Page 124 of House of Roots and Ruin
He pushed himself farther down the hall, ready to continue on. “You’ve noticed, haven’t you?”
I followed after him. “With the plants, of course.”
Alex laughed. “With everything. Always. Three fountain pens, lined up at the ready. Three pocket watches in case the first two fail. Three bouquets for Mother when one would do.”
“He has three sets of keys,” I murmured, wanting to hear him say it out loud.
“I’ve not seen them myself but I’m sure he does.” He smiled wistfully. “If I knew where he kept them, I’d let you in the study myself.”
“You would?”
He nodded. “I know how much your sisters mean to you. You must be missing them dreadfully. If Father hasn’t brought their missives by breakfast, I shall herd him up here myself and make certain he does.”
I sucked in my lower lip, my heart swelling.
I wanted to tell him. I wanted to tell Alex everything, right here and now and be done with it.
I’d promised Viktor and Julien I’d give them a day and it was nearly midnight. I could confess everything with only a tremor of a guilty conscience.
Alex deserved to know.
Where should I start?
The ghosts?
Constance?
His mother?
His brothers?
“Alex?”
“Hmm?” He yawned loudly as we stopped outside my chamber door, then looked sheepish. “I’m so sorry. It’s not the company, I promise.”
I stopped short. He looked completely wrung out, drained of all energy.
“I…”
I couldn’t do it. Not yet. Not tonight. I needed him to be rested, ready to hear everything I had to say with a clear mind, an open mind, and then we could attempt to fix it all. Together.
Tomorrow,I promised myself.
Tomorrow, I would tell Alex everything.
“Let’s take the day off from the portrait,” I decided. “You’re exhausted. Sleep in tomorrow, get some rest.”
“That sounds wonderful.” He laced his fingers through mine and pulled me close for a soft kiss good night.
Curiously, I kissed him back, moving my lips over his as I had when I’d thought Viktor him. A soft ember flickered to life but before I could explore it, letting it kindle into something larger, Alex pulled away, running his palm over my cheek with a tired smile.
“A late breakfast on the terrace?” he asked, making it clear the night was over.
I pushed back my disappointment and nodded. “I hope you have sweet dreams.”
“They’ll all be of you,” he promised sleepily, then wheeled away. I watched him roll down the hall and disappear around the foyer’s turn.
There were two other keys out there, hidden somewhere within Chauntilalie.
