottom lip trembled and so did Dad’s. ‘Are you sure, Daisy?’ he asked.

‘You’re my family,’ I told them. ‘I need you there.’

Preparing to speak, Hester drew in a breath but Otis jabbed her sharply in her ribs and she subsided. I smiled at them. ‘You’re my family as well. Just give us a bit of time first, then you’re welcome to come in too. We only need a moment.’

Hugo planted a brief kiss on my cheek. ‘You’ve got this, Daisy. It’ll be great.’

I wiped my sweaty palms down the fabric of my trousers. ‘Yep. It’ll be wonderful.’ Then, before I could chicken out, I opened the car door and stepped out.

Rose was waiting for us, and she opened the cottage door long before we reached it. Her fingers were twisting together in front of her as she waited for us on the doorstep.

Her red hair was shorter and there were fine lines around her tear-filled eyes. I could tell she was scared, but there was calmness and wisdom there too, even though deep down she was the same steely, bright-eyed, brave woman I’d met thirty years ago. She was older but she looked happier.

I stepped towards her and her arms went around me. ‘I shouldn’t be surprised,’ she whispered in my ear. ‘And yet I am. You look exactly the same.’

A soft laugh escaped my lips. It had only been days since I had seen her, but it had been half a lifetime for her since she’d seen me.

‘I’m sorry I ran away like that, Daisy.’ Her voice cracked. ‘It was done with the best of intentions. There’s not been a single day when I haven’t thought of you. You have to know that I didn’t want to abandon you. Please, please forgive me.’

I swallowed the painful knot in my throat. ‘There’s nothing to forgive. Nothing . You did nothing wrong.’ I hugged her tightly then stepped back and gestured to my mum and dad, who were standing awkwardly behind me.

‘This is Alison and Mike,’ I told her. ‘My mum and dad.’

Rose brushed away a tear from her cheek then she embraced them tightly, too. ‘Your daughter is a wonderful person,’ she said .

My mum sniffed. ‘ Your daughter is a wonderful person.’

I bit my lip hard. ‘We’re all wonderful people,’ I told them.

And I meant it whole-heartedly.

There were more tears, more introductions and many more hugs; in fact, it was a full hour before our group was seated comfortably in Rose’s garden with enough tea and cake to satisfy an army.

‘Alain is a great cook,’ Rose told us, waving a hand at her husband.

I smiled at the good-looking, genial, Frenchman whose salt-and-pepper hair caught the sunlight and whose warm gaze whenever he looked at Rose displayed his love for her. Despite all the turmoil and the trauma, my birth mother had found her way in life and she was happy. That knowledge meant more than I could have anticipated.

Hester, whose cheeks were stuffed full of chocolatey crumbs, nodded vigorously. ‘Mmmmph.’

‘She likes your brownies,’ Otis translated.

‘ Merci ,’ Alain said with a bow. ‘Thank you.’

Gordon, who was also looking happier than I’d ever seen him before, took a sip from his cup then laid it on the small table in front of us. He cleared his throat and glanced at all of us before his gaze settled on Rose. ‘I’m very glad you’re alive.’

Rose laughed. ‘So am I.’

He coughed again. ‘What’s next?’

The crinkle around her eyes deepened. ‘I’m hoping to get to know my daughter a little better.’ She looked at my parents. ‘And her mum and dad. If that’s alright with all of you.’

My mum leaned forward and took Rose’s hand. ‘We’re all family now. ’

Dad bobbed his head. ‘The more the merrier.’ He grinned happily and raised his cup to her.

Gordon smiled but he wasn’t giving up. ‘Will you come back? To Scotland?’

Rose exchanged glances with Alain. ‘I sincerely doubt that Athair has any lingering interest in me.’ She flicked a worried glance in my direction. ‘He only ever wanted a child. While I might have been the first woman who could give him one, I’m now fifty years old and my time to have more children has passed. I’ve not attempted to wield blood magic since 1994. Any vestige of that dark power that remains inside me is buried so deep I think it’s highly unlikely it could ever return. I’m neither a danger nor a temptation to him.’

She shrugged. ‘That’s not to say he wouldn’t approach me to take his revenge, but I suspect it would be nothing more than pettiness. And,’ she added pointedly, ‘it wouldn’t encourage Daisy to his side, which I’m sure we all know is what he wants.’

A discomfiting stiffness spread through my body, even though I accepted the truth of what she was saying. ‘Nothing will encourage me to his side,’ I said. ‘ Nothing .’

‘He’s more manipulative than you know,’ she said softly. A grim silence descended but then Rose offered me a half-smile. ‘But you’re stronger than he knows, too.’

I fiddled with my cuffs. My initial response was to refute her words but deep down I knew that I was strong. I hadn’t survived my wild magic and my drug addiction for this many years through sheer luck – even if my greatest challenges were yet to come.

‘So you could come back, Rose?’ Hugo asked. ‘You could return to the Assigney mansion?’

She took a few moments to respond, though it was clear from her expression that she’d been expecting the question. ‘I’ve spent more of my life here than I have in Scotland. This is my home now. I don’t want to be Lady Rose.’ She touched the centre of her chest. ‘I am glad that I’m still alive, but the Lady Rose that people knew has been dead for a long time. It’s Lady Daisy’s turn to shine now.’

Oh God. I gulped.

‘I hear that you took a DNA test recently,’ Rose added. ‘That will be more than enough to prove you are my daughter without my sudden reappearance.’

Hester looked up from the pile of cakes. ‘Don’t worry, my lady,’ she said to me with an airy, albeit chocolate-smeared, hand. ‘I’ll show you how to act. We can begin your elocution and deportment training immediately. We can practise tomorrow when we go shopping.’

‘Shopping?’

She smirked. ‘For all those dripping diamonds you’ll soon be wearing.’

As if. Otis looked at her and snorted. ‘Do you know Daisy at all?’ he asked.

With a deliberately casual movement, Hester reached forward and scooped up some ganache then flung it at Otis’s face. He dodged it with ease.

Aware this could quickly descend into all-out war between them, I snagged him in the palm of my hand while Hugo did the same to Hester. ‘Enough,’ I said.

I turned my head and gazed at Hugo and he gave a gentle smile in return. There was no pressure in his expression, and no judgement. I knew from the bottom of my soul that he was prepared to support me whatever I did next. All I could offer was the truth in return.

‘I don’t know what will come of that,’ I said simply. I looked from my birth mother, Rose, to my adoptive parents. ‘There’s a lot to navigate and a lot to consider. I don’t want to rush into anything. And there’s something that I have to take care of first.’

My dad’s eyes narrowed. ‘This Athair fellow.’ His cheeks stained red. ‘He’s not your father, Daisy. He never will be, no matter what story your blood may tell.’

‘I know that, Dad.’ I licked my lips, wishing I didn’t feel so nervous. ‘But there’s something else I’ve got to do that’s more important than Athair and whatever he wants of me. It’s more important than the Assigney mansion or titles.’

‘Is it more important than diamonds?’ Hester asked sceptically, but her eyes were twinkling. She knew what I was going to say next.

I grinned at her. ‘Much more important.’ I reached across and used my free hand to clasp Hugo’s.

Mum gasped. ‘Has Hugo proposed?’

I stared at her. ‘Mother! Seriously? We’re not even in a real relationship!’

Hugo leaned into my ear. ‘I’m not so sure about that,’ he murmured. His thumb rubbed my ring finger.

Now it was my cheeks that were growing hot. ‘It’s not that,’ I said stiffly. I resolutely refused to look at him and focused on my shoes. ‘There’s something else I haven’t told you.’ I held my breath for a moment and then plunged ahead, ripping off the metaphorical plaster as quickly as I could.

‘I’m a drug addict. I’ve been addicted to spider’s silk since I was fifteen years old.’ The words were tripping over each other. ‘I’m finally in a position to do something about it so I’m planning to start rehabilitation. Getting clean has to be my main focus and it will be awful. The thought of it terrifies me but I know I can do it. I know I can.’

I continued to stare at my shoes as Hugo’s fingers tightened around mine.

I couldn’t hear any sharp intakes of breath so eventually I raised my head, terrified of what I might see but unable to hide from the truth any longer.

Gordon and Hugo were watching me carefully, as were Hester and Otis – but they already knew. It was Rose, my parents, Hugo’s parents and even Alain who were all looking at me with genuine concern but also unexpected warmth. Huh. It was obvious that they were deeply worried, but they weren’t disgusted. They weren’t running away.

‘Oh, Daisy, this is our fault. We knew there was something going on,’ my mum said. ‘I didn’t realise it was drugs. I never imagined…’ She swallowed. ‘I’m so sorry.’

I was absolutely adamant. ‘It is not your fault. There are a million and one reasons why I’m a drug addict and you are not one of them.’

‘Why didn’t you tell us?’ my dad whispered.

I still felt shaky. ‘I was scared. I didn’t want to hurt you or worry you. It was better this way.’

‘Oh, my poor girl.’ Mum reached for one of my hands and Rose took the other. ‘We should have done something. We should have helped you, Daisy.’

I met her eyes. ‘Believe me, there is nothing you could have said or done that would have made a difference.’

‘Since you were fifteen?’ Dad asked in a small voice.

I bit my lip and nodded.

‘The fire,’ my mum said as realisation dawned. ‘When the house burnt down.’

‘Yeah.’ My fingers twitched nervously. ‘That was my fault. I couldn’t control my magic and it flared up during the night when we were sleeping. After that, I started taking spider’s silk because it helped me to control my powers.’

‘Oh, Daisy.’

I gave a tremulous smile. ‘It’s okay. I’m okay. And soon I’ll be better than okay because I will get clean.’

‘You have our support all the way,’ Rose said.

‘All our support,’ my mum agreed .

As I looked at both of my mothers, a wellspring of happiness bubbled up inside me. With their help, I could do this. Suddenly I knew that nothing else mattered. Athair didn’t matter because he didn’t have people like this around him. These people were mine and I was theirs, and drug addiction would soon be nothing more than a note in Daisy Carter Assigney’s history book .

‘You also have all our love,’ my dad added. ‘Always.’

‘Yes, Daisy,’ Hugo murmured by my side. ‘You have all my love, too.’

‘But you don’t have diamonds,’ Hester muttered.

A huge grin flashed across my face. ‘We’ll set up a treasure hunt for some as soon as I’ve recovered.’ I glanced at Hugo. ‘If you’re in?’

His dimple appeared in his cheek. ‘Always.’

I really hope you enjoyed Skullduggery!

The fourth and final book in the Thrill of the Hunt series will be released on September 30th, 2024. You can learn more here: https://mybook.to/salted

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Thank you so so much.

Helen xx