The Abandoned Vampire Bride Walked Away novel · Chapter 8 of 24
Chapter 8: The East Garden
I took the housekeeper's car and went to the Crowhurst manor in daylight, with the note in my fist.
A footman met me at the gate and ran me through the house to the east garden without a word.
The garden had a white pavilion in the middle of it, and a stone bench under a canopy of cloth.
Alaric lay on the bench with his shirt open at the throat.
His hands were wrapped in wet linen to the wrist.
His face had gone gray, and where the noon light had touched his neck and cheek, the skin was raw and shining.
His mother knelt beside him with a bowl of water, and she was weeping without sound.
"Ro," he said. His voice was a rasp. "You came."
"What happened to you?"
"I walked out to look at the sea." He tried to laugh and coughed. "Just down to the terrace. I've done it every day since I was twelve. I got to the roses and my skin started to peel."
The Lord of House Crowhurst stood at the pavilion pillar in his gray coat.
He was a tall man, with the same black hair as his son and the look of someone who had not slept.
He said nothing at first.
Then he crossed the flagstones and stopped in front of me.
"Miss Merrow. Thank you for coming. I will be direct, since there is no time."
"Please."
"You will take back the pledge."
I stared at him.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"A new ring has been made. It is in the case on the table. You will put it on, and you will say you yield, and my son will recover."
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