Page 72 of The Ones Left Behind
“So soon?”
“Indeed. We have little time. Waverley has his yacht waiting in the cove.”
Henry filled a glass with brandy and downed it in one large gulp. “I do not know what to do.”
“Almost anywhere would be better than the future you are facing here. You would be Lord of the Manor, so to speak, in Tortola.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“No, but Father went there. He had a painting of the plantation house, with beaches and water, in colours of blue and green I have never seen in life. It was quite lovely. There is a sugar plantation and a rum factory. It will not be the society you are used to, of course, but there are quite a number of British living in the vicinity.”
“If I do not like it there, what then?”
“You will have to make your own way from there. I can give you a start, but the rest will be up to you.”
Henry nodded as though he understood.
“Do you have any belongings to take?”
Henry shook his head. “There was little I could bring with me.”
“I have already written a letter to the estate manager at Tortola, in case that was your choice. Along with it is enough money to cover your passage and a good start in the Caribbean. When Hornsby returns, I will have him pack anything of mine you think you might make use of.”
Henry swallowed hard. “Thank you, brother.”
He stood up and moved in front of where Matthias still sat, propped against the chair. It was not the most civilized position, but it had been a better conversation than Matthias had expected to have. Henry held out a hand to help him up.
“No, Henry! Stop!”
* * *
“No, Henry!”Kitty screamed when she saw him standing over Matthias, who was on the floor. She leapt on to Henry’s back and pulled him away, falling backwards with him on top of her.
“Stop, Kitty!” She heard Matthias’s voice. “He is not trying to hurt me.”
Having entered in her wake, Waverley and Philip had swiftly moved to subdue Henry, dragging him from his position across her. When they had him standing, with his arms behind his back, everyone stopped and gazed at Matthias, who looked horrified.
“I fell and he was helping me up, that is all.”
“Oh, thank God,” Kitty said, and let her head fall back on the floor. She had run herself to near exhaustion, but fearing the worst on seeing what had looked like Henry hurting Matthias, she had found a new burst of energy.
Her heart was still thumping in her chest.
“We can let Henry go?” Philip asked. “Because he is in desperate need of a bath. Come to think of it, we probably are as well, now.”
Matthias chuckled. “Yes. He could do with a good soaking before he departs.”
“You have agreed to go?” Kitty asked hopefully, looking at Henry.
“I do not see any other choice.”
“So it will be as planned? My yacht will take him to a port in France and then he will go to Tortola?” the Duke asked.
“Yes. Will someone please send Hornsby to me? I would like him to pack some of my things for Henry and help him be ready.”
“He was not long behind us.” Philip left to find the batman and Waverley helped Matthias from the floor. Jumping up in an inelegant fashion, Kitty’s first order of business was to go and throw her arms around Matthias.
“How did you fall?” she asked Matthias. “For a moment, I thought we were too late.”
